Defeating Deception

Satan is the father of all lies. God is author of truth. Lies damage, defeat and destroy. Truth illuminates, reveals, heals, and sets captives free. Lies establish a foundation equal to sinking sand, while truth provides the only unshakable foundation.

Present day trends reveal that too many Americans have believed lies. Deception prevails in Washington and at the highest levels of leadership. This has damaged honest communication, corrupted relationships, diminished faith’s effectiveness, and divided the church.

Every national and local election is important. During every election cycle we hear how important that particular one happens to be. Let me state loudly again: the election this November is as critically important as any in my lifetime, and I’ve been a witness to many. This one will determine how much deeper we dig our way into the ditch of defeat, debt, depravity, and deception or whether we affirm our determination to stop the insanity, seek wisdom from above, and begin a steadfast ascent from the pit of hopelessness.

The belief system controlling the most powerful leader and far too many leaders in America is built on lies. I do not question the sincerity of those who have been deceived. I do not question their desire to offer assistance and relief where it is so obviously needed. But I question forcefully and could spend days proclaiming biblical passage after passage totally rebuking their line of reasoning, the proposals, possibilities, and policies being presented as answers. They are not! They are the result of deadly deception.

The thought that government can offer meaningful solutions to many of our serious problems is a lie. Government’s primary role must always be to protect the freedom and ability of the people to accomplish necessary and meaningful tasks, protect their ability to succeed, to achieve, and be free to live as responsible, productive, and compassionate citizens. God is the one who is forever provident. He is our provider. Government is not and must never be seen as such. When wisely and properly administrated, government can definitely help. When it is not, it drastically hurts.

The only way needs will be legitimately and effectively met is when people recognize them, care about them, address them, and become involved personally in the solution. Yes, greed and indifference is and always will be a problem. It is wickedness! But when you try to correct it by giving even more power to the most powerful force in America (the federal government) you have then made God that much smaller, the people insignificant, and once again foolishly moved into the greatest expression of idolatry: replacing God with something or someone else. Let me repeat: Government’s primary role is protecting the people, not taking care of them. Far too many of the American people have been taught that government is the answer and they have been led to depend upon it and they are failing. Once you take away the ability of the people to be productive and responsible, you have then eliminated the ability for the government to even have the means to do the worthwhile things that are important – protecting the people, preserving their freedom and their ability to be blessed and to be a blessing.

We hear so many presidents, candidates, and leaders say at the close of their speeches: “God bless America!” Let it be settled once and for all, the only way God is going to bless America is when the American people continually desire to bless God and bless others! We are our brother’s keeper. We must love our neighbors. We cannot turn that over to Pharaoh or some dictatorially powerful state.

Karl Marx, another demonically deceived individual, believed the all-powerful state was the answer and solution to the human dilemma. That was a lie birthed in the pit of hell and carried on the shoulders of deceived people who had turned their back on the wisdom that comes only from above. I don’t care how big a person’s smile is, I don’t care how cheerful they appear to be, I don’t care how often they claim to believe in God, when they point to another source as the solution, they are controlled by lies.

No political party is the answer, but some of our parties have been terribly deceived and those lies must be rejected by the American people. There is no perfect political party. They’ve all got their problems. But you can rest assured, if any party or candidate promotes the federal government as the primary solution; they have been deceived at the highest level. Those who believe in a limited, under-control government have at least acknowledged a very important and necessary truth.

Those who understand that must also come to realize that if we are successful as a business, a corporation or individual, we must not allow responsibility for the needs and concerns of others to be overlooked or handed off to the state by merely saying, “We gave at the office. We paid our taxes.” There is no substitute for the compassion connection, for personal interest in our neighbor. Talk is cheap. Actions always speak louder than words.

If we are going to correct our nation’s course, we’re going to have to learn how to sit down and talk together. God invites us to reason together and He wants to be included in the conversation. We need to be at the table of reason with a council of the godly in the shelter and shadow of the Almighty. This is the only shelter from and solution to the storms we are facing.

If you think this election is going to solve the American dilemma, then you have bought the enemy’s lies. It is the direction, the necessary correction, yes, the national repentance beginning in the heart of each individual that will determine our nation’s future. We’ve got to correct this perilous course, and we’ve got to do it immediately! Everyone must pray, and everyone must vote with kingdom principles and convictions controlling their thoughts, their desires, prayers, and hopes. And we must be committed to God’s kingdom purpose and that’s to love Him with all our heart and love our neighbors as ourselves, and always refusing to depend on Pharaoh. We have already seen the bondage resulting from such dependency. How much more clearly can God reveal it when He spent the whole Old Testament showing it to us and then the New Testament revealing how we can overcome?

Christianity changed the course of history and took us out of darkness and the only thing that has slowed the beautiful process God intends is for those who claim to know God and believe in pure religion to begin accepting lies themselves. They too are divided, filled with dissension and are unable to carry on a meaningful discussion. As I’ve said many times, if you wonder why Congress behaves the way it does, it’s because so many people who go to church and claim to be religious behave and miscommunicate with venomous accusations exactly like they do. This has to be corrected! God’s promise is to His people called by His name. When they repent, turn to Him, call on Him and seek His will, He has promised to heal the land! That promise stands forever and that is our hope!

It is more than an election we’re praying about. It’s direction we’re asking God for which includes personal and national correction – repentance and the necessary spiritual awakening.

Many people are unduly concerned about the end times. Let me make something absolutely clear: before Jesus Christ comes in glory, His glory will come upon His church! He will be revealed through the church in the light of His glory to a world in darkness. That glorious bride He is coming for will be prepared not because the church has become so big, but because God has become so big in the church. We will behold His glory in us before He comes in glory for us. Stand on that truth and then together let’s fall on our faces in prayer for the healing of God to begin first in the church, then in our nation and to the ends of the earth. We must pray, vote with kingdom principles and purpose in mind and be totally committed not just to an election, but to course correction and direction.

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Many wonderful groups are calling for a time of prayer and fasting for the days leading up to the election asking God to change not only the course of our nation, but the course of history:

40 Days to Save America, Vision America, Priests for Life, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Concerned Women for America, American Family Association, Family Research Council and many more. When we cease being the home of the brave, we will no longer be the land of the free.

My friend Dr. Jim Garlow is encouraging pastors to go to the pulpit on “Pulpit Freedom Sunday – October 7” to address the issues of the day that are clearly biblical and moral concerns with no fear of how many of these topics have been dragged into the political arena. There is no need to fear the IRS or any power on this earth. If a pastor or priest doesn’t know what to say on that day, may I suggest you read this commentary to the whole congregation.

For more information, go to www.speakupmovement.org.