Message topic: The results of deception
Scripture text: Genesis 3: 1-6
Have you ever seen a magician act and at the end you hear the crowd around you asking the question, how did he do that? The truth is, you yourself may have joined in and want to know how did he do that?
The fact is, he or she did it through deception: so, what is deception? And how is deception defined? Deception is the act or practice of deceiving: the fact or condition of being deceived, it is something that deceive, as an illusion or is ment to deceive as a fraud, it is not true.
Now, do you know the reason why did the crowd asked the question, how did he do that? The answer is simple, they did not understand the deceptive tricks which he was using, they lack the understanding and was deceived.
Are there any deception which we have to contend with daily, by whom and when was this deception seam started? And when are we most likely to be deceived? It is when we converses with others.
We find such a conversation with Adam’s wife and the serpent which is the most subtill beast of the field which the Lord God had created in a convocation about the instruction which were given to them by God: he was able to deceive her when he said to her, you will not surely die, for God knows if you eat of this tree, your eyes will open, and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil.
When the woman saw that that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eye, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her and he did eat. Thus, the first act of deception.
We should keep in our minds that most of our deceptions comes through our conversations with other people weather it be physical or spiritual, the evil one will not always come as a snake as he did with Eve, he comes to us often as a friend or an associate.
For that reason, we should always be alert by putting on the whole amor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil: for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore, take up the whole amor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
We know that Adam and Eve disobeyed the command given to them by God, now lets, take a look at what the bible says about disobedience: first, what is disobedience?
Disobedience is defined as a failure or refusal to obey rules or someone in authority. Ultimately it is going against what God has commanded us in his word: Disobedience is rebellion against God or simply not trusting that He knows the best for us. Are you and I obedient or disobedient to God’s commands? We are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength and our neighbor as our-selves, have complied to this?
What does the bible says about disobedience? The bible often calls disobedience rebellion or stubbornness, Jesus said that if you love Him, you should obey His commandments, ( John 14, 15).
He even asked someone why they would call Him Lord, Lord and then not do what He says (Luke 6, 46) the word Lord means someone who has power, authority, or influence and is a master or ruler. So, it only follows that you, if you call Him Lord, you should obey him.
The Lord loves when we obey His words, to obey is better than sacrificing something (1 Samuel 15: 22) disobedience is very serious to God. In 1 Samuel 15, the Lord removed Saul’s anointing as king because of Saul’s rebellion. The prophet Samuel tells Saul that rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshipping idols, (1 Samuel 15.23)
Have you and I always keep the promises we make to follow the commands of God? or are we like so many who made promises to God or their fellow men and fail to keep their promises.
One such story is recorded for us in Genesis twenty- nine where we find that Jacob loved his uncle’s younger daughter and wanted to have her as his wife, but he had to work seven years before he would release her to him.
At the end of the seven years, Jacob said to his uncle Laban, give me my wife for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her: so Laban made a feast and invited many, and at the end, he gave his older daughter Leah to Jacob instead of Rachel, he deceived him.
Can any of us deceive God? God is all knowing even that which has not yet come about; that is why He was able to say to Jeremiah, I know you before you were born, and had appointed you to be a prophet
What can we learn about deception? A great part of deception is lying which is nothing new in today’s world, and can be traced back to the first disconnection of man and God.
Lying is the most common act of mankind in deceiving others, even great men of God is found in deceptive acts by lying: one of the great men of God was Abraham, when he lied concerning his wife Sarah not being his wife in a selfish act to protect himself: then his son Isaac did the same in (Genesis 26:7)
Jacob who was renamed by God and became Israel, lied to get the firstborn’s blessing and inheritance of his brother, but one of the most popular stories of deception involved David-he got tied up in adultery and murder in which lies were intertwined (1 Samuel 20: 6.) All of these examples (and these are just a few) show that deception seems to be connected with self protection, and self gain
Listen to these words which are recorded for us in (James 3: 15-16)
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic, for where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
After hearing all these deceptive acts, can any of these be found in us? Listen to this instruction from Moses to the Israelites as they travel through the wilderness: you shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. and you shall not swear by my name falsely, nether shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.
Listen to these encouraging words from David to us so as not to be easily deceived, Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy Holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speak the truth in his heart: he that backbites not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbors, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.
What can you and I do so as to avoid deception of God’s word? Seek and you will find, knock and it will be open to you.