Deactivating Deception

I was talking with a friend yesterday and he brought up an interesting concept that I think helps shed some light into our darkness and pour some truth on our lies as men.

We all understand and know our “hidden sins” or “secret sins.” With those, few people know or maybe no one knows, but the one certainty is that we know. I know mine. You know yours. It is no secret to me, or you.

Here’s the new twist. What might be an issue or area where the enemy has so duped us that we don’t see it? It is a secret even to our own conscience. We’re doing it, we’re thinking it, we’re sinning in it, but we don’t see it. If we understand spiritual warfare at all, we know Satan is most definitely capable of deceiving us on that level and Scripture is clear that our own hearts are deceptive to us.

Here’s some examples . . .

We work hard to reflect humility about a certain area, but there is actually a deep pride about the level of humility we portray.

We work at, talk about, and practice a hard line of proper stewardship, but in actuality, it is disguised greed, stinginess, and a lack of generosity.

We work hard at being self-sufficient, but it translates into control and a lack of submission to the Lord.

We work hard at keeping our head down and plowing ahead, but in reality we are deathly afraid of God bringing change.

We work hard to appear stoic and all-together, when truthfully we believe we have little value with nothing worth being heard.

We go on about the desire to take care of our family, when it’s a cover-up for staying at the office and finding more value in our jobs.

That’s enough examples. You get it. We can close doors to rooms in our souls, then we stand in front of them, trying to distract with a good show. The only One Who knows what’s behind the door, and what to do with what’s in that room, is our Father.

My friend said he prayed for the Lord to reveal anything that was hidden, even from himself. He said God revealed an area to Him that, upon understanding, vastly improved his life and faith walk.

Sounds like a good prayer that we should all pray.

People cannot see their own mistakes, so don’t let me commit secret sins. Don’t let me do what I know is wrong. Don’t let sin control me. 
If you help me, I can be pure and free from sin. —Psalm 19:12-13 ERV