The Giant Of Deception Series

INTRO: There is a story about a woman who had been trying for years to persuade her egotistical husband to put an end to the idea that he and he alone was number one. This man was obsessed with being number one.

He never stopped talking about being first in sales at the office, and first on the list for the next promotion. He enjoyed playing tennis and golf, but only when he won. He had to be first in line to buy tickets for a game and first to hit the parking lot after the event.

This man’s long-suffering wife watched with interest one day when he stepped on one of those fortune-telling scales. He dropped a coin into the slot and out came a little “fortune-telling” card which read: “You are a born leader, with superior intelligence, quick wit and charming manner—magnetic personality and attractive to the opposite sex.”

“Read that!” the man said to her triumphantly. She did. Then she turned it over and said, “It has your weight wrong too!”

*This morning we are continuing our look at facing your giants.

1. We’ve looked at the giant of intimidation (fear)

2. The giant of discouragement

3. The giant of the journey (time)

Today we are going to look at the giant of deception.

TITLE: The Giant of Deception

TEXT: 2 Corinthians 4:2

I’m going to talk about 3 things this morning.

1. What causes it

2. What results from it

3. What we can do

I. What causes deception? Rather than saying the devil or our sinful nature or the world that we live in, maybe I should say what promotes deception in the life of a Christian?

Ex. If I would say what promotes lung cancer or emphysema you would say smoking.

-It’s something that causes it.

TS: Things that cause or bring about deception in the life of a believer.

A. James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

1. Many Christians today need to realize if I hear the word or know the word of God but I don’t obey it, I am opening the door of my life to deception.

-That’s why you’ve heard me say many times if the Holy Spirit is dealing with you with an issue do what he wants, be obedient.

2. There is nothing more tragic than a person who thinks they’re going right only in the end to find they’ve been going the wrong direction.

Plato: We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.

B. Another thing that can bring about deception in the life of a believer.

-Not keeping a tight rein on your tongue.

1. James 1:26, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not deep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”

2. One who is religious (this is not meant as a negative term, it just means outward practices)-

-If you don’t control your tongue what you literally do is mislead or seduce your own heart.

3. Think of it this way. In chapter 3 James tells us the tongue has great power. Like a fire, it’s a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person. It’ll set the whole course of your life on fire.

-Why, because it is Hell itself that sets it on fire.

Ex. I’ve seen people spread so much death and destruction. The Bible tells us life and death are in our words. As Christians we are like our Father in heaven who spoke life into existence through his words. We bring life or death by our words.

-Understand if I don’t keep a tight rein on my tongue (control the words that I speak) I will not only spread death but I’ll fall into deception.

Ex. Ever try and tell your spouse something you want them to do (you’ve told them a million times over the years), it may be something you discuss with a great deal of words. It goes something like this – you give a logical argument, you think they’ve got it, the next day they do the same thing, so you sit down and give a masterful debate, it’s beautiful. The next day you get up, your spouse does it again. This time you lengthen your speech but this time you speak with more passion and enthusiasm. You leave the discussion satisfied your spouse understands. The same process goes on for 20 years.

-Who is in deception – the spouse who is preaching (many words). They think their spouse is going to change. Take some advice – shut up. The only person you’re going to change is yourself. Spend more time working on yourself than on them.