Whether it's a dubious marketing offer in a supermarket, a heavily embellished house description on a property sales website or the face-to-face lies of a close friend, we all have experience of being deceived.
Falling victim to deception doesn't just risk us losing our cash, it also poses a great danger to our physical, emotional and spiritual health. Deceptive people, products and promises usually lure us in with false prospects and then leave us feeling betrayed and dejected once we uncover the truth or suffer the consequences of the lies we've been told.
Being duped is made all the more possible when we have little or no knowledge of the subject. For example, if our awareness of God's word is lacking, we are open to being tricked into thinking that we're worthless and can subsequently neglect looking after ourselves and fail to accept that we are loved and valued.
If we have an inaccurate understanding of who God is because of what we've been told by untrustworthy people, when He doesn't do the expected, because our expectations are based on untruths, we can feel let down, confused and tempted to turn away from Him.
When people deceive us it's usually for their own gain. They might want to make a profit from us by convincing us to part with our hard earned cash, instigate our misfortunes to peddle their own agenda or just withhold the truth from us because they don't have our best interests at heart.
The devil works in a similar way, trying to rob and steal our peace and joy, and destroy our relationship with God, all based on untruths because our view of God or knowledge of the Bible and what Jesus accomplished for us is incomplete.
Thankfully, God does want the best for us and that's why He sent His Son Jesus - "the way and the truth and the life," (John 14:6) - to set us free. We can't trust all the agents of information that we obtain, but we can always trust in God and His word.
Here are some biblical truths to help you spot those who are trying to deceive you and prepare yourself to deal with lies.
1 John 4:1 – Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Romans 16:17-18 – I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
Colossians 2:8 – See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
Galatians 6:7-8 – Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
2 Timothy 3:5 – Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
