Deception has always been a problem for Christians. In the days to come deception may prove to be an even more serious issue.

The Lord commanded us to be careful that someone does not deceive us. Given the nature of deception, how are we to keep from being deceived? If we knew when we were deceived we would not be deceived.

First we must recognize that the strongest among us can be deceived. The believer who thinks that because he reads the Bible and prays he can never be deceived, is deceived already.

The Lord did not say, be sure that Satan does not deceive you but rather that no man deceive you. However, deception comes originally from Satan although he works through people.

Satan does not possess the power to force the elect away from Christ. Satan attacks the mind. He convinces us of a lie and we then enter into one sin or another, thus placing ourselves in Satan's power.

In the realm of wisdom we are no match for the fallen cherub. How then are we to make certain we are not being deceived?

Only God can prevent our being deceived. Salvation is of the Lord. No person can keep himself in the truth except as the Lord assists. This is important to understand.

Notice the following:

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (II Thessalonians 2:9-11)

Notice that the passage above is referring to a man, to Antichrist, but that the "deceivableness" that proceeds from Antichrist is actually the "working of Satan."

Notice also that if we do not receive the love of the truth, God Himself will send delusion upon us.

The expression above, "the deceivableness of unrighteousness," gives us the key to protection from deception.

It is unrighteousness, wickedness, that deceives us. We are living in a world that is under the Divine curse because of sin. Man has placed himself under the power of Satan. God has sent Christ so that through Him we may escape the corruption that is in the world because of lust.

God has commanded us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. We are not to strive for happiness but righteousness. This is the will of God for us.

We are to deny ourselves, take up our personal cross, and follow the Lord Jesus. As we do this we achieve right standing before the Lord.

Multitudes of believers in our day are not willing to deny themselves. They are not seeking righteousness and God's Kingdom first. They are seeking first their happiness and the happiness of their children. They are attempting to restore Paradise to the earth before the curse has been lifted. It is the pursuit of happiness instead of righteousness that makes us vulnerable to deception.

Remaining in the Lord's prison, carrying our cross and following after Christ, requires a lifetime of patience accompanied by a considerable amount of tribulation. Satan studies our personality. He sees where our areas of strong desire are. Our areas of strong desire are often the gifts of God to us and are the places in our personality of the greatest danger as well as the greatest opportunity for fruitfulness in the Kingdom.

Satan uses people to present us with an opportunity to gain what we desire fervently. Then he places in our mind the thought that what has been presented is natural, right, and must be of the Lord because it feels so good. In addition there may be signs and omens that reinforce the idea that this new experience or hope is of the Lord.

There is only one protection from deception, and that is to take up your cross and follow the Master. The quickest way to become deceived is to try to make a paradise of the present cursed world.

It is never easy to be a true Christian but it is possible through Christ if you are determined to stick it out. (from Enduring to the End)