God's Word tells us that Satan is both a deceiver and a liar and the truth is not in him (2 Thess. 2:9-10; Rev. 12:9; John 8:44). He would like for us to believe that he is all-powerful, but the truth is, his power is limited to his deception.

Satan takes Scripture out of context in his effort to deceive people into believing it is not God's will for them to be saved, healed, blessed, or prosperous here on earth. His ultimate deception is to present truth as error and error as truth, for either will hold you in bondage.

But Jesus gave us the key to freedom from this kind of bondage in John 8:31-32,

…If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The apostle Paul said,

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
(2 Tim. 2:15 AMP)

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes, And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
(vv. 23-26)

There are many people today who are unaware that they are opposing themselves by what they believe. Being willing to accept truth and believe the Gospel is the cure for deception.

Beware of False Truth
I want to expose some ideas and some beliefs that oppose the well-being of many people who tend to read things between the lines that are not in the context of the Scriptures.

The thought may have originated when they read certain Scriptures in the Bible, but we shouldn't fall for what I call "false truths."

A false truth is a statement that is in the Bible that has been accurately recorded but when used or quoted out of context, it is not true at all. It was true in the situation stated but when quoted out of context it is a false statement.

This is how many people are deceived and it causes lot of problems in their lives; they take Scripture out of its context. For instance, it's true the apostle Paul made the statement in Romans 8:28: "…all things work together for good…."

But that statement is true only when kept in the context of the other things that Paul said in the preceding verses; otherwise, it is a false statement because all things don't always work together for good. Yet, many people believe they do; therefore, they fail to resist the various things the devil brings against them.

They are convinced it is God's way of working things for their good and that is not always the case. Although the statement conveys a truth, it is not the truth when used as a complete statement by itself.

We could say this about any statement in the Bible: it is true that it is recorded in the Bible, but it is not necessarily the truth quoted out of context.

For there are lies recorded in the Bible. The Spirit of God inspired the writer to include in the Scriptures some lies that people told, so we would know the truth about their spiritual condition. It is also a warning to us not to follow in their footsteps.

Ananias and Sapphira said, "Yes, we sold the land for so much." But they didn't sell the land for that amount. That statement was a lie (Acts 5:1-5).

It is true that they said that, and it is accurately recorded in the Bible; but what they said was not true at all. You will find there are other statements in the Bible recorded in the same manner.

These are given by inspiration of God for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness. As Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Instruct Those Who Oppose Themselves
Notice what Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:25, "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves…." There are many good Christians—and I'm talking about people who love God with all their heart—who oppose themselves by the way they talk, the way they believe, and by the way they act.

Paul said to instruct them. He didn't say to get mad at them. He didn't say to get in strife over it. We shouldn't get in strife because someone doesn't believe what we believe.

We have to remember that we were there at one time. We didn't always believe what we believe now. Some of you reading this information won't have the same belief when you have finished reading it, "for the entrance of Word brings light" (Ps. 119:130). When you understand that, you will have mercy on other people who don't understand it now.

We shouldn't put people down because they don't agree with the Word, for many of them just can't see it right now. When you come out of a dark building into the sunlight you have to squint because your eyes have been accustomed to darkness. When exposed to bright light, you have to squint for a while until your eyes become adjusted to greater light.

It is like that concerning the truth and light of the Word of God.

Source: The Messenger of Satan by Charles Capps
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers