In a recently revised edition of the book Protection from Deception, now being released as Battle of the Ages, Derek Prince warns against the greatest peril Christians will face at the close of the age.
In Part 1 of our three-part series, 'The Battle of the Ages', we will examine this major issue: 'The Danger of Deception'. Â
Warnings To Heed
Jesus provided distinct warnings against deception by false manifestations that will be ushered in at the end of the age. These admonitions are at the heart of the warfare we face in 'The Battle of the Ages'. Four of these warnings are recorded within twenty-one verses in the book of Matthew. First, in Matthew 24:4, Jesus warned, âTake heed that no one deceives you.â In verse 5, He foretold, âFor many will come in My name, saying âI am the Christ [Messiah],â and will deceive many.â In verse 11, He warned, âThen many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.â Finally, in verse 24, He concluded, âFor false christs [messiahs] and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.â
These warnings are not to be taken lightly. Anyone who disregards them does so at the peril of his own soul. Deceptionânot sickness, poverty, or persecutionâis the greatest single danger we face in the end of the age, and it is the final battlefield for us in 'The Battle of the Ages'.
A Heart Issue
Anyone who denies his or her vulnerability to deception is already deceived, for Jesus has foretold it and He does not err. Our hearts are incapable of discerning truth on their own. Proverbs 28:26 teaches:
âHe who trusts in his own heart is a fool.â
We must not be fools by trusting our hearts. Whatever our hearts tell us is unreliable, as Jeremiah 17:9 attests:
âThe heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?â
In Hebrew, the word deceitful is active rather than passive. The heart is not deceived; rather, the heart is a deceiver, leading us astray.
To What End?
It is also important to realize that signs and wonders neither guarantee nor determine truth. Truth is established and unchanging; it is the Word of God. In John 17:17, Jesus prayed to the Father, âYour word is truth.â The psalmist declared, âForever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89). No event on earth, whether natural or supernatural, can change the slightest sign or letter in the Word of God.
True signs attest the truth; lying signs attest lies. Many Christians assume that every supernatural sign must be from God, forgetting that Satan, or the devil, is completely capable of performing supernatural signs and wonders. As Paul wrote in his second epistle to the Thessalonians,
The coming of the lawless one [the Antichrist] is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Â (2 Thessalonians 2:9â12)
This passage proves that lying signs and wonders exist; a phenomenon is not true based solely on its classification as a supernatural manifestation. Recall that in Exodus, many of Mosesâs miracles before Pharaoh were matched by Pharaohâs magicians and sorcerers. (See Exodus 7:11â23). Mosesâs staff-turned-serpent ultimately ate the serpents formed from the sorcerer's rods. But the fact remains that Satan can give people the power to perform certain miracles.
Those who accept Satanâs lies do so âbecause they did not receive the love of the truth⊠God will send them strong delusionâ (2 Thessalonians 2:10â11). This is among the Bibleâs most frightening statements. If God sends strong delusion, we are sure to be deceived. Condemnation comes to those who âdid not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnessâ (verse 12).
The Ultimate Measure
The only way to know whether a sign or wonder is true is to measure it with truthâwith the Word of God. In John 8:32, Jesus said, âYou shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.â Scripture is the sole determinant of truth or falsehood. We are instructed to âtest all things; hold fast what is goodâ (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
The book of Revelation promises a specific series of supernatural signs and wonders that will signify the end of the age. Our assignment in 'The Battle of the Ages' is to practice discernment as we anticipate judgment day, guarding ourselves against the devilâs tactics and holding fast to the true church, the bride of Christ.
His Victory, Our Victory
As we await the day when our heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, will return to deliver us fully from this present evil age, we must be set apart from the world. When the Scriptures say world, they generally refer to the world systemâthe political and social order that rejects God, is ruled by Satan, and governs the minds and manners of people who have not been saved. Through Jesusâs death and resurrection, God secured ultimate victory over the devil. Satan may rule this world, but his reign is fast approaching its end. Our deliveranceâand God's gloryâshall endure for all ages.
With this in mind, we are to share Godâs light and love with the worldânot to be confused with falling in love with the world or seeking to receive its love. Focusing on our heavenly home, we must clothe ourselves with humility. We must put off all self-seeking efforts and motives. These only fuel our pride, a dangerous attitude that blinds us to Satanâs deception and makes us vulnerable.
First and foremost, we must cling to the cross. It is the same instrument that deals Satanâs death sentence and secures our salvation through Christâs victoryâa victory that will be fully realized for us in 'The Battle of the Ages'.
A Prayer For Help
As we recognize our vulnerability to deception and our need for the power that comes to us through Jesusâs sacrifice on the cross, letâs turn to the Lord now for His supernatural help in the battle against deception.
Dear Lord Jesus, we earnestly desire to be free from all attitudes of pride and self-seeking that would blind us to any form of deception. Please forgive us for those tendencies on our part.
We turn now to the power of the cross, where You poured out Your blood to save us and protect us from all the evil designs of the enemy. We call upon Your name, Jesus, and the power of Your Word, to protect us from any form of deception and to enable us to walk in Your truth. Amen.
Part 2: Preventing Deception
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