One day, as I was changing money in Pakistan, the guy behind the counter handed me an American $100 bill and asked me what I thought of it.  I examined it as well as I knew how and said that it looked real to me.  The size, color, writing, texture and even the smell were just like real money.  “No,” he smiled.  “It’s counterfeit.”

Counterfeiters don’t print up fake money on a 3 X 5 index card with orange and blue ink. For the deceit to work they must craft their counterfeit bills as close to the real thing as they possibly can.

When the devil deceives us, he does it in the same way. He is the lord of the lies and he crafts his counterfeit message so well that, when you are listening to Satan, you can end up doing it his way, still believing that you are actually doing what God wants you to do.

But it’s not all the devil’s fault. The sin nature is generated from within us so that Satan is already working with a like-minded partner; you, me and every other human.

“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come–sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”  Mark 7:2-23

God speaks a message to the Spirit inside of us, but Satan counters with a counterfeit. Our own nature of flesh then steps in. He really wants the counterfeit to be legitimate, in fact, to protect us from the dangerous things that God wants us to believe and do, our ego thinks that it needs the counterfeit to be legitimate. So, we accept the counterfeit, we avert our eyes from the truth, and we ignorantly get to work on the counterfeit agenda that Satan has handed us.

For example, God could tell us that our luxuries our bad for us.

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.” Luke 6:24-25

He could tell us to sell our goods to give to the poor.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.” Luke 12:32-33

But a voice from Satan speaks to our flesh nature saying something like, “These verses don’t apply to you. You demonstrate your honor to God by attending church and by being a good person.”

Main point: Satan is putting a spin on the things that God is telling you.

So what? Listen to the truth behind that spin and obey, so that you can fulfill God’s real purpose for your life.