Deception is built up over time and comes
mainly to test your truth in any area in which you are not truly convinced in your own heart. For example: If you’re not truly convinced that Jesus is the only way to God, then your truth or belief will be tested. It will be easier to believe the lie that there are indeed many paths to God.
Deception is not new, it’s and old trick first tested in the garden of eden, and it always begins with a question. Questions are intended to either make you doubt or affirm your beliefs. Your response will either be based on your acquaintance, experience and knowledge of the facts or heresy ( something you heard from someone else but have not proven).
There’s also another side to deception. Sometimes, you can convince yourself of your own truth, unwilling to hear anyone else’s point of view or even proof that what you’re holding to is erroneous. That’s self deception, and not even the master deceiver himself can sway you. The truth or Truth, you know, Jesus said is who and what sets us free and keeps us from being deceived.
How is one deceived? By not knowing or understanding what is falsehood and what is truth. Based on the verse written below
the Elect of God should not be deceived.
“For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.”
Matthew 24:24-25 NLT
But how is one deceived? When you are ignorant of the truth about a person, situation, circumstance, thing or the big one, walking in offense. Matthew 11:3-6
“Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” And He added, “God blesses those who do not fall away (offended) because of Me. ”
Matthew 11:3-6 NLT
False information to the ill-informed will always appear as fact or truth. But when you know the truth about any situation you’re faced with, the deception is that much harder to penetrate your wall of truth. Jesus didn’t say the truth will set you free, He said The Truth you know, that truth shall make you free. John 8:32
The error you know becomes your truth. Misquoted scriptures as well as half quoted verses produce error in the hearers. To avoid deception, we need to study the real. The United States treasury doesn’t spend time on the counterfeit, they study the real.
There are many forms of deception that are being presented as truth today unfortunately, even in God’s house. But there’s only One Truth that will prevail, the Word that became flesh. Get to know Him and His Truth, you’re guaranteed a deception free life. Jesus said, “I’m telling you these things ahead of time so that when it happens you’ll remember that I warned you.” We won’t know what to look for or avoid if we don’t know what the warning is. John 14:29 we’re warned so we won’t be deceived.
The difference between life and death in the hearers is the accuracy of the Word. We’ve got to be certain that what we’re teaching or preaching is factually correct according to Scriptures.(2 Timothy 2:15) Our opinion will never change lives, but an accurate understanding and even experience of God’s Word will. The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, awaits a seeking heart. He has so much to share with us, I believe He’s more excited to share than we are to receive. He wants us to avoid error and deception in our understanding of the Word. The Truth will be our foundation, just as error will be our foundation. Accuracy in God’s Word is key to transforming hearts and lives.
You’re either convinced by the truth of God’s Word, or you’re convinced by your own truth.
It’s much harder to be deceived if the Spirit Of Truth is living in you. John 16:13
So can the elect be deceived? Maybe on April 1, momentarily. But I’d rather take the words of Jesus, “if it were possible.”
What is your truth? On what is it built?
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant