DECEPTION

Deceit of the Mind is Created by Degrees

Satan's greatest strategy is to deceive our minds. Here a little, there a little he uses the many voices in the world today to plant seeds of deception until our ears are deaf to the words of truth found in the Bible.

Father God was very aware of this subtle strategy of the enemy that is why he cautioned us in the book of Romans; chapter 12, verse 2, to daily renew our minds. Every day our minds are being saturated with negative words and thoughts from worldly influences. Consequently, we must daily was our minds with the word of God to be able to know what is true and believable.

We are warned in God's word that the enemy comes dressed in costume as an angel of light, when in reality he is the prince of darkness and destruction. Especially in this hour of the church, we believers need to take heed to every word of doctrine we hear and test and try it with the word of God. We are what we think. A believer must take control of his/her mind and guard his/her thoughts. I we cannot conform our mind to God's will, we will be taken captive by satan.

2 Timothy 2:26:

"And that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will."

The Virtue and Power of Patience

James 1:3-4

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

• Many times I do not want to be patient. I want prayer to hurry up and be answered. I don't want to wait like Hannah for years for my answer, but God... He knows that only to the patient observer does nature reveal her secrets. Like the patient squirrel cracking a nut, or the cat stalking and waiting for its prey, and forget not the ant.

• In my study of scripture I came across the formula for developing patience. First faith,(in time of persecutions and tribulations), then suffering, then endurance produces the fruit to fulfill the promise of God. The weeds of impatience rob me of the promise every time. Fear is a weed. Fear gives the devil power to rob me of my blessings. In proportion to my faithfulness to God's word will be the development of my patience.

Luke 21:19 "In your patience possess your soul."

• Set patience as a guard to keep out all fear, doubt, discouragement, and negative thoughts from the enemy. Put on the full armour of God, Ephesians 6:10-18, and stand in victory.