Deceptive
Spirits
Every spirit of the devil is
deceptive, but in this chapter we shall expose a few
general principles of deception, rather than name
different spirits.
The devil uses many different ways
to deceive the souls of men; such as false impressions,
deception through false teachers,etc. We shall now examine
separately a few of the most common ways of deception.
FALSE IMPRESSIONS.—By false
impressions we mean impressions direct from the spirits of
devils. Some may not be ready to believe that Satan can
send us impressions direct through evil spirits, but it is
true, nevertheless. Satan deceived Ananias and
"filled his heart to lie to the Holy Spirit";
and so does he still continue to fill the hearts and minds
of men and women and causes them to lie to God and their
fellowmen.
Deceptions of the devil are
manifest on every hand in the form of false doctrines and
fanatic ideas. The devil will impress a man that a certain
doctrine or idea is right, and he will go to the Bible
with a preconceived notion and hunt for a few abstract
passages to support his theory. In this way hundreds of
people are deceived by the devil, and go on believing they
are right and trying to bring everyone else to their
deceptive way. For illustration, we shall take the
Catholic doctrine of forbidding the priests to marry. Paul
declares this to be a "doctrine of devils" (1
Tim. 4:1, 3), and yet the Catholics in general believe it
to be of God. This is a fair sample of thousands of
doctrines and ideas that emanate from the devil, both
among Catholics and Protestants.
Possibly one of the most prolific
means in the hands of the devil to deceive souls is
DECEPTION THROUGH FALSE
PROPHETS.—To many the prevalence of false prophets
is a great source of discouragement, but when we see
their appearance f foretold d in the Bible and see there
the faithful warnings of the men of God, it should only
cause us to "draw nigh to God." To point out
even a few of the most noted false prophets of the
past century would require several volumes.
"But there were false prophets also among the people,
even as there shall be false teachers among you, who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the
Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction." 2 Peter 2:1.
When the devil has succeeded in
deceiving a man, he naturally makes a good agent for the
devil, to be sent out as a false prophet to deceive
others. We need not be surprised if some of our number who
have been our nearest and dearest friends are some time
led away and made false prophets; for Paul says,
"Also of your ownselves shall men arise speaking
perverse things to draw away disciples after them."
Acts 20:30. Neither will they always be unsuccessful; for
"many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason
of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." 2
Pet. 2:2. These deceptive agents of the devil often come
in shining garments and innocent robes. Jesus says,
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves." Matt. 7:15. However, we need not fear them;
for "a good tree can not bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."
Matt. 7:1.3. "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know
them." Matthew 7:20
Many false prophets will never
realize their condition until the judgment day. Then they
will awake, when too late, to the fact that Satan has
deceived them. Jesus says, "Many will say to me in
that day, Lord! Lord! did we not in thy name prophesy, and
in thy name demons cast out, and in thy name many works of
power perform? And then will I confess to them, I never
approved you, depart from me, ye workers of
lawlessness." Matt. 7:22, 23.—Rotherham.
SELF-DELUSION.—While the devil
has many ways to deceive, it is possible for a man to
deceive himself. However, in such cases I do not think it
would be unjust to ascribe a part of the cause to the
devil, as he never fails to lend all the assistance
possible when the gain is in his favor.
One way of self-deception is to
hear and understand the Word of God, and refuse or neglect
to obey it. "But be ye doers of the word, and not
hearers only, DECEIVING YOUR OWN SELVES." James 1:22.
Another way is to profess religion, and neglect to bridle
the tongue. "if any man among you seemeth to be
religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but DECEIVETH HIS
OWN HEART, this man's religion is vain." James 1:26.
A man who is deceived by the devil,
by false prophets, or a man who deceives himself, may
escape the dark powers of > the devil through the mercy
and power of God; but there is a way which if a man enter,
there is no chance of escape. This is the way of
STRONG DELUSION.— A man who
travels the way of self delusion far enough is sure to end
in the dark gulf of strong delusion, and this is the way
it is generally reached: "Because they received not
the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for
this cause God shall send them strong de fusion, that they
should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:10.12. In this state the
soul sleeps a perpetual sleep, only to wake at the last
trump, when all hope has fled and mercy is no more.
A WARNING.—In the Word of God we
are repeatedly warned of deceptions and deceivers, and
every minister of the gospel should be diligent in warning
the people of God to shun every false way. Jesus said,
"Take heed that no men deceive you. For many shall
come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive
many." Matt. 24:4, 5. Again he says, "If it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt.
24:24. Paul says, "Let no man deceive you with vain
words." Eph. 5:6. "Be not deceived." Gal.
6:7. Again he says, "Let no man deceive
himself." 1 Cor. 3:18. John says, "Little
children, let no man deceive you." 1 John 3:7.
The New Testament abounds in such
warnings, which were given for the reason that "evil
men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived." 2 Tim. 3:13. Let everyone who values
his eternal welfare take warning and beware of deceptive
spirits, false prophets, and self-delusion.
