Overcoming Deception: Walking in the Victory of Christ

This year is already running out, but it still boasts of many promises from God that are yet unfulfilled. Therefore, we must pay attention to the deception that is also making its way around. The devil is selling lies in a bid to delay God’s promises by affecting the posture of us, the receiver (Jonah 4:8). This deception is not always obvious because the devil has carefully built them into things around us. Hence, we need to be sensitive and yield to the voice of the Holy Spirit possible. This is our only way to stand against deception.

What is deception?

Deception is painting an untrue picture of a thing to lead a person away from what is true.

There are 4 ways to be deceived by the devil:
● Lusts (James 1:14-16).
These are legitimate basic desires or needs that the devil leverages to work his evil desires. He makes use of them as an avenue to sell his lies.
● The deception of sin (Romans 7:11)
The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and pride of life (1 John 5:16). These three are frameworks of sin built into the flesh that aim at pushing man into the devil’s trap of deception.
●Deception by men (Romans 16:18).
Every man can sponsor this category. Hence, we must be extremely sensitive so we are not deceived. Examine all things: every movie, every magazine, every online material you consume, and only accept the truth (1 Thess 5:21).
● Deception by Self (1 Cor 3:18).
This is the one done to oneself. It is the most dangerous, as one thinks he is right in himself or that he is deceiving God whereas the opposite is happening (Gal 6:2-8).

The routes of deception are:
● Familiar spirits.
These spirits know about the person because they have been around for a while, and so they leverage this to sell lies and deceive.
● The spirit of divination (Acts 16:17-19).
● The spirit of witchcraft.
A spirit that seeks to control through manipulation. It gains its ground through a desire to dominate not sponsored by the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:9-11).
● False apostles/false Christs.
Men whose messages promote falsehood, and oppose the Spirit of Christ (2 Cor 11:13-14).
● False teachers.
These people are publishers of False doctrines: doctrines taught by devils and demons. Their teaching is a pathway to destruction.

How to escape this deception.
● Be sincere.
Be as open as ready to submit to God and his every demand (Psalm 139:23).
● Guard your heart.
What rules your heart will rule your life. Be careful about what you allow to gain lordship over or entry into your heart (Proverbs 4:23).
● Obey God’s Word (James 1:22)
● Discernment by the Spirit of truth.
You can discern things with your spiritual senses because you are born again in Christ (John 3:3-5).
● The discernment of spirits.
It is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit that allows one to know the spirit that is sponsoring a certain operation (1 Cor 12:10) and a major tool for discerning deception.
● Spiritual exercise (1 Tim 4:17).
When we exercise ourselves spiritually, our senses will become more sensitive to spiritual things, and more effective in the discernment of deception.
● The keeping grace (Jude 1:24).
● Fellowship of the brethren (Hebrews 3:13).