I Choose Not to Be Deceived

I Choose Not to Be Deceived

Scripture

Matthew 24:4 (KJV)

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.”

1 John 4:1 (KJV)

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:

because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

Ponder This

Deception is subtle. It rarely announces itself. It slips in through half-truths, emotions, pressure, fear, or the desire to please people. This is why Jesus’ first warning to His disciples in Matthew 24 wasn’t about war or famine - His first words were: “Take heed that no man deceive you.”

He knew deception would be one of the enemy’s strongest strategies. Not open rebellion… Not obvious sin…but deception - something that looks right, sounds right, or feels right, but is not truth.

John teaches us the same principle: don’t believe everything you hear. Test it. Discern it. Hold it up to the Word of God.

We choose not to be deceived because we choose to stay anchored in truth. We choose not to be deceived because we refuse to follow voices that do not align with scripture. We choose not to be deceived because Holy Spirit lives in us, and He leads us into all truth.

Deception loses its power when we slow down, listen, test, and discern.

It is not enough to be sincere - we must be Spirit-led. It is not enough to follow strong personalities -we follow Jesus. It is not enough to feel something, we must verify it with the Word.

Choosing not to be deceived is choosing to remain vigilant, watchful, and grounded in the truth of who Our Father is.

Declaration

I choose not to be deceived. I walk in truth, not confusion. I test every spirit, follow Holy Spirit, and anchor my life in the Word of God.

Prayer

Father, open our eyes and sharpen our discernment. Holy Spirit, thank You for revealing truth and exposing anything that is not in alignment with Our Father's will. We choose to yield ourselves to Your guidance: Guard our minds, guide our steps, and keep our hearts anchored in Your Word. We choose truth. We choose clarity. We choose not to be deceived. In the name of Jesus. Amen.