Even Jesus had deception presented to him when he was in the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the devil.
Deception starts in the mind. Which brings me to today’s scripture.
How do you read the following passage?
James 1:12-18 (ESV)
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Where do you put v16? When I memorized this chapter, and even in reading it, I have always associated verse 16 as the intro into verse 17. “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above…“
Last night it hit me. What if verse 16 is the concluding thought of verses 12-15? That totally changes the way it reads. The word tempted is pierazo which implies an aspect of testing what one thinks. The word desire in verse 15 is a synonym for the word pathos which means an affliction of the mind.
If deception starts in the mind by believing something not in line with the Word of God, then wouldn’t that lead to a basis on which I could fall to temptation?
2 Cor 10:4-5 (Amplified)
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),
Every thought captive… that would ensure we are not deceived, which keeps us from falling to temptation.
What does it look like to take every thought captive?
Running After Papa…