Deceit Free
Pastor Alex Hall | December 28, 2025
When Words and Hearts Don't Align: The Call to Authentic Faith
There's a sobering reality woven throughout Scripture that challenges our comfortable assumptions about faith: not everyone who speaks spiritual language actually walks in spiritual truth. Not everyone who uses the right words has the right heart.
Jesus himself delivered this unsettling warning: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven." He went further, describing people who prophesied, cast out demons, and performed wonders in His name—yet He would declare to them, "I never knew you."
How is this possible? How can someone engage in seemingly powerful spiritual activity yet be unknown to Christ?
The Distance Between Lips and Hearts
The answer lies in understanding the difference between religious performance and genuine relationship. Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah when confronting the religious leaders of His day: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
It's entirely possible to know all the right things to say in spiritual settings. To quote Scripture at appropriate moments. To speak the language of faith fluently. Yet all the while, our hearts remain distant from the One we claim to serve.
This isn't just about ancient Pharisees. It's a present danger for anyone who participates in church life. We can honor God—and honor people—with our words while our hearts pursue entirely different agendas.
What Really Defiles Us
Jesus made a radical statement that turned religious tradition upside down. He taught that it's not what goes into our mouths that defiles us, but what comes out. "The words you speak come from the heart," He explained. "That's what defiles you."
From the heart flow evil thoughts, lies, slander, and all manner of corruption. Our words reveal what's really inside. They expose whether we're walking in truth or operating in deceit.
The prophet Jeremiah captured this dynamic powerfully: "With their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain." People can speak all the right words, express all the right sentiments, and still be driven entirely by selfish ambition.
The Danger of Flattery and Manipulation
One of the most insidious forms of this disconnect appears as flattery—saying things people want to hear not out of genuine love, but to gain something for ourselves. Flattery is manipulation dressed in compliments. It's control wearing the mask of encouragement.
Scripture warns repeatedly about those who use pleasant words to pursue their own interests. They speak peaceably to their neighbors while lying in wait in their hearts. They've taught their tongues to speak lies, wearying themselves to commit iniquity.
This plays out in countless ways:
The person who showers you with compliments but is really positioning themselves for personal advantage
The leader who prophesies only what people want to hear because it's good for business
The family member who uses guilt and shame to manipulate your decisions
The friend whose "support" comes with strings attached
These dynamics represent a form of spiritual witchcraft—manipulation, control, and domination operating through seemingly positive interactions.
The Call to Discernment
We're living in a season that demands discernment. We must learn to distinguish between genuine love and calculated flattery. Between sincere encouragement and manipulative control. Between words that flow from pure hearts and words designed to serve selfish ends.
Jesus instructed His followers to be "as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves." Shrewdness is wisdom. It's the ability to see beyond surface appearances and discern true motives. We need this wisdom now more than ever.
The Holy Spirit wants to reveal areas where we may be deceived—either being manipulated by others or perhaps manipulating others ourselves. This requires honest self-examination. We must ask: Whose will am I really living for? Am I doing the will of the Father, or am I pursuing my own agenda while using spiritual language?
Standing Firm in Truth
The antidote to this deception is simple but not easy: walk in truth. Live with sincerity. Refuse to compromise out of fear of man.
When someone tries to flatter you into a decision God hasn't confirmed, stand firm. When family members attempt to guilt you into choices that violate your boundaries, hold your ground. When leaders prophesy only prosperity without acknowledging the reality of trials, test their words against Scripture.
Your primary allegiance is to God. Then to your spouse if you're married. Then to stewarding your children well. After that comes extended family and other relationships. Don't let the order get reversed through manipulation or misplaced obligation.
The Reality of Valleys and Victories
Authentic faith acknowledges both mountains and valleys. False teachers promise only victory, prosperity, and blessing. But Scripture is clear: "Though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire."
Tests and trials refine us. The valley teaches us things we can't learn on the mountaintop. Those who've walked through darkness and seen God's faithfulness carry a testimony that can light the way for others.
Don't hide your valleys. Share vulnerably about the difficult seasons God has brought you through. Your story of victory-from-the-valley gives hope to those currently walking through their own dark nights.
A Prayer for Pure Hearts
As we move forward, the invitation is clear: Ask God to search your heart. Request that He reveal any area of deceit, any place of selfish ambition, any tendency toward manipulation or control.
Repentance isn't shameful—it's the pathway back to authenticity. God is a good Father who wants to purify and cleanse our hearts, aligning our words with our true intentions and our intentions with His will.
Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Walk in truth even when it's uncomfortable. Honor God first, above all other relationships and obligations. And cultivate a faith that goes deeper than right words—a faith rooted in genuine relationship with the One who knows you completely and loves you still.