Guarding Against Deception     Apostle Barbara Wentroble

We are living in a time of great stress, confusion and evil schemes of the enemy. How important it is during these times for believers to be on guard against the wiles of Satan. Deception is a major tool of the enemy to get believers off track and cause them to miss the best that the Lord has planned for their lives. But know this, that in the last days perilous times (times of stress) will come…But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived (2Tim. 3:1, 13).

To protect ourselves so we are not caught in the trap of deception, we need to guard ourselves in several areas. One of the major areas to shield is subjective impressions. So many times believers use feelings to determine if something is from the Lord. Feelings can deceive you! Often we find people who will only prophesy when they have a certain feeling. Feelings can come from our sinful nature or from our biased minds. There are other methods that need to be used to determine if the feeling is from the Lord.

Another area that can lead a person into deception is to believe that the human leader is infallible. We are to pray for our leaders and to honor them. However, any leader is still a human being. Believers need to check out all teachings against the Word of God. The Bible contains words that are without error. All prophecies, teachings and messages must be in harmony with God’s Word.

Supernatural signs and wonders are not a guarantee of emanating from God. The enemy is able to counterfeit true supernatural manifestations. Anyone who accepts everything supernatural as being from God is positioned to succumb to deception.

How sad that many churches today do not have instructive classes for the members. Without a proper foundation of the Bible, we are vulnerable to deception. How thankful I am for reputable Christian book stores and magazines that help the Body of Christ to be filled with truth and to mature. We must arm ourselves with God’s truth in this hour. Do not neglect to study the Word of God and avail yourself of the many assets available to believers today.

We are a blessed generation to have resources that help us guard against deception! I am writing a book that will help the Body of Christ remain strong in the day of deception and the schemes of the enemy. My prayer for you is that you will finish your race strong! Your alignment with IbM helps us to not only guard you but also to provide resources that can be placed into the hands of believers around the world. Together, we will see the glorious Church arise and defeat the powers of the enemy.

Barbara Wentroble