“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16 NKJ)
“You shall not testify falsely [that is, lie, withhold, or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (any person). (Exodus 20:16 AMP)

Who is a false witness?
A false witness is one who stands up and swears before others that something untrue is true, with the intention of hurting someone else or ruining his reputation. (Examples: Joseph, David, Jesus)

What does it mean to bear false witness?
1. Speaking falsely in any matter to deceive our neighbor. 2. Speaking unjustly against our neighbor, to destroy his/ her reputation. The basis of a false witness is lies.

a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. (Proverbs 6:19 NLT)

The lies exist in more subtle forms under different names, but they carry the same destructive powers.
• Exaggeration – When you enhance the truth by adding to it.
• Deception – When you cause someone to believe something that is not true.
• Half Truth – When you only tell part of the truth to fit our agenda.
• Technical Truth – When you find a technicality, so that you can say you did not lie.
• Bold face lie – When everyone knows is a lie.

GOD HATES LIES
There are six things the Lord hates no, seven things he detests:
haughty eyes, A LYING TONGUE, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil (schemers), feet that race to do wrong, A FALSE WITNESS WHO POURS OUT LIES, a person who sows discord in a family. (Proverbs 6:16-19 NLT)

God hates lies because lies destroy lives!

How should you deal with liars and false witnesses?

#1 PRAY

• Pray for yourself first. You need grace to pray and to forgive.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 NKJ)

Grace is God’s enabling to do what truth demands.

Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (Matthew 5:39 NKJ)

Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44 NKJ)

#2 IGNORE LIES AND ACCUSATIONS

• Ignore does not mean tolerated. Slander should not be tolerated and should not shake us.
• Let God vindicate you.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19 NLT)

A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed. (Proverbs 19:9 NLT)

#3 BE ANCHORED IN TRUTH

“A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on” Winston Churchill

• Seek the truth at all costs. Encourage others to do so.

Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. (Proverbs 23:23 NLT)

• Truth gives us the wisdom to navigate during battle.
• Truth disciples us not to rely on emotions and feelings, but on the word of God!
• Truth causes our judgment to be clear.
• Truth always points to Jesus.

Stand your ground, putting on THE BELT OF TRUTH and the body armor of God’s righteousness. (Ephesians 6:14)

• The belt of Truth holds everything together.
• Go to war with the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

CONCLUSION:
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?