Infinite Fellowship Ministries

Truth Vs. Deception: Sermon By Pastor Sarah Muendo

So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone. What do You mean by saying, ‘You will be set free’?”

Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, everyone who practices sin habitually is a slave of sin. Now the slave does not remain in a household forever; the son [of the master] does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you plan to kill Me, because My word has no place [to grow] in you [and it makes no change in your heart]. I tell the things that I have seen at My Father’s side [in His very presence]; so you also do the things that you heard from your father.”

They answered, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are [truly] Abraham’s children, then do the works of Abraham and follow his example. But as it is, you want to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. This is not the way Abraham acted. You are doing the works of your [own] father.” They said to Him, “We are not illegitimate children; we have one [spiritual] Father: God.”

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father [but He is not], you would love and recognize Me, for I came from God [out of His very presence] and have arrived here. For I have not even come on My own initiative [as self-appointed], but He [is the One who] sent Me. Why do you misunderstand what I am saying? It is because [your spiritual ears are deaf and] you are unable to hear [the truth of] My word. You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [and continue in your unbelief]. Which one of you[has proof and] convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? Whoever is of God and belongs to Him hears [the truth of] God’s words; for this reason you do not hear them: because you are not of God and you are not in fellowship with Him.”

John 8:31-47 (AMP)

The world is full of lies. There is an element of distortion of everything that we see around us, mostly because of sin that entered the world.

Truth or deception is the foundation of perception.

Perception is a result of information and your perception informs your habits and affects the quality of people’s lives.

The truth will set you free but deception binds.

“So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone. What do You mean by saying, ‘You will be set free’?”

Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, everyone who practices sin habitually is a slave of sin. Now the slave does not remain in a household forever; the son [of the master] does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free.” 

John 8:31-36 (AMP)

Righteousness [moral and spiritual integrity and virtuous character] exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. 

Proverbs 14:34 (AMP)

Truth confronts. It does not look different in whatever light you put it in. Truth and deception are polar opposites. There is no middle ground with truth and deception.

Truth says that consider one another better than yourselves. While deception says, “do you”.

Corruption is a manifestation of deception. It is the antithesis of favour. Favour minds not only about the outcome of an action, but also the process of arriving at the outcome. Corruption only minds about the outcome.

Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe[confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 

John 14:1-6 (AMP)

I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now. But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]. He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Because of this I said that He [the Spirit] will take from what is Mine and will reveal it to you. 

John 16:12-15 (AMP)

The world cannot understand the Spirit of Truth i.e. the Spirit of God. He takes that which is truth and uses it to expose the lies in our lives.

The minute that you do not see who someone really is, you will not be able to impart to them/impart them.

The mandate of the people called to the Gate of Media is to propagate the truth and not lies.

Truth is the foundation of love while deception is the foundation of hate.

Those that are called to the Gate of Government will have to govern in truth and in justice.

God’s opinion on any matter is truth. There is no falsity in Him.

Truth is God’s opinion on anything.

I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments. 

Psalm 119:60 (AMP)

What is the import of learning the difference between truth and deception?

Truth is a currency in that once you know the truth about something and you have loved it, then you’ll be able to access other things. Truth is like a key.

On the other hand, the reason why deception binds, is because once you accept it, it will shut you out of what you could access via or from that thing or person that you have believed a lie about.

Deception leads to death and that way you’ll never be able to access that which is yours.

Truth is not state or a theory. It is a Person – the Person of Jesus.

When you approach the truth as a Person, as Jesus, then He is able to lead you beyond the place of your limitations.

May the Word of God find entrance and make progress in us.

Fasting give us the opportunity to dial down the lies around us and be able to hear God clearly concerning our lives and the world around us.

Truth is the native language of the Kingdom. It is the language that believers speak to one another. Truth is more powerful, but deception is loud and very overt. Truth is found in quietness. You must quiet your spirit to hear the truth about all things. For example, about a fellow human being.

For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel has said this, “In returning [to Me] and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and confident trust is your strength.” But you were not willing. 

Isaiah 30:15 (AMP)

There is a constant battle that we have to face concerning seeking and then receiving truth, and then guarding ourselves against the deception that is present moment to moment, day to day.

Bishop Gobanga’s Addendum:

The truth will always clarify where there is a contortion of facts. Anything that is contorted will always place you in bondage.

When you dwell on deception, you cannot be delivered.

Truth is God’s viewpoint, not your viewpoint or humanity’s viewpoint.

Truth is the expression of reality. It is the foundation and expression of love.

Truth may be very painful at times but the pain you get from truth is redemptive. The pleasure that you derive from deception is temporal yet the consequences are long-lasting.