Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 11:14b, 15
For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Here is a strong, clear warning. Throughout this chapter Paul is building walls of spiritual protection around his friends and fellow believers in Jesus. He is deeply concerned over the possibility of deception. He is determined that they will be protected from the false teaching of an evil spirit masquerading as an angel of light. We must not take these warnings lightly. Throughout the centuries again and again, so-called prophets have claimed to have messages from angels which are contrary to our historical understanding of the Christian faith, or which claim to add additions to the truth delivered by the Bible Prophets, Jesus Himself, and the Apostles! If Satan cannot keep us from believing in Jesus, he will try to twist the truth ever so slightly in an ingenious way, so as to move us away from the solid truths of God’s Word (2 Peter 3:11-16). Be on guard! Stay close to your God-given pastor and congregation! There are those people who will “twist” the Scriptures “to their own destruction,” and they want to drag you down with them (2 Peter 1:15-21).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, I’m well aware that the deceiver comes masquerading as an angel of light. Help me through Your Word and this blog to rip off his mask, and reveal to my heart, mind, and spirit the deceptive thoughts the enemy would plant in me. By Your grace, may I behold Your face, Lord Jesus. In You, I will see the One who is called “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and I will not be deceived. In Your Name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I was 18 years old when a book fell into my hands that captivated my attention, so much so that I shared its content with another young man to whom I had been witnessing about Jesus. I was hoping to lead him to receive Christ as his Saviour and Lord. After about a month, I noticed that we were talking more about the subject of the book than about Jesus. Alarm bells went off in me, and I threw the book away. I determined to never bring up the subject again. It was a kind of conspiracy theory which I later learned was a total lie. The enemy almost succeeded in sidetracking me from the main thing. This is one of the reasons I’ve always placed the words of “The Apostles Creed” in a prominent place at the entrance to our places of ministry, such as the Crossroads Centre in Burlington. The leaders of Christ’s Church, following the deaths of the Apostles, faced the so-called “angel of light” again and again. Therefore, they gathered leaders from all over the world and came to an agreement on every word in that statement. They fasted and prayed over every word. This creed was set up as if written in stone, like the Ten Commandments of Moses. The deceptions and arrogance of Satan and his false teachers have dashed against this strong rock but have been unable to move it. It is the summary of what was believed and taught by the Apostles (click here for “The Apostles Creed”).

Yours for holding firmly to the “Truth once delivered,”

David