Fact Vs Truth

Up until recently I had always assumed that if there is a fact behind a thing, then it is most likely true. This is the case in almost every situation, if every fact points to something the deduction is almost always true. For example, it is winter or the cold season (depending on where you are) and you start coughing, feeling feverish, having sore throat, body aches, and feeling tired. Now those are facts about how you are feeling at the moment. Putting all the facts together, we can safely say you are coming down with a flu. We based this deduction on the fact that it is flu season (winter) and you are exhibiting symptoms of flu.

Recently God has been leading me to re-examine this mindset about my definition of fact and truth. When it comes to dealing with God or walking with God, the fact does not always mean the truth. You learn after a while to shun the facts and focus on a truth.

Jesus speaking about the Word of God in John 17:17 says “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”. A truth is almost always spoken; it may not agree with the fact but the truth is the truth. I followed people’s trials on TV or news, being in situations myself where the fact tends to something but the truth is something else entirely – till I opened my mouth and spoke, everyone acted under their deductions from the facts. The WORD of GOD is TRUTH – what does that really mean?

We have to establish some things here – just to know that we’re on the same page, and if it is your first time of hearing or considering this, then please continue reading:
God is Divine, All Powerful and Reigns Supreme over all
He is the creator of heaven and earth
He is the Lord and God over all

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, when the bible says the Word of God is truth, it simply means even against physical facts, if God says something about something, then that is the truth about that thing – because He is and reigns Supreme. It is like when a Ph.D. holder in a Mathematics and also a Nobel prize winner in same field tells a 2-year-old that 1 + 1 (one plus one) is 2 (two) and the child rejects it but instead explains it away. Not sure if that was a good example but I hope you get the point. A person with authority on something says something and a child with no authority whatsoever says its otherwise based on some facts. It is like a president of a country granting immunity to a prisoner and the prison warden refusing to let the person out – Just doesn’t make sense.

Same way in our lives we are often faced with situations and circumstance that threatens us, situations that looks impossible and all the facts agrees with the doom and gloom future deduced but what does the Word of God say about that situation. We have talked about how the facts aren’t always an indication of the truth, the truth has to be spoken to nullify the effect of the facts. If you find yourself in an impossible situation with seemingly no way out – check what God says about the situation if God says it is possible, then it is, if God says there’s a way out then there’s a way out but of course all that is dependent on the three bullet points and very importantly your own definition of truth.

Your truth will always be your reality. If you accept the deduced fact as your truth, then it will be your reality but if you believe in the Word of God has your truth, it will become your reality, it is only a matter of time.

Joseph was accused of attempted rape of Potiphar’s wife but that was not the truth. Yes, he was alone in the room with her and no one was in the house to alibi Joseph. Yes, his clothes were found with her – torn as if in struggle. Yes, he ran out as if he panicked. Potiphar’s wife would naturally have no reason to lie against Joseph, no one would expect a wife of such calibre and position to be seducing a mere slave. All the facts were against Joseph and he even went to jail for it but that was not Joseph’s truth. His truth had been revealed to Him long before – that he was to lead and everyone else bowed down to him. Being in prison at that moment did not change his truth. In fact, he was the happiest person in the prison. This was recorded about Joseph in Psalms 105

“17 and he sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.

18 They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons,

19 till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true.”