The Ultimate Deceiver

Tidbits of Truth: The Ultimate Deceiver
God’s Word is very clear concerning the warning of His children to make certain that we are always on our guard because there are those in this world who may have all the trappings of being very religious…but in all reality… “THEY “DO NOT” HAVE OUR BEST INTENTIONS AT HEART!”
It’s the reason that I John 4:1 tells us: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God." The only problem with this Scripture is this: “There are so many of God’s children who know so little about spirits, they couldn’t tell the difference between a ‘God Spirit’ and a ‘Lying Spirit’ if their lives depended on it.
Scripture warns us that Satan has the ability to put on the facade of being an “Angel of Light” and he often does so in order to mislead and destroy the souls of men. God defines him as a “Demon of Darkness” going about as a roaring lion seeking souls whom he may devour.
God has already established his eternal destination: one day he shall be cast into the eternal Lake of Fire where he will burn forever and forever. However, until his final sentence is passed, and he is cast into the Lake of Fire…our Adversary (Satan) is continually seeking out other souls that he can drag down to eternal torment with him.
And lest any of us think that we are so sanctimonious and super-spiritual until we are above ever being deceived, you had better heed the Words of Jesus spoken in Matthew 24:22. For there, Christ says this concerning Satan power of deception and the End Times: “AND EXCEPT THOSE DAYS SHOULD BE SHORTENED, THERE SHOULD NO FLESH BE SAVED…”
Therefore, it is absolutely imperative that each of us must be ever on our guard. Satan doesn’t just use the vilest of sinners to do his bidding, oftentimes he cleverly uses those who wear the garb of Christianity, but who (in all reality) are all about their own personal, selfish, self-serving purposes.
There is a passage of Scripture found in the Old Testament (I Kings 13) that describes a young prophet of God who was sent to pronounce judgment upon a nation. God used him mightily, and told him when he had finished his commission he was to eat no food or drink no drink, but he was to return straight home as soon as his task had been completed.
The young prophet fulfilled his duties and then he set out for home; just as God had told him to. But there was also this other “old” prophet. He went and told the young prophet that God had sent an angel to him that told him to bring the young prophet back to his house and give him food and drink. However, Scripture give us this sobering assessment of the words of the old prophet when it states: “BUT HE LIED UNTO HIM.”
That “LIE” ended up costing the young prophet his very life. His life was snuffed out prematurely all because he had been deceived by a man who posed himself to be a man of God. Ironic isn’t it? But Satan is still the “Ultimate Deceiver” and he doesn’t care who or how he deceives us, as long as he deceives us and brings us down.
So how do we, as Believers of Christ, avoid such deceivers in our day? How is it that we can be certain of the “Genuine” from those who are merely “Clever and Deceptive Imitations?”
Let me share 7 insights that (hopefully) will help to keep us from ever being deceived like this young prophet was:
1. Know the Word, for anyone who tells you anything that is contrary to God’s Word does not speak for God.
2. Never lend your ears to anyone who “IS NOT” totally sold out and wholly committed to God.
3. Be wary of all who operate with only their own personal agendas in mind.
4. Watch out for any minister or ministry that must always tear down others in order to build theirs up. (God never intended for any ministry to cannibalize on another.)
5. Be careful of those who are all about ministry, but they, themselves are never about going out there and doing those labor intensive aspects that are connected to ministry.
6. Be forever on your guard of those who are always claiming to be “Speaking for God” but at the same time, there are questionable things going on in their own lives.
7. No person can be a great leader for God if first they are not a great follower of God. And no person can be a great follower of God if they refuse to put down roots somewhere and spiritually mature.
This list is by no means an exhaustive one, but if we are willing to put these insights into practice in our own lives, Satan will never be able to mislead any of us. Live holy, live healthy, and above all else, live ever on your guard against the evil and deceptive practices of the enemy of our souls!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones