In writing this blog post, I became aware of how hard the enemy is working to bring his deception not only to the nation of which I am a part, but also to the world! Each one of us must learn to recognize it and shout ‘No!’ Stand firm in this battle! Eric

Dr. Chuck D. Pierce shared a vision of seeing the hand of the Lord writing on a blackboard. Written in the Foreword of “The Rules of Engagement” (the art of strategic prayer and spiritual warfare) by Cindy Trimm, 2008,

Dr. Pierce stated he “saw a vision of the hand of God writing the following words on a blackboard: anti-semitism, militant Islam, covenant conflict, women arising for My purposes, lawlessness, the transference of wealth, overthrowing thrones of iniquity, and prepare for war.” When Dr. Pierce asked the Lord what he was being shown, the Lord spoke, “This is the future war of the church.”

In verse 2 of Psalm 43, King David asked, “Why do I go mourning because of the oppression (distress and pressure) of the enemy?” Then in verse 5a we find that he stated, “Why are you cast down (despairing, depressed), O my soul? And why are you disquieted (discouraged) within me?” David was acknowledging that his soul was troubled. What caused him to be in that place?

The answer is found in verse 1 of Psalm 43, “Vindicate (judge) me, O God, and plead my cause (case) against an ungodly (heathen) nation; O deliver me from the deceitful (deceit and treachery) and unjust (unrighteous) man.”

At this time, we find our nation in the grips of alarming and destructive deception of the enemy. Satan’s false gods have once again risen to deceive our nation and bring it under his control.

Our ruling government, our educational system, the media, and even many of our churches have fallen to the deception of the enemy. ‘Good’ is being called ‘bad’ and ‘bad’ is being called ‘good.’ Our citizens, beginning with our children, are being taught that there is no right or wrong. If you disagree with the falsehoods being taught you are accused of being hateful and intolerant. This is beginning to definitely be a season where we, like David, could find we have a troubled soul over all of the evil.

What is taking place is not exclusively taking place in the United States, it is happening around the world.

We are experiencing the time which the church was warned would come. We find that warning in 2 Timothy 4:3 and 4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because whey have itching ears. they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” Substituting the Greek meanings for verses 3 and 4, they could read this way: “For the season will come when men will not tolerate, endure, have patience with, admit, or bear with uncorrupted instruction and teaching, but having itching hearing, they will obtain a multitude of, and seek, or accumulate teachers who will teach what lines up with their own private inordinate desires, lusts, and longings. 4 They will turn away from, reject, or pervert the truth, and replace it with idle talk, fables, and fiction.

Are you recognizing the season we are in right now? Millions of people are turning to those leaders and teachers who will and are telling them what they want to hear or believe. They want to be told that they can do whatever they desire to do, and there is no right or wrong. They have the itching ears Paul was talking about.

They have turned from the truth and have defiled their minds (even among some believers). They have believed the lie. They believe they are right. And even though they claim to know God, they deny Him. Titus 1:10 and 13-16 reveals this truth, “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: ... 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Paraphrased with added Greek meanings, these verses state that, those who are disobedient, unruly, idle talkers, and deceivers among Christians gathered from among the Jews, are to be disciplined, exposed, or reproved severely and sternly so that they will be uncorrupted or sound in their faith or belief. They are also to be cautious about idle tales, fables, and fiction. If they are pure, everything will be clean. However, if they are corrupt and untrustworthy, their moral consciousness will be corrupted, polluted and contaminated. They claim they appreciate or know God, but they contradict it by their acts, being idolatrous, unbelieving and counterfeits. Therefore they are disqualified for every good work.

Jesus warned that there will be those who will try to deceive us. Some will believe false prophets and will be deceived. Let’s look at Matthew 24:4,5 and 10-13,” And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. ...10 "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

We must be aware that satan is subtle and crafty. He presents his lies as God-given truth. 2 Corinthians 11:3,4 and 13-15 (ESV) reveals this truth, “ But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. ... 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” False prophets, deceitful workmen and satan’s servants disguise themselves as apostles of Christ and servants of righteousness. The lies will sound good! Some will come from people you know and have possibly trusted in the past, who have fallen into the trap of the deception of the devil.

As always, we have to make choices. Our choices will come down to, allowing ourselves to accept the lie, to be swayed from the truth, to follow the crowd, or to stand for the truth. Choosing to stand for the truth is wonderful, however (and here is the rub), you must know what is true!

So, what must we to and how do we prepare for this battle? We must put our trust in God, depend on the Holy Spirit, pray for His help, and then to praise Him!

There is a wonderful prayer in Psalm 43:3! In fact, every one of us needs to make this prayer, ‘our’ prayer. “Oh send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me.”

Expounding on this prayer, according to the Hebrew meanings, it could read like this: Lord, send Your illumination. Guide us by Your light and truth! We need Your assistance in recognizing and rejecting deceit or treachery. We need Your truth, Your stability, rightness, dependability, and reliability.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Inserting the Greek meanings in this verse, we can more fully understand what Jesus revealed about Himself to us. ‘He is the path, road, mode, and means for us to take because he is truth; and it is only through Him that we have our physical and spiritual existence. (zoe).

Jesus further revealed that His truth is found in His Word. John 8:31 and 32, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Of those who become disciples of Christ, Jesus said in John 17:16 and 17, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

The truth of God’s Word is revealed by His Spirit, as seen in John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” ‘Guide,’ hodegeo in the Greek, means give guidance, show the way, or be our teacher. Then, the word ‘tell’ means: announce or report. The Holy Spirit will show us the way, When we have doubts or questions about the validity of what we are hearing, or what we should do, He will instruct us.

This is why it is so important that we include the person of the Holy Spirit from the Godhead when developing our relationship with God. (See the post, “God in Three Persons” from 2/7/24).

Then, 1 John 2:20 takes it a step farther by revealing that we have a special endowment of the Holy Spirit which gives us knowledge and thus reveals truth! Praise God!

Psalm 119, exhorts us regarding the excellencies of the Word of God. Today we will look at verses: 11-16,104,105 and 128, “ Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. 16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. ... 104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. 105 NUN. Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. ... 128 Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.” ‘Hidden’ in verse 11 means: hide treasure or store up. The ‘heart’ is the place of understanding, the seat of emotions, passions, and courage. We hide or store the treasure, that is the Word of God, in our heart so that we don’t sin, or miss the mark, incur guilt, or wander from the way!

Our having knowledge of the Word of God is an absolute necessity in regard to our not being drawn away by deceit!

In verse 104 of Psalm 119, the Hebrew for ‘understanding”(bin) means discernment. We can read it this way, Through Your Word, I receive discernment and because of it, I recognize and hate every false way. What a dynamic verse!

The armor of God, with which we stand against the attacks of the devil, includes the truth (Word of God) being girded around our waist. (Ephesians 6:14) Truth in this verse, is the candor of mind which is free from affectation, simulation, falsehood, and deceit. It gives us a mode of life in harmony with divine truth.

Ephesians 5:6 shouts, “let no one deceive you.” Evil men and imposters will grow worse, however, as you stand strong in God’s Word, being empowered by the Holy Spirit, you will be able to withstand his tactics.

Colossians 2:6-8 instructs us to live a life conformed to our union with Christ, being thoroughly grounded in and growing in our spiritual life in Him. We are to take care or beware of philosophies and speculations that are devoid of truth. The enemy’s ploy is to always lead us away from God.

Use extreme caution regarding listening to the lies of the enemy. The longer we entertain or listen to the lies, we will subject ourselves to coming to the place where we will not be able to recognize them as lies any longer. A lie told often enough is perceived as truth.

So, what things do we need to do to guard against falling prey to the enemy’s tactic of deception?

Hold on to God. Know the Word, Develop a relationship with the Father, the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Fill your heart with Truth (His Word) and when you do that, you will endure to the end.

Please consider where the friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and enemies you encounter are in their relationship with the Lord and His Word. Be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit and share the truth about the largest strategy the enemy of their soul will use against them to bring destruction to their life… deception. If they are in the dark, enlighten them with the love of the Lord and warn them by sharing the truth with them.

Romans 1:20-32 describes very vividly how deception takes place. I encourage you to read it.

Be strong. Do not fear. The Lord is our very present help in times of trouble. As a result of your being His child, you win!

All Scripture was taken from the New King James Version, unless noted otherwise.

ESV English Standard Version