Most of us are typically either deceived or accused. It goes back to the garden. Satan deceived Adam and Eve by accusing God of holding out on them. When they sinned, they felt accused and guilt-ridden because they believed Satan’s lie and disobeyed God.
It’s Satan’s compounding interest. He sows so little and reaps so much in return when we choose to disobey God’s very specific directions.
Habitually Deceived
My husband (Russ) and I used to joke that he was deceived and I was accused. As a predominantly “I” type personality on the DISC profile assessment scale, his default is to charge full-speed ahead into any and every situation without considering the consequences or outcome. It’s easy to see how Satan could more easily deceive my husband about the consequences of his actions.
Like most married couples, Russ and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum. I’m predominantly a “C” type personality. The “C” doesn’t stand for codependent. It means I’m cautious to a fault. I gather all the facts and check every detail before I take a step forward. Bottom line, I’m a perfectionist. Satan loves my weakness—a fear of criticism—so he attacks me by accusing me about everything in my life that isn’t quite up to scratch.
Lies vs. Truth
The problem with both of Satan’s ploys—deceiving and accusing—is that they are both lies. Why should we expect anything different from the Father of Lies (John 8:44)?
Jesus does neither. In fact, his goal is just the opposite. He wants us to obey the truth by discerning his voice over Satan’s siren call (John 10:5), and he wants to free us from the burden of accusations (Colossians1:22).
He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30
The way we distinguish deceit or accusations from truth, and the way we can be truly free of both, is by hearing or reading the gospel (Romans 10:17) and by clinging with a death-grip to what Jesus taught (John 8:31-32). That’s because the consequences of letting go or drifting away are so dire.
