Don’t Be Deceived
Text: Rev. 12:9
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
We need to know our Enemy- Satan is called the Deceiver-
He can transform himself as angel of light- (2 Cor. 11:14).
He won’t come to you & say “Hey, I’m the devil, and I’m here to deceive you.” Jesus said, “Take heed that ye be not deceived.” (Luke 21:8).
Jesus said that in the last days false prophets shall arise, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
There are many who living deception and don’t even know it. James 1:26 says“ If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”
1 Cor. 3:18 “Let no man deceive himself.”
I want to share with you some of Satan’s Deceptions
Deception #1 - “There is more than one way to heaven - All religions lead to the some place.”
There are those that believe that Christianity, Islam, Judi sum, Hindu, Etc., are all the same. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me.”
Deception #2 - “What you Believe is not important, as long you are sincere.”
If you believe in God, that’s enough - It’s Not!
This is a deception - The Bible says “Thou believes that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).
Deception # 3 - “It not really a sin as long as I don’t get caught.”
Sin is sin! If no one knows - God Knows!
This deception is one of Satan’s biggest lies-
The Bible says,
Gal. 6:7-8
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
We all reap what we sow-
If sow to the flesh - we will reap to the flesh
Deception # 4 - “Miracles are not for today - it all passed away.”
This is a lie of the enemy. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Heb. 13:8
There never was a day of miracles - but there is a God of miracles.
God is a God of the supernatural- Jesus these signs shall follow them that believe!
Deception # 5 - “The Bible’s too hard to understand, so it’s a waste of time to Study the Bible.”
This is lie of the enemy-
The message of the Gospel is a simple message
The problem is - We’ve made it to complicated
Mark 10:15 says, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.”
2 Cor. 11:3 “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
Deception #6 - “God can’t use me because of my Past.”
This is another lie of the enemy-
You may say - “Pastor, you don’t understand what I have done in the past. Surely God can’t use me.”
1 Cor. 5:17
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
In Christ you are a new creation - God has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west! Remind Satan!
Rom. 8:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Deception #7 - “I can’t afford to Tithe - I’ll just give when I feel like it.”
That’s a lie of the enemy- Tithe is a tenth -belongs to God
Mal. 3:8-10
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Deception # 8 - “I can’t believe a Loving God would send anyone to Hell?”
This is lie from the enemy-
The truth is that God does send anyone to hell-they send themselves. Because of sin!!!!! Hell was created for Satan
2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
There are many that have a distorted view of God. Some even walk away from the faith because they don’t like the idea of a God who would send someone to hell
Deception # 9- “I been hurt too deeply - I just can’t forgive”
Forgiveness is a choice-The devil will tell you can not forgive-
But that is a lie-
When Jesus was hanging on the cross -
He said, “Father, forgive them.”
Mark 11:25-26
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
“But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
The Devil knows that unforgivness leads to bitterness
We are forgiven - When we forgive!
We must always guard or hearts.
Deception # 10 - If I can’t see it- I can’t Believe it!
Many say today - If I can just see it - then I’ll believe. Just because we can’t see something does mean it is not real.
The Bible teaches us that we are to walk by faith and not by sight. We can not always trust our feelings.
2 Cor. 4:18
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
God calls those things that are not as though they were. God says - Believing is Seeing!
