Living With Deception

“ Living With Deception”

Allow me first to say that today’s message, “Living With Deception”, is a message that requires further study of God’s Word. It is vitally important that we understand the enemy will cause you (while listening to the sermon) to become sleepy, drift off but you must fight his attacks. He doesn’t want you to tentatively hear this message today. So put on your spiritual armor and receive what God has for you and me today.

Last Sunday I informed you that someone was praying against TWC and that individual desires the failure of our church. Beware individuals of this nature often present themselves as Children of Light when in actuality they are deceitful workers who represent the spirit of darkness, the spirit of deception. The Bible declares in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15,

“satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness”.

Now, according Strong’s dictionary, the word ‘deceive’ means to delude or misled, to err, wander, go astray, to intentionally be dishonest, fraudulent, counterfeit (that is a misrepresentation of). Deception is nothing new. It’s been around from the beginning of time.

• The devil deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:13)

• The Midianites deceived the Israelites into worshiping a false god, Baal-Peor (Number 25:18)

• Today, Christians are deceived :

With flattering words (Romans 16:18)

By false reports (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

By false reasoning (Colossians 2:4)

Church, the Word of God warns us about the increase of spiritual deception. We need only to watch television and see its evidence. There was a time when you could turn the television on and enjoy a decent, crime free show. However, in this era, you can’t even watch the local news without hearing about multiple killings, shootings, death, kidnapping, and the like. I wondered why we’re witnessing such an increase in these acts of ungodliness. Well, according to 1 John 5:19, “we are children of God”, and unfortunately “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” The father of lies is the father of deception and he is none other than satan (the evil one), the devil himself. Look at John 8:44 which states,

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. 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.”

We are so easy to believe what we see and hear not realizing that we are ‘Living with Deception’. Church, deception (spiritually speaking) is deeper than merely being tricked or lied to. Thus, it behooves every Child of God to take notice that our ignorance of the father of lies only propels his escalating, deceiving spirit more in this world. So here is today’s question: “How in tune to the Holy Spirit are we in discerning deception?”

Too often the Children of God are deceived because of our lack of spiritual discernment. We fail to recognize the firewall God has given us (His warnings in His Word and through the Holy Spirit). Reverend Bruce Farris of Thomasville Road Baptist Church stated, “When a firewall is used properly, it keeps unwelcome thieves out of your network while still letting you get your work done.” In other words, when we allow the Holy Spirit (our consuming firewall) to guide, led us, the viruses (deception) from the enemy will not stop us in accomplishing our God-given assignments. Thus, we’re not deceived into thinking ungodliness is presumed as acts from God. That’s why the scripture declares in Galatians 6:7-8,

“7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Every single day, in all kinds of forums, God is quite often mocked. Too many saints come to church Sunday after Sunday and hear (but not listen) to the Word of God. Yet, immediately after the service, they conduct themselves in acts of ungodliness with the presumption that I’m only telling the truth. I’m here to inform you what’s said may be true but if the Spirit of Truth is not controlling the conversation then is truth actually in the words spoken. Too often the father of deception has us to believe that we’re living in righteousness when the motives are impure which results in us performing acts of deception. We move out of our flesh; out of our pains, hurts, and unforgiveness. We live ungodly when we know the truth. These same Sunday morning saints desire to satisfy the flesh. The Apostle Paul identifies the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-20,