Do you believe God exists? Why?

There are many reasons people believe in God. Some base their beliefs on the teaching of Scripture, or perhaps on role models and people they admire.

Some say they've been convinced by the Holy Spirit of His presence in their lives. Others had an emotional experience or even saw something amazing that led them to believe God is real.

The Holy Spirit is at work in the world, but we need to ensure that the spirit we choose to listen to is in fact the Spirit of God. While supernatural signs and wonders have drawn many to God—including Saul, who became Paul, the world’s most famous missionary—we must be careful not to be guided exclusively by circumstances and emotions. In fact, Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the evidence of what we do not see. As humans, what we can see is never the whole picture.

When Jesus was on Earth, He performed many supernatural miracles and signs. But even then, many people still didn’t believe He was God (John 12:37). In Matthew 12, we read of some of the Jewish religious leaders who ask Jesus for a sign from heaven. Jesus responds by telling them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” (Matthew 12:39).

Later He tells the Jews through a parable that if the ancient law and prophecies He had given them could not convince them, neither could a miraculous sign (Luke 16:19-31).

While Christ obviously has the power to perform signs, miracles are not where we should be putting our trust.

Deception—the Order of the Day

Christ also taught about the coming destruction at the end of time. The disciples asked Him, “When shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world.” The first thing Jesus told them was, “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:3-4) to show us that deception would mark the closing years of this Earth's history.

We are indeed seeing these deceptive signs today, another indicator that we are living in the end time.

The symbolism in Revelation 16:13 tells us that demonic spirits are deceiving the world. God is all-powerful and is able to perform more supernatural signs and wonders than we can imagine. However, we must guard ourselves against these evil spirits that are trying to imitate God’s power in order to snatch us away from His truth.

The second thing Jesus told His disciples was that many would come claiming to be Christ. In fact, Jesus tells us that their deceptions would be so strong, that if it were possible, they would even deceive “the very elect” (Matthew 24:24).

The elect are those who make the Word of God their basis for faith—those who cling to the Reformation’s central belief: Sola Scriptura. The elect want to follow God and love the truth.

From Jesus’ words, we know that deception will be rampant during our times. What sort of deception should we be looking for?

This article is adapted by Wendy Goubej from Professor Walter Veith's DVD Signs and Wonders.