Guard Against Deception
I.
One of the biggest
problem when you talk to believers about deception is they are so proud that
they don’t even think that deception is something they need to look at, deal
with, or be on guard against and as a result many aren’t even on guard against
Satan’s only weapon
A. What people don’t get is
that if you are deceived you don’t know it that’s what makes it deception; if
you know you’re being deceived you’re not being deceived
1.
Anytime you’re deceived
about something you think it’s right because the enemy has made it look right
2.
The thing about deception
that people don’t get is if deception is really good then it looks a lot like
the truth-Proverbs 14:12,16:25
B. Do we need to be on guard
against deception?
1.
Galatians
6:7,1 Corinthians 15:33, 6:9-Be not deceived
2.
1
John 3:7, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Galatians 5:6, Jeremiah 29:8, Colossians 2:8-Let
no man deceive you
3.
1
Corinthians 3:18, Jeremiah 37:9-Let no man deceive himself
4.
Matthew
24:5,11-Shall deceive many
5.
Luke
21:8, Matt24:4, Mark 13:5, Deuteronomy 11:6-We are to take
heed that we be not deceived
6.
Matthew
24:24-God’s elect can be deceived
C. This pride will leave you
wide open to deception
1.
Obadiah
3-They thought that nobody could defeat them and that they didn’t have to be on
guard and their pride deceived them because the truth was they did need to be
on guard and there was somebody who could take them down
2.
The fact that you think
you can’t be deceived and don’t need to be on guard against deception shows you
already are deceived
a. EX: It’s like being in a
hot zone and thinking you can’t get shot and don’t need to be on guard against
getting shot
D. Humility is one of your
greatest protections against deception-Psalm 25:9
1.
If you will stay meek,
and humble and teachable and not think that you’ve arrived and think that you
know it all and be open to the Lord it will be your greatest protection against
deception – Lord am I missing it?
II.
How to be on guard
against deception
A. You need to ask the enemy
this question: What exactly are you trying to get me to believe here?
1.
You
need to ask yourself this question: What am I believing right now and Is it true?
B. You need to take the
approach that Satan is trying to deceive you all the time; Every day he’s
trying to get you to believe something that is not true; What is he trying to
get me to believe today that’s not true?
1.
You
need to wake up in the morning expecting arrows to be shot at you
C. When a negative thought
comes you need to discern what it was and where it came from
1.
What
is it? Where did it come from?