DEFEATED BY DECEPTION

2 Corinthians 11:14

But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light.

In Homer's The Iliad General Ulysses ordered construction of a gigantic wooden horse that would be left the outside the walls of Troy as a “gift.” Ulysses' remaining Greek armies would pretend to sail away in defeat. The Trojans celebrated their victory over the Greeks and brought their “gift horse” within the city walls without checking to see what lay waiting inside their gift. Those city walls which had kept the attacking Greek army at bay for years had finally been breached by trickery. At night while all of Troy slept, Greek soldiers that were hiding inside the horse emerged to unlock and open the city gates from within. The Greek army that had earlier feigned defeat would enter the city unchallenged and easily consume the Trojans in a single night. Do not be deceived about what the world has to offer you. The glittering appeal just might be a trap that would leave your defenses corrupted. You may even find yourself enslaved by what you’ll allow into your home, your mind and your heart. Much like Troy, you don't want to find yourself celebrating victory while the enemy is waiting to destroy you from the inside. Be leery of what may appear to be too good to be true because it very often is too good to be true.