Stand Firm Against the Deceiver
There’s a verse that is often used a lot, but isn’t executed well…Romans 12:2.
Romans 12:2 encourages, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
When we look at this verse, usually the second part is taken out when people talk about it. Why do we not want to conform to the patterns of the world? So that we are able to test and approve what God’s will is and what is not. So that we can go into circumstances and situations and be able to discern what is of God and what is not. So that we can discern when the enemy is trying to deceive us and how to fight against that.
In Genesis 3, Eve is deceived by Satan in the garden. We all know this story, but do we realize that the enemy tries doing this exact thing to us everyday? It says in Genesis 3:1, “He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” There are a few things I want to say about this.
1. Satan knows all scripture and He knows what God has spoken.
2. He is going to use scripture and try to make you doubt what God has actually said.
3. He cannot change what God has said, He can only try to deceive.
Eve responds by saying, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Meaning, Eve is knowledgable about what God has spoken. She knows that it would be bad if she touched or ate from the tree. She knew.
Satan immediately replies back with his crafty deceiving words to Eve. And she sins and chooses selfish desires over what God said.
So what does that have to do with Romans 12:2?
It means when our minds are transformed by what scripture has said, we cannot be shaken. The more we study scripture and know what God has said, our minds will be transformed to know truth and what is right. When the enemy tries coming against us with lies trying to deceive us with lies going against what God has said, we will be rooted in what God has said. We will be able to stand on the foundation of the promises of God. We will know if something is of God or if it’s of Satan.
God cares for His children so much that He provided truth that we get to keep, the bible. We get the opportunity to study and know His promises over our life. The bible is not to make us feel good while we’re at school or to feel confident before a big test.
It is for the purpose of transforming our minds to think less about the flesh and more like Jesus.
When Jesus was on earth, He went aside from everyone and spent time with the Father. Time and time again. Not to gain confidence or to check that off the to-do list for the day. Not to look like a good person. But to know what the Father wants of Him. To build the foundation of who Jesus was and where His strength comes from. To know the truth vs the lies. Jesus was tempted multiple times by Satan. Go read Matthew 4.
Satan comes to Jesus and tempts Him with food after a 40 day fast, but Jesus responds with scripture. Satan then comes back with another scripture to try to deceive Jesus. Satan then goes and offers Jesus worldly desires and fame. But Jesus knew His purpose and calling on earth and if He would have chosen instant gratification and what “feels good,” instead of God’s timing, it all would have been ruined.
Friends, the devil cannot take anything away from you. Nothing. You are a chosen beloved child of God. So because of that reason, Satan will try to deceive you from what God has actually said.
If you want your mind to be transformed to what God has said, you have to be educated in what God has said. How are you supposed to combat what the enemy is trying to say to you when you don’t have the tools to fight it? Or when you don’t know what you are fighting? Here are some action steps.
Be consistent with studying what God has said.
Don’t surround yourself with people who make you compromise what God has said not to do.
Be around people who will protect you from temptation. Who will encourage you towards walking in the promises and truth of what God has said.
Memorize scripture so that when the enemy tries to deceive you and tell you lies about yourself or what God has called you to do, you will not be shaken.
Let us stand up against the deceiver. We have the tools.