SCRIPTURE: Matthew 24:4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no-one deceives you.
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. … 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. … 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.
OBSERVATION: To be deceived is to believe a lie. Jesus said of Satan: “When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) It seems obvious that deception is Satan’s main game.
In verse 4 above, Jesus warns us. Yet in verse 5 and 11 we find that many people will be deceived. And in verse 24 we see that Satan tries to deceive even the “elect.”
APPLICATION: Since Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) I need to keep close to Him.
God knows that we forget what we have heard or even read in the Bible. God knew that there would be some people who would not even have a Bible to read. (The first printing press to produce the Bible in book form was in the 15th century) So, in His wisdom, God has sent the Holy Spirit to live in each of His children. The Holy Spirit has been given to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). As we are able to read the Bible, the Holy Spirit will help us understand and apply it to our lives. But in times and places where no Bible is available, the Holy Spirit can still lead us in paths of truth and to reject the lies that Satan uses to trap us.
Whenever my thoughts are scrambled, whenever my heart is troubled, or whenever I have an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, I need to ask God for His wisdom to understand what he might be telling me. Philippians 4:7 tells us that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. As God’s children in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, we need to be careful when we do not have peace and when something disrupts our peace.
PRAYER: Holy Spirit, cause a question to arise in my heart every time I am about to be deceived into believing a lie. Lead me into the path of truth. Keep me free from deception. Amen.
Pastor Leon
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