I think everyone would agree that it’s no fun being deceived. Being a victim of deception can cut pretty deep and become a horrible ordeal. Unfortunately, deception seems to taint everything in this fallen world; from credit card companies offering to help, but having an ulterior motive of enslaving you economically, to con men ripping off the unsuspecting with all kinds of twisted schemes, to people using each other as stepping stones to fulfill their selfish ambitions. It’s ugly; it’s hurtful; it’s evil.

One of my pet peeves that involve deception are the demagogues who play on people’s emotions and prejudices rather than appealing to their rational side. They pollute the airwaves with a consistent drumbeat of twisted bias without any concern for the whole truth. Their hyperbole of everything is disgusting. These demagogue millionaires serve one wicked ulterior purpose; to keep people divided and to get paid(I guess that‘s two). For example, today’s hot topic has to do with the police and their approach towards the African American community. It is a bonanza for demagogues in all forms of the media. It’s easy to spot because the reporters or talking heads don’t balance the story and frame it fairly for all those involved. If the negative side of the police are talked about without referencing the thousands of arrest that have gone well, the utmost necessity and difficulty of their job, the many heroes in blue of all different races and backgrounds, and the uncertainty and danger of losing their life at any moment, then more then likely demagoguery is going on. If Black behavior is talked about negatively without the perspective of the world wide common behavior of those that are poor, oppressed, and voiceless, or the greatness of those dealing with and overcoming despite the historic systemic barriers placed in front of them, or the simple desire for fairness and real justice, then demagoguery is going on. One thing that has happened in our time is that technology has given the voiceless a voice. Video, as well as a ratings hunting media, has brought a spotlight on certain police practices. Whatever the case, people are waking up to the fact that our justice system treats people differently based upon their race and finances.

There’s another type of deception that takes place through leaders. Unlike demagogues that play on people’s emotions and stereotypes, “sycophants” tell people what they want to hear. A sycophant will use praise and flattery to get something from people, whether it is their approval or granted authority from a group. Probably the best example of sycophants are politicians. Those politicians that are best skilled at telling people what they want to hear have a high probability of being elected, especially if they have the most resources to get their message out there. Politicians will go into churches and whether they do or not, tell Christians how much they love the Lord. They usually will serve that up with a side dish of flattery. The next thing you know, they are in their elected office and they then kind of forget all the cool stuff they promised and end up doing what they really wanted to do.

However, I think it’s important that we study the spiritual father of these demagogues– Satan, “aka” the “Father of Lies” who is the number one sycophant in existence.

Sycophantic deception is what the devil rode in on to become the god(with a little “g“) of this fallen world. Lets take a look at the devil’s lies that helped put a wedge between mankind and his Creator, brought death and curses upon us all, and even cursed the land.

Gen 3:1-7
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

So this crafty serpent approaches Eve and fires his first volley– “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” He accomplished quite a bit with this seemingly innocent question. First, he hid himself from her by concealing his true intentions and focus(he was only focused on one tree and getting them to disobey God) by asking about ALL the trees. Secondly, he wanted to see how much she really understood about God’s command.

Eve responds, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Eve’s response confirms what the serpent suspects. When God gave instructions about the tree, He didn’t say anything about touching it; Eve added that. This shows that something wasn’t quite right in Eve’s thinking. It shows that there was some confusion or lack of understanding in Eve’s mind about the purpose of the tree.

Next, in response the serpent pounces and says, “You will not surely die. 5For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The serpent fills in her gaps of understanding with bald faced lies and flattering them with the thought that they have the potential to be God. With this statement the beast had gone all out, it was his atomic bomb. First, he said the opposite of what God said and proclaims that they will not die (both Adam and Eve were a little vulnerable towards the concept of death. They never witnessed anything dieing. They had absolutely no concept of spiritual death which is separation from God). Then he attacks God’s relationship with them and implies that God had purposely kept them in the dark about something. He follows with his number one attack upon God’s holy character—that God is keeping something good from them, that He doesn’t want them to be Gods just like Him(sorry mankind and Satan, there is only one God and Creator, your just creatures). It is such a gross lie, it’s not in God’s nature to hold anything good back, He gives generously, to the point of even giving His only begotten Son so that we can be a part of His loving family.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,” At this point the temptation is in full operation. The devil successfully stirred up desire in her through the exact same things our fallen nature is vulnerable to today, as 1 John 2:16 says: For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh(she saw that the tree was good for food), the lust of the eyes(it was a delight to her eyes), and the pride of life(the tree was to be desired to make one wise) —comes not from the Father but from the world.

“she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” There it is. The deception is full-grown. The temptation indulged. Grievously…. Death(separation from God) arrives.

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:15

If you find any abnormality like broken test leads or cracked cases, etc. it is advisable not to use it. overnight shipping of cialis It is the tested and proven treatment of ED in the positive manner even from the first day, you would be able to feel the heat when things go awry Stressful work, the fatigue of chasing targets, the worries and tensions of delays and missed deals – in the midst of all these, the body and mind pays, sometimes cialis professional uk dearly. Patients who have the following conditions should not sildenafil 100mg , as taking the drug could lead to complications with their existing conditions. Revitalizing the over at this drugstore levitra prescription cells of the body, it removes all the sexual disorders which a man faces in his life the one that is quite difficult to get over and are totally disturbing which includes ruining a man s life. It may seem that I am picking on Eve but we can’t forget about Adam, whose sin was the worse of the two. Eve was tricked, deceived, bamboozled, but Adam wasn’t. He knew exactly what he was doing. You see, with the arrival of Eve, Adam wasn’t alone anymore. He was blessed with this bombastic woman that blew his mind. She reflected another side of God, equal to himself, but wonderfully different . At that moment in time, his eyes were on her, and not on the one who made her possible. He didn’t want to drive a wedge between himself and Eve. Instead, he chose to disobey his Heavenly Father. Here are some scriptures to help understand what a devastating choice Adam made.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:37

“If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison–your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26(NLT)

You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

When Adam put his love for Eve before God, she became an idol in his life. He gave in to her and ultimately the beast–he turned his back to God. Disastrously, Adam failed God’s love test…

But let us rejoice, and thank God all the more for the second Adam, who did not fail! Thankfully, we shall become like Him!

45Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”, the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
1 Cor. 15:45-48(ESV)

In conclusion, there seems to be a pattern to deception. First, the deceiver clothes himself in a false innocence; a verbal disguise; like a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing, or an evil spirit disguised like a holy angel. He speaks to our desires and at this point, in order to stop the deception, a person must spiritually discern the voice or thought operating in us. The spirit will guide us if we ask to be kept from deception. Whether we are dealing with a snake in the grass or self deception, we need to walk away. Next, if undiscerned, a plausible lie is presented; it will usually say the exact opposite of the word of God and attack or exploit a vulnerable area in the victims thinking. Even if there is a vulnerable area, with the gift of discernment, a saint isn’t helpless and can shut it down by the grace of God. Next, the deception usually involves a desire in the persons heart. James 1:14 says, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed“. That desire will usually appeal to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life. Even at this point, all is not lost. If you find yourself falling into the enemy’s hands; call upon the name of the Lord, He will rescue you and show you a way out!

If we stubbornly don’t deal with the sin in our hearts we may find ourselves in an even worse place; we will actually look for false leaders to speak to the lustful desires in our own hearts. This is especially easy to do in our day and age; there’s all kinds of easy accessible movements in the land. Nevertheless, God holds us responsible for who we follow.

3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4(NIV)

As much as we may not want to face it, the bottom line is, we are deceived by the sinful desires in our own hearts; but thanks be unto God, that when we call upon His holy name and confess the sin in our hearts, He is faithful and just to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.