Paul warned the Ephesian elders with these words, "For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." (Acts 20:25-31). Paul knew that false teachers, which refers to the savage wolves, would try to infiltrate the church in Ephesus to lead the members of the church to wrong teachings. Therefore, the church elders must watch over the believers, which refers to all the flock. Satan is real, and his goal is to destroy the believers by planting seeds of lies in the church.
The whole counsel of the Word of God or our Bible is a weapon God has given us to destroy Satan's false teaching and lies. From Genesis to Revelation, we need to accept all of them as God's truth. Any teachers, pastors, and religious leaders who do not teach that Jesus is the savior of the world and that we are only saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ must be rejected, for this is what the Bible says (Ephesians 2:8-9). Likewise, the Bible only speaks of two genders in the Bible: Man and woman, and marriage is designed by God for both man and woman only. We must understand that the Word of God or God's truth does not change regardless of time and culture. From the creation of the world until Jesus returns to judge this world, His truth remains the same.
It is important for us as believers to know the Word of God and believe everything it says. This is why we need to attend a church or fellowship that accurately teaches the Word of God. The only way to know if our church or fellowship teaches the Word of God is to pray for God's discernment and wisdom. As we pray for God's discernment and wisdom, the Spirit of God who lives in us will warn and prompt us. However, we must read and study the Word of God all the time because the Spirit of God will use what we have read and studied in His Word.
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully and meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speaks to you). Why does Satan plant seeds of lies in the church? What can I do to protect myself from Satan's lies? Who does Satan use to spread false teaching in the churches?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, Your Word (the Bible) is the truth, and you gave me a Bible to teach me your ways and walk in them. Please give me the wisdom to understand your truth. Please get rid of my laziness from reading and studying your Word so that my mind can be protected from false teachings. In your name Jesus, I pray. Amen.