Three Deadly Lies Satan Wants You to Believe
Have you ever been deceived? We all have at some point. But there's one deceiver who has been perfecting his craft since the beginning of time. Jesus described him perfectly in John 8:44, saying, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."
Today, I want to expose three deadly lies Satan wants you to believe—lies that could cost you everything.
Lie #1: You Have a Long Life to Live
One of Satan's most effective deceptions is convincing us we have plenty of time. The truth? None of us knows how much time we have.
James 4:14 reminds us, "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow, for what is your life? It is even as a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away." Your life is like steam rising from a kettle—here briefly, then gone.
Throughout my 45 years of ministry, I discovered something surprising: I've buried as many young people as old people. Statistics show that between 12,000 and 14,000 teenagers die every year in America. The three leading causes? Suicide, drugs/alcohol, and accidents.
"The old must die, but the young may die also," I often say. Hebrews 9:27 confirms, "It is appointed unto man once to die." God has determined your days. Job 14:5 says, "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou has appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."
Lie #2: You Can Play with Sin and Not Get Hurt
Satan loves to whisper that you can dabble in sin without consequences. But Proverbs 6:27-28 asks, "Can a man take fire into his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned?" The answer is obvious.
Consider these prevalent sins:
Pornography - One out of every three computers and phones turned on daily will visit a pornographic site. You cannot fill your mind with these images without being negatively affected.
Sexual immorality - Proverbs 6:32 warns, "But whoso committeth adultery lacketh understanding; he that doth it destroyeth his own soul." God designed sexuality for marriage, and deviating from His plan leaves scars.
Alcohol - Proverbs 23:29-32 describes the consequences: "Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions?... They that tarry long at the wine... At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder."
Remember these truths about all sin:
- Sin will take you farther than you ever intended on going.
- Sin will keep you longer than you ever intended on staying.
- Sin will cost you more than you ever intended on paying.
Lie #3: You Can Get Saved Anytime You Want
Perhaps Satan's most dangerous lie is that there's no urgency to salvation. Jesus said in John 6:44, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." Salvation requires the Holy Spirit's drawing, which isn't available on demand.
I remember inviting four teenagers to church. During the invitation, all four raised their hands indicating they weren't saved but wanted to be. When I approached them afterward, they said, "Not today, preacher. We're going to the beach... We'll come back next Sunday." Those four boys died in a car accident less than two miles from our church when an 18-wheeler ran a stoplight.
Every time God speaks to your heart about salvation and you say "no," you become a little harder toward the gospel. "The same sun that melts the butter hardens the clay."
Putting It Into Practice
- Recognize life's brevity - Live each day with eternity in mind, not assuming tomorrow is guaranteed.
- Flee from sin - When temptation comes, remember Ephesians 5:11: "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
- Respond to God's call immediately - If you feel the Holy Spirit drawing you to salvation, don't delay. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
What is God speaking to you about today? Whatever it is, don't listen to Satan's lies. Respond to God's truth while you have the opportunity.
