Deception
This is my second blog from the book ‘The Bait of Satan’ by John Bevere.
I began reading the ‘Introduction’ and wanted to share the following:
“…satan and his cohorts are not blatant as many believe.
He is subtle and delights in deception….
He can disguise himself as a messenger of light….”
So, how will you be able to discern?
The Father said His sheep know His voice (John 10:14-16).
How do we know His voice?
By reading His Word, knowing His ways and testing what we see and hear against God’s Word.
A few of the things I do before reading God’s Word is to ask for wisdom and revelation so I’m not reading it as a novel.
When a certain chapter, verse or even a word sticks out to me, I will dwell on it – write it down, do a word search and meditate on it day and night.
I ask God to show me if there is something I need to change, repent of or stand firm in.
With our fast-paced microwave, fast-food world we often feel we don’t have time to do this. That is a lie from satan.
How many of us want our prayers answered? We want things to go ‘our’ way? Then we get upset when they don’t. I know I did. I did not know I was only living a small portion of what God teaches us. I didn't have 'time' to read God's Word for myself.
I believe a lot of churches have let a lot of the world in, the fast food, microwave, and easy mentality. Let’s just give them a fast, tasty sermon and pick out only the ‘good’ things. Why have we left out the ‘If you do…then I will’, the ‘if you obey me……if you serve me…..’?
It was when I earnestly began to seek God on my own (because of some very painful things that happened in our family we left the church) that I began to see why some of my prayers were not answered, why our finances were a mess, why some of my relationships did not have peace and I could list more.
I was glossing over those very Scriptures about serving and obeying. I did not want to do the….’if you do’ part. I wanted the ‘good’ stuff because it’s all about ‘me’ right??!! I became disillusioned because my mind was messed up, clouded by fear, un-forgiveness, anger and God must not be real or He hates me syndrome. Do you see the lie of satan? Do you see how satan gets us on self instead of God’s complete Word?
God was moving and working through this time and I’m eternally grateful for the grace He gave me, for the grace He gave my husband during this time. God gives us a way out, it’s in His Word!
I had (still do) have the responsibility to “in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so..” Acts 17:11
If you are in the trap, the lies of satan, freedom is in the opening of the Book and the turning of a pages. God is waiting to set you free and give you the abundant life He has promised. But we MUST know and follow the ‘if you will…..serve Me…..obey Me’.
I suggest you start in the book of John. I had trouble with my mouth so from there I went to the book of James. Ask God He will tell you what He wants you to read.
I also suggest you find a church that teaches ALL of God’s Word.
I see once again I started reading a couple pages of John Bevere’s book and gained some insight of what past I’ve left behind, what present I need to work on and what praise and thanksgiving I need to daily lift up to God!
Let’s see if I can get through the Introduction on my next blog post J
