Exposing Evil: Satan The Deceiver

In this insightful episode of The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast, we delve deep into the timeless struggle between truth and deception, a battle that began with that age-old question, "Did God really say?" Hosted by Dr. Andrew Farley, this podcast takes you on a journey through biblical narratives and themes that have the power to transform your faith. We explore the initial encounter in the Garden of Eden, where Satan's cunning words aimed to cast doubt on God's promises, leading to the seeds of deception and sin. Join us as we uncover the tactics of the adversary and how we can arm ourselves with the enduring truth.

Sign up for free devotionals on each episode at https://www.HeartbeatOfFaith.com 

In a world filled with lies and deception, this episode underscores the importance of arming ourselves with the truth found in God's Word. Just as Jesus combated Satan's lies with unwavering truth, we too are called to stand firm. The truth has the power to break the chains of deceit that bind us, whether they are self-constructed or imposed by others. As we uncover the lies that have ensnared us, we can find freedom and redemption in the liberating words of Jesus. Join us on this inspiring journey of self-discovery and renewal, and let the truth of God's Word set you free.

 

Download the Pray.com app today to experience the vivid revelation of God's divine presence through cinematic storytelling, guided by the influence of the Holy Spirit.

For more encouragement in God's grace visit AndrewFarley.org.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let us pray. Jesus therefore said to those Jews who
had believed him, if you remain in my word, then
you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth,
and the truth will make you free. John Chapter eight,
Verses thirty one and thirty two. Dear Lord, I know

(00:22):
that you alone hold the ultimate truth. The world is
riddled with lies and deception that seek to imprison me,
but your truth has set me free. Your truth is
implanted in my heart. With it, I can combat the
enemy's lies and enjoy the freedom you bought for me
on Calvary. Thank you for the truth of the Gospel

(00:44):
that is so liberating and empowering. I love you Jesus
in your name. Amen, thank you for praying with me today.
Now discover the profound intricacies of scripture through prey dot
COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with doctor Andrew Farley.

(01:05):
Stay tuned after this quick word from our responsors. America's
federal debt just reached thirty three trillion dollars, and many
economists predict the weight of this crippling debt load will
soon topple the whole financial system. Concerned Americans are diversifying
their assets into physical gold with the help of Birch

(01:26):
Gold Group. If you want a physical asset held an
attack sheltered retirement account, you should call Birch Gold too,
but learn for yourself. Text the word heartbeat to nine
eight nine eight nine eight and they'll send you a
free info kit on gold. If you have an IRA
or a four oh one K from a previous employer
just gathering dust, Birch Gold can help you convert it

(01:48):
into an IRA in gold and you don't have to
pay a penny out of pocket. Text Heartbeat to the
number nine eight nine eight nine eight to claim your
free info kit on gold. There's no cost or obligation,
so do it now. Text Heartbeat to nine eight nine
eight nine eight.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
It all began with a question, didn't it? Did God
really say? If Satan could get them to question God's goodness,
then he had won. That tiny seed of deception could
grow out of control, resulting in doubt and sin.

Speaker 3 (02:36):
While God spoke life into existence, the serpent spoke death.
His words directed towards Eve. Trying to twist and deceive.
He approached her saying, did God really say you could
not eat from any tree in the garden?

Speaker 2 (02:54):
Hello? I'm doctor Andrew Farley with today's episode of the
Heartbeat of Faith podcast. We're journeying through parts of the
Bible to highlight themes, ideas, and motifs in scripture. This week,
we've sought to expose evil during a week that is
typically dedicated to darkness. Our last episode discussed Satan's fall

(03:19):
from heaven and his destructive mission to turn people away
from God. Today, we expose his lies and seek to
gird ourselves with the truth. Satan has been employing the
same tactic since the beginning. He aims to draw us
away from the truth of Christ by using lies. He

(03:42):
began this work in the garden of Eden, enticing Eve
with deception.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
Yet in the garden there was a lurking evil in
the form of a serpent. He was crafty and the
deceitful messenger to determined to lure man away from God's
loving presence. While God spoke life into existence, the serpent
spoke death. His words directed towards Eve, trying to twist

(04:13):
and deceive. He approached her saying, did God really say
you could not eat from any tree in the garden?
Eve replied, we may eat of the fruit of the
trees in the garden. However, God instructed us not to
eat of the fruit of the tree of good and evil,
nor shall we touch it lest we die. The serpent,

(04:37):
knowing that pride was the path away from God, said,
you will not surely die. God knows that when you
eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you
will be like him, knowing all good and evil. This
enticed Eve and has enticed humanity for all generations after her.

(04:58):
The possibility of being our own gods has directed the
path of evil for thousands of years.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
It all began with a question, didn't it? Did God
really say? If Satan could get them to question God's goodness,
then he had won. That tiny seed of deception could
grow out of control, resulting in doubt and sin. The
ultimate lie is that we can be our own gods.

(05:29):
We can take control of the world around us and
bend it to our will. Satan even tried to entice
Jesus with this. When Jesus's ministry began, Satan met with
him and sought to tempt him to take matters into
his own hands instead of carrying out the father's will.

Speaker 3 (05:54):
What good is the son of God if he cannot
feed himself. Why not just make these stones into prik.
Surely you are able. Jesus was fully God and fully man,
so the human side of him hurt from hunger. However,
he would not be swayed. Man does not live by
bread alone, he said, but every word that pours forth

(06:15):
from the voice of God. Satan spat and took Jesus
up into a high place to gaze at the kingdom
of the earth. You see those kingdoms, Jesus, Look at
those people. They are ready to be ruled, to be conquered.
I am in the ears of every king in the world.
If you bow to me, all of it shall be yours.

(06:36):
Satan's words were soft and cunning, However they dripped with poison.
Jesus turned away and looked deeply into the angel's eyes.
It is written you shall worship God, and God alone.
Only he is worthy to serve, he said. Jesus's voice
was strong and resolute. Growing angry, Satan took Jesus to

(07:00):
the edge of the mighty Temple. Below there were thousands
of people. He had Jesus gaze upon the multitudes. He
whispered softly in Jesus's ears, saying If you truly are
the son of God, why not throw yourself over. Surely
the angels will come to your rescue. They will see
it too. The people, they will see your glory. Jesus

(07:23):
looked down at the people below. He did not need
them to watch a spectacle. He wanted their hearts to
turn towards him and be saved from their own sin.
You shall not test the Lord your God, Jesus said.
His last answer was a rebuke as well, so Satan
crawled back into the shadows.

Speaker 2 (07:44):
Jesus combated the lies of Satan with the truth of
God's word. You and I are called to do the same.
The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
can cut through lies and empower us to set our
mind on the truth. It's the truth of the Gospel
we can stand on. But humanity has always struggled to

(08:07):
believe there's one truth.

Speaker 3 (08:14):
So you are a king, Pilot asked again, this time
with more genuine intrigue in his voice. Jesus answered, again,
you say that I am a king for this purpose.
I was born to testify to the truth. Those who
hear the truth hear me too. Pilot, confused yet deeply engaged,

(08:38):
asked Jesus another question, what is truth?

Speaker 2 (08:43):
Since Jesus's mission was to testify to the truth that
sets us free, it stands to reason that Satan's mission
is to testify to the lies that keep us in bondage.
What are the lies that we believe that keep us
in bondage? Sometimes it's a prison of our own making,
but other times it's a prison of lies built by

(09:07):
the enemy. Jesus wants the truth to set us free.

Speaker 3 (09:12):
Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him,
if you remain in my word, then you are truly
my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth
will make you free. John eight thirty one through thirty two.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
Jesus said the truth would set us free, and he
himself is the embodiment of that truth. It's not just
generic truth, but the specific truths about Jesus Christ that
bring us freedom. Through him, we're set free from guilt, condemnation, fear,
and so much more. The Gospel is the most powerful

(09:55):
message on the planet, designed to liberate us from the
bond of lies and deception. In the war of ideas
that is spiritual warfare, the enemy can only lie to
us but we have the right to reject those lies
and set our minds on the truth of the Gospel.

(10:17):
One of the lies is that our forgiveness is progressive
dold out in portions, but the truth is that we're
completely and totally forgiven because of the Cross. Another lie
is that we have to work to get closer to God,
but the truth is that we're already united with Christ.

(10:39):
Another lie is that we'll have to answer for all
of our sins at the day of judgment, but the truth,
John writes is that we can have confidence on that
day because we're as safe as Jesus himself. These are
just a few examples of how the truth about God's
grace sets us free. It's crucial to understand the importance

(11:03):
of what we believe and choose to think. We have
a choice, just like Adam and Eve did. Let's not
be fooled by the enemy's sales pitch, questioning God's goodness
and listening to Satan's lies. Instead, let's move forward fully
believing that God is good and that he's not holding

(11:26):
out on us. The truth about God, which is found
in the person of Jesus Christ, always sets us free,
So let's not let the enemy gain any foothold in
our thinking. Let's embrace the truth about Jesus and experience real,
lasting freedom in him. Thank you for listening to today's

(11:49):
Heartbeat of Faith podcast. If you enjoyed today's episode or
learn something new about the Bible, share it with a
friend or family member. Load thepray dot com app, and
for more encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrew Farley dot org.
That's Andrew Farley dot org.