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Much deception can be prevented by obedience.
CONTEXT: The man of God prophesied against the King and his false worship on the altars. The King became upset and railed against him. Then his arm withered and the man of God prayed for him to be healed.
The King offered a reward, but the man of God said “NO.” The Lord gave him a different plan – don’t eat or drink, and go home a different way.
Can never go wrong obeying God – from diet changes to attitude adjustments: “I don’t want to hear anymore – teach me to listen.”
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Read 1 Kings 13:11-26
I. Deception is often sent [Delilah]: 12 And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?”
II. Deception will often relate to you. 18 He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are…”
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“Hey, I know how you feel” – this DISARMS us.
Most people fall into wrong relationships because the person relates to them, listens to them, understands them….
If you’re not sure – WAIT, TRUST, PRAY, and OBEY. The enemy uses confusion, rushing & pressure to move us.
III. Deception often works through familiarity. “I too am a prophet as you are…”
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Familiarity relaxes you – old strongholds that are familiar often return.
“Familiar spirits” – imitating people in order to deceive.
We put our guard down in familiar settings – nothing bad can happen here: But they “said” that they were a Christian.
He stood strong against the King, but not the prophet who he could relate to.
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KEY – When God says something – do it! He’s not schizophrenic; He’s not jekyll & hyde! His name is TRUTH! His counsel is Wonderful!
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The BEST safeguard against deception is Obedience.
IV. Deception can use Scripture or Bible lingo: 18…“an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’”
First Red Flag – “go a different direction”
V. Deception uses the flesh – “I feel.” Without this pull there wouldn’t be a deception. 19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.
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He didn’t say come back and help me cut a cord of firewood.
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Deception Works in these three areas.
VI. Deception grows when we fail to expose it (acknowledge the deception).
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Did God know a lion would meet him? It doesn’t say God sent a lion, but that he met a lion.
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Repentance and acknowledgement may have redirected his course – vs. 23 indicates there wasn’t remorse: 23 So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him.
VII. Deception always takes and never gives
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Sin takes us further than we want to go, keeps us longer than we want to stay, and costs us more than we want to pay.
Is someone you can relate to leading you astray…something that’s familiar? Are you going against the Word…making excuses? Is the flesh side-tracking you? Are you hiding and covering up? Expose it before it takes more.
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