How to Keep Deception Out of Your Life

While one of the clear signs of the last days is rampant misinformation, untruth, fraud, and lies, do you know how to keep deception out of your life?

Let’s learn from the mistakes of the first woman. Eve was deceived by a supernatural being later revealed as the devil, called Satan, the father of lies.

How did the devil deceive Eve?

In the Garden of Eden, the devil deceived Eve because:

Eve did not know who she was.

The devil told Eve she would be like God if she ate from the forbidden tree. Eve did not know she was already like God, created in His image.

The woman did not know how to keep deception out because she did not know God’s Word firsthand.

God created Adam and gave him one command. Later, He created Eve. So, Eve did not know what God said to Adam beforehand. (Gen 2:17, 22)

Consequently, Eve talked to the seducer and, in the process, 1) omitted, 2) added to, and 3) altered God’s Word. Eve couldn’t keep deception out because she did not know God’s Word for herself. (Gen 3:2-5.)

Eve walked according to her senses, not by faith in God.

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” (Gen 3:6)

The devil’s age-long tactic is to entice people to sin through three things: (1) the lust of the flesh, (2) the lust of the eyes, and (3) the pride of life. (1 Jn 2:16)

But you, dear one, can walk by faith in God.

How to Keep Deception Out

1.     Know the truth.

As a believer, you have two tremendous assets as reliable sources of truth:

• The Spirit-anointed Word of God, and
• The Spirit of Truth (the anointing) in you.

First, God’s Word is eternal truth.

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth. ~ Jn 17:17

Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven. ~ Ps 119:89

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever. ~ Isa 40:8

Second, the Holy Spirit is the eternal Spirit of truth. He is the anointing within you. Let the Spirit lead and guide you into all truth. (Jn 16:13; 1 Jn 2:20, 27; Rom 8:14; Eph 1:16-19)

2.     Never reason with the devil.

The devil is a master at mind games. Please don’t be ignorant of his devices.

Cast down every argument, reasoning, and theory that raises itself against the revealed knowledge of God. Capture every thought and make it obey Christ. And never meditate on confusion. (2 Cor 10:4-5)

3.     Keep deception out by staying full of LIGHT.

Jesus Christ is the true light who came into the world to enlighten all people in the precise knowledge of God (Jn 1:9). “His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it” (Jn 1:5, TPT).

Notice that light extinguishes darkness. But darkness can never extinguish light!

King Solomon wrote, “I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness” (Eccl 2:13). Light always excels – juts over, supersedes, abounds over – darkness.

The sure source of light is the Word of God. Let it be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Ps 119:105).

4.     Guard your heart

Listen, child of God, you cannot afford to be blasé about what you see, hear, think, and speak. You are God’s dwelling place!

So, be choosy who you let speak into your life. Don’t watch dark-themed movies. Be truthful. Speak what edifies, comforts, and encourages others. Fix your mind on God-quality thoughts – true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Phil 4:8). 

***

Do not be misled, fooled, duped, hoodwinked, bamboozled, tricked, or seduced by deceivers.  Beef up your knowledge of truth and keep deception out. Know who you are in Christ. Know God’s Word. Guard your heart. Censor what you listen to and watch. Judge your thoughts and words. And let the Holy Spirit be your ultimate teacher and guide.

[More Scripture references: Gen 3:1; Rev 12:9; Jn 8:44; 2 Cor 5:7; Prov 4:20-23]