Truth is constantly under attack. Deceivers hide it, bury it, distort it, deny it, and deflect attention away from it. They can’t destroy the truth, but they can make people believe their lies.
False prophets, false teachers, false apostles, false messiahs
Jesus warned about false prophets and false messiahs. They may look like one of you, but inside, they are like ferocious wolves. You will know them by their fruit. A bad tree can not bear good fruit.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly, they are ferocious wolves.
Matthew 7:15
When the disciples asked Jesus about the end times, he warned that even the elect (God’s chosen) might be deceived by false prophets and false messiahs.
For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:24
Deceit has eternal consequences.
Jesus knew that not everyone who would claim to be his follower is a true disciple. False Christians may fool other people, but they can’t fool Jesus. The danger in pretending to be righteous is that when your time comes, Jesus will say, “Get away from me. I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23)
The Apostle Paul also warned that people would masquerade as apostles of Christ.
For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:13
Peter wrote that deceivers will “introduce destructive heresies,” teachings that go against Christ’s teaching. In our times, these heresies include the “prosperity gospel” and religious nationalism.
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2 Peter 2:1
The coming of the lawless one
The Apostle Paul warned that the man of lawlessness will be a deceiver. He will exalt himself above everything and everyone. He will oppose everything that God is for.
Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
The lawless one will have many tricks up his sleeve – “all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.” Those who will perish under his reign will be under a powerful delusion that causes them to believe the lie. There will be something in their character that allows them to be deceived. They won’t love the truth. They will delight in wickedness.
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
No one knows when Jesus will return. That is why Jesus told us to keep watch. Be ready now.
A powerful delusion
The prophecy that makes me especially vigilant right now is the powerful delusion that causes people to turn away from the faith. In the last decade, I have seen Christians unashamedly contort themselves to support words and behavior that are anti-Christ. Why can’t they see deceivers for who they are?
Watch out for words and behavior that do not reflect the heart of God. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God. Seek the kingdom of God, not the kingdoms of man.
Innermost Being 