Based on the sermon prepared and preached by Jeff Jantzi, March 16, 2025
Spiritual Bungee Cords: Breaking Free from the Lies That Hold You Back
Have you ever felt like something invisible was holding you back? You try to grow spiritually, break free from bad habits, or surrender more fully to God—but the harder you try, the more you seem to struggle. What is that all about?
One way to picture this is by imagining bungee cords—spiritual restrictors that hold you back or even pull you in the opposite direction. You want to move forward in your faith, but these unseen forces create tension, making progress difficult.
What Are Spiritual Bungee Cords?
As you walk through life, you encounter these bungee cords—areas of tension that keep pulling you back. They might be unhealed wounds from the past, hurtful words or lies spoken over you, unforgiveness, fear about the future, or destructive habits you can’t seem to break. Each bungee cord represents a hidden force working against your freedom, reinforcing the belief that you’ll never change or that there’s no hope.
At the core of these bungee cords are lies—about ourselves, about God, and about what will truly bring us peace. These false beliefs keep us trapped and prevent us from stepping fully into the freedom Jesus offers.
The Battle Is About Truth
At the heart of this spiritual battle is truth. In John 8:32, Jesus says, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” If we’re not living in freedom, it’s because we’re believing lies instead of God’s truth. Breaking free starts with aligning ourselves with what God says is true and exposing and replacing the enemy’s lies with the truth of His Word.
Paul emphasizes this in Ephesians 6:13-17, describing the armor of God—our spiritual defense against the enemy. Two pieces are especially key in the fight against lies:
- The Belt of Truth – Holding everything together.
- The Sword of the Spirit – The Word of God, our offensive weapon.
And notice—all the armor is front-facing. There’s no protection for retreating. We’re meant to face spiritual battles head-on and do so together in community.
The Enemy’s Strategy: Lies
When it comes to spiritual warfare, many of us feel under-equipped—but the truth is, truth is all you need. Why? Because the enemy’s primary weapon is lies.
Jesus said in John 8:44, “He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth… for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Deception isn’t just one of his tactics—it’s his main strategy.
As Tim Keller put it: “Satan doesn’t control us with fang marks on the flesh, but with lies in the heart.”
These lies typically fall into three categories:
- Lies about who God really is.
- Lies about who you really are.
- Lies about what will really make you happy.
The enemy still whispers these lies today:
- About God: “He doesn’t really love you.” “He’s distant and angry.”
- About You: “You’re not good enough.” “Your past defines you.”
- About Life: “Following Jesus is too hard.” “You need more to be happy.”
These lies act like spiritual bungee cords—keeping us from walking in the freedom Jesus offers.
How Do We Break Free?
If spiritual warfare is (mostly) about fighting to believe truth over lies, then guess what?
We’ve got to KNOW THE TRUTH. We’ve got to KNOW THE BIBLE.
And not just in our heads—but in our hearts. When Satan whispers these lies, being grounded in the truth allows us to expose them for what they are and replace them with the truth of God’s Word:
- Lie: “God is an angry tyrant.”
Truth: “The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love” (Psalm 103:8). - Lie: “I am a mistake.”
Truth: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). - Lie: “Following Jesus won’t make me happy.”
Truth: “Jesus came to give life—and life to the full” (John 10:10) and “His yoke is easy and His burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).
Jesus’ Example: Truth Is Enough
Read the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert (Luke 4:1-13). Did you notice how Jesus responded each time the devil tempted Him?
He quoted Scripture—confronting the devil’s lies with God’s truth. No tricks. No rituals. Just truth.
And if the truth was all Jesus needed to stand firm—then it’s all we need too.
You Already Have What You Need
So, friends… let me encourage you: You already have everything you need for the battle each and every day—in the Bible, the truth of God’s Word.
And for whatever bungee cord may be holding you back—whatever lie it is that you’re believing—the answer is in here.
The key is to get what’s the Bible into your heart and mind.
And that takes:
- Time – A commitment to being in God’s Word each day.
- Community – Others helping us understand and apply it.
- The Holy Spirit – Bringing the truth to life within us.
If what Jesus said is true—that you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free—then maybe it’s time to take the truth a little more seriously.
If Satan’s main weapon against us is lies, then truth is our greatest defense. As we dig into God’s Word, surround ourselves with fellow believers, and hold fast to what is true, we can break free from the lies that hold us back and walk fully in the freedom Christ has won for us.
