Nikki Humphrey (00:00)
Hi, I'm Nikki.
Hope Mangiafico (00:01)
Hi, I'm Hope. Welcome to Equipped Fellowship, where friends become family through Christ. We're two Jesus-loving friends on a mission to share personal stories, resources, and real talk about our triumphs, breakthroughs, struggles, and setbacks. Why? Because we believe you are called to live victoriously, and we're here to equip you with Holy Spirit-led tools and strategies to strengthen your faith, transform your mindset, and walk boldly in God's promises. Because here's the truth.
You have been given great and precious promises by God. So grab your coffee, lean in and let's grow together. It's time to step into everything God has for you.
Nikki Humphrey (00:39)
That is right. And ooh, today's episode is one that really hits close to home for me and I know for Hope too. And today we're talking about deception, specifically how we as humans can twist the truth to fit the narrative we want. And yes, I've done this a lot.
more than once and God and his divine mercy has been working on my heart in this area. Because let's be real, we usually don't set out to lie. I know I don't, but most of the time it starts with just a little shift here and there. And we excuse it in our mind like, this is technically true or if I say it like this, ooh, this might make me look a little bit better.
Hope Mangiafico (01:06)
Hmm. Hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (01:35)
or they don't need to know the whole story. Let me just like exaggerate the highlights for them. And we just spin a narrative so we can justify our behavior, avoid consequences, look more spiritual or more capable, protect our ego and stay comfortable. But here's the issue. God is truth. Jesus said in John 4.16,
Hope Mangiafico (01:56)
Hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (02:04)
I am the way, the truth, and the life. When I twist the truth, I am stepping out of alignment with Jesus. I am partnering with fear instead of faith, and I'm letting deception into places where God wants to heal.
Hope Mangiafico (02:23)
Yeah, amen. Amen.
I think it was after I sent you a Marco Polo that this conversation about this topic came up and you suggested it. And as I'm listening to everything you just had as like an intro that the Lord gave you, it's so fascinating because it's sneaky when it comes in, whether it's
intentional or if it's like what I told you when I was like my gosh Nikki I'm just coming on here to tell you like I'm afraid of honesty of like being honest in certain situations and it's one of those statements you made of fear of ⁓ consequences because of past whatever's happened right and I couldn't believe I told you like I can't believe I even have this fear like I don't even know
Nikki Humphrey (02:58)
Yes.
and
Hope Mangiafico (03:13)
possible because I wouldn't say I'm a dishonest person. That's the catch of deception. ⁓ But I was so afraid of facing what honesty can bring, good and bad.
Nikki Humphrey (03:27)
Hmm. Yes.
And as you said that, and then I Marco Polo'd back and I was just like, yeah, I can apply that to my life too. Fear of just being myself. So I put on these personas to fit in with people, but that's still deception. And that's still a lie because I am forsaking my God-given identity for something that's going to make me look better in human standards.
Hope Mangiafico (03:58)
Right. And you know, it's interesting because there's the concept of being deceived and being the deceiver and the great deceiver is Satan. That's really his main tactic and I think anyone listening could agree with that as long as they believe that we have a real enemy. Like you can see his hand in that realm. But it's interesting because from what you're sharing right now, we would be considered in these situations the deceiver, which is, this is interesting. To be a deceiver, you lead
others and yourself astray morally and you can mislead them or you do mislead them, not even could, you do mentally.
And that's really interesting because it's multi-level, even in its own definition, in Strong's concordance, but morally and mentally. So it's like you enter in and as you enter in, you are misleading someone mentally with their thinking. And if you keep building that, you will lead them astray morally because they're not on that truth. He is the way, the truth, the life.
Nikki Humphrey (04:49)
Bye.
Hope Mangiafico (05:09)
Him being the truth is a moral thing.
That's wild.
And it's heavy when you think about it, like, and that's probably good that it actually, by definition of Strong's concordance, deceiver is leading the story morally, because that shows how important what we say and do and what we choose is. Because he made us that important.
Nikki Humphrey (05:41)
trying to vocalize verbalize what's coming up because a lot is coming up
It's always a choice, right? To deceive or to spin the truth. And sometimes we think it's unconsciously, but there's still a conscious choice.
Hope Mangiafico (06:00)
Yes, it may not be that exact thing that's a choice, but it's whatever's leading you to that. That's the catch.
Nikki Humphrey (06:05)
Right. And what
ever comes after, you can clean up what just came out if you didn't mean it.
but there's accountability that I think that was lacking with me for a while. And I think maybe in society in general, like nobody's perfect and I will never be perfect. Hope will never be perfect. Jesus, God, Holy, those perfect. That's it. But it's like those choices that we make when things come out and what do we do in the process to correct it?
Hope Mangiafico (06:35)
That's it.
Why do you think we have such a desire? I mean, there's an obvious answer to this. I don't know if it's a conversation not, but we have such a desire to make excuses.
Nikki Humphrey (06:57)
I think it's self-protection, a lot of it.
Hope Mangiafico (07:00)
Yeah. Yeah, probably it feels safe because then nothing's shining on you, nothing's highlighting you. Makes sense.
Nikki Humphrey (07:02)
I think it's.
Right, if we're
protecting ourselves then you're like I'm scared the truth will expose X, Y or Z about me. Am I different? Am I not fitting in? Like all those expectations that we want to assimilate with and that's why we're spinning, that's why we're deceiving.
But we have to realize that truth doesn't expose us to harm, truth exposes us to healing. And I think that's what I'm just beginning to comprehend.
Hope Mangiafico (07:42)
And truth exposes the darkness within which is actually separate from you. It is not you. So you get the healing while the darkness gets exposed and leaves. In the name of Jesus Christ.
Nikki Humphrey (07:48)
Right.
Yes.
Because I remember when I was,
I don't know if it was like before I was a teenager, but there was a period of time where I just liked to fabricate the truth a lot in my childhood. And it was probably a self-protection mode because I didn't want other people to know all the dysfunction that was going on. And so I was scared, like if people knew the truth.
Hope Mangiafico (08:05)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (08:23)
what was the consequences going to be, but I didn't get healing.
until I stopped deceiving and confronted those lies that I was spinning.
Hope Mangiafico (08:36)
Do you know what's coming to mind as you're sharing that which we can all relate to in different levels and I keep, you you share a personal story. think about my own journey and zoom back out. What you just shared is your own story and your why. Wouldn't that be the same reason why Satan's the great deceiver because he doesn't want us to know the truth of
of his dysfunction.
Nikki Humphrey (09:01)
Right.
Yes, dysfunction, evil.
Hope Mangiafico (09:06)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (09:08)
All of it.
Hope Mangiafico (09:12)
fascinating perspective to put it on because like as we talk about this, again, it puts this potentially based off our mindsets, it can be putting an ugly light on us and then making us feel bad or making the listener feel bad and that's why it's always so helpful, especially if you're listening to this, to zoom back out and say, well, okay, this is not, as Nikki said, this is not the perfection of Jesus, Holy Spirit, and God, so it has to be the opposite.
So now this is the kingdom we're talking about. It's that kingdom of darkness. The powers of darkness is not me. And I have to remind myself of that all the time. Like as we share our testimonies and they're so real and we both have, I mean I know I still struggle with this, identify with these yucks. I have to be reminded constantly that that's not me. It was a decision I made. I made a choice but
Nikki Humphrey (10:01)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (10:09)
by the blood of Jesus, the grace of the Father who sent his Son to cover all these things. I put it under the blood and tossed the darkness away so I can get my realignment back with the way, the truth, and the life.
Nikki Humphrey (10:27)
And I just keep thinking as, you're speaking, hope, and as this podcast is moving forward, like it really is all about choices. And now I find myself when I'm just even not saying the whole truth, but just leaving a little bit out, like I'm self-correcting more on the fly, not perfect at it a hundred percent, but I'm getting better because I know that I can get caught up in deception really easily. So an example of this was yesterday.
Hope Mangiafico (10:43)
Yes
Mmm.
Nikki Humphrey (10:57)
I needed to go to the grocery store to get stuff for soup, but I also needed to go to TJ Maxx to get some hand soap and some other things. And so my husband's like, where are you going to the grocery store? And I'm like, but also I'm going to TJ Maxx too, because I have to get hand soap and look for some other things.
Hope Mangiafico (11:03)
you
How small is that, right? Like it's so, so I'm that's such a good example, Nikki, cause I can like.
Nikki Humphrey (11:22)
And people would be like,
it's not even a lie. But it is. I was withholding. I knew my plan.
Hope Mangiafico (11:27)
You knew it.
That's good.
Nikki Humphrey (11:31)
And I was just like, ⁓ yeah, no, correction. Going to two places.
Hope Mangiafico (11:40)
Okay, so this is interesting and this may not be part of your story, but it makes me think about when I've withheld information. I usually withhold something that may come across as selfish or it's for me or it's my choice. Like TJ Maxx and grocery store. Grocery store sounds like, and I know you said you're getting soap, but grocery store sounds like I'm doing what I need to do. Look at me. I'm great mom and wife. TJ Maxx is like I need some soap, but there are some clothes and you know, I just I want to look at something.
Nikki Humphrey (12:07)
Nuts.
Hope Mangiafico (12:07)
And
so we're like afraid of sounding selfish or whatever. I don't know. It depends on the person, right? Because that would be my, I would withhold the information that was for me.
Nikki Humphrey (12:17)
Mm-hmm. Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (12:20)
which is very strange when that comes out of my mouth, but it's true. Because I guess again, it's like what the world may have conveyed to me of being selfish or it's, ⁓ like I said about your example, I want to paint myself as this great wife doing what I need to be in the homemaker, know, blah, blah, blah, all of this. It's crazy.
Nikki Humphrey (12:39)
Yes.
Yeah,
but it's so true. Like how many times do I do that a day where I'm not even catching myself though. And I'm not trying to be perfect. I'm just trying to be a little bit better every day.
Hope Mangiafico (12:58)
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
Nikki Humphrey (13:01)
And it was
TJ Maxx is hope, hope knows we went to Home Goods up north. Like it is my little hat. And I had such a busy stressful day yesterday. And I was just like, I just, I know I need to get soap. That's a fact. But I also just want to walk around and see all the Christmas stuff and all the little gifts. Not that I'm buying it, but it just makes it's like my little time out for the day before I go to the grocery store and have like 50 other things to do when I get home, you know.
Hope Mangiafico (13:29)
that's such a big deception that we've all fallen into too, was like, we don't have the time to have a timeout. That might be why we often hide the things that bring us joy.
because it looks bad if we take a breather.
Nikki Humphrey (13:46)
And how long
did we live that way? Like we got to grind and we got to do all the stuff.
Hope Mangiafico (13:48)
All right.
Nikki, it's
still such an area that I'm breaking free of. It's so hard. You know, I don't know if you can relate to this one. I used to... I'm hearing other people's voices in my head too. I can't say who because I just, I don't know who. I just know a lot of people say this. I can't take a nap. I can't rest. Nope, can't do it. There's just too much to do. And that used to be me. And then as I've grown in my wall...
Nikki Humphrey (14:10)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (14:18)
with the Lord and alongside Jesus, it's like, well, hope that's because of a false belief system. Because yeah, maybe I can't go snooze for two hours, but like it means that my body can't be, can't take a break. And a lot of us fall into that category because we've been deceived mentally and morally at the end of the day, because even though it doesn't sound like a moral thing,
We're not trusting our father.
Nikki Humphrey (14:57)
And it's, so let's just play it all out. Suppose I went to TJ Maxx that didn't tell my husband and then I brought back bags from TJ Maxx. Like then how do you twist that then?
Hope Mangiafico (15:06)
Yeah
was nearby so I just thought I would stop in last minute as you said in the intro.
Nikki Humphrey (15:13)
Right, so that's how it compounds one after another after another you take something
that wasn't even a lie it was omission and then it's twisted the truth of your reality because you know exactly what your plan is but that's how we hope and I say like even one percent of a lie just twist and then you have to twist again and you have to twist again and it's all about those little choices.
Hope Mangiafico (15:39)
That's how the 1 % ends up becoming 100. It's like you can build a new habit. It's like that 1 % a day will help you change. Well, it's the same in the opposite direction. That's a really, the 1 % thing's a great illustration. And you you keep twisting, hoping you'll get to the end. It's very much like that previous episode where I talked about digging the hole because I kept hoping to get to the end. Lying and deceiving others is the same way. The end doesn't come until you take
Nikki Humphrey (15:42)
Yes!
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (16:08)
full ownership and you and I recently had a conversation about that like it's okay cool you take ownership of one lie but what about all the others if you leave those in the darkness too you're gonna just keep compounding because you didn't bring it all to the light
Nikki Humphrey (16:11)
Yes.
And if that happened, like you don't have to get into the nitty gritty of each and every offense, but you can give a blanket statement like, have been untruthful about many things that have been going on or whatever it is. could be whatever it is, but just taking that accountability. And I have taken that to the father and I am working on that.
Hope Mangiafico (16:28)
No.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, yeah, context is everything depending on who you're taking ownership to. I mean, you need to share what's relevant to that person, you know, because then if you're too broad, but you've had this massive lie in so many areas, well, that then doesn't help those people also trust you again, whatever it may be. So context is everything.
Nikki Humphrey (16:56)
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (17:13)
I just felt like I should add that because it's true. Like I've known people that make a blanket statement apology, but if they're not specific, their heart, ⁓ how do I say this? They're not specific. Sometimes their heart still is misaligned with the actual truth because they think they can get by with just a blanket, I'm sorry.
Nikki Humphrey (17:37)
the truth will be if they shift or not. That's you can recognize if the fruit, yes, if that has been applied.
Hope Mangiafico (17:39)
Crag the fruit.
Absolutely, absolutely, that's true. That's so good. And you know.
was listening to something and it was in alignment or on the topic of what you and I have come across recently about deception, just kind of watching it pan out.
And they were talking about Christians who like, they're like, man, Christians are amazing. They love when someone comes to Jesus, they get all in, but then they turn them into an idol. And a lot of times when we do that, one, we actually don't know what that person's doing and they very well may be deceiving us and because in this situation, they're the deceiver, we become the deceived and we actually start creating a false idol.
we start sinning. And now, even though we're deceived, so we're ignorant unknowingly to us, we're no longer in alignment with our Father either.
Nikki Humphrey (18:43)
because we stepped out of God's covering to the idol's covering.
Hope Mangiafico (18:47)
Right, and we're still, it sounds so good on the outside that we're like, whoa, look at that person go. And we go 100 % all in on this person because it looks good, it feels good. Maybe it's that they committed their life to Jesus and they had this crazy cool conversion story. And we just, without even knowing, we cross over into a sin nature of idolatry.
And your covering example, if you fall under someone that is trying to create idols or is trying to deceive, your covering becomes deception instead of the protection of the Father.
Nikki Humphrey (19:30)
And we have to be very careful when we're, because I've been deceived by people in the past who have been my mentors and things. When we are deceived and we find out that we have been deceived, it can create such a spiritual wounding in us that we start to doubt God our father. At least that's where I was for a little bit.
Hope Mangiafico (19:39)
me too.
Well, it goes, that's very in alignment because when you commit, especially when it falls under idolatry, you're entering into the multiple, multi-dimensional part of you. I don't know why I have this vision, right? We talk about being spirit, soul, slash mind, body. So you commit here in the natural body area, but the more you commit to them, the deeper you're going into your personal layers.
I bet that's why that happens.
Nikki Humphrey (20:34)
because I totally went into victim mode for so long because of it. I did. I sure did. Right along the way, ignored every red flag that was popping up, but I was gonna go in because that's what I thought was gonna lead me to the right direction.
Hope Mangiafico (20:40)
It's like, did you have a choice, Nikki? Did we have choices?
Nikki Humphrey (21:00)
And that's why Hope and I, we just want to keep pointing you to God. Just keep pointing you to God, how to work it out with him, how to create a relationship to him, how to accept his love, how not to block his love. All those things that we discuss on the podcast, we don't want to be the source. We want to point you to the source. Because we are human. We are going to make mistakes time and time again.
Hope Mangiafico (21:18)
.
Nikki Humphrey (21:27)
We want to point you to the person, the source, God, who is perfect.
Hope Mangiafico (21:34)
Every time. Every time. Through Jesus.
and to encounter him. Because I know Nikki and I talk so often on the podcast of our stories. And I'm so grateful that when I talk about him and if I pause for just a moment and I think about how far, not only how far he's brought me, but the grace that's been extended to me on this journey, it still wells up inside of me.
And like at any moment, if I think about it too long, I'll just start weeping. It's a good weeping. But like we want you to have that ability and deep knowing that although you're also imperfect as a human, just like we are, that you can recall all of that and have so much gratitude no matter where you are in your life right now. If you're finding yourself in the middle of lying, that you're in hardship, whatever it may be, you can just pause.
and be like, man, thank you so much.
This is so good.
So good.
Nikki Humphrey (22:53)
He's so good. And we know when those words come out of our mouth, there usually is some kind of conviction because again, they just use it again, but the word choice. So when I was doing my six week teaching assignment, was saying some, was saying a story that had happened to me personally. ⁓ And I embellish something and I was just like, Ooh. And as soon as it came out, was like, girls, that's not quite right.
Let me back the train up
Hope Mangiafico (23:23)
I've done that too!
Nikki Humphrey (23:26)
and let me restate that. But we don't have to make a big deal about it. People understand. And if you don't make it a big deal, it's not going to be a big deal. All I said was, that's not quite right. Let me back the train up. This is how it actually went.
Hope Mangiafico (23:31)
Yeah.
Well, and it goes, complements the, you know, these, these little one liners that float around in life. We really know why they do until you have your own revelation of it's like old habits die hard. Like we have to rewire our brain. We may have been delivered and we've encountered the love of God through Jesus.
But there are certain things that we trained our mouths by our minds to do. And I am so in the same boat as you, Nikki, in that regard. I do that often. I like your approach better. I often just like, that was a lie. And then I say that and the people are like, what is happening? And it's something in people's minds. That's just a little detail. But nah, it's a big deal.
Nikki Humphrey (24:03)
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (24:29)
in the father's mind.
Nikki Humphrey (24:31)
Great, yes. Because those girls are gonna remember the story that I told them and they might share it with somebody else. And I want those details to be correct because then they're just perpetuating the lie. And what is the spiritual consequences of perpetuating a lie? I know it's got an open door somewhere. Like that is not good.
Hope Mangiafico (24:54)
Yeah. Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (24:56)
So I don't wanna
open any more doors for me or anyone else out there.
Hope Mangiafico (25:02)
Well, yeah, I don't know like the big picture either but I know scripture says that Satan's the father of lies so that alone tells me That's a door that we want to ask quickly as possible shot when we know we've opened it ⁓ and it makes me think about our episode about agreements like We truly can only know what God shows us about agreements. We've made knowingly and unknowingly but I believe whenever
we have, I don't know, we're graced with more knowledge from the Father or our time ends here on Earth and we learn more or we know more or whatever, we will be surprised at the repercussion of these decisions.
And that's, as I always seem to say, like, and that's not to be fearful, but it's to just remind you, it makes me think about what I said, you know, a little, a little bit ago in this episode, like God made us that important, that our decisions, our choices are that important. He made us for the purpose of impact, which means as much as a positive impact as we can have, the opposite still stands true.
based on, as Nikki keeps saying, our choices. So when it feels like, hmm, when it feels like your world is falling apart and nothing good is happening, the more intense and bad it feels, it's likely because your calling is great, the direction he has for you planned is great, and it is your red flag moment, using the term you used earlier, to stop and think and pause and say, God.
what is happening. We like to blame the enemy for attacks and absolutely he does that, Satan. But majority of the time our choices led us there because he gave us that power and ability when he made us from the very beginning.
Nikki Humphrey (27:03)
That's right.
Hope Mangiafico (27:06)
That would just preach to me. I don't know. was just like...
Nikki Humphrey (27:10)
And I keep hearing like, God's like, I see it all. I see it all, not in a condemning way.
Hope Mangiafico (27:14)
Yeah.
Right! It's like open up, child!
Nikki Humphrey (27:18)
Right, I saw it. I saw you make that choice. I saw you go down that curly queue. I saw what you said. I saw, just come to me so we can be good again. Like not that we're not good now, but we can be better.
Hope Mangiafico (27:34)
What's the block? Like remove the block, remove the filter, remove whatever. Because just like I was saying earlier, the darkness isn't you. And it also was like a previous episode where like I was journaling the Lord's like, just be a daughter. The most perfect parent, which none of us have because we're human, but if we can for a moment think about a perfect parent would be, it would be open arms.
Nikki Humphrey (27:36)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (28:02)
Just come be my daughter, be my child, let it all out. Because all I'm gonna do is lift you higher.
Nikki Humphrey (28:12)
That is so true.
Hope Mangiafico (28:13)
it makes me think of a child being, which you've made reference of this in previous episodes, with their arms up, but lift you higher. Pick up from the ground up into the air.
Nikki Humphrey (28:23)
Yes, and the sooner we do that, the more celebration.
Like you caught that. That's awesome. Like a parent cheering on a little kid. Like you caught that so early this time. Good job.
Hope Mangiafico (28:36)
Yes, gosh, if I could even have-
Nikki Humphrey (28:38)
You fixed your words.
Good job.
You went back and corrected that. That's awesome.
Hope Mangiafico (28:47)
Nikki, the way you're saying that has such a loving tone to it and I'm like listening to it right now and it's so sweet because I don't hear that still when I do it or like when I catch something. It's still, it's not that loving.
That was really, I loved that so much. That was so sweet.
Nikki Humphrey (29:09)
how he I'm not saying this is fact but I don't know but like that and like my soul I feel like that's what he says
Hope Mangiafico (29:20)
It sense. It complements everything he's told us individually over a long span of time. It's just still like, man, God, why when I catch myself and it is shorter and faster, I'm still like, man, I'm still doing it instead of hearing that tender cheering like you just said. It was so beautiful how it came out of you. I don't know. Maybe I just really received it. Yeah, I just, it's like, man, Lord, how long until I really feel that every time?
Nikki Humphrey (29:24)
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (29:51)
beautiful. And even that alone, Nikki, is a deception, right? Because we're still not realizing.
you are my daughter.
Nikki Humphrey (30:04)
Yeah, cause Satan's going to be like, Ooh, he's going to be so mad. He's going to be so disappointed in you. Like, he's going to take away all those good gifts that he had written down for you. He's just going to erase them all. Like, you're going to have to work real hard to earn back God's love. And none of that's true. Now one little piece of that is true.
Hope Mangiafico (30:22)
None of it.
Nikki Humphrey (30:27)
But I lived in that fear for so long that it made me run away from God. I was so fearful that I ran away and hid from God.
Hope Mangiafico (30:39)
Yeah.
It's so sad.
It's, as I'm thinking about it, like it's so sad that it's often that fear you're describing, Nikki, that causes us to fall further into deception. Both being deceived and then handing out deception.
Nikki Humphrey (31:08)
Because if we've ever been deceived personally by somebody who is close to us and they don't come clean right away and they carry on the deception for whoever knows amount of time, but longer than probably had to have been necessary. And then that you finally figure out that you've been deceived and you think about if you've only came to me right from the start.
Like that's something we could have worked through or talked about or like went to there, whatever, right? Whatever it is. But the longer you deceive somebody, the truth always comes out. The truth always comes to light. And Hope and I were talking about this the other day, especially in the age of social media and everything being like, honey, things are going to come out one way or the other. So as soon as you realize it,
make the choice to go back and try to correct the deception that you've put out there.
Hope Mangiafico (32:13)
I'm getting two things. One, with what you just said, the truth always comes out, makes me think about, well, doesn't that make sense if we claim as Christians that God always wins? That's a simple example of that, which I think that's kind of cool. And then two, as you were entering into that story, I had a moment like, whoa, God, that was crazy cool.
Nikki Humphrey (32:26)
That's
Hope Mangiafico (32:40)
All through scripture, it talks about having a fear of God, which is a reverence. But it's so strong that like, you know, when they had an encounter with the angel of the Lord or something like, they dropped to their knees terrified in reverence. So wouldn't it be like the great deceiver Satan to make us so afraid of God in a perverted sense?
Nikki Humphrey (32:43)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (33:05)
So, because even at the end of the day, even if someone does not claim to believe in Jesus or that God is real, that is stemming from something deep within and there is a knowing that God put in us before time that he is real. So even if they don't acknowledge it with their minds when they choose to lie or to whatever.
It's a deep fear and I believe if we had the ability and this is just a belief that's coming to me now, I haven't taken a deep dive in this, but because we're layered complex beings, you dig into why they're doing it. It's that prob- it's probably that perverted belief system of fear of God in the wrong sense.
Nikki Humphrey (33:49)
Yes.
Yeah, because John 832 says, then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
Hope Mangiafico (33:59)
Hmm.
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (34:03)
And I just think about when we tell God our truth, the real truth and repent, that's what sets us free.
Hope Mangiafico (34:11)
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah, it's really powerful.
And you you sharing that.
I thought this was really interesting. I was given the scripture Job 12-16 and it says, Him God is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are His. And I thought that was fascinating because it shows this greatness of God and that He's got it all covered.
And there's strength there and there's wisdom and it's truth. And at the end of the day, by him having all of that in his hand, if we'll say it that way.
we can be free by this truth because there's this beauty of saying, wow, so that means this truth of Jo 1216 that God not only is taking care of things that I've deceived others for or that, ⁓
I have been deceived into, but it also means he's got the deceived everyone that has fallen to the deception of the opposite kingdom, the kingdom of darkness that Satan likes to rule and reign, and he has the great deceiver Satan right in his hands and he's got the wisdom and the strength to bring it all together, to heal it all, to have judgment, to ⁓ bring us to wholeness, to... ⁓
The scripture that talks about vengeance is his comes to mind. Like the truth will set you free. He's got all of it right in his hands utilizing his own strength, his own wisdom. We lie, we deceive because we think that we're using some wisdom, right, to get us out of it. But he's got it all.
And was really cool because I did not read this whole chapter for this, but the like heading for this part of Job 12 is, speaks of the power of God.
Nikki Humphrey (36:34)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (36:48)
And it can both be from a perspective of like, wow, he's again that reverence, but then also that, wow, he's got me.
And that's that freedom.
that you talk about when the truth sets you free.
Jesus is the truth, and He's weaved in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
the freedom as he goes before us, he's behind us, he's in our current moment. Like even like you said, Nikki, God says, see it all.
Nikki Humphrey (37:24)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (37:26)
That's because he goes before us, he's behind us, he's in the middle with us. Even when you weren't choosing him, both before you said yes to Jesus and now when you're choosing, or I'm choosing, to deceive, to lie, to fill in the blank.
Nikki Humphrey (37:48)
God just wants wholeness for us. As whole as we can be as humans. And we talk a lot about holes, hope filling the holes, the hole in the heart, like all the holes, like there's so many ways to poke holes into God's plan, but he wants complete wholeness, complete healing for us and to break down the walls, to pull out the filters, all those things that we do as humans.
to protect us and God's just like, just lean on me. I am your great protector. I am your father. I am the only thing that you need. And I fall short again and again and again and poke those holes and then they get filled up and rinse and repeat those dysfunctional cycles. But
Hope Mangiafico (38:36)
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (38:41)
The main thing is, is God's got us like hope says, and we have to trust that he's got us and keep coming to him again and again with those things that we do as humans that are deceitful, that cause deception, that aren't quite right, that aren't in alignment to God's word. Go to him, talk with him. We say that again and again after every episode.
but then receive his forgiveness and help fill those holes in us so that we can keep repairing and making the relationship with our father better and better each step of our journey.
Hope Mangiafico (39:28)
I think that's perfectly said. When I sat down for just a moment to ask the Lord, hey, what do you want us talk about? It was really like the importance of honesty and transparency and protecting yourself. And everything you just said falls right into that category. By going to Him, that's that honesty and transparency because once you go to Him, He's going to convict your heart to then carry that outward to people. And it also protects you.
of being a deceiver, falling into deception. And he wants more than anything. And I'm speaking this to you, Nikki, to myself, and to the listener, to protect you.
You you talked about in the beginning, like, I was like, why do we, why do we do this? Why do we make excuses? You said protection. We seek self-protection so much. And God's like.
And that's how you do it.
Nikki Humphrey (40:34)
two things. I didn't even realize I put this in here and I skipped it the first time we were having this conversation. ⁓ But a heart check with the Holy Spirit questions to ask yourself if you feel like you might be struggling in this area or you're not sure if you're struggling. So these are just some yes and no questions that you can ask the Holy Spirit just to see.
Hope Mangiafico (40:50)
Hmm. ⁓
Nikki Humphrey (41:01)
where you're at, not in a condemning way, but just a fact-finding mission for yourself. And then whatever comes up, it's okay. Take it to your father and work it out with him. So the first one, do I manipulate facts when I feel insecure?
Hope Mangiafico (41:06)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (41:20)
Second, do I exaggerate to gain sympathy or approval?
Three, do I leave out details to make myself look better? And the last one, do I cling to a narrative that makes others the villain and not myself?
Hope Mangiafico (41:44)
Wow, those are big questions.
Nikki Humphrey (41:48)
And those are, they have a simple yes or no answer.
Hope Mangiafico (41:51)
They do, which is exactly the most perfect way to go about this.
Nikki Humphrey (41:59)
And then if you go through these four questions and then you get a yes in any of those areas, we encourage you to take it to the Father, be like, this is what came up. Show me what's going on. And then you can go through the cycle of repentance or repair or whatever you need to do with God and let Him, allow Him to direct your steps in that area.
Hope Mangiafico (42:09)
Mm.
Those are great questions.
Nikki Humphrey (42:29)
And then I have a final encouragement.
Hope Mangiafico (42:33)
Perfect.
Nikki Humphrey (42:36)
If you've been listening today and said, this is me. That's how I talk. ⁓ Friend, it's also been me and hope. This episode comes from a place of being refined, not from a place of arrival. God corrects us because he loves us. He is not exposing you to shame. He's inviting you to freedom. Your story.
Hope Mangiafico (42:56)
Hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (43:05)
does not need filters or spin because the God who writes it is already good.
Hope Mangiafico (43:14)
That is wonderful.
Wow. That'll do it for sure. That's the truth. Wow.
Nikki Humphrey (43:24)
So thanks for joining us for another episode of Equip Fellowship. If today's message spoke to you, share it with someone you love. Remember, the truth isn't just the right choice. It's the freedom of choice. Let Jesus rewrite your narrative, unfiltered, unedited, unwitnessed. Until next time, stay equipped and stay rooted in His truth.
Hope Mangiafico (43:48)
Amen, we'll see you in the overflow.
