Satan's deceptions are the real challenge. Most
Christian youth are mature enough to avoid the pitfalls the devil has laid out
to kill them. But when it comes to big fibs and little ones, the snares of
Satan are legion.
The instruments the devil uses to propagate his
lies are almost as numerous as the lies themselves: music, magazines, movies,
TV, radio, theater, newspapers, advertisements, video games, novels, textbooks,
professors, talk show hosts, sports celebrities, movie stars, acquaintances,
false prophets, well-meaning-but-misled preachers, and false religions and
cults—for starters. Oh, don't forget this: www.one-deep-pile-of-bunkum.com.
Understand
that the individuals the devil uses usually aren't monsters out to serve you a
fat, black lie. That would be too obvious. Instead, Satan sells his deceptions
packaged in the guise of nice people, mixed with as much truth as possible.
More powerful still, the lies people distribute on the devil's behalf are
generally convictions they sincerely accept. That's what makes Satan's scams so
believable. The more truth and sincerity your Enemy can mix with any given
deception, the more effective it becomes.
Even a good friend can be used to lead
you astray. She may have the best of intentions, but the suggestion "That
guy is perfect for you" may not come from God. If she goes on to insist
that "anything goes, as long as your love for each other is sincere,"
you can be certain your friend has swallowed a fat hook, one the devil
gleefully dangles in your face. The apostle Peter was used by Satan in an
attempt to deceive Jesus, the very person Peter longed to serve and follow
(Matthew 16:21-23).
It's no great exaggeration to say that the devil tries to "hook" you a thousand times a day
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