Don’t be Deceived
The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Revelations 12:9
Satan is the great deceiver, and every sinful temptation comes from Satan. Satan hates us because we are created in the image of God, and he wants to steal our eternal souls from God. He tempts us by twisting the Word and tempts us to live by our fleshly desires. If we recognize Satan’s temptations and how he masquerades as the angel of light, then we can overcome through the power of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14)
Fear is Satan’s favorite weapon, and he uses fear to pull us away from God. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. (1 John 4:14) The Lord tells us not to fear 365 times in the Bible, but we are secure in his love, knowing he will carry us through life into heaven with him.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) When Satan tempts us with fear, call on the Lord and seek peace. The Lord will calm our fears through the Spirit as he leads us step by step to victory over any circumstance. Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 9:26)
In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27) Satan will use fear to make us angry, and anger can easy lead us to sin, especially if we lack self-control. We can gain self-control if we live with divine peace, and we are secure in Christ. If anger is a problem, then realize it is a tool that Satan is using against us, and seek to gain self-control. Make every effort to replace anger with divine peace, because anger can become a habit.
Today, seek to keep your thoughts on the Spirit, serving the Lord and pointing people to Christ. If our minds are on serving the Lord, then we will not be entertaining sinful deceptions.
Prayer: Lord, help me to know the Word, and not be deceived by Satan deceptions and his lies. In Jesus name, Amen