How Are God’s People Deceived?

When the serpent spoke to Eve in the garden, he didn’t start by giving her a lie. He asked her a question. That questioned highlighted her lack of knowledge about the Word of God (Genesis 3).

His strategy hasn’t changed. Satan still uses questions to deceive God’s people- he doesn’t need to lie to us, simply expose our own lack of knowledge (please tweet). 

There’s a vast amount of Christians today who don’t know God’s Word because they don’t read it.

Combine this with those who go to churches lead by people who are misusing/misinterpreting God’s Holy Word. They have no clue they’re being led astray simply because they never bother to read the Bible for themselves. 

The Bible says His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

When we lack knowledge of God’s Word satan uses it against us (click to tweet). 

“Did God really say…?” He whispers in our ears and over the loudspeaker in some congregations. 

When we have no clue of what God really says we begin twisting the Bible to fit today’s societal norms, because that’s what we are familiar with.

Familiarity with the world enables us to accept things as “grey” that should be black or white. 

Therefore, we allow ourselves to be deceived because we lack knowledge.

Knowledge is power. Satan knows this and he capitalizes on our lack of alertness to what God’s Holy Word says.

Then we wonder why God isn’t working in our churches and lives. 

We don’t know that God can’t work because we’ve hindered Him by our own willful ignorance.

How can we ask in faith, when we don’t know who we have faith in?

How can we walk in the Spirit when we don’t know how to listen to the Spirit?

How can we call satan a liar, and stand on truth, when that truth doesn’t live in us?

How can God’s Word be a light unto our feet when our feet don’t even know what path to tread upon?

So we trade the Word of God for words of men. We build our lives upon those words. They are our foundation and pillar…and they are quick sand.

They prop us up, giving us false security. And when we least expect it, satan asks, “Did God really say…?”

 

Our house of cards quickly crumbles and we scramble around, trying to glue it back together.

But the only glue that can withstand satan's ability to contort God’s Word is us having that Word hidden in our hearts. We must KNOW what the Bible says like we know our names. We must be intimate with it, not just casually associated with it. 

How about you, is there an area you’re not sure about? Things you’ve accepted as truth that may not be true? Have you ever heard satan whisper, “Did God really say…”?

 

Maybe you’re questioning:
Divorce

Pre-marital sex

Paying tithe

Pornography

Alcohol

Perfectionism and being a Workaholic

Disciplining your children

Church attendance

Music selection

Or any number of topics.

Not everything listed here is necessarily “sin”. But the only way to find out what God has to say about it is to READ HIS WORD.

Acquaint yourself with it and it will guide you through any shades of grey satan may cast your way. When you KNOW it, you will be prepared when satan says, “Did God really say…”

PROMO: blogging friends, Dave Arnold and Lincoln Parks are teaming up tomorrow for a FREE webinare on Faith and Calling. Sign up here! If you miss it, you can still listen to the recording.