Activating Your Firewall Against Deception

 

In this internet savvy generation, the term ‘firewall’ is not only common vernacular, but also an essential component for the proper functioning of your personal computer. To ignore a firewall’s value is to put yourself at risk of losing all that is dear to you on your hard drive.

We need to activate a spiritual firewall against deception!

Genesis 3:1-5 (KJV)

1 Now the serpent was more subtil 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? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Spiritual Firewalls:

 

Literally years’ worth of information can be lost if you fail to maintain an adequate firewall as part of your standard equipment. 

Virus’s don’t care about your knowledge base, your intentions, your schedule, or the value of what is at risk of being lost; ignorance and being ‘too busy’ are no excuse against not having a firewall in place and are of no help to you if a virus attacks your computer.

A fire wall, in principle, is a gatekeeper, whom on one hand exists to block unwelcome traffic, while, on the other hand, allows traffic deemed acceptable to enter your network.

The Holy Spirit is that spiritual firewall that you need in your life!

The most important thing to recognize about a firewall is that it implements an access control policy.

However, if you don’t have a good idea of what kind of access you want to allow or to deny, a firewall really won’t help you, no matter how effective it may be.

You see, the Internet, like the spiritual realm, is plagued with those who enjoy the electronic equivalent of the thief who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy everything dear to you. However, when a firewall is used properly, it keeps unwelcome thieves out of your network, while still letting you get your work done.

Deception – to mislead by giving a distorted impression or false sense of reality. To trick; to cheat; to beguile.

The ancient Greeks used the word to describe the pleasure that comes from watching the theatre.

Deception is being placated by unreality, but pain and confusion result from
trusting false promises.

How many times have you ordered something from a catalogue, but when you got it, it looked a lot like something else; not nearly as good as it looked in the catalogue.

Deception is a very scary thing. Why? Because it’s deceptive.

Interestingly, deception is only an option for the Christian believer. Non-believers are “led astray.” In order to be deceived, you must have some truth to measure the error by.

Genesis 3:1-5 (KJV)

1 Now the serpent was more subtil 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?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

 

Satan will always try to undermine the authority of the word of God.

Deception compromises divine provision and protection.

Why does Satan deceive? Satan cannot create anything. All he can do is
manipulate what has been created.

Since he cannot match God’s power, Satan has to maximize the power that he has. Deception is his strong point; he has turned it into an art form.

If Satan can make you believe something that is not true, then he can control you!

The greatest guard against deception is knowledge; it is revealed, not communicated.

This knowledge concerning the tree had been communicated through Adam to Eve, not revealed to Eve from God.

Adam was created and received God’s instructions before Eve was formed.

She was operating on second-hand information.

If all you ever receive is second-hand truth, you’re in trouble; you are in deception already and don’t even know it.

Satan’s weapon is his mouth.

Serpent = ‘Nachash’ (Hebrew) = “one who whispers, hisses, suggests.”

Satan’s deception will always causes distrust for spiritual authority and doubt of the truth.

Not only did he cause Eve to rebel against God, but to misconstrue the words of her earthly authority in Adam.

Why do people have rebellion in their hearts today? Why won’t children
naturally obey parents?

The Strategy of Deception:

 

Deception – to mislead by giving a distorted impression or false sense of reality. To trick; to cheat; to beguile.

 

1. Distort what God says by changing the emphasis…

 

Genesis 3:1 (KJV)

1 Now the serpent was more subtil 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?

2. Question God’s motive…

 

Genesis 3:5 (KJV)

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

3. Introduce reason that ultimately leads you to question God’s integrity.

 

Genesis 3:5 (KJV)

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

 

Once that’s accomplished, it’s easy to turn you against God’s authority.

Satan made God look like a taker instead of a giver.

“God’s holding out on you. You don’t have to put up with this. You deserve something better. Go ahead and do what you want. God won’t do anything to you; He hasn’t done anything yet, has He?”

How many of you think that you probably have some deception in your lives?

Don’t forget: Satan led one-third of the angels astray from the very presence of God in heaven and caused Eve to disobey in a perfect environment.

 

 

Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

James 1:16-17 (KJV)

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

James is saying that if you believe there is any good outside of God’s provision, then you can be deceived, just like Eve.

No matter how good it tastes, looks, feels; no matter how rich, abundant, wise, or successful it may make you, if it is not from God, it will eventually lead you down a path of sorrow, regret, and eventually death.

James 1:22-25 (KJV)

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

When a person hears the Word of God yet does not obey, deception enters
his heart and mind.

 

This person lives thinking he’s on target when actually he’s in error. That’s deception!

The Solution to Deception:

James 1:25 (KJV)

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 

Isaiah 66:2 (KJV)

2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

 

The one who trembles at His word will instantly obey Him whether he sees

the advantage or not.

Psalm 25:14 (KJV)

14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Psalm 119:165 (KJV)

165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

If you’re stumbling, offended, and have no peace; get into the Word!

Proverbs 4:20-22 (KJV)

20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Psalm 1:1-3 (KJV)

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Joshua 1:8 (KJV)

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Meditate – to engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.

Let the Word be your firewall; the gatekeeper of your heart!