THE GREAT DECEPTION

The Serpent was more cunning than any beast

Deception began in the Garden of Eden, but it did not end there; it has continued through the cunning of Satan in a myriad of ways in philosophies and religions, even in God's revelations through His people.

If we rely on a 1-hour teaching once a week alone, friendship with people who have an agenda the same as our own to make something of ourselves in the world, if we ignore the reality that God desires intimacy with His children, whom His only begotten Son has redeemed, children to be transformed from sinner to saint by intimacy with Him, and avoid intimacy with Him our transformation will be derailed, we will not live an overcoming life as He intended. The Great Deception is to think our relationship with God is less than it is, or to think it is more than others have. Put another way, we believe ourselves to have a common calling, or we believe our calling to be special.

The Great Deception is Overcome by the Believer's Anointing

1 John 2: 26-27 teaches us, " These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him."

My dear readers, if there was a moment when God spoke to your heart for the first time, so powerfully that you could not avoid it, you were drawn by a force stronger than yourself, and you desired to cry out to God for help. If you were like me, so that afterwards you experienced a peace coming over you that you could not explain, but then you knew there was a God, with a confidence you didn't have before; that is anointing. It is not anointing to a pastor; it is anointing that places you in Christ by placing Christ in you.

My dear brother or sister, why on earth would you need someone to teach you as if you didn't know anything, or there was no inner voice guiding you to the truth? The reality of godly teachers is to guide those who know by anointing already; if there are people in the church who are otherwise, they should be discovered, asked to come to Christ, or put out. Why? Because all those who have not been born again, who have not been anointed and received the Holy Spirit, are still in their sins. The test of whether a church is experiencing God's presence is that the world is exposed and if they are allowed to remain .

The Great Deception is Overcome by the Ekklesia

If there are people in the church who are contrary and not in agreement with the truth, they should be identified because all those who have not been born again, who have not been anointed and received the Holy Spirit, are still in their sins. The test of whether a church is experiencing God's presence is its ability to expose worldliness. In the early chapters of the book of Acts, the Apostles were very conscious of people sinning. Two people dropped dead because they lied to God. The evidence that churches are not walking in the Spirit today and may not be saved at all is the presence of sin going unnoticed.

What I have just stated is in the context of an ekklesia that is not being deceived. As early as the early ekklesias there were attacks of corruption by the enemy, which is why Paul wrote to Corinth. "Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" "...Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak [this] to your shame." (1 Corinthians 15:12, 33-34) There was not a proper assembly in Corinthi because the people were being corrupted by lies from within by false prophets and those who listened to them.

The Great Deception is Overcome by a Series of Revivals

Revival is the most misunderstood Christian word. Re means back or again, and vive means life, so revive means back to life. The Christian experience in this life is a series of new beginnings of receiving the Holy Spirit afresh. Be filled with the Spirit, which in Greek means "Be being filled" in the present continuous tense, is given as a command in Ephesians 5. Repeatedly, through the book of Acts, we read that the people were filled with the Holy Spirit. The life of God is not a mere teaching; it is never head knowledge alone. But many Christians are deceived in the most subtle ways, so they come to think that it is.

The Great Deception is Overcome When We are Broken

The most godly people observed in the Old Testament were not transformed into perfect saints, changed into someone different, yes, perfect no. We are left with a flesh that remains partially sinful to keep us humble and to understand God's saving work within us. God could perfect us at any time, but think how much more powerful the Gospel message can be when it comes from a humble saint.

From Psalm 51

The Great Deception of David's Sin Could not Break His Confidence in God's Forgiveness.

"Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me."

The Great Deception of Sin in David could not End His Confidence in God to Restore Him.

"Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. [Then] I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You."

The Great Deception that Caused David to Sin Worked a Greater Holiness in Him Thereafter.

"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; [Then] my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. By Your favor,do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar."