Where there is deception, there is stealing, killing and destroying taking place in the life of the deceived one. Many times, they aren’t even aware of it. That’s the problem with deception - It’s deceiving.
Through this teaching I want to help you see more clearly and to be aware of these things.
Matthew 24: 24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will provide great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect (God’s chosen ones).
Even God’s children can be deceived by this spirit of deception. It twists people’s minds. The devil is the father of lies. He is a liar. When he speaks, he speaks lies.
God can not lie and the devil can’t tell the truth.
2 Corinthians 3: 3 - 4
3 But even if our gospel is [in some sense] hidden [behind a veil], it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing; 4 among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds [that they should not discern the truth] of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
The enemy doesn’t want us to discern the truth; the reality of what God is and what God says. The enemy will always come and try to put a veil on the minds so that we can’t receive and perceive the truth.
To discern implies - a making out or recognizing something visually or mentally. Understand that he is coming after your mind because it’s our control-centre.
Today is about getting your mind back and seeing and living by the Truth. The enemy’ attacks is tailor made. Like he came to tempt Jesus with bread, because he saw that Jesus was hungry during the 40 days fast in the dessert, he comes to us with something which seems like we need it. He will also come with the Word of God to us.
Proverbs 29: 18
18 Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]-blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.
“No redemptive revelation of God” means to have no sight of God and His will. If you can have the vision/picture in your mind that God will provide for you and make a way for you, you will experience blessing and not perish.
1 Corinthians 8:9
9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.
The context of this scripture is actually about Apostle Paul telling believers that has received greater understanding and revelation that it doesn’t matter what we eat or drink, it doesn’t determine our salvation, to not press this on other believers who have not yet received that revelation. Because they will stumble in their faith. They need to have it in their hearts that what they are doing is correct before God.
But what I want to highlight is that when a person’ mind isn’t aligned with His truth/perception, they can stumble because they are weak. So, we must gain knowledge and understanding of His truth which must align our conscience with what Jesus did on the cross for us, and make it strong.
Also, we must have compassion for those who doesn’t yet understand things as you do. We are all busy building our faith.
The common struggles that I see people have, is that they don’t have good thoughts. The thoughts are wrong towards people and situations.
The enemy will come with fearful thoughts in your situations, but you must be able to fight that deception and say “This is still the day that the Lord has made. I don’t know what He is doing now but one day I will know. I am trusting the Lord to come through and on Him I will wait. I’m not going to run after anything - Goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life.”
Imagine this:
You are not only liked.You are loved, approved, favored, and honored by God.
So, you can love and accept yourself, and people has got nothing to do with this. It’s determined by God and must become true inside of you.
You don’t have to try and get this - it already belongs to you.
Deception is first coming after your relationship with God, and then your relationship with people. It will try and tell you all sorts of lies.
1 John 2: 16
For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-comes not from the Father but from the world.
To deceive us the enemy will use:
- The lust of the flesh
- The lust of the eyes
- The pride of life
He will disrupt and distort our mind with those things by letting us see images in our mind that is fowl and bad. This is where you have to raise the standard against those things with God’ Word. This is why we need a vision of what He says. And settle for nothing other the vision/revelation of God. This will make a person able to say “no pornography is so shallow and wrong for me and not His perfect plan.” Because you already have the vision of what God says about such things and His plan for your life.