Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17 NIV)
Last week I focused on the "divided" or "doubtful" mind. Here is a quote from last week. "I don't see a real distinction between a 'divided mind' and a 'doubtful mind.' Notice in the passage above Jesus refers to the man who doubts as a 'double-minded' man. A man who is double-minded is unstable in his faith. His mind is steadfast in believing that God will honor his Word on his behalf."
I also said, "The focus of the mind must always be God and his Word. Paul said, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8 NIV)"
In the lesson MercyDrops.org, they list four conditions of the mind, which the helmet of salvation prevents. Here they are:
Today I will focus on preventing the "deceived mind." James said, Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-26 NIV)
- Prevents a Divided Mind
- Prevents a Deceived Mind
- Prevents a Doubtful Mind
- Prevents a Discouraged Mind
A person who is deceived does not see clearly. Deception causes a person to believe what is not true. Some people sin because they are deceived, but then sometimes people choose to willfully sin knowing what they are doing is wrong. For example, Paul said, And Adam was not the one deceived, it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (I Timothy 2:14 NIV)
In Genesis 3 the serpent deceived Eve and she disobeyed the commandment of God. Paul says that Adam was not deceived which puzzles me. If Adam was not deceived, then why did he eat of the fruit? My assumption is that he willfully disobeyed the commandment of God. But the bottom line is that both Adam and Eve disobeyed the commandment of God.
Let's examine the method of deception that the serpent used in Genesis 3. Notice what the serpent says first to Eve. "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1 NIV) Notice that the serpent is already seeking to twist the Word of God. He suggests that God said to eat from none of the trees in the garden. Already, he begins the process of deception with a question based on a lie.
Eve responds with the truth. She tells the serpent that they may eat from any tree in the garden except the tree in the middle of the garden. God commanded them not to eat from that tree or touch it or they would die. Satan responds with a lie. "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5 NIV)
To be deceived is to believe a lie rather than the truth. The serpent lied by directly contradicting the Word of God. The serpent then appealed to her pride by saying that if you eat, you will be like God.
In Genesis 3:6-7 the following activity occurs:
The serpent appealed to the physical senses. Eve saw that the fruit was good for food, and pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for getting wisdom. She turned her attention from the Word of God and considered taking action contrary to God's Word. Unless it is for the specific purpose of bearing witness of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is inappropriate to engage anyone in a conversation which casts doubt on the Word of God. It is also inappropriate to focus on things which have been specifically forbidden by God.
- Eve saw that the fruit was good for food.
- Eve saw that the fruit was pleasing to the eye.
- Eve saw that the fruit was desirable for gaining wisdom.
- Eve ate some of the fruit.
- Eve gave some fruit to Adam to eat.
- Their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked.
- They sought to make clothes for themselves to hide their shame.
Earlier I included a passage from James 1 that deals with deception and the Word of God. Here are some key points from that passage.
It always comes back to the Word of God. You must give attention to the Word of God on a regular basis, and what you hear and see from the Word, you must obey. The deception of the enemy is that you can sin without consequences, but there are always consequences to sin. Yes, God is always ready to forgive when we repent, but sin always carries a price tag.
- To merely listen to the Word brings deception.
- The Word must be obeyed.
- James compared listening to the Word without obedience to the man who looks at himself in the mirror, and then goes away forgetting what he looks like. This reminds me of a guy who is not good looking, but then goes around like a haughty person thinking he is God's gift to women. Or, it could also be like the guy who is not bad looking, but after leaving the mirror, he goes away with the image that he is so ugly and no girl would ever want him. Both of these images would be deception. Why? Because the guys are not seeing clearly. They are believing that which is not true.
- The man who is blessed looks intently into the perfect law of liberty. His focus is not on the things of this world. His focus in not on temptation. His focus is to remember what he has heard, and then to obey that Word.
Many years ago a friend's teenaged son was killed. He was struck by a car as he wandered aimlessly in a street while tripping out on some sort of illegal drug. He had been told repeatedly by his parents not to go into downtown Atlanta and purchase or use drugs, but he disobeyed. His father said to me, "He disobeyed, and it cost him his life."
Usually, we don't see the consequences of sin that quickly or that clearly. Often it is not what happens bad when we sin, it is what we are missing that is good. I think we would be shocked at how much we are missing in God because of the deception of habitual sin. We think we are getting away with it, when in actuality we are always paying a price for disobedience to God's Word.
Choose to focus on hearing AND obeying the Word of God. The Psalmist said in Psalm 112:1, Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.(NIV)
The man who is blessed, and who sees clearly, is the the man who delights in obedience to the Word of God. Let's purpose to focus intently on that perfect law of liberty, and obey the Word of God. Paul said, Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7 NIV)
Let's obey the Word of God!
Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org
Wisdom From the Word
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