Don’t Be Deceived

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As children, we used to sing, “The Devil is a Sly Old Fox.” It was a fun song because we’d sing about putting him in a box, locking the lid, and throwing away the key—for all the tricks he’s played on me. While playful, that little song hinted at a deep truth: we have authority over evil through Christ (Luke 10:19, NIV). But what we weren’t aware of at the time is how subtle the enemy can be—using our own thoughts and good intentions to sneak in and rob, kill, and destroy the blessings God intends for us (John 10:10, NKJV).

It’s easy to see our need for Jesus’ redemption when we’ve clearly broken commandments. But the enemy doesn't just come after us when we're in obvious sin. He

often comes when we’re working diligently to please God—attending church, avoiding cursing or drinking, paying bills on time, tithing faithfully. Life seems great—right?

This is where the spirit of religion tries to sneak in. It often shows up through critical or judgmental thoughts, making us feel like we or others aren’t doing enough for God. How much damage has been done to the Gospel by this critical spirit that disguises itself as righteousness?

The devil loves to whisper that we’re falling short. We start pointing out others' flaws under the guise of “helping” or “correcting.” We say things like, “God sees everything you do in private,” not as a reminder of God’s mercy, but as a tool of shame. It becomes as if we’re trying to earn our salvation—or make others earn theirs.

But here’s the Good News: we will never be good enough on our own to earn a higher place in God’s Kingdom. Our standing with God doesn’t come from works, but from His grace through Jesus Christ.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
—Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV)

Our position depends fully on God’s place in our hearts. Do we put Him first in everything we do? Are we grateful for all the unseen ways He protects us—like near misses on the road or canceled plans that kept us safe?

God sees us through the righteous blood of Jesus. That blood covers our flaws and failures. When we truly rest in the finished work of Christ, we become humble, grateful, and aware of God’s daily mercies.

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”
—Titus 3:4–5 (NLT)

Because of His covenant with us, we can expect victories. We can speak to the mountains of evil and command them to move (Mark 11:23 KJV). We can expect blessings to overtake us—not because we’ve earned them, but because we’re walking in covenant obedience and love.

So when we’re tempted to feel superior or self-sufficient, let’s remember:

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…”
—Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)

Our righteousness comes from Christ alone. Let’s walk in humility, thanksgiving, and faith—knowing that grace, not performance, is what gives us victory.