SATAN CAUSED THE DOWNFALL of the human race through deception, “And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”” Genesis 3:13
Deception is the chief method for leading people away from God’s way and truth, “that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world”. Satan deceives and blinds the minds of the unbelieving in order that they may not understand the gospel. It is through deception that many within the church believe they can continue to live a life of sin and inherit eternal life. It is a deceptive spirit that leads many lawless people within the church to believe they are in a right standing with God.
Lawlessness is not disobeying the whole law; it is picking and choosing which laws you want to obey and which laws don’t apply to you. And deception will be the chief means of leading many into rebellion against God at history’s end. Think! If the devil could deceive those who walked with God in the perfect place, how much more can he deceive you who are not on guard?
“Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
So how do you prepare against deception? You must be born again of the Spirit of God and be committed to fighting your flesh and the enemy all your days. Put on the armor of God and activate the Word of God in your life. Let the Word be engrafted in your heart. The Word is under attack, even within the church because it’s our main weapon against deception. (Read about Jesus in the wilderness) If someone tells you that you are going the wrong way, listen.
Stay connected and planted in the house of the Lord under a true shepherd. Isolation is and always has been a tool of the enemy: divide and conquer. Scripture records, “Do not forsake the gathering”. This does not mean you cannot ever miss a service, but rather to not make it a habit of skipping church. The key word here is “the gathering”. It is the Greek word which means “the whole”. It would be used in place of “the synagogue”. It DOES NOT mean gathering with your friends for coffee. It means do not forsake when THE WHOLE comes together to worship the Lord. You are deceiving yourself if you think you can continue to not gather and you are good.
Don’t believe your own lies, the Word is our plumb line in which all is measured; it is our standard. I don’t care what you “feel”, what does the Word of God say? I don’t care if God is using you. That is not your plumb line. Samson was used greatly by God, but he continued to disobey God, deceiving himself. The Spirit of God left him. Same story for king Saul. Deception will destroy you. Are you under God’s divine ecclesiastical authority? Are you living lukewarm? Are you entertaining sin? Are there relationships that need to be severed? Repent of your lawlessness and apathy. You cannot afford to be deceived in these wicked and evil times. It is time to be on high alert!
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page