Deception vs. Relation
Relationship with Truth is the only way to identify the lies of the enemy.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
This is part of my Enemy Attack series. We need to know how to identify the ways the enemy works against us — so we can fight back victoriously.
Other posts in this series:
Enemy Attack: Running vs. Repose
After reading a bit about Nehemiah in the Bible, my child wanted to know more. I admit, Nehemiah’s book is not one that I’ve spent much time in before. So we started reading from the beginning.
Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. His enemies were trying to entice him to stop the work by telling lies. These verses stuck out to me as he answered their lies:
“I replied, ‘There is no truth in any part of your story. You are making up the whole thing.’ They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination. They were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin. Then they would be able to accuse and discredit me.” Nehemiah 6:8-9, 13 NLT
So much is going on in the world today. These verses reminded me of the lies the enemy uses against the people of God. His strategy is to trip us up, cause us to sin, and draw us away from the work God has called us to do.
This week’s post is much longer than normal because we can’t counteract the lies of the enemy without knowing Truth from the Word of God. And I included much for you to ponder.
Father of Lies
“[the devil] was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44b NASB1995
Truth is not subjective. This world says we should live our own truths and follow our hearts. But that opposes the Word of God.
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 NASB1995
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6 NASB1995
Anything contrary to the Word of God is a lie from the enemy.
And lies break relationships.
If anyone close to you has ever been untruthful and you found out, you know how much it hurts. The lies break that connection you have with them, sometimes without being able to restore it.
The enemy’s ultimate goal is to break relationships, especially our relationship with God.
If he can’t prevent us from coming to know Jesus, he will try to keep us stagnant in our faith and our witness to others. He hides as much truth from us as he can.
Cunning Deception
The father of lies is intelligent. He’s had ages to perfect his strategy against human beings. What stands out most in his tactics of deception is planting doubt.
Did God really say…?
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’” Genesis 3:1 ESV
He deceived the first humans with his cunning by planting doubt, which led to the first sin that separated people from God.
I see it in the world every day. Doubt leads to deception.
He also deceives by misleading us with partial truths, by hiding the full truth. Stuff online becomes popular and people fall for it because it may contain a snippet of truth. But it’s really distracting people from the full truth and leading them away from God.
I began questioning everything if it’s popular, especially online. There is such a pull for people to change God’s message into what the masses accept, even within the church. But the popular way is not the way to life.
What is accepted by those who want to claim Jesus, but live for themselves, is not Truth.
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 NASB1995
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23 NASB1995
Abide in the Savior
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” John 15:4-6 NASB1995
The Greek word used for “abide” means to remain in reference to place (not to depart the place), time (continuing to be, lasting, enduring), or condition (not becoming different).
If we don’t know Truth, as in having a close connection with and abiding in Jesus, who is Truth, we will be led astray easily by the lies of the world and the enemy who is actively working against us.
We must abide in Jesus in every area.
We must abide in His Word, the place we find Truth written.
We must abide continuously in prayer. Talking with Him and listening are the basics of a relationship with Him.
We must abide in the life He has given to us, no longer living as slaves of sin.
It’s through a relationship with Him that we can resist being deceived.
Stand Firm in the Word
We must stand firm like Nehemiah and the people rebuilding the wall did. We must be on guard against the lies, call them out, and resist them. We cannot let them draw us away from a relationship with Jesus or the path God has for us.
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.” Ephesians 6:13-14 NLT
To put on the belt of truth, we must be in the Word of God regularly. We can’t abide in Him without abiding in His Word.
In what ways does the enemy try to plant doubt in your life today?
Can you stand strong on Truth and answer him back, shutting down his lies?
Deception of the enemy:
“Did God really say abortion is wrong? After all, science says it’s just a clump of cells. Don’t let that ruin your life.”
Truth of God:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”Jeremiah 1:5 NASB1995
“There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,” Proverbs 6:16-17 NASB1995
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood” Leviticus 17:11a NASB1995
The Creator already knows a baby in the womb. That baby has a distinct blood supply, separate from the mother’s, and a beating heart before many women even know they are pregnant.
Deception of the enemy:
“Did God really say sex is only for marriage between one man and one woman? Love is love. Live your life happy!”
Truth of God:
“Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NLT
“God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and His ways.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 NLT
“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Hebrews 13:4 NIV
Worldly happiness will never bring genuine joy or freedom. It only distances us from God and His Kingdom and leaves us slaves to our own desires.
Deception of the enemy:
“Did God really say eating that extra helping of food is wrong? Sure, you’re full, but it’s just food. No big deal. Enjoy it!”
Truth of God:
“Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, That you not have it in excess and vomit it.” Proverbs 25:16 NASB1995
“Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” Proverbs 23:20-21 NASB1995
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB1995
Eating more than our body needs is a sin. It’s something many of us struggle with. But we can’t justify it because it is still damaging the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Deception of the enemy:
“Did God really say He would be with you always? He feels so distant. It just can’t be possible.”
Truth of God:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalms 23:4 NASB1995
“…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b NASB1995
“For the Lord will not abandon His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.” Psalms 94:14 NASB1995
No matter our feelings, He is always with us. We must draw near to Him, and He will draw near to us. (James 4:8)
Deception of the enemy:
“Did God really say He loves you? Yet He allows you to face so much hardship. That doesn’t sound loving to me.”
Truth of God:
“Though He brings grief, He also shows compassion because of the greatness of His unfailing love. For He does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.” Lamentations 3:32-33 NLT
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 NLT
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17 NASB1995
God sometimes allows us to face hard things. Sometimes it’s to make us stronger. Sometimes it’s discipline for our own sin. Sometimes it’s to show His glory through a miraculous outcome. Sometimes we don’t know why. But we do know truth.
The truth is that He loves us and wants us to be with Him for all eternity.
Pray for Strength
The part in Nehemiah 6:9 that says he continued the work with greater determination is translated word-for-word in other translations as, “But now, O God, strengthen my hands.”
We must consistently be in prayer for God to strengthen us because the enemy is always working against us, trying to deceive us and distract us away from the work God has called us to do.
And the enemy’s deceptions are everywhere. We don’t have to fear because we know God is with us. But we do have to remain in Him and stay alert.
“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NASB1995
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 NLT
“For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.” Matthew 24:24-25 NLT
Share Truth
Nehemiah and the others working with him completed the wall in 52 days. They didn’t allow the lies to stop their progress, and they completed their work for the Lord. Then their enemies saw it and were frightened. When they realized God was with His people, they had much to be afraid of.
“When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.” Nehemiah 6:16 NASB1995
The more we speak and share Truth, the stronger and more confident we become in Christ.
The more other people hear Truth from us, and see us living it out faithfully, the more likely they will repent and begin the most important relationship they will ever know…the one with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.” 1 John 2:20-21 NASB1995
Abide in the Savior by standing firm in His Word and praying for His strength so you can withstand the lies of the enemy.
And share the Truth of the Gospel with all those around you. Live it out through your actions as you remain in Him.
Souls depend on it. Let’s break chains with Truth.
“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” John 8:31-32 NASB1995
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