There is nothing behind this, but just some thoughts I had about our adversary, the deceiver, the accuser, the serpent.
John 8:43-44 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the Father of lies.”
Notice that it is not that our adversary didn’t know what truth was. He was created in truth, created in light, but he did not hold to the truth. He rejected truth, he renounced light and embraced darkness. No this isn’t a StarWars movie, this is supernatural history. The serpent emptied himself of light and truth.
His desire – John 10:10 tells us what it is, to steal, kill, and destroy.
From the beginning – Adam and Eve sinned on their own, but our enemy was instigator, thus resulting in their death.
No truth in him – “truth” spoken by the devil is always for the purpose of deception, so it is a lie. “Truth” when it is designed to deceive is a Lie. Wrestle with that for a minute. Slander is truth told to mislead about someone, and so thus the truth becomes a lie. That’s what he does.
Jesus does say that he lies, he says that he is a LIAR. He lies all the time. The way you can tell if satan is lying, is that his lips are moving. When he isn’t talking, he is planning a lie. He is the Father of lies – that is he is the Pater – father, originator of Lies. So every lie finds its progeny in him and also finds his pleasure.
So, just a couple of thoughts about what to do with deception vs truth, a couple of questions
- Ask: What are the lies here? a) what is their purpose? Fear? Discouragement? Destruction? b) what is their result?
- Ask: What is the Truth? a) what is the purpose? helps us find if “truth” might be a lie. b) reject the place of “truth” that is designed to deceive, divide, or destroy. Jesus said I came that you might have life. Discipline can be for the purpose of life. Truth sometimes is in the form of disciple and correction and that is good. But if this is for the purpose of the above desires of the Liar, then reject their place. c) Embrace truth designed to correct and respond with positive action. d) Embrace truth that encourages and that eliminates fear.
So, not a bottled up finish … but just some thoughts, if deception is your foe, think on these things
Selah …
Pastor Goforth 