Letter From The Editor’s Desk “Spotting the Tricks of Satan and Unmasking Deception”

Keywords: Deception and discernment, Craftiness of Satan, Power of God’s Holy Spirit, Biblical wisdom on truth, Unmasking spiritual deception, Navigating deception in real life, Jesus is lord and the devil must flee, submit to god and the devil must flee.

Hello ePrayer Circle Tribe?   Grab a cup of coffee, tea or cocoa, and let’s chat about something really important. Ever heard about how tricky Satan can be? It’s like he’s always playing hide and seek with us. But guess what? We’ve got a superpower called discernment, and it’s like our secret weapon to outsmart his games.

The Bible consistently warns us about the craftiness of Satan, who masquerades as an angel of light, cunningly sowing seeds of deception in the hearts of the unsuspecting. In 2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV), the apostle Paul cautions, “And no wonder, for Satan himself transformed into an angel of light.

Jesus told nonbelivers who the devil (Satan) really is,  John 8:44 KJV  “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

So, here’s the deal – in our chat, I want to share with you how to be a detective of truth and uncover when something’s fishy. I call it “Spotting Tricks” or  “find the lie” in the situation, because, you know, Satan loves to play tricks on us. But don’t worry, we have the power to see through it! 

Today, we will  chat about how to be smart and make choices that keep us away from sneaky stuff with the power of the Holy Ghost.  First, without saying we Pray about it and second, we must look and want the truth in all situations.  One of my great aunts use to say, where there is a lot of confusion, there is money somewhere. She always looked for the motive of money and obviously that served her well. I find it to be true about 80% of the time even if it is combined with other motives such as jealousy, hate, power, greed or lust.  

The truth will set you free. Let’s examine five scriptures below to understand what the word of God says about deception and how to avoid it.  

What is discernment?  It is a precious gift from the Holy Spirit, that empowers believers to see through the subtle veils of deceit. Through prayer, meditation, and a deep connection with God, we open ourselves to the transformative influence of the Holy Spirit, gaining clarity and wisdom to distinguish between what is of God and what is not.

 

Scripture 1. Matthew 26:41  “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

In Matthew 26:41, Jesus tells us to “watch and pray” so we don’t fall for tricks from the tricky one, Satan. Jesus says our spirit wants to do the right thing, but our bodies sometimes make mistakes because they’re not as strong. Just like when you know you shouldn’t eat too many cookies, but your tummy really wants them. What about the times you are praying on your knees  and you start to fall asleep?

So, Jesus is saying, be like a watchful superhero and talk to God about it. It’s like having a special shield. For example, imagine you have homework to do, but your video games are calling you. Watching means being aware that the games want to distract you, and praying is like asking for help to stay focused on your homework superhero mission. Jesus’ advice helps us be strong against tricky things or temptations that can over power us in our everyday adventures! Proverbs 20:13 KJV  “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.”

 

Scripture 2: Proverbs 2:6 (KJV) “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”

Imagine wisdom as our secret spy gadget. According to the Good Book, God is the giver of wisdom, and with it, we get knowledge and understanding. So, our first tool in spotting tricks is to seek wisdom. Let’s start by asking God for a big dose of wisdom, like a detective getting ready for a tricky case.

Hosea 4:6 KJV “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”   James 1:5 KJV  “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

All believers are a member of Jesus Christ’s priesthood and it is your responsibility to learn the word of God.  How can you obey it if you do not know it nor teach it to your childlren?  This is why Satan wants to get rid of the bible because he knows this.  He has no defense against the word of God. He will not be able to trick you.

China created a bible that they gave to the people to  turn the people against Jesus.  The war of Israel and Gaza is all about getting rid of the Jews and the lineage of Jesus Christ as well as any holy remembrance of him. Deception is real on so many levels.

1 Peter 2:9 KJV  “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Real-world example: Imagine someone claiming to have all the answers, promising exclusive wisdom that only they possess. They may offer secret knowledge for a price, preying on the desire for understanding. However, the truth is, genuine wisdom comes from God. Be wary of those who exploit the thirst for knowledge for personal gain.

Scripture 3: Matthew 7:15 (KJV) “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”   

Matthew 10:16 (KJV):  “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

Real-world example: Consider a charismatic speaker who presents themselves as a righteous leader, but behind closed doors, they engage in harmful practices. This wolf in sheep’s clothing might use charm to deceive followers, masking their true intentions. Discernment is crucial to unmask such false prophets. Do they distinguish between holy and unholy in order to represent the people to God? Some leaders use the bible to control people and make merchandise out of them.  

2 Peter 2:3 KJV  “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

Think of a scenario where someone subtly questions the truth of God’s word, sowing doubt and confusion. They may twist or misinterpret Scripture to fit their agenda, subtly leading others away from the genuine teachings of the Bible. Recognizing such subtle manipulations is essential in maintaining a strong foundation in faith. Many people call every holiday of praising God or recognizing good as a pagen holiday.  Believers celebrate the Lord every day. There is nothing pagen about God or honoring him. He wants his people to praise him. 

If a religion or book of truth presented to you is not built upon Jesus Christ that came in the flesh as the Son of God who died for our sins and rose again to offer salvation and repentance of sins, then the teachings are not of the true God. The very existence and the purpose of the church depend on and flow out of Jesus Christ, his works and his completed works on the cross.

There is a movement to change the bible or create a religion or spirituality that leaves out Jesus Christ. This is false teachings and they that represent it are false teachers as well. 

Satan used a trick of translation to change Jesus’s original name but the Lord accepted the name Jesus Christ as to not allow Satan to undo the finish work on the cross. 

John 3:16 KJV  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 16:18 KJV  “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

 

Scripture 4: Proverbs 15:14 (KJV) “The heart of him that has understanding seeks knowledge: but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.”

Our detective kit is getting more interesting. Here’s a clue from Proverbs: those with understanding seek knowledge. So, to spot tricks, let’s be hungry for knowledge. If someone is only feeding us foolishness, it’s like a red flag waving in front of our detective headquarters. Time to be wise and seek real, truthful information.

Real-world example: Picture a scenario where someone is easily swayed by sensationalized information without seeking the facts. They might believe and spread gossip or unfounded rumors, feeding on foolishness. True understanding involves seeking knowledge and discerning between valuable information and baseless claims. It is wise to stay away from Gossip channels for this reason and astrology readings. Sometimes people do good things with bad motives.  It is the intent of the heart that reveals the truth in situations.

 

Scripture 5: 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV) “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”

Paul, one of the Bible’s disciples, tells us to prove all things. It’s like checking the facts in our detective case. Before we believe something or someone, let’s test it. Hold on to what’s good and true, like a detective keeping the important evidence safe.

Real-world example: In the era of misinformation, individuals might encounter deceptive messages on social media, promising miraculous solutions or spreading false narratives often called “fake news”. This often evident during election time as audiences are swayed with false or misleading information about the competition in order to win their vote. 

To prove all things, one must fact-check information before accepting and spreading it. Holding fast to what is good requires a discerning approach to the content we encounter. Almost everyone has a cell phone and access to countless resources of informatuion for free. 

God allowed this  creation for a reason use it. Every good gift comes from the father of ligts where there is no shadow of turning. Many people want to get rid of the internet for this reason. Too much access to the truth for free.

1 John 4:1 KJV  ¹Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. ²Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: ³And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. ⁴Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Let’s not forget that God is our ultimate Counselor who knows all things. When we feel stuck or unsure, we can turn to Him in prayer for guidance.  The more we practice being detectives of truth, the better we become at uncovering tricks and standing strong in what’s good and right.

Isaiah 9:6 KJV  “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

 

Finally,  As we navigate the complexities of a world saturated with deception, let us remain anchored in the power of God’s Holy Spirit and our studying of the Word of God. Through discernment, prayer, and a steadfast commitment to biblical truth, we can unmask the schemes of the enemy and walk confidently in the light of God’s wisdom. May this reflection inspire a renewed 

Reflective question:  How can we actively cultivate discernment in our daily lives, ensuring that our thoughts, actions, and associations align with the truth of God’s Word?

 

May the Truth, Peace, Grace and Love of God be With You,

 

 

 

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Call to Salvation:

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:9-10  9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation

John 3:5-6  5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is the Spirit.