The deception of the enemy

By Charl Human

Joshua 9:16-27

Ezekiel 44:6-8

Zechariah.14:21

2Sam.21-1-6

1Tim.1:18-20

2cor.11:13-15

Ps.23:5

The deception of the enemy seeks to spoil our spiritual inheritance.

The Gibeonites tricked Joshua into making a covenant with them and breaking God's command. They traded the council of God for the counterfeit of the Gibeonites. When Israel found out, they decided to let the Gibeonites live as servants, even as servants in the tabernacle.  

There are unintended consequences when we compromise on what God says is best. Making a treaty with the Gibeonites and letting them serve in the temple was not God's best plan for Israel. This compromise involved Israel in battles that weren't theirs, and it caused more issues in the future with David and Saul. Later, God had harsh words concerning counterfeit worship and foreigners serving in the temple. Zechariah ends with God's promise that "no Canaanite will be in His house.

As we study the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will reveal the deception squatting in our own lives. If we allow that deception to remain, it will not serve us, it will corrupt us. That corruption will spread to the good parts and threaten to shipwreck our faith and enslave us.

Warriors reject deception when they eat at the table God set before them in the presence of their enemies. 

Challenge:

Memorize Verse: Psalm 23:5

How has deception spoiled your perception of God and His blessings?

How can we avoid deception?

By Charl Human

Mathew 4:1-11

Eph.6:10-17

Heb.4:8-16

Rev.12:11

Ps..23;5

The Word of God is our offensive weapon against the lies of satan.  

By God’s Word, we tear down the strongholds of the deceiver.

How can we avoid deception? How can we identify the counterfeit?  

By studying the real thing - the genuine revelation of God.  

By marinating our heart in the Word of God.  

By following the example of Jesus who used Scripture against the deceiver  

When cultures and societies trade their morals and values for counterfeit, we turn to the Word of God - where real value is found.

Here are satanic deceptions vs. teachings of the Bible

One group is superior to another vs. Everyone is made in the image of God.

Power comes through force vs. Real power comes through serving others.

Peace comes through violence vs. True peace comes through love and sacrifice.

The Bible offers unshakable moral guardrails for our lives. We are either governed by the Word of God, or we are locked in the stronghold of the deceiver. That is why daily Bible study is so important. Today’s Scripture demonstrates how effective the Word of God is against the deceptions of satan.

Challenge:

Memorize Psalm 23:5

How has Bible Study discipline helped you on the Spiritual battlefield? 

The deceivers language is lies

By Charl Human

Gen.25:29-34

John 8:44

Mathew 22:11-14

Rom.13:14

Luke 22:1-6

Gal.5:1

Heb.12:14-17

The deceiver’s language is lies. His currency is counterfeit. He is always looking for a sucker who will trade the spiritual riches of God for his physical rubbish.

Satan wants us to trade: 

The Bread of Life for moldy crumbles

New wineskins for old and cracked counterfeits

Robes of righteousness for worn-out rags

A seat at the table for 30 pieces of silver

Our birthright for a bowl of soup

Freedom in Christ for slavery to sin

And when we do, we allow the deceiver to infiltrate our lives and squat where he does not belong.

Challenge:

Memorize Psalm 23:5

What is the worst trade you have ever made?

Don't neglect God's counsel

By Charl Human

Morning everyone. I pray that you all will have a blessed week and find our strength in Him and Him alone!!!!

Joshua 8:30-35

Ex.34:10-12

Joshua 9:12 -15

Ps.23

High off their victory against Jericho and Ai, Joshua and the Israelites dedicated themselves to the revelation of God - they had barbeque filled with worship, prayer, and Bible study.

During that mountaintop experience, Israel met a tribe that did not belong. Confident in their victories and their renewed knowledge of God’s law, they asked the Gibeonites who they were and where they came from.

They asked the right question to the wrong person.

They studied God’s word but neglected His counsel.

Israel trusted in their head knowledge of God’s law to help them identify the counterfeit instead of directly trusting in God. 

They traded a piece of inheritance for some crumbly bread. 

They exchanged the counsel of God for old wineskins. 

They swore peace to those set aside for destruction.

In our zeal to pursue the disciplines of worship, prayer, and bible study - we must not neglect our daily relationship with God.

Challenge:

Memorize Psalm 23:5

When has your zeal for knowledge surpassed your love for God and His Image-Bearers? 

Satan is the deceiver

By Charl Human 

Gen.3:1-15

Job.1:6-12

2Cor.4:3-4

1Peter5:6-11

Ps.23:5

Satan is the deceiver. He is a belly-crawling homeless father-of-lies who infiltrates creation through deception with one goal in mind: to destroy it and place himself above the throne of God.  

His well-worn method is as old as sin: to deceive and accuse until he becomes a squatter in the hearts of men. From there, he poisons man's perception of God and His Image-Bearers. 

The deceiver's offerings look good on the outside but turn out to be as stale as the Gibeonite bread.

And, just like Joshua - we are fooled by the deceiver when we don't seek and apply the revelation of God to our hearts.

Challenge:

Memorize Psalm 23:5

Pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal and destroy the deceptions you believe.

If you can't beat em, join em

By Charl Human

Joshua 9:6-11

James 2:19

Ps.23:5

“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

The Gibeonites heard that Joshua and Israel served a God who fights for them. While the other Canaanite kings formed an alliance to stand against the God of Israel who destroyed Jericho and Ai - the Gibeonites tried a different strategy.

The strategy of the deceiver is infiltration through deception.

The Gibeonites feared God, they heard what He did in Egypt, and they trembled. They believed God’s word that He would destroy the Canaanites and give the land to Israel. But they did not trust God.

Instead, the Gibeonites trusted in deception. Rather than hiding under the wings of God’s mercy, they chose to hide who they were and where they came from.  

We have a similar enemy - a deceiver who believes, fears, and trembles before God - but he does not trust God. His motive is not self-preservation but self-exaltation at your destruction.

Challenge:

Memorize Psalm 23:5

Describe a deception or lie that you think is serving or benefiting you.

The 3 disciplines

By Charl Human

Joshua 9:1-5

Rom.16:17-20

1Tim.4;1-2

Eph.6;12

Jude 1

Ps.23:5

Joshua and the Israelites encountered Jericho, Ai, and the Gibeonites in the Promised Land.  Warriors in God’s army have three spiritual enemies:  the world, the flesh, and the deceiver.

Jesus followers have three disciplines:  worship, prayer, and Bible study.  The book of Joshua shows us how worship overcomes Jericho - the World, and prayer overcomes the city of Ai - the flesh. 

This week we will learn about Joshua’s third enemy - the deceiving Gibeonites.  The discipline of Bible study is our weapon against the deceitful lies of our enemy - satan.  

The Word of God is our weapon against the counterfeit doctrines of the deceiver.

We are more than warriors when we sit at the table of God’s Word in the presence of our enemies.

Challenge:

Memorize Psalm 23:5

How important is Bible study to you?