Page 24 - Prophetic Word Newsletters Archive 2006 by Pastor Randy Shupe

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“CHEATING, HOODWINKING, MISLEADING OR DELUDING,
TO BE FOOLED, TRICKED OR SUFFER FRAUD BY MEANS OF
BOGUS FACTS, FIGURES AND STATISTICS. TO TAKE UNAWARE,
BE ENSNARED BY CUNNING MISREPRESENTATION…” Webster
There are two kinds of deception; (1) we can be deceived by others, and (2) we can deceive ourselves.
I need not elaborate the fact that the latter scenario is to be deemed much worse than the first.
I would like to suggest that one way in which we can utilize the sword of the Spirit is by seeing each edge
as designed to prevent these two kinds of deception:

“LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU...” 1 John 3:7
“LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU WITH EMPTY WORDS…” Eph. 5:6
“…LEST ANYONE SHOULD DECEIVE YOU WITH PERSUASIVE WORDS...” Col. 2:4

“LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU BY ANY MEANS..” 2 Thess. 2:3

“DO NOT DECEIVE YOURSELVES…” Jer. 37:9
“LET NO ONE DECEIVE HIMSELF…” 1 Cor. 3:18

“…IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES…” 1 John 1:8
“…BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES…”

James 1:22

The Word of God says of itself that it is powerful (Heb.4:12), and it is profitable (2 Tim. 3:16). Satan knows
this well. A whole host of passages from the apostles attest to the willful misuse of the Scriptures by those
who seek to deceive. Here are a few:

“THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE CHILDREN, “WE ARE NOT, AS SO MANY, PEDDLING
TOSSED TO AND FRO AND CARRIED ABOUT WITH (“ADULTERATING FOR GAIN”) THE WORD OF
EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, BY THE TRICKERY OF GOD; BUT AS OF SINCERITY, BUT AS FROM GOD,
MEN, IN THE CUNNING CRAFTINESS BY WHICH THEY WE SPEAK IN THE SIGHT OF GOD IN CHRIST.”

LIE IN WAIT TO DECEIVE.” Eph. 4:14 2 Cor. 2:17

“…THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, WHO WILL SECRETLY BRING IN
DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES…AND MANY WILL FOLLOW THEIR DESTRUCTIVE WAYS,

BECAUSE OF WHOM THE WAY OF TRUTH WILL BE BLASPHEMED. BY COVETOUSNESS
THEY WILL EXPLOIT YOU WITH DECEPTIVE WORDS...” 2 Pet. 2:1-3

“FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES, DECEITFUL WORKERS, TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES
INTO APOSTLES OF CHRIST. AND NO WONDER! FOR SATAN HIMSELF TRANSFORMS
HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. THEREFORE IT IS NO GREAT THING IF HIS
MINISTERS ALSO TRANSFORM THEMSELVES INTO MINISTERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
WHOSE END WILL BE ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS.” 2 Cor. 11:13-15

On the next two pages I have divided the sword of the Spirit into two categories that, when properly
understood and practiced, will help you not only to escape the deceptive traps of the deceivers, but will
also enable you to avoid the pitfall of deceiving your own self. Spend some quality time studying and
meditating on these two pages!