Deception

Satan uses a number of methods to deceive people. In Genesis 3:1 he used a serpent as a disguise to deceive Eve. His method was to question God's Word, "Has God indeed said." He tried to distort and cast doubt on what God said. He uses temptation to attempt to get one to act independently of God. He tempts people to go their own way and live life apart from God. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." When Satan tempted Jesus, he offered Jesus the world and material things. In Matthew 4:9-10 Satan said, "...All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, 'Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall worship. '". Satan makes phony promises like, "Do what I want and I'll make you happy", "I'll give you the best life you can have." He tempted Jesus with material happiness and phony promises and he will tempt you. He says things like, "God didn't say this" or "That was thousands of years ago and it doesn't apply to us". This is phony. God's Word says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried away with various and strange doctrines...", Hebrews 13: 9-10. Satan caused Eve to doubt God's Word and he is still using this method today through his deceit. He used a serpent to deceive Eve and he has a number of other ways to try to deceive us. He wants us to go our own way and leave God out of our lives.