The solutions to all this that Comer puts forward are obvious: confessing the truth of scripture and being led by the Spirit. Basically this amounts to practising the spiritual disciplines. He admits that what he is writing about is not that new, but it is a vital message then needs reinforcing again and again. These days, however, even many Christians are skeptical. People treat the devil as a myth or ancient nonsense.

Ideas have power only when we believe them. We hear all sorts of ideas every day, some brilliant, others ridiculous; but they have zero effect on us unless we begin to trust them as an accurate map to reality.” (p. 46) We are at war. Not with a foreign government or domestic terrorists or a creepy new artificial intelligence hell-bent on taking over the world. No, it's a war we feel deep inside our own chests: we are at war with lies. When combined with spiritual practices, this mentality can help Christians stay on the right path and become more like Jesus. Spiritual practices help Christians gain control over their desires.It will come as no surprise to most of my goodreads companions to see I have rated yet another JMC book 5 stars. But! I will tell you I wholeheartedly am giving each star to this book. Here’s why: The world is also defined in an anti-God manner, as a system of practices and standards where man reigns supreme and can attain his own salvation and destiny. This can be summed up as worldliness as opposed to godliness. Father of lies One aspect of this is how we have fallen prey to what is called chronological snobbery, the view that because we know some things better today than our unsophisticated non-scientific ancestors, we are automatically better in every way. We should trust our modern knowledge more than so-called outdated superstitions. This false ideology, often summed up as the myth of progress, is a demonic tactic through which truth can be twisted and redefined. Celebration of discipline

Reading scripture is another useful practice. When a person makes a habit of immersing themselves in scripture, they replace the devil’s lies with God’s truth – and eventually rewire their brains. Love is the desire not to take but to give. It’s the settled intention of the heart to promote good in the life of another.”In this provocative and practical book, bestselling author John Mark Comer combines cultural analysis with spiritual formation. He identifies the role lies play in our spiritual deformation and lays out a strategic plan to overcome them. You should read this book if you’re looking for a sense of confidence in searching for discernment against lies (he titled the book well, I promise). This book is also helpful for a deeper understanding of living the good life with Jesus, deepening in intimacy with Him, and learning how to better serve your church/community (the last chapter really hits on this). The problem isn’t so much that we tell lies but that we live them. We let them into our bodies, and they sabotage our peace. All around us in the culture and deep within our own body memories are lies: deceptive ideas that wreak havoc on our emotional health and spiritual well-being, and deceptive ideas about who God is, who we are, and what the good life truly is.