Are You A Victim of Deception?
What Do you Really Know About Deception?
Merriam-Webster defines deception as “the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid.“ When the act of deception succeeds the victim is thoroughly taken captive by the fraudulent scheme being fully convinced that what is absolutely false is true. Understanding and discerning deception on a purely human, natural, and social level is something we all deal with regularly.
In a spiritual context, the Bible teaches that Satan is the master of deception having extraordinary power and influence in that he orchestrated and deceived one-third of the angels to rebel against God. Later he engaged Eve in a deceptive argument and seduced her into rebelling against God. Satan influenced Adam to reject God and join Eve in the fallen state of rebellion. Before the flood, the devil and his demons misled the entire human race into becoming enemies of God which culminated in God’s wrath and the global flood that destroyed the human race (excluding Noah’s family of eight). Satan has succeeded in alienating us from God and continues to do so even now as you are reading this. It is Satan’s mission to deceive and deprive us of God’s love, mercy, grace, salvation, restoration, and eternal life.
Satan is so deceptively entrenched in our culture, social philosophies, beliefs, educational system, politics, religious views, the entertainment industry, and our declining values that most of us are oblivious to his dominant influence and control. We are more likely to defend Satan’s activities and schemes than see through them for what they really are!
Jesus said Satan is a liar and the “father of lies.” Jesus addressed this satanic characteristic when confronting religious hypocrisy among the Pharisees:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
Satan is more knowledgeable and intelligent than we are. Our human wisdom and resourcefulness are no match for Satan’s evil schemes because he operates in the supernatural realm of wickedness and evil. Jesus didn’t teach us to reason with the devil nor did he tell us to pretend he doesn’t exist as so many preachers do today. On the contrary, we who are in Christ have received supernatural power through God’s Holy Spirit to resist the devil and cast out devils in the name of Jesus. The Spirit-filled believer can and must insist, demand, and exercise Holy Spirit authority over the devil. We must command the devil (not beg or wish) in the name of our Lord. We must speak with confidence and say to Satan, “By the authority and power given to me I command you to stop now… take your hands off of them… turn them lose now… leave now… depart from me… come out… I resist you in the name of Jesus,” and he must obey! Only in the name of Jesus can we demand Satan depart and go and he must obey!
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20)
We live in a demon-dominated world and are struggling against the invisible supernatural forces of evil. Paul the apostle reminds us that we are engaged in a supernatural battle against “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). These demonic forces have the power to rule all who are not living under the protection and power of the New Covenant. Before turning to Christ we were all caught up in following the deceptive ways of Satan and blind to his methods.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Eph. 2:2-3)
Satan has many weapons of deception when it comes to misleading the human race. He is a sophisticated master at using people to accomplish his agenda. We see his activity manifested in all areas of our lives as Satan blinds people’s minds to the truth!
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Cor. 4:4)
Satan traffics in temptation by seducing us into following our carnal fleshly nature (sinful nature). He is a constant and relentless false accuser. He is a deceitful liar. He peddles unbelief, fear, and hopelessness into our heads and hearts. He will convince you that sin is ok and then condemn you for sinning. He will make you feel as if God does not care about you and then criticize you for not trusting God—labeling you a faithless hypocrite. He is a liar and the father of all lies.
If you believe what you just read is true, then let me ask you where do you fit into all this?
How to Turn to God
Perhaps at this very moment, you have realized that you need the Lord in your life. Maybe you drifted away or need to be been born again? If so, you can stop right now and begin talking to God. Ask Him to forgive you for being a sinner and for the life you have been living outside of His love. Surrender your life to Him, unconditionally. Call Him Lord and make Him Lord of every thought, attitude, and action. You can say, Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins, come into my heart, and take full control of my life. I am your child from this day forward. Change my heart and mind to be Christ-like in every way. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior forever.
