Satan’s Last Day Deceptions

For 6000 years Satan has deceived the people, therefore he has become very skilful in his deceptions. Now he knows also that his time is short, therefore he is working harder than ever to deceive, if possible, the very elect.

The target of his attacks is the people of God – you and me. He knows the human nature and the weaknesses of each one of us, and consequently these are the points in which he is tempting us especially.

The world belongs to him. Sinners are his captives. The lukewarm professors of religion are his victims. They are tempted by their own inclinations and by their lusts and passions that are imbedded in their flesh. But the honest souls that are struggling to overcome sin he tries to deceive especially the ones who are involved in the soul saving work.

At the same time, while Satan has become more skillful in his deceptions, the human race has become weaker mentally and physically. Satan has found that he is more successful in deceiving the people with false religion than with atheism. He is offering eternal life with less sacrifice and self-denial than what the word of God teaches. Therefore he is hiding under the garb of Christianity.

“We are approaching the end of this earth’s history, and Satan is working as never before. He is striving to act as director of the Christian world. With an intensity that is marvelous he is working with his lying wonders. Satan is represented as walking about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He desires to embrace the whole world in his confederacy. Hiding his deformity under the garb of Christianity, he assumes the attributes of a Christian, and claims to be Christ Himself.” Last Day Events p. 155

HERESIES

So easily Satan has deceived the churches to believe an error. The great confusions in the popular churches are the result of Satan’s deception. There are over 1000 different churches in the world, and they all teach something different, and not one even by accident has learned the truth of the Bible.

So often a church of God in the past has fallen into false teachings and heresies, that God has had to call His honest children out of it and establish a new church from them. The one church that God has in this world is still holding on to the truth, but Satan is constantly trying to introduce errors into its teachings. Members and even the leaders are often confused and try to introduce false teachings into the Church of God. Therefore we must be co.’-iantly watching for them and lift up the banner of truth that no honest soul would be led away by some heresies.

“We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world. Unbelievers have a right to expect that those who profess to be keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, will do more than any other class to promote and honor, by their consistent lives, by their godly example and their active influence, the cause which they represent. But how often have the professed advocates of the truth proved the greatest obstacle to its advancement! The unbelief indulged, the doubts expressed, the darkness cherished, encourage the presence of evil angels, and open the way for the accomplishment of Satan’s devices.” 1 SM p. 12.2

SIN

The reason for spiritual blindness is sin. Sin in its many forms grieves the Holy Spirit: and fnally He will leave the soul to the deceptions that he loves. A professed Christian can put on a pious front, but behind there can be hidden sins which God only sees.
“The strongest bulwark of vice in our world is not the iniquitous life of the abandoned sinner or the degraded outcast; it is that life which otherwise appears virtuous, honourable, and noble, but in which one sin is fostered, one vice indulged. ..Genius, talent, sympathy, even generous and kindly deeds, may thus become decoys of Satan to entice souls over the precipice of ruin,” Ed. P. 150
One sin in our life that is practiced can make us Satan’s agents to deceive others. This sin can be indulged appetite, gossiping, neglected duties, sensual thoughts or acts, idleness, evil speaking, love of amusement, and a thousand other things which people practice and which separates them from God.

EVIL ANGELS IN HUMAN FORM

To Eve Satan appeared in the form of a serpent to deceive her. Today Satan takes on human form to carry on his deceptions. We have no idea how often we have talked to a person who in reality was Satan appearing in human form.

“Satan will use every opportunity to seduce men from their allegiance to God. He and the angels who fell with him will appear on the earth as men, seeking to deceive. God’s angels also will appear as men, and will use every means in their power to defeat the purposes of the enemy.” Last Day Events p. 160

“Evil angels in the form of men will talk with those who know the truth. They will misinterpret and misconstrue the statements of the messengers of God.” 3 SM p. 411

“Evil angels in the form of believers will work in our ranks to bring in a strong spirit of unbelief. Let not even this discourage you, but bring a true heart to the help of the Lord against the powers of satanic agencies. These powers of evil will assemble in our meetings, not to receive a blessing, but to counterwork the influences of the Spirit of God.” 2 Mind, Character and Personality p. 504

When the church members come together to plan for the work of God, Satan in human form will disturb the meeting to discourage and to divide the believers.

MIRACLES DECEIVE

Satan will deceive many by the miracles that he is performing. Sick are healed, unknown tongues spoken, deceased relatives appear, and many other supernatural events will take place.

“For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matt. 24:24

“Men under the influence of evil spirits will work miracles. They will make people sick by casting their spell upon them, and will then remove the spell, leading others to say that those who were sick have been miraculously healed. This Satan has done again and again.” 2 SM p. 53

When a person professing religion performs a miracle, many automatically account it to God. Yet if this person does not obey the law of God, we know that it was the power of Satan that performed the miracle.

There is a difference in the miracles that God does and what Satan does.
When the early church received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they spoke with tongues that made everyone understand them. When Satan gives the gift of tongues no one understands, not even the person who is speaking.

FALSE REVIVALS

Many are deceived by false revivals. They are emotional experiences and people think that it is the work of the Holy Spirit.
“I saw that God has honest children among the nominal Adventists and the fallen churches, and before the plagues shall be poured out, ministers and people will be called out from these churches and will gladly receive the truth. Satan knows this; and before the loud cry of the third angel is given, he raises an excitement in these religious bodies, that those who have rejected the truth may think that God is with them.” EW p. 261

Satan is presenting the counterfeit revivals. There is much commotion, excitement, and emotional expression of feelings. These false revivals are the strong delusion which God allows to come upon those who did not love the truth. (2 Tess. 2: 10-12)
Also, these false revivals precede the latter rain which God has promised to His people. Because of them many will leave the church of God to join in these revivals.

SATAN PERSONATES CHRIST

“As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour’s advents as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation (Rev. 1:13-15). The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: ‘Christ has come! Christ has come!’

“The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him while he lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed the disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed.” GC p. 624

So powerful will be Satan’s deceptions in the last days that without the help of the Holy Spirit we cannot recognize nor escape them. We need the eyesalve which the Tue Witness to the Laodicean church is offering to us, to open our eyes to see them.
May the Lord help each one of us to escape these deceptions of Satan and have clear eyesight to see the Lord’s leading and remain loyal to Him.
AMEN