Be Not Deceived! (30 min)

The greatest challenge of being deceived is that you do not realize you are (although you may wonder periodically). Some individuals do not mind being deceived because they enjoy the illusions that ultimately end in disappointment and harm. There are many forms of deception and reasons people engage in it. Regardless of the motives, the practice of deception is a sin against God.

In today’s culture, we are bombarded with deceptive tools, including manipulation, seduction, and misleading information, all intended to gain a benefit or an advantage over the target audience. Some might think deception is strategic.

Here’s the thing: Deception is a trait that reveals how impure or dishonest its source is. It’s evil’s trademark.

How do you know whether you are being deceived? What is your gauge for truth? Is your source of truth reliable, and does it change?

Speaking of the devil, Jesus said:

• “…He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44)

In contrast, Jesus said:

• “I am the way, the truth, and the life...” (John 14:6)

You see, a cosmic battle is waging for the souls of humanity (more later), and God holds human beings accountable for coming to the truth He freely offers. He gives a choice to every person (even though we may not understand how this happens spiritually for those whom we consider to be without the mental capability to process the information). It is written:

• “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:16-21)

God is willing to give His mark/seal to anyone who desires to walk in the truth, and He is willing to pardon sin for those who receive God’s grace through faith in Christ’s payment by death and His victory through His resurrection.

The question is, will you accept the gift by placing your trust in Christ, or will you continue to be deceived by the temporary pleasures of sin, remain in spiritual darkness, death, and separation from the source of love and goodness? It is written:

• Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned … But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. … Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:12, 15, 18-19)

Just think about this for a moment. All-powerful God (because He is good) wants every person to come into a right relationship with Him, so He made the way to be reconciled to Him available to every person. Because His love is pure and not selfish, He prefers to honour your choice instead of forcing your decision above His desire for every person to live in His benevolence. His love permits your choice to love Him or not.

Yes, God indeed knows the end from the beginning. He is not constrained by time, since He created time for humanity; rather, He exists outside of time. In fact, He has already chosen who will come to Him and ordained “divine appointments” in the course of their earthly lives. I have not found a Scripture that says His choosing is dependent on our decisions; rather, I have found Scriptures that confirm we can not choose Him without His effectual call. This is where we see the coexistence of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. While God knows and has ordained the ends, He calls each individual to act freely within their experiences and choices. Our role is to respond to His call with open hearts and a willingness to accept His grace.

Neither you nor I know His choice nor the timing of His appointment until we encounter it. All we know is what we learn and experience in our linear walk through time. He knows what you will choose.

Here is the question. When your heart is confronted with the truth of eternal life through Jesus Christ, what will you choose?

The thing is, this earth’s time and your life have an expiration date. Not only do we know this because people die.  We also have prophecies concerning the time when God will end sin.  When Jesus Christ was on earth, His followers asked Him about the timing and signs for the end of this age. He started His teaching on the matter with these words three times in the Gospels (Matthew 24:4, Mark 13:5, Luke 21:8).

• “Take heed that you not be deceived.“

There it is again: your responsibility. The human being is responsible for paying attention to what they believe. Believers are to watch out for lies and to guard their hearts.

The regenerated Christian finds truth in the person of Jesus Christ and relies on the Bible (by the power of the Holy Spirit) as the authority on everything, and in doing so, will not fall into the end-times deception.

How well do you know what the Bible says?

Outline:

Here is an outline of my blog created from my study notes. The blog should take under 30 minutes to read and contains links to each of the Bible verses so you can validate them for yourself (most beneficial).

1. The Cosmic Battle
   • How the Word “Deceived” is Used in the Bible
   • Enemy Identification
   • Enemy Attacks
   • Enemy Methods
2. The Triumph
   • Believer Identity
   • Believer Tools (Armour of God)
   • Be Encouraged And Not Deceived!
   • Do You Know the Truth?

The Cosmic Battle

Now, let’s continue.  Earlier, I had mentioned a cosmic battle waging for the souls of humanity.  It started with the first humans, who were tricked and tempted to disobey God.

When God created the angelic world, He made them perfect, and with the ability to obey or rebel against God. So while this angelic realm (also sons of God) were created perfect and without sin, they were not designed in God’s image. They were made more powerful than humans, but not equal to God. God had created the angelic realm to serve God in the heavens, with permission to visit earth, but earth was humanity’s domain.

At some point before humanity was created, some of the angels rebelled.  The greater majority of angels remained faithful to the Godhead.

When Christ had empowered His followers to drive out evil spirits in His name, they were amazed and excited about the authority they had exercised. Jesus responded to them, saying:

• … “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. (Luke 10:18)

Christ was emphasizing that He (being divine and preexisting the world) knew that His name had authority over all of creation, including evil spirits. In fact, He is the co-Creator with His Father. Rather than rejoicing in power (like the fallen angels), the disciples should have rejoiced that their names were written in heaven because God chose to save them (Luke 10:20), unlike the evil spirits. They should rejoice in the future they will have because God transfers those who have faith in the Son of God into His kingdom away from the power of darkness! Lord, I thank you!

As it is written:

• He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn [first rank or place]over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. (Colossians 1:13-17)

The prophetic books of Isaiah and Ezekiel provide insights into the character of the evil one.   In reading them, you will notice that his pride deluded him, and he did not repent from his evil thoughts; rather, he plotted to leave his place and go against his Creator’s design.

About the evil one, it is written:

• “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit. (Isaiah 14:12-15 )
• You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. “By the abundance of your trading, you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; Therefore, I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendour; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you. (Ezekiel 28:13-17)

When God made a way to redeem humanity from the penalty of sin through Christ and escape the horrific future appointed to the powers of darkness, He also made a way for those who trust in Christ to continually be cleansed from unrighteousness.  Believers remain in the position of right standing with God because Christ’s righteousness has been transferred to us.  That said, we are all still confronted with wrong thinking that can lead to sinful actions, so the Lord made confession to Him (through our honest prayers of agreement concerning our faults) the vehicle for cleansing our consciences, and the enjoyment of fellowship (intimacy) with Him. It is written:

• This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10).

While our goal is to be more like Christ, those who are justified (pardoned by grace through faith in Jesus) are being sanctified (made holy) and will finally be glorified (perfected) outside of time in eternity by the Lord. God is so good! So while we err, there is no condemnation nor separation (Romans 8:1-4, 29-30, 37-39), and there is transformation(Romans 12:1-3; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 John 4:4-5; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 5:19).

The enemy can not take you out of God’s kingdom (John 10:27-30), but because the trademark of the fallen realm is deception, evil forces continually war against God and all He loves (that includes every believer) using deception as a primary weapon through which they steal and destroy. The regenerated Christian (1) finds truth in the person of Jesus Christ, and (2) through the power of the Holy Spirit, relies on the Bible as the final authority on everything.

We also learn from Scripture that God has set a date for the restoration of all things. While He waits for humanity to accept His gift of eternal life with Him, He suffers long whilst many continue their dark path into the eternity that was created for the rebellious angelic realm. Although the payment was made approximately 2000 years ago, as the Good Sheppard, God is still providing redemptive correction for humanity as time progresses. He still lovingly finds and rescues the wandering, deceived child that belongs to Him (Matthew 18:10-14).

While our Saviour continues to keep and protect us, we can suffer the consequences of deception. Our human responsibility to God for our mind’s decisions and actions is clear (Galatians 6:7-8, Ephesians 5:6, James 1:22, 26, Romans 2:6-8) since He gave us the power to choose rightly when He gave us a new heart.

Our new heart must now stand firm against temptations in our mind/soul, the world’s enticements, and the enemy. What an amazing God we have! He has given us everything we need for life and Godliness in Christ Jesus. The only thing the enemy can do is bombard us with thoughts and temptations in an effort to convince us to give up territory. The battle is not ours. It’s cosmic. As the Scripture states ….

• Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

The battle is the Lord’s! And, praise God, He has already won, and it was a part of His plan. As it is written:

• …the fellowship of the mystery, which from thefrom the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. (Ephesians 3:9-12)
• However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:6-8)

The Father is just waiting for as many as will accept His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus to come to Him. Is that you, or someone you’re praying for?

Jesus warned believers to be on guard against two areas of ‘end-of-age ‘ straying:

1. False messiahs and messages, false prophets, and counterfeit signs (Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24; Mark 13:5-6; Luke 21:8).
2. Doctrinal Errors due to ignorance – not knowing what the Scriptures say or the power of God (Mark 12:24, Matthew 22:29, Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Enemy Identification

The above references can be categorized by enemy type. God’s Word has identified three enemies of humanity: (1) the world, (2) the flesh, and (3) the devil. It is written:

• Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that [is] in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. … Therefore, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. (1 John 2:15-18, 24)
• For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2 John 1:7)

Each of these enemies will be with us (as long as we are alive in this fallen body) until Jesus sets everything straight, as seen in Revelation (the final book of the Bible).

Enemy Attacks

The Lord has warned His children by giving instructions on what to do. While we know the Lord will secure the believer eternally, He does allow us to be trained by trials (consider it resistance training that builds spiritual muscle).

Know your enemy! Don’t be deceived; a spiritual war is ongoing. Therefore:

• Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

Since there are three enemies of humanity, how does one know when the battle is against (1) spiritual forces, (2) one’s own thinking and lusts, or (3) the world’s lure?

When the devil or his minions attack, the assault will be:

• accusational and prosecuting (Job 1:9-10; John 8:6; Revelation 12:10)
• deceptive (Ephesians 6:11; John 8:44; Revelation 12:9)
• theiving or perverting truth (Luke 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4; Matthew 13:19; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15; Genesis 3:4; Acts 13:10; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9)
• creating or building traps and strongholds that are against God’s ways (2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Luke 22:3)
• oppressing with fear and confusion (Acts 10:38, Hebrews 2:14-15, 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:15)
• afflicting (Job 1:12; Job 2:7; Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38)
• imitating (Revelation 2:10; Matthew 10:28; 2 Timothy 1:7)

Enemy Methods

You see, the enemy’s schemes and tools remain consistent; they haven’t changed since the beginning:

• The lie remains the same: surely what God has said won’t happen.
• The temptation remains the same: do whatever pleases you, regardless of what God has said.
• The device remains the same: doubt God’s Word.

But this cosmic battle is against the Lord, and He has allowed it for His purpose (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). But be certain that the Lord, who is the source of life and is all-powerful and all-knowing, will end the battle victoriously.

• The Lord does not delay as though He were unable to act, and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is extraordinarily patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish with a mighty and thunderous roar, and the material elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be in the meantime in holy behaviour, that is, in a pattern of daily life that sets you apart as a believer and in godliness, displaying profound reverence toward our awesome God, while you earnestly look for and await the coming of the day of God. For on this day the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the material elements will melt with intense heat! (2 Peter 3:9-12 AMP)
• But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved… (2 Peter 3:13-15a NLT)

The Triumph

Throughout the Bible, we read of the same theme (over and over again – Exodus 14:13;1 Samuel 17:47; 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, 20; Psalms 24:8; Proverbs 21:31; Psalms 44:6-7,11; Psalms 46:2-6, 9-10; Isaiah 9:7; Zechariah 4:6; Romans 8:31, 37; Revelation 19:11-16 – just to name a few).

Victory comes through the Lord! The battle is the Lord’s!

• You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15 NLT)

The only job the believer has is to remain in faith, abide in Christ. This means we are to stand our ground and remember our identity in Christ.

So what does that look like? If the Bible is God’s Word (and it is), and if it teaches us what we are to believe (and it does), then what does the Word of God say that the Judge of all the earth says about those who place their trust in the all-sufficient blood of Christ?

Believer Identity

Despite our numerous shortcomings and failures in our earthly lifetime, the all-knowing, all-sufficient, all-mighty and Holy, gracious God (who is in eternity and within us) has said in His Word that in Christ, a believer is now:

Believer Tools (Armour of God)

God has given us supernatural tools, namely, God’s armour for resistance and for strength to stand our ground, because He knows the believer will be attacked. Here is a brief list of spiritual armour that the Lord expects His children to employ actively. Therefore, put on your God-provided battle clothes consisting of:

• Belt of Truth – everything is attached to this. (Ephesians 6:14)
  • Know who Christ is, who you are in Christ, and don’t be deceived about what faith in Christ has accomplished. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; John 1:14, 17; John 17:17; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:11-14; Ephesians 1:18-23)
• Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)
  • Believers have no righteousness of our own; all of our rightness is imputed through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:10, 23; Romans 4:20-25; Jeremiah 17:9) . This faith helps us (1) follow the Word of God and (2) seek His help in times of need and shortcomings (Ephesians 2:10; 1 John 1:8-10; Philippians 3:8-9, 11-14). Understanding and applying this guards the heart against the accusations and temptations of the enemy.
• Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15)
  • Believers are to be engaged in the great commission to seek and save those who are lost. Believers who are not ready to share (nor actively trying) the news of eternal life through Jesus Christ’s redemptive work are not demonstrating true love because the inaction means withholding life-saving news from someone about to die. Shrinking back from sharing the reason for our hope due to the fear of man is actually a trap for that believer; it gives the enemy an advantage over you and others. As believers share the gospel, they grow. (Proverbs 29:25; Romans 10:14-17; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16)
  • Additionally, the message of Christ offering salvation to people of every nationality, background, and walk of life, along with the knowledge that none of us has any righteousness apart from Christ, is unifying. (Ephesians 4:1-3; Ephesians 2:14-15, 17) Christ is our peace
• Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16)
  • This defensive shield consists of trust in God and His promises (Hebrews 11:1; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:12; Colossians 1:10; Hebrews 11:6). Knowing what God has promised and remembering what God has done for you (and others) extinguishes the doubts, fears, and temptations that Satan hurls at believers. This shield is something we must intentionally raise when under attack. You can know Christ gave you this defensive weapon, but if you don’t use it, you will be vulnerable to lies. Your enemy flees when you raise this shield because it typically results in worship (acknowledging the worthiness of our Lord is not the enemy’s goal).
• Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17)
  • The helmet of salvation is the protection over your mind (thoughtlife) because with the assurance of salvation, no threat can move you out of your position. Believers are to actively recall the hope of eternity with the source of eternal life and love, which equips us to (1) willingly deny anything that would risk that future and (2) patiently endure our journey on earth in time. (Titus 2:11-13)
• Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17)
  • This tool is both defensive and offensive.  Believers are directed to wield the sword of the Spirit by speaking living Scripture into a situation by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus used this very tool, quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures as recorded in the gospel of Matthew. (John 6:63; Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:3; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Hebrews 4:12; John 10:35b; Matthew 4:1-11)
  • You see, the enemy wants to deceive you (even through misused Scripture) into doing an action that is contrary to the (1) Word of God and (2) the faith God has given you. And if he is unable to achieve that, he will settle for trying to make you emotionally or spiritually weak. However, he has no authority over what God has said. The Lord both demonstrated this truth for us and instructed us to use God’s Sword, the authoritative Word of God. (Matthew 4:1-11)
• Prayer (Ephesians 6:18)
  • This is the seventh tool provided, and it is essential for a healthy Christian life (although it is not part of the armour, it is mentioned with it). Ephesians 1 and 2 explain our position and identity in Christ, and we exercise these positional possessions here on earth through prayer.  God condescends into our dimension of time with a response and intervenes on our behalf for His glory and our good. Prayer is our communication with the Father; it is the privilege of access to God through Christ’s accomplishments in His death and resurrection. We approach the throne of grace in Christ’s name through the Holy Spirit. We approach the throne of grace for guidance, strength, intervention, and just because we love the fellowship of His glorious presence. (Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:22-23; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12; Matthew 7:7-11; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 2:10)

For more on the Armour of God, feel free to read One War: The Armour – Lite (20 min).

Be Encouraged And Not Deceived!

Friends, times will grow worse, but we serve a conquering God.  Jesus Christ and the Apostles warned us, and they have also assured us that the battle is won and we have a great future!  It is written:

• But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. … All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:13-14, 16-17 NLT)
• Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now, when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. … Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. … But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28, 50-52, 57-58)

Do You Know the Truth?

If you seek the truth (as well as belonging and unconditional love), you will find it in Christ Jesus. God creates our souls and offers each person the choice to know Him, revealing Himself through creation, the Holy Scriptures, people, and ultimately through Jesus Christ. In Christ, you will find your true place and become part of His body. If you sense a tugging in your heart, it may be the Holy Spirit inviting you to see Christ as Saviour and Lord. With your own words, simply confess you truly believe Jesus Christ is God’s Son and Lord of all created things.  Ask Him to increase your faith in the knowledge of Him and to give you freedom from sin that He offers.

All Scripture in this blog is from the New King James Version unless otherwise specified.