Matthew 16:13-16 "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Phillipi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Maybe Elijah. May be John the Baptist. Maybe Jeremiah or another prophet. It seemed like most people were willing to give Jesus a little credit, he must be somebody great. But their credit wasn't enough, it wasn't good enough. Jesus was so much more than the prophets like Jeremiah, Elijah, and John the Baptist. No, he was the very object those prophets were foretelling, he was the purpose of many of their prophecies. He was the Christ, the Son of the living God. And while calling him as one of the prophets may have been a high title, it wasn't enough.

"But who do you say that I am?" He probes us with the same question today. Because there are many people who are willing to give us their opinion of God. Not only that, but there are subtle voices that speak to our minds to try to tell us who God is. Most of them are lies, they diminish the character of God and make him out to be a lot less than he says he is. Those lies tempt with discouragement and try to drag us down into doubt.

But what do i say? I say that Jesus is the Messiah, the God full of grace and love. I say that he is compassionate and full of mercy, I say that he is near. I say that he is the healer and deliverer.

I have been challenged by a missionary lady here who told me, "What you beleive about God will affect EVERY area of you life. The truth will set you free." I see how worship is warfare. Because disbelief in the character of God is a constant threat to our minds. Worship battles those lies by speaking the truth and setting out minds to faith in Christ, the Son of the living God. Engaging in worship gets our minds out of the gutter of disbelief as truth is spoken and hearts reminded of our God.

During church last night, the speaker said, "You cannot defeat a thought with another thought. You have to speak the truth aloud."

Many people can tell me about God. Many voices try to get my attention. I am tempted to let their lies drag me down. But I must engage in this warfare by redirecting my mind to, even speaking out, truth.