False christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
—Matthew 24:24
Deception is dangerous. It often comes disguised as righteousness, empathy or good intentions—difficult to recognize until it’s too late.
This is why it is our responsibility to stay on fire for God. When lukewarmness creeps in, deal with it immediately. Spiritual apathy enters quietly:
A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
—Proverbs 6:10–11
Natural laziness produces lack, spiritual laziness opens the door to bondage.
We can detect deception through prophetic principles. One principle is staged sympathy:
Using emotional appeal meant to bypass discernment. Some use pity to gain access or influence, masking deeper agendas.
The righteous are often most easily manipulated because compassion is their strength. However, compassion not guided by the Spirit becomes a weakness. We must discern genuine need from emotional manipulation.
We see disguised deception when Joshua was deceived by the Gibeonites, who pretended to be weary travelers seeking peace.
Staged sympathy led Israel into an ungodly covenant that cost them for generations.
This is an explicit expression of Matthew 24: even the elect can be deceived. One of the most anointed men in Scripture was still deceived. The same danger exists for us today.
The second prophetic principle is false responsibility:
When someone makes you feel obligated to fix a problem that is not yours, especially when others refuse responsibility.
We see this in Ahab, Jezebel’s husband. Scripture highlights King Jehoshaphat, one of the most godly kings in David’s lineage to illustrate this.
His integrity before God was unmatched. His character is described using language tied to the legacy of David himself:
The Lord was with Jehoshaphat… because he walked in the former ways of his father David.
—2 Chronicles 17:3
No other descendant of David is described this way. The phrase “the former ways of David” points to the period when David was tested and refined by heaven—the moments that proved David’s character. Jehoshaphat walked in those same holy patterns.
Who would have ever imagined that Jehoshaphat would form an alliance by marriage—an affinity—with the house of Jezebel and Ahab? That he would come into agreement with a legacy of deception? It is a sobering reminder that even the righteous can be pulled into deception when they feel responsible for fixing what God never assigned them to.
Naivety is not innocence—it’s inexperience without discernment.
The calling on your life is too great to be derailed by a seductive, subtle spirit. We are in an hour where deception is sophisticated and righteousness is rare. A false prophet, false word, or compromised agreement can destroy what God is building in you.
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
—Matthew 10:16
Look for part two to learn more about disguised deception and how to discern it.
Dr. Michelle Corral is Founder of the Day of Destiny podcast and CEO of Breath of the Spirit Ministries, Dr. Michelle Corral has spent over 45 years spreading the prophetic Word of God worldwide. Through Chesed for Humanity International, she provides global humanitarian aid—most notably to Syrian refugees—and shares destiny-focused principles through her books, broadcasts and outreach.
