In a January 2017 Meet the Press interview, Counselor to the U.S. President, Kellyanne Conway, explained to the world that White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, used “alternative facts” in his first statement to the Press Corps regarding the inaugural crowd size.
Conway fiercely defended Spicer’s false statement about attendance at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration, stating “there’s no way to quantify crowds.”
Though Conway’s comment has turned the phrase into a viral point of political contention, the notion of alternative facts is nothing new.
The Father of “Alternative Facts”
Genesis chapter 3 recounts the narrative of the serpent and his enticement of Eve. He begins his deception by asking Eve a question, which makes her question “what was God’s instruction?” (Genesis 2:16-17). The serpent says, “Did God really say that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?”
Although Eve knows God’s directive, she allows herself to be deceived. God clearly told Adam that they may not eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God said if they eat of that tree, then they will surely die.
In this pivotal moment between mankind, the serpent, and God’s word, the serpent introduces an alternative fact – “You will not surely die.”
In the words of journalist Chuck Todd, “Alternative facts are not facts, they’re falsehoods.”
Deception.
Untruths.
Lies.
Unfortunately, Eve fell for it! Rather than obeying God’s word, she believed the alternative fact. She forfeited her confidence in the word of God for a lie. And, this deception and disobedience had eternal implications.
In God We Trust
In the age of fake news, mistrust in government, and national security breaches, what hope does the believer have? Like Eve, we cannot afford to believe the deception of the enemy. World news and all of the sensational headlines suggest faltering governments, economic peril, the threat of world war, and impending doom.
But, when everything around us proves unreliable, God can be trusted!
Here are a few reasons why we can trust in God. And, as our Promise Keeper, hold fast to the promises below as we maneuver through the enemy’s alternative facts.
Reasons We Can Trust God
- God is not a liar. He keeps his promises and fulfills his word. (Numbers 23:19)
- God is compassionate, faithful, and consistent. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
- God’s purposes shall stand. God’s word is truth. (Isaiah 14:24, John 17:17)
- God’s love is steadfast and endures forever. He is omnipotent, self-sufficient, unmovable, and infallible. God never fails. (Psalm 136:1-2, Revelation 19:6)
The Promise of His Peace
In Philippians 4:6-7, we are reminded to worry about nothing and to pray about everything.
When we do this, God’s peace, which goes beyond understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
With God’s peace shielding our hearts and minds, we are not distressed or disturbed when people, systems, or government fail us. With each new inconsistency revealed, we will be steadfast and not fall apart.
Psalm 29:11 assures us that the Lord will give us strength and that He will bless us with His peace.
The Promise of His Presence
Isaiah 41:10 reads:
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
This verse provides us with a promise, instruction, and the reasons why we should obey it.
We should not fear or be alarmed by the enemy’s tactics because God is with us, He is our God. God will help us and hold us up.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
The Father sent us a comforter, which is the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18, John 16:13, John 14:26). Jesus promised that He would not leave us as orphans. God sent the Holy Spirit to be our help and our encouragement. The Holy Spirit was given to us to guide us into all truth – not alternative facts. The Spirit of God is also a teacher, who helps us to remember what we have learned, and assists us in applying God’s word to our lives.
So, What’s the Play Call?
As believers, we must not consider the latest CNN headlines more than we believe the word of God.
Instead of logging on to Twitter or your favorite news source when you first wake up, engage heaven. Talk to God in prayer. Give Him the first part of your day. Instead of letting the headlines determine your outlook for the day, look to the word of God. Allow His peace and the truth of His word to settle any anxiousness that you may be experiencing.
Instead of feeding your spirit with current events, meditate on the word of God.
Rather than falling for the lies of the enemy, substitute alternative facts with the eternal truth of God’s word!
How do you guard your heart against the enemy’s alternative facts?
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