Be free from deceit

Hello folks today, I write on Sunday word to the Church. The word was on being deceived. Let us look at some scripture from the Old Testament.

The scripture is from Joshua 9:1:20, the scripture is very big so allow me to summarize it for you. A man called Joshua, who took on the leadership from Moses, is out to claim the land, God promises to the children of Jacob (Israel). God was with them and the Israelites had many victories even in the most ridiculous of odds. Now there were a people from a land called Gibeon who stayed in a part of the land that Joshua was to claim for Israel. The Gibeonites were however smart and decides to trick the Israelites into a peace treaty so that they could continue to live in that land. What they did was they went to the Israelites is worn out clothes and footwear, taking with them stale bread and carrying wine is patched up wine-skins. When they reached the camp of Joshua and the Israelites they claimed to come from a distant land and was outside the land God promised to give the people of Israel (Jacob). They lied and said that when they had left from their land, the bread was fresh, wine-skins new, along with presentable clothes and footwear but now that they have traveled this far and for so long, their clothes & footwear were now worn out, the bread had turned stale and the wineskins carrying wine needed to be patched up. They presented themselves as a people who were willing to serve the Israelites. Joshua and the leaders did not consult God and took an oath of peace & friendship with them in the name of God, based on what appeared to be true. Three days later the Israelites realize that they have been deceived because the Gibeonites were a people who lived on part of the land that was promised to Israel but having made an oath in the name of the God of Israel, Joshua and the leaders have no choice but to stick to their promise. Joshua had a spotless Biblical record of leadership other than this and Achan’s sin (Joshua 7:1-28).

We must remember every believer in Jesus has 3 enemies

1. The World (Gal 3:22)

Gal 3:22

But the scripture says that the whole world is under the power of sin;….

1. His flesh (sinful desire: Gal 5:17)

Gal 5:17

17 For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants.

1. Satan

The Bible says in John 10:10 that Satan is like a thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy. Satan is referred to as a thief not because he steals money or someone life or brings destruction. He may do all or some of the same but his purpose is mainly to steal our peace. Satan is one creation who has the most experience in deceiving & he also has been the most successful. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says that Satan can even easily disguise himself as a angel of light, does it now strike you from where all false belief that leads people away from the salvation in Lord Jesus, comes from? Satan can even perform miracles (2 Thes 2:9) to add some icing on the cake of false doctrine.

Satan appeared as a crafty servant and tempted Eve into eating the forbidden fruit that lead them to sin.

Rev 12:9

9 The huge dragon was thrown out — that ancient serpent, called the Devil, or Satan, that deceived the whole world. He was thrown down to earth, and all his angels with him.

It must be noted that just like Eve, you too can be deceived and be lead away from the true Christ that saves (2 Cor 11:3). Our fight is not flesh against flesh but against the principalities and powers that corrupt that world.

People often say we must resist Satan but they forget goes before that, according to scripture.

James 4:7

So then, submit to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.

Submitting to the will of God is recognition that you put God first before yourself and this claim is what shows the Lordship of Jesus in a person’s life. Consider this, even though Jesus created the whole universe (Hebrews 1:2), as per the Biblical record of His life on earth, he submitted to the will of His Father (Mat 6:10; Luke 22:42) all the time.

To conclude, what we must know is that in all that we do we need to seek Jesus’ will in our lives. Walk by faith and not by sight or else you will wind up being deceived as Joshua was.  Remember even what appears to be good may not be necessarily good because it may not be from God.

Many Jesus lovers & trusters have begun their walk confidently in Jesus but Satan desperately attempts to bring in doubt and in doing so deceives. Like the story of Peter getting of the boat to walk on water with Jesus.

Matthew 14:22-33

22 Then Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people away. 23 After sending the people away, he went up a hill by himself to pray. When evening came, Jesus was there alone; 24 and by this time the boat was far out in the lake, tossed about by the waves, because the wind was blowing against it.

25 Between three and six o’clock in the morning Jesus came to the disciples, walking on the water. 26 When they saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and screamed with fear.

27 Jesus spoke to them at once. “Courage!” he said. “It is I. Don’t be afraid!”

28 Then Peter spoke up. “Lord, if it is really you, order me to come out on the water to you.”

29 “Come!” answered Jesus. So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he was afraid and started to sink down in the water. “Save me, Lord!” he cried.

31 At once Jesus reached out and grabbed hold of him and said, “How little faith you have! Why did you doubt?”

32 They both got into the boat, and the wind died down. 33 Then the disciples in the boat worshipped Jesus. “Truly you are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

So remember friend in all things seek God’s counsel and when you feel you are drowning call out to Jesus this will keep you from the deceit of the world and of Satan.