Have you ever lied to try and get out of trouble? What’s the problem with lying? Well, if you were here talking with me face to face you would probably say, “ Well, Pastor you have to tell one lie, then you have to tell another lie to cover the first lie that you told then you have to tell another lie. Then another and then you have to remember the lie that you told before. However, before you know it you can’t remember what you told and who you told it to and then you are caught in the lies that you told.” That’s the problem with lying. There’s a chant or saying that we always said to each other growing up, “Liar, liar pants on fire hanging from a telephone wire.”
That’s a trait of our enemy. He is a liar. As a matter of fact the Bible says he is the father of lies. I want to share with you as we continue to look at his strategies we are going to look at strategy number two. You probably guessed it, he lies. Well, he does it in a round about way. Let’s jump right in.
What he does is send in a false teacher, a very impressive teacher, and he sends this person across your path. We must never forget that satan is not a fiery red person with horns, a pointed tail, and a pitch fork in his hands. He is a living being in the spiritual world—a being who is transformed into a messenger of light. And he has ministers who walk about as ministers of righteousness, but they proclaim a righteousness other than that of Christ. Their message is that of self-righteousness, that of…
- Human goodness and works
- Ego and self-image
- Personal development and growth
- Self-improvement and correction
- Mind and will
Such messages appeal to our flesh and they are helpful. We must realize and acknowledge this, but these messages are not the basic power needed. They cannot deliver us from the great trials and sufferings of life or death. They can only lead us down the path of all flesh—that of death, decay, and eternal judgment.
Here is the point: one of the most prominent strategies of the devil is to deceive us with false teachers and ministers and their appealing but false messages. As believers we are doomed unless we are clothes in the full armor of God.
Until next time I would encourage you to take a look at 2 Corinthians 2:11; 11:3, 13-15; Ephesians 4:14, 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 12:9. Next time we will be jumping into verse 12 and talking more about the Spiritual warfare that we are in. Remember that this is not an easy battle, or an easy war, however, it has already been won by Jesus Christ. We walk in that victory. Be VICTORIOUS.
Love to all,
Pastor Rob
