How can we guard against deception like in Ezekiel 21:23 today? The Warning in Ezekiel 21:23 “ ‘It will seem like a false omen in their eyes, but they have sworn oaths to the contrary. Yet He will bring their guilt to remembrance, so that they will be captured.’ ” Why Deception Finds an Opening • Self-confidence that dismisses God’s word (Proverbs 14:12) • Broken commitments that dull the conscience (Hebrews 3:13) • Selective hearing—preferring messages that fit desires (2 Timothy 4:3-4) • Ignoring past sin, which blinds the present (Psalm 36:1-2) Guardrails Against Deception Today • Anchor every belief in Scripture. Compare every message with the whole counsel of God (Acts 17:11; Colossians 2:8). • Cultivate a tender conscience—swift confession keeps guilt from piling up and clouding discernment (1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5). • Keep covenant faithfulness in everyday choices. Small compromises train the heart to excuse larger ones (Luke 16:10). • Stay alert to spiritual warfare; deception is Satan’s primary tactic (2 Corinthians 11:3). • Walk in the Spirit; He guides into all truth (John 16:13; Galatians 5:16). Practical Habits for Daily Vigilance • Read and meditate on the Word—“I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). • Test every spirit—“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). • Pursue accountable fellowship; honest believers sharpen one another (Proverbs 27:17; Hebrews 10:24-25). • Practice obedient action; truth applied is truth retained (James 1:22-25). • Pray for discernment; the Lord delights to grant wisdom (James 1:5; Philippians 1:9-10). Living in Truth When the heart is soft, the Word is central, and obedience is immediate, deception loses its grip. Staying close to the Lord and His unchanging Scripture keeps us from dismissing His warnings as “false omens” and secures us in the freedom of His truth (John 8:31-32). |
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