TRINITY CHRISTIAN CENTER CHURCH BLOG HOME
THE COMING GREAT DECEPTION PART 1 (REVELATION SERIES)
THE COMING GREAT DECEPTION OUTLINE
In Matthew 24:4, Jesus begins His prophecy of the “End of the Age,” by cautioning His disciples to “take heed that you’re not deceived.” Satan has some very big plans to destroy a great deal of God’s beloved due to his own wrath at being cast out of Heaven and his impending eternal doom.
2. In order for there to be a Great Deception, there must be a large group of the Earth’s population who are vulnerable to such a deception. From the beginning of the world until now…it has never been easier to deceive large groups of people around the world, because of media. Television, radio, written formats and Internet are all easily accessible the world over. Satan will use these formats to introduce and propagate his lies and to set up his short-lived kingdom.
3. We are seeing before our very eyes the media being used to promote the ‘agendas’ of certain people or groups of people. Christians must become aware that much of what they read, see or hear is meant to lure them into certain mindsets and beliefs. Paul warned about this in 2 Corinthians 10, in regards to ‘arguments,’ and ‘false knowledge,’ and how they can easily become ‘strongholds’ in our minds…deceiving us.
4. One of the hardest things to accept is that Satan will use this deception upon people, dividing many into warring factions against each other. According to Jesus, these ‘belief divisions’ can and will even affect some families. (Matthew 24:10, Luke 12:53). Even as of this writing our own country is being heavily divided by the media. We see issues such as race relations, religious freedoms, and unfettered immigration talked about daily. There are those who want America to retain it’s independence and values, while others want to be ‘globalistic’ and embrace the world as one…assimilating all belief systems into one melting pot. These divisions make Satan’s job of ‘Divide and Conquer,’ very easy.
5. In Revelation, chapters 12-14, we see the rise of “The Dragon,” “The Beast,” and “The Enforcer.” The Dragon is Satan…The Beast is the False Christ, and The Enforcer is the one who forces the world to accept The Beast. At first, the Beast will appear as a man of peace and power, promising to make the world a wonderful place again. Millions will fall for this deception. Later, he will grow more bold, beginning to openly challenge God and making war against those who continue to follow God. Then his “Enforcer” will force people to submit to The Beast by declaring loyalty to him, verbally or with a mark upon their person….The Mark of the Beast.
6. These events will take place over a 3.5 year period, before Christ returns to go to war against The Beast and his Enforcer. It will appear for a time, that there is no defeating him, but faith and patience will save those here at the time.
7. Deception happens easiest, when people are dissatisfied and want a new thing…one that is promised to make their lives better and easier. Those who have lived hard and wanting lives are the most vulnerable. Those who live in poverty, crime-ridden areas, etc. They are looking for a savior…not knowing that it is Satan and evil people who keep them in that situation.
8. Deception also happens when those who would oppose it have fallen asleep and do not recognize what is happening around them, or deny it in favor of living a pipe-dream that isn’t realistic. When people do recognize some of what’s going on, Satan has instituted certain weapons to silence them. Being called racist, xenophobic and so forth, leaves many people afraid to speak of their fears of what they see happening around them.
9. I once heard a lyric that said, “Complacency is a poison, taken one drop at a time…it fools our minds into believing, everything is just fine.” The same is true of deception. It doesn’t happen overnight but long-term. It has already been happening for several years now. Satan has been setting the world up for a final showdown between himself and God.
10. If we believe the Bible and what Jesus said, we must accept His truth as our our truth and become lovers of that truth. To speak out against the deception we see is dangerous to our earthly lives, but eternal lives are hanging get in the balance.
by Reydon Stanford
Senior Pastor
Trinity Christian Center Church
Muleshoe, TX