Is Spiritual Deception Possible?

Deception is not something any of us set out to be a victim of. However, human nature has been set on a predetermined course since the beginning of time, and our natural instincts and built-in flaws often overrides our desire to follow after GOD.

Paul was worried about deception

People get real huffy if it is suggested that deception is possible.

Paul, the apostle, does not agree.

A Startling Statement we need to look at...

2 Corinthians 11.3 "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by (the serpent's) cunning, your thoughts (minds, perceptions, thought-patterns, mental ideas) will be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

This is a shocking revelation, and needs our careful consideration...

It is pretty targeted who he is talking about - "from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." We are talking believers, here!

And remember, that tree operates the same way today. It was not just a one-time event with Eve. The serpent is still the occupant of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. GOD sure can't be found in it!

This is an astounding revelation of truth. It is solid believers who are under attack. Many reject this concept...they don't want to deal with the possibility that they are messed up, so millions bury their heads in the spiritual sands of deception.

Let's go on.

Why did Paul tie us to Eve? Let us visit Genesis 3.6

"When the woman (Eve) saw that the fruit of the tree was (1) good for food and (2) pleasing to the eye, and also (3) desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."

Observe Eve's Thought Process

Eve's evaluation of the fruit was flawed. She incorrectly saw that is was (1) good for food. This was a wrong assumption. The food from this tree was forbidden and the fruit was, in fact, poison to them.

GOD had said, "Don't touch it!

What part of "Don't touch it!" do we not understand? We deceive ourselves when we think we know better than GOD... or that we are smarter than the Almighty!

It was (2) pleasing to her eye, not GOD's. Eve was not seeing accurately. Just because something looks good does not mean we can grab after it.

Eve did not go to the wisdom of GOD for the answer to this dilemma. GOD's wisdom was readily available for her or Adam at the "tree of life."

If ever there was a moment for a second opinion, this was it! Eve had the freedom to ask GOD for any advice that she needed; however, Eve decided to make the decision on her own.

Big mistake.

Eve gave some to her husband! What was wrong with him? Adam was to be the provider He knew what GOD had said Why didn't Adam stop her? Why didn't Adam refuse to eat? Why did Adam not rebuke Eve? Why didn't Adam teach her? Why didn't Adam walk away?

Why did Eve make an independent decision? She ate some - then gave some to her husband...

Why didn't Eve refer the serpent to her husband, and let him handle the threat?

Was not Adam to be her protector? These are interesting questions!

What Was the Main Purpose for this Attack?

This challenge was a direct attack on GOD's ability and integrity as the sole source of information for Adam and Eve!

And the same attack continues everyday in the lives of believers...this didn't just happen to Eve! The serpent is still the sole occupier in this tree of knowledge of good and evil...

Paul the apostle knew it. We need to know it.

How Did Satan Call GOD a Liar?

Satan introduced the deception to Eve that GOD was withholding information from them, and that GOD was afraid for them to have all the answers because they would also be gods. This is the very thing Satan (then Lucifer) was cast out of heaven for -

Satan is pulling the same deception today!

The lie has not changed, and the results are still the same. Satan controls the world system, our schools, our media, and many of our churches and religious insitutions

Feeding From the Wrong Tree

Our problem is that we have been feeding from incorrect and deceptive information all our lives. Now many of us are all making the quality decision to pull the plug on this bad information source. We all need to completely disconnect from the wrong wisdom source, and to plug into GOD's wisdom-system and supply.

Eve was deceived because she did not hold fast to what she and Adam had.

She had a breakdown between what the eye-gate was seeing and the information she was using to evaluate what she was seeing.

Eve's processing mechanism was flawed.

What We Are Seeing Is Critical

The word of the Lord came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I see the branch of an almond tree, I replied. The Lord said to me, "You have seen correctly..." Jeremiah 1.11-12

How to interpret what we are seeing... herein lies our problem.

WHAT we see is one thing. HOW WE INTERPRET what we see is quite another. If what we see is interpreted with wrong information, we are deceived!

Satan does not mind WHAT you see. However, he does not want you to process what you are seeing with GOD-information.

What Do We Need to Solve the Problem?

1. Hook up to, and plug into the correct information source
2. Plant and hide wisdom (GOD-information) in our mental storehouse
3. Interpret what is seen with the correct information

Remember, whoever supplies us with our thought material will be our thought-source, and whatever pipeline we are getting our information through will control our thinking, ideas, behavior and life..

We see cults, like the Jim Jones tragedy, prove this point when followers willingly give up their information highway to a corrupt source and are, in time, corrupted themselves which ends in death!

Hook up to GOD's wisdom package and the GOD-information program will bring cleansing, purifying and benefits beyond your wildest dreams. Plus, we will find out what David found - "Thy Word have I hid in my spiritual heart, that I may not sin against thee." The sin-problem is licked...

Let us continue...

Satan knew what he was doing and what he was selling. Eve proved to be no match for his ability to deceive.

Eve did not possess the correct information. Eve should have gone to her life-source for the ability to "discern the lie."

If she had communicated with the Lord, or with her husband, she could have found the answer, and the wisdom she needed would have been available. Eve could have made and right and correct decision, but only IF she had allowed the wisdom of GOD, or GOD-information to operate as it should have...

The GOD-information, wisdom-system was demonstrated by Jesus when He was tempted of the devil in Matthew 4.1-11 Jesus handled the temptation correctly and GOD knew exactly what was happening. Satan would have loved to win this one - but he didn't. It is not that GOD or Jesus outsmarted the devil. Absolutely not. Jesus USED exactly the same system that GOD had set up for Adam and Eve in Genesis...

Remember well - Satan always has a "hidden agenda." Only a fool thinks he is a match for the deceiver without using GOD's wisdom-system.

Just as you cannot buy goods and services with counterfeit money, information that comes from Satan gets you nothing in GOD's blessings and benefits. It is not possible, and the sooner we unplug the bad information source, the better.

It's time to plug into the best system in the world! GOD's information is the ONLY way to go...for our life to be transformed.

If you do not get your answers and wisdom "from heaven" James 3.15-17, then you cannot win. "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." Wisdom from the wrong source is devilish, jealous, selfish, and full of evil. "This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." That's the way it is, folks!

Was Paul Right in His Concern for Believers?

The hidden agenda is as ugly and far-reaching today as it was against Eve. It is no accident that Paul connects the Genesis record with what is happening in our generation.

Satan is still convincing the world-system that GOD is lying and that GOD has the hidden agenda.

Yes, it may be hidden, but GOD does not lie, is not lying, and never will lie.

What GOD says, and the system He has set up, is for our good.

This generation needs to place itself under mature individuals who understand the wisdom of GOD. Too many people blindly follow teachers who teach people what they want to hear, rather than what they should hear.

What are you learning?

Who are you listening to? This is the time to rethink some of your expectations. Too many see their relationship with GOD as "what can GOD do for me?"

What was Eve Looking at the Fruit for?

Why did Eve gaze upon the fruit?

Eve was looking at fruit from the wrong tree, and once it had her attention, she was deceived into thinking that because the outside looked good, because it was pleasing to look at, it was worth buying into!

The trouble was, she could not see the inside. ONLY GOD could look under the surface. That is why we are not to judge others...

Here we go again.

Man is caught looking at "outward appearance. Humans have no way of knowing what lies under the surface.

What about the other fruit in the garden? The fruit that GOD had told them they could eat, freely?

Genesis 2.9 "And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil"

This shows that every tree was "pleasing to the sight," and that is what GOD provided for them. Variety was not a problem.

So, what was so attractive about this fruit? They already had provision for all they could eat. It was available at their whim and promised no discomfort.

I do not know if Satan actually gave the fruit to Eve; however, she did submit to his suggestion.

AND the point is - that ANY information that is handled or suggested by Satan is perverted, and will poison, contaminate, and corrupt all who agree with, or are touched by that information.

Adam and Eve partook of that fruit through information supplied by Satan; therefore, the result was death.

That's what Paul feared.

Just as Eve ate poisoned, contaminated fruit, believers in our generation are eating poisoned mental food, and do not know it.

Then they wonder why their prayers are not answered...

What Are the Results of Information From the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?

"By their fruit shall you know them..."

Let us look at the results of information coming out of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil...the tree that has the serpent as its occupant and is the major in-house tempter who has a vendetta against GOD and His Kingdom...

Violence has increased in intensity The average child has witnessed over 33,000 acts of violence on television

Children are exposed to more than 15,000 television murders before they are 15 years old

Over 1.5 million babies aborted each year

Teachers now fear attack from students and parents

51% of high school seniors say they have drunk alcohol in the last 30 days

Obesity acceptable? Famine acceptable?