The Way of Deception by Marietjie Chase





Our principle of our Elementary school gave the parents a speech at the beginning of the year. Part, was a recipe for making a child into a communist (the threat at the time; we could easily substitute terrorist). She said, all you had to do was to criticise the police, the pastor and the teacher in the child's hearing. There is also a recipe for deception and the three main ingredients are as follows:





1. First. Abolish, change, pervert or otherwise substitute the written word of God.


All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2Tim 3: 16
This deals with the written word. The translations have flaws and we have to study to show ourselves approved, as good stewards, dividing the word correctly. When we replace the centrality of the written word or make our own version of it; we have just taken the first step on the road to deception. The Bible has the last say on matters. Some has even made their knowledge of the Bible an idol and have become carnal or unsaved theologians. And some in their fear of legalism has thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Keeping the Bible in it's rightful place will keep you from deception and ignorance of the written word will make you a much easier target for deception.





2. Second. Minimize, abandon or pervert prayer.


Prayer has so many facets: I Tim 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men;
If we want to define it we could write books. The best definition of prayer, in general, can be found in I Samuel 2 when Hannah said that she has been pouring her heart out before God. Some have tried to change this by limiting prayer to only this or that. The human heart needs emptying and if we do not do it before God, we will do it before people. At least God can do something about it.





3. Third. Don't submit to the rest of the Body of Christ and separate yourself. This means that you think that only you and those agreeing with you are worthy of your time and energy.





I Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Some, in arrogance, even goes so far as to label people as demonic for not being in agreement with them. If ever there was a tragedy in the church; it is our schisms, sectarianism, denominations and little fractions. We have little groups of "eyes" and "ears" sitting on little hills where they are doing no-body any good.
Stay in the fire. Don't shrink back. As iron sharpens iron so will we shape one another. This cannot and will not happen if we run. Our modern, prosperous, lifestyles became a curse in this area. Let us humble ourselves and submit to one another, preferring one another above ourselves.



Deception's root is in the garden of Eden, when Eve acted on the word of the snake instead of the word of God. Jesus said: My words are spirit and life. Who's words are we acting on?



For further study see: http://www.tscpulpitseries.org/english/1990s/ts911007.html
Also: Rick Renner's book - Merchandizing the Anointing.