#7 Don't Be Deceived Series

Do Not Be Deceived

10/18/15

Introduction: For almost 230 years America has enjoyed freedom of religion. Because the early founders feared a state church, they enacted the Free Exercise Clause in the First Amendment. It was written to ensure that the new government could not coerce persons to behave differently than their religious views or punish them for not conforming to a government-mandated religious orthodoxy. Example of the Little Sisters of the Poor. (Overhead picture of the Sisters of the Poor)

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5,

4 “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”

Ephesians 6:10-12

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

I. The Battle for the Mind

A. Satan’s primary strategy is to control how people think

1. Satan’s favorite method is deception through lies

a. Satan promotes his lies through false teachers and prophets (professors)

b. Our public schools and colleges are indoctrinating Satan’s lies

c. Our media is promoting Satan’s lies, through movies, TV shows, magazines, etc.

d. Liberal churches that promote the world’s lies

2. Through believing Satan’s lies people will come under his control

3. Believing Satan’s lies will blind people from the truth of God’s Word

B. Christians must not allow themselves to be deceived by lies

1. Know the truth, know Christ and His Word

2. Be aware of the enemies lies

II. Some of the lies most Americans believe

Lie #1: People are born homosexual

1. Truth: there is no scientific evidence that people are born homosexual

2. Truth: homosexual lifestyle is a choice because God’s Word considers it a sin

3. Truth: sexual orientation is primarily influenced by childhood sexual experience.

4. Truth: We are all born with a sinful nature, with weaknesses towards certain sins

Lie #2: Homosexuals cannot change their lifestyle

1. Truth: Any sinful lifestyle is very difficult to change

2. Truth: Change may be impossible with man but not with God (1Corinthians 6:11)

Lie #3: About 25% of Americans are LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)

Truth: only 3.8% are LGBT according to Gallop Poll, May 6-10, 2015

Article written by Frank Newport for Gallop Poll on social issues May 21, 2015

Lie #4: Since there is a large percentage of Americans that are born gay, they should have equality through civil rights just as African-Americans and women.

1. Truth: Since homosexuality is a choice, and not a race or gender, it is not a civil rights issue.

Pastor William Owens founder and president of the Coalition of African American Pastors USA.

“It is an outright lie that the gay marriage movement is a civil rights issue”

Owens said LGBT activists have “hijacked” the civil rights movement knowing they could leverage the social stigma associated with anything that is deemed bigotry.

Lie #5: The Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriages will bring only a little charge

1. This Supreme Court decision normalized and institutionalized homosexuality

2. It will bring an assault on the traditional family. It will make the meaning of marriage meaningless 3. It will force affirmation of sexual deviancy under penalty of law It will promote normalcy of homosexuality in our public schools It will promote gender revision in our public schools

Have you wondered why the effort to reinterpret gender has become so urgent, especially within the public schools? Reporter Todd Starnes explained this obsession in an article published by Fox News.com.

He wrote:

One of the nation’s largest public school systems is preparing to include gender identity to its classroom curriculum—the idea that there is no such thing as 100 percent boys or 100 percent girls. Fairfax County Public Schools released a report recommending changes to their family life curriculum for grades 7 through 12. The plan calls for teaching seventh graders about transgenderism and tenth graders about the concept that sexuality is a broader spectrum. By the tenth grade, they will be taught that one’s sexuality “develops throughout a lifetime.”1

Starnes editorializes, “It sure smells like unadulterated sex indoctrination,” and says, “parents are freaking out.”

“What is alarming is that the notion of fluid sexual identity is not only racing though public schools. It is also finding expression in the wider culture since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. It has unleashed an avalanche of change.” (Dr. James Dobson)