Month: February 2026

Deception

  • Intro:
    • We’re going to study the topic of deception.  
    • There are five things that can deceive you and you must defend yourself from each of these.
  • Riches will deceive you – Mk 4:19.  
    • Our country’s problem is not an economic problem.  
    • Rather, it’s a righteousness problem.  
    • Righteousness exalteth a nation.  
    • Your problem is not an economic problem.  
    • It’s a righteousness problem.
    • “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto thee”.  
    • In Laodicea, riches have deceived the church and the word is well nigh choked out.
    • Defense:
      • Labor not to be rich.  
      • The love of money is the root of all evil.  
      • Trust not in uncertain riches.  Live by godliness with contentment.
  • Sin will deceive you – Heb 3:13, Rom 7:11.  “
    • Be not deceived God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap”.  
    • You cannot sin without paying the cost.  
    • You can’t just try it like one Lay’s potato chip.  
    • And you can’t even sit around and just think about it without a bad consequence.
    • Your defense.
      • Acknowledge what God calls sin and avoid it, refuse it, and run from it.  
      • Be quick to confess it and forsake it.
  • The devil will deceive you – Rev 12:9, 2 Cor 11:13-14.  
    • He is the master deceiver.  
    • In Revelation he deceives the whole world and he deceives nations, Rev 20:3, 8.  
    • He is the author of religions, of evolution, of many scientific theories, of mythology, and even of modern translations.  
    • He’s involved in commerce, in governments [the authority has come from the Lord but the devil has usurped the kingdoms], in many churches, in most communication, and in the world.  
    • He is the god of this world.
    • He is a liar.  
    • Defense.
      • The best way to protect yourself from his deceit is to know the truth and believe it.
  • Men will deceive you– Matt 24:4, Eph 5:6, 2 Thess 2:3.
    • If you want to find out the truth about any man, go to the Bible and check him out.
  • I checked out my old religion and I found out two things.  
    • One, it was man-made deception.  
    • My old religion used the Bible to reinforce its doctrines but it was not Biblical.  
    • The truth had been twisted.  
    • Two, it had a supernatural “hold” on people, though it was being propagated by men.  
    • Religious men are deceiving and being deceived.  
    • That’s true of all the religions of the world.  
    • The devil is behind them and men are out front pushing them.
    • Your defense.
      • Read and believe what the Bible has to say about your religion and its doctrines.
  • You will deceive yourself – 1 John 1:8, Jas 1:22, Gal 6:3.  
    • You can easily be deceived about your motives, your judgment, and your will versus God’s.
  • To avoid deception,
    • You have to step back and see what you’re doing the way that God sees it.  
    • The thing you may be deceived about has to fit the Bible not just one or two verses in the Bible.  
    • You must be willing to receive reproof and rebuke, be willing to admit that you are wrong, and be willing to humble yourself.