Today we explore the contradiction between Self-Help and what the bible explicitly states about turning to God for His help. We will confront the Big Lie around the adage, "God Helps Those Who Help themselves" and how this lie became so easy to believe. Lastly, we will use an example in scripture of this lie and the outcome.

The Big Lie: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

This statement has the appearance of a proverb but is NOT found in the Bible. In fact it directly contradicts scripture as God is the one who helps the helpless and even those practicing sin. God's strength is made perfect in our weakness.

When we exercise our independence apart from God, we experience all kinds of unnecessary trouble as we choose self over God's desire for us. God wants us to be independent, to be free to respond to Him; however, we are to do so with Him and not apart from Him. God wants us to do HIS will HIS way while Satan wants us to do whatever we think God's will is in OUR way. God wants to help you!

Believing that God helps those that help themselves

Satan is the master of lies; he has hijacked God's word. God creates; Satan makes or re-creates. Satan redefines words and symbols to change the meaning or appearance to serve his agenda, not God's. Some examples include the rainbow as the sign of God's promise. Today it has become a symbol of gay pride. Abortion is no longer murder; it's a woman's right. Male and female are redefined as gender. Same-sex is love as opposed to lust. What Satan calls self-help, God calls self-righteousness.

Do you see the play on words? This is nothing more than an exercise in rebranding. To rebrand is to change the image, the look and feel, the identity or perception of something that better aligns with one's goal or objective. Corporations rebrand all the time. But know this, whenever Satan rebrands something that God has said in His word, there will be a LOT of money involved and considerable funding to sell the idea -- Billions in funding for advertising and promotions… Billions in profit. Satan even uses celebrities, music artists, sports icons, and even Christian pastors to indoctrinate the masses and promote the false narrative. Sound familiar? It's pervasive in today's culture.

Self-help is all about self-reliance, self-love, self-justification, and self-righteousness. As Christians if you been seduced by Satan's worldly rebranding of self-righteousness as self-help, then ask yourself, "who are you serving?" When it becomes all about us, you have been played right into the enemies hands. God calls that REBELLION… it's IDOLATRY.

The example of King Saul in the Old Testament

Before he became king, Saul was a humble man from the tribe of Benjamin. He doubted that he had what it took to be king. Early in his kingship, he was connected to God and defended his people. King Saul experienced a few wins in battle before things started to change. He disobeyed God's commands and took matters into his own hands to offer sacrifices to God instead of waiting for Samuel. Saul had neither the permission nor authority to offer the burnt offerings before battling the Philistines.

Afterwards, Saul was instructed to destroy Amalek and all that they had sparing no person or animal. In victory, Saul spared King Agag and the best of the cattle for burnt offerings to God. Then Saul erected a monument of himself. His disobedience was REBELLION against God. His self-reliance was IDOLATRY. Saul rejected the word of the Lord, and ultimately God rejected him as king.

If you continue to believe in self-help as a good (not God) thing, you are choosing to serve yourself over allowing God to help you. God wants to help you. Give God a chance in your life!

Is 25:4; Rom 5:6; 2 Cor 12:9; John 3:9-10, 16-19; Gal 6:7-9; Is 14:12-14; Prov 30:12; 2 Cor 10:18; 2 Tim 3:1-5; Is 55:8-9; Prov 3:5-8; 1 Sam 8-15; 1 Cron 10, 13-14; 1 Sam 13:8-13; 1 Sam 15:12-23