Thursday, 8 June 2023
THE CURE FOR DECEPTION
Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character (1 Corinthians 15:33 AMPC).
The Lord Jesus warned us to be wary of deception. In Matthew 24:4, He cautions, "…Take heed that no man deceive you." In the epistles, the Apostle Paul repeatedly warned of the dangers of deception. Notice what he said in the opening text, "Do not be so deceived and misled..." because it's easy to be deceived.
Satan's capital strategy in derailing Eve was deception. In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul captures it; it says, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Therefore, by understanding how Satan deceived Eve, you can gain insight into how to stay ahead of him and prevent yourself and others from being deceived.
Remember that Paul was speaking to God's people when he said, ''Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God..." (1 Corinthians 15:34). The knowledge of God keeps your heart in the right place. So, get your mind on the right subject, get your heart in the right direction! The cure for deception, therefore, is the knowledge of the truth: the accurate knowledge of the Word; this will both deliver and protect anyone from deception.
Keep in mind what the Bereans did in Acts 17:11: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Also, note Paul's admonition to Timothy, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15 ).
PRAYER: Dear Father, I thank you for the knowledge of your Word in my heart, causing me to walk in faith, dominion, glory and power. Through the revelation knowledge of your Word, I live above the deception, trickery, manipulation and lies of the adversary. I function in absolute victory, now and always, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 1:17-18; John 8:32
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: John 21:1-25 & 1 Chronicles 26-29
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Mark 15:33-47 & Deuteronomy 6