The last days are upon us, if you’ll look around, and take notice spiritually, you’ll have no doubt of this fact. I’ll not say that I know the day, nor the hour, but the fig trees are putting on leaves because summer is nigh. (Matt 24:32) To deny this obvious fact, is to illustrate a lack of spiritual sight and knowledge of the Word (1 Cor 2:14); to hope it is not true is to illustrate a carnal nature, which places one at enmity against God (Rom 8:7).
And Jesus answered and said unto them, “Take heed that no man deceive you”. Matt 24:4
How can we avoid deception in this last day and always? There are many “Christians” in the Church today who are deceived. How can I say this? How do I know this? Simply put, Christians are supposed to be children of the Most High God, Christlike, the ambassadors of Christ, the light of the world, the salt of the earth. But many of those who profess a “born again” relationship with Christ simply do not know Him. It is not Christ that liveth in them (Gal 2:20), because many still do the works of the flesh, which are manifest:
Galatians 5:
19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
…and walk not in the Spirit:
16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Well, they say, no one is perfect. But Jesus said:
John 8:
38I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44Ye 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.
“If God were your Father, ye would love me…” Jesus said in the passage above. Those who walk in the flesh do not love Him for He said:
John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
As previously stated, the Deceived do not love Him because they do the works of the flesh, and therefore keep not His commandments. This is the recipe for deception, as stated:
2 Thess 2:
10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
So how to avoid deception? Simply love the Truth. Jesus is the “Way, the Truth, and the Life”, “the Word [of God] made flesh”. (John 14:6, John 1:14).
When we are saved, or born again, all is made new; all is fresh, we know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren (1 John 3:14). We feel changed, cleansed, and thankful. There is joy and peace in our soul, peace “which passeth all understanding” (Phil 4:7), because of the presence of God and Jesus Christ in our life (John 14:23). If we then cultivate this presence by “crucifying the flesh daily” (1 Cor 9:27) and renewing our mind (Rom 12:2) through our prayer life, we grow in grace and in God (2 Pet 3:18). If we succumb to temptation, for it will come, and fail to really repent (renewing the peace and joy we had before), this feeling of joy and peace gradually leaves us, and we open ourselves up to deception, because through the indulgence of temptations, we have denied, and not loved, the Truth.
John 10:
26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
30I and my Father are one.
It is impossible to be deceived, when listening to, and following the Good Shepherd.
John 10:
5And a stranger will they not follow…