Deceived And Defeated

Deceived and Defeated

Have you ever believed a lie? Is it dangerous to believe a lie? Can a lie make the difference between life and death? You better believe it!

Not knowing the truth can cost you your life!

Do you know the truth? In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Only in Jesus can you find the way that leads to life everlasting? Only in Jesus is there truth. And only in Jesus is there a life worth living.

In John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus doesn’t want to just give us a life. But what kind of life does Jesus want to give to us? He wants to give us a life that is abundant.

Let’s turn to John 10:10. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Who is the thief that Jesus speaks about? The thief is the devil. The thief comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. This is the devil’s job. The devil wants to make life hell for you. He’s is out to destroy you!

Do you know how he destroys people? If the devil could have it his way, he would snuff out your life. He doesn’t want you to have eternal life. Before you surrender your life fully to God, he wants to take you out. He knows that he is going to hell, and he wants to take as many people with him. If the devil could have it his way, you would all have been dead a long time ago.

We need to thank God for His protection. The devil can’t have his way. The devil is limited in what he can do. He has to play by certain rules.

Do you know what the devil’s main strategy is to destroy us? His main strategy is to use deception!

Mount of Blessings (by Ellen White) p. 31 “Ever since his fall, Satan has worked by means of deception.”

And he is very good.

In John 8:44, beginning with the second sentence, listen to what Jesus says about Satan. He says, “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.”

Satan has mastered the art of lying. He’s the father of it. He deceived a third of the angels in heaven. Is he good? You bet he is. Is he someone to be afraid of?

Testimonies vol. 5 (by Ellen White) 294 Satan is busy every moment, going to and fro, walking up and down in the earth, seeking whom he may devour.

Satan doesn’t need to sleep. He is busy working round the clock.

So what are the lies that we believe? How successful has the devil been with us? You are probably thinking, “I don’t believe any lies.” Well, if you’re deceived you wouldn’t know.

Do you know the truth about forgiveness? One of my professors at Andrews Univ. was telling us that when he was working in Japan as a missionary, he met this one woman who was suffering terribly from guilt. She came to him one day and told him that she had had an abortion many years ago, and that she asked God for forgiveness, but she kept experiencing guilt and started thinking that God couldn’t forgive her. And the guilt was driving her insane. The professor had to explain the truth about forgiveness to this woman. As Corrie Ten Boom put it, “when we confess our sins, God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever. And then He places a sign out there that says, ‘No Fishing Allowed’.” My professor led the woman in a prayer. They first asked God for forgiveness for not believing what the Bible had to say about forgiveness. He then told the woman that if the devil comes around and tries to make her feel guilty to pray to Jesus to deal with him.

John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

By the way, would it be equally correct to say, “And you shall know Jesus, and Jesus shall make you free.”

How many of you have suffered terribly from guilt, and you thought it was God punishing you? Could it be that the devil lies to you and says, “God is punishing you?” How often have you heard Christians say, “I think God is punishing me.”

What are some of the lies that we as Koreans believe? We believe that our worth depends on the grades we get. We get an A-, so our GPA drops down to a 4.0, and we start thinking, “I’m so stupid, what’s wrong with me.” Our parents look at the report card, and say, “What wrong with you? Jung shin ee-ruh suh?” And for the whole week you are thinking, I’m such a babo. Is that a lie? The devil is very crafty. The devil can come in the voice of the first person. Instead of saying, “You’re a babo.” He’ll say, “I’m a babo.” Now you think you are just speaking to yourself. Do you know the truth? Do you know the truth about your worth? Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying it’s okay to settle for mediocrity. As Christians, we should strive for excellence in all that we do. As working professionals, we should strive for excellence in the work place. As students, we should strive for academic excellence. And as Christians, we should strive for spiritual excellence.