In the sixteenth episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane stresses the importance of making God's Word the ultimate authority in our lives. In a world with conflicting voices from our culture, leaders, and personal experiences, it's crucial to let God's Word be the ultimate truth. 

The simplicity of Jesus is a powerful defense against deception. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul expresses concern that believers might be led astray from the simplicity that is in Christ, just as the serpent's cunning deceived Eve. This simplicity is not about lacking depth but about focusing on the fundamental truths of the gospel. Jesus' teachings are straightforward: love God, love your neighbor, and trust in His sacrifice for our salvation. Complexity can lead to deception. 

When we add to or complicate God's instructions, we open the door to misunderstanding and falsehood. For instance, in the Garden of Eden, Satan's tactic was to question and complicate God's simple command to Adam and Eve. By doubting and adding to God's words, they fell into deception. Keeping it simple means adhering to the core gospel message without allowing cultural or intellectual additions to distort it. 

Obeying God's straightforward commandments, such as loving others and living righteously, is the essence of faith. The simplicity of Jesus focuses on His love, His teachings, and His sacrifice.

In the fifteenth episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane continues teaching on the third defense against deception—the fear of the Lord. Our culture has become so saturated with deception that it has infected many in the church because they lack discernment. We need an awakening to come out from darkness and be separate as children of light.

The first defense covered was the Word of God. The second defense was discerning the voice of God. This episode focuses on the third critical defense - the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord causes us to depart from evil rather than depart from the faith into deception.

Jesus equated fearing the Lord with worshipping and serving Him alone (Matthew 4:10). Fearing God means being in awe of His glory, majesty, and greatness, as exemplified in the Psalms. It produces a thankful, worshipful heart.

According to Proverbs 8:13, the fear of the Lord means hating evil, pride, arrogance, and perverse speech. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists things the Lord hates:

A proud look

A lying tongue

Murdering the innocent, wicked imaginations

Eagerness for evil

A false witness

Sowing discord

The fear of God aligns our hatred with His hatred of these evils that destroy people.

Many people, even in churches, do not truly fear God by hating evil. Instead, they deny God's holy wrath and justice against sin. Some wrongly claim a God of love could never send people to hell, failing to understand people choose hell themselves by rejecting God's love and sacrifice.

God's wrath flows from His love, as He hates anything that harms His beloved people. Just as a loving parent warns their child against danger, our loving God warns against the eternal danger of embracing evil.

Romans 12:9 commands believers to hate evil and cling to good with sincere love. We are to hate evil deeds, not people. Developing a healthy, reverential fear of the Lord protects us from being deceived onto the path of darkness and a reprobate mind. Instead, it aligns our hearts with God's heart to love what is good and hate what is evil.

In the fourteenth episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane continues his teaching on defenses against deception. The first defense is the Word of God. The second defense is discerning the voice of God. This episode focuses on the third defense - the fear of the Lord. 

Fearing the Lord means worshiping Him alone, as Jesus taught in Matthew 4:10. Worship acknowledges who God is - His love, holiness, and righteousness. As we gain revelatory knowledge of God's nature through Worship, we become more like Him. 

The fear of the Lord produces a thankful heart that glorifies Him even amid problems. Brother Duane acknowledges injustices have happened to him, but he chooses to see God's faithfulness because of his reverential fear of the Lord. 

We will ultimately face judgment before God—either the Great White Throne for unbelievers or the judgment seat of Christ for believers. No one will unjustly go to hell without clearly rejecting the knowledge of God revealed to them.

The fear of the Lord protects us from being deceived onto the path of deception. Discerning God's truth from satanic lies requires humbly fearing, glorifying, and thanking our holy, just Creator and Savior.

This powerful message addresses the often controversial topic of finances from a Biblical perspective. Brother Duane teaches that money is not just a natural issue but a spiritual one that impacts every area of life. There are common misconceptions about wealth and poverty, but scripture indicates that God desires to prosper His people.

3 John 1:2 states, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servants. Duane presents a holistic approach to biblical prosperity, highlighting four key components: work, stewardship, discipline, and charity. Stressing the importance of developing a strong work ethic, managing resources wisely, practicing self-discipline, and generous giving, he cautions against both the worldly pursuit of wealth and the religious notion that poverty is virtuous.

Deuteronomy 8:18 says: "And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." It's God that gives us the power to gain wealth.

Brother Duane encourages believers to seek God's perspective on finances rather than adopting worldly or religious extremes. He challenges listeners to teach these principles to the next generation, ensuring a legacy of biblical prosperity that honors God and blesses others.

In the thirteenth episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane teaches about the fear of the Lord as a crucial defense against deception. Understanding and embracing the fear of the Lord is vital for believers to maintain their faith and avoid falling into deception.

The fear of the Lord is not a tormenting fear but a reverent and holy respect for God. This reverence is essential for guarding against the prevalent deception in the world and within the church. To clarify the fear of the Lord, Duane refers to Jesus' response to Satan during His temptation in the wilderness.

In Matthew 4:10, Jesus rebukes Satan, saying, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:13, which states, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him." Jesus equates the fear of the Lord with worshiping God, highlighting that to fear God is to worship Him and have a deep reverence for His holiness and authority.

Reverence for God is crucial for believers. It leads them to depart from evil and align their lives with God's will. Job 28:28 declares, "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." This verse underscores that fearing God grants wisdom and understanding, enabling believers to recognize and avoid evil.

The fear of the Lord is foundational for acquiring true wisdom and knowledge. Proverbs 9:10 states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." By fearing God, believers start their journey toward wisdom and insight into God's nature and His expectations for righteous living.

Duane contrasts the fear of the Lord with the fear of man or the world, which often leads to deception and sin. A proper fear of God includes an awareness of His holiness and justice. This fear motivates believers to live righteously, avoiding behaviors contradicting God's commandments. It also brings a deep respect for God's word, which is a defense against false teachings and cultural pressures that lead away from the truth.

In the twelfth episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane emphasizes the crucial role of God's provisions in countering pervasive deception in society and the church. The supernatural joy from the Holy Spirit and the reverent fear of the Lord stand out as key defenses.

Joy is one of the core "protocols" or languages of God's Kingdom, along with righteousness and peace. When believers experience a supernatural joy rising up within, that reflects the voice and pleasure of God leading them. This godly joy serves as an inward guide showing His approved path.

The Bible states in Nehemiah 8:10 that the joy of the Lord is our strength. As we obey God and walk in His ways, we will sense a divine joy that strengthens and affirms we are following His voice. However, when we operate in disobedience, that joy is grieved and absent from our spirits.

Philippians 2:12-13 reveals that God works in believers "both to will and to do for His good pleasure." We can discern His good pleasure toward our actions by monitoring this supernatural joy. When it rises, we bring Him joy by doing His will. But when the joy fades, we have grieved His Spirit through disobedience.

This divine joy becomes God's inward voice, leading and guiding us from the inside out. It provides an intuitive sense of His approval versus displeasure with our choices and behaviors. Learning to be sensitive to the presence or absence of this joy helps keep us from being deceived.

The second defense is the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Proper, reverential fear and awe of God prevent us from casually giving in to deception or departing from faith. That is why the Apostle Paul instructed believers to work out their salvation with "fear and trembling" in Philippians 2:12.

When we walk in the fear of the Lord, we will take our obedience seriously and be on guard against anything displeasing to God. This breeds a sobriety and spiritual vigilance that protects us from deception's snares. The fear of the Lord provides a restraining, convicting influence that keeps us from being misled.

By cultivating awareness of both the joy and the fear of the Lord within our spirits, we can be attuned to His voice and leading. These two defenses work in tandem to expose deception and keep us securely following the truth.

In the eleventh episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane teaches that God has provided several defenses to protect believers from being deceived in our culture filled with deception. One of the most important defenses is understanding the protocols and language of God's Kingdom.

Just like every earthly kingdom has its own protocols, laws, and language, the Kingdom of God operates by specific principles. Romans 14:17 lays out three core protocols of God's Kingdom - righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. These form the "language" by which God speaks to His people.

Righteousness is how God communicates what is right and wrong. When making decisions, God's voice will align with what is righteous according to His standards in Scripture. Anything promoting unrighteousness, like immorality, hatred, or harm, comes from the voice of the deceiver, not God's voice.

Peace is another way God guides believers. The supernatural peace of God ruling in our hearts serves as an "umpire," showing God's path versus the wrong one. When we have an inward sense of peace about a decision, that indicates God's approval. But if our peace leaves, that signals a wrong direction from God's will.

The third Kingdom protocol is joy. The Bible describes having supernatural joy from the Holy Spirit, even amid difficult circumstances. This joy becomes the voice of God leading and strengthening us. When we sense that joy rising up within, it reflects God's pleasure and good path for our lives.

The Kingdom protocols - righteousness, peace, and joy - form the actual language of the Holy Spirit guiding believers from the inside out. God's will is not something "out there" to be found but is worked out from within us as He prompts our wills and desires according to His good pleasure.

We can walk in God's truth rather than being deceived by learning to discern and yield to this inward voice of righteousness, peace, and joy. These Kingdom protocols provide a powerful defense against the rampant deception in society and even the church today.

In the tenth episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane teaches the importance of God's Word and the peace of God as defenses against deception. God's Word is the first and foremost defense against deception, and it must be exalted above human reasoning, philosophies, and cultural influences. When the Word of God is neglected or rare, it becomes challenging to discern God's voice.

A second defense is the peace of God. According to Colossians 3:15, believers are instructed to let the peace of God rule in their hearts. Peace is one of the primary ways God speaks and leads His people.

There is a difference between being at peace with God and having the peace of God. Being at peace with God is the result of God making peace with us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. However, having the peace of God is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that dwells within the born-again human spirit.

The peace of God acts as an umpire or a voice of guidance in decision-making. When believers are about to make a wrong choice or stray from the path of light, they will lose their inner peace. Conversely, when they have peace about a decision, God's voice confirms that they are safe to proceed.

Peace is God's umpire within believers, making the judgment call when decisions need to be made. Just as an umpire's call in baseball is final, the peace of God within is God's authoritative voice guiding our choices.

God's Word and His peace are interconnected. When the Word of Christ dwells richly within believers, as instructed in Colossians 3:16, it heightens your spiritual discernment and sensitivity to the Lord's voice, including the voice of His peace. By exalting the Scriptures and yielding to the umpire of peace, believers can walk in the path of righteousness and avoid being misled.

In the ninth episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane teaches that God has provided two critical safeguards to protect believers from deception. God's Word is the first defense against deception, which must be exalted above human reasoning, philosophies, and cultural influences. When there is a lack of God's Word, it becomes difficult to discern His voice, as seen in the story of young Samuel.

The second defense is recognizing the voice of the Lord. According to Romans 8:14, believers must be led by the Spirit of God. However, many Christians struggle to recognize God's voice. God's voice is often a still, small voice within and may not always be in English. The language of the Holy Spirit includes dreams, visions, impressions, and a sense of peace. These are ways in which God speaks to His people. Believers should expect to receive dreams and visions from the Lord, as these are the primary language of the Holy Spirit.

Additionally, God can speak through prophecy, godly counsel, spiritual leaders, and impressions or gut feelings. The Holy Spirit may also grieve within us when we are about to make a wrong choice, which is another way God guides us.

One of the main ways God speaks is through His peace. Colossians 3:15 instructs believers to let the peace of God rule in their hearts. When we are about to be misled or stray from the path of light, we will lose our inner peace, God's voice warning us.

When we are grounded in God's Word, it heightens spiritual discernment and sensitivity to the Lord's voice. However, when the Word of God is rare or neglected, it becomes harder to recognize God's voice. Believers must immerse themselves in the Scriptures to become attuned to how the Holy Spirit speaks and leads them so they will not be deceived.

Romans 8:1 explains that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. God condemned sin in the flesh of Jesus, freeing believers from any negative judgment from God.

Brother Duane teaches that there are four primary sources of condemnation: the devil, our own hearts, others, and the law.

Let's expound on each source and reference relevant scriptures.

1. The devil, the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), tries to separate us from God through condemnation. Duane encourages believers to overcome the devil by mixing faith with the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11).

2. Our hearts, or conscience, can condemn us (1 John 3:18-21). Duane stresses the need to purge our conscience through the washing of the water of the Word (Hebrews 9:14), trusting God's forgiveness and acceptance, even when our hearts condemn us.

3. Others may attempt to condemn us through negative judgments (2 Corinthians 7:2-3; Proverbs 17:15). Duane advises not receiving such condemnation, as God is our judge, and He has justified us.

4. The law, called the "ministration of condemnation" (2 Corinthians 3:7-9), was given to make us feel guilty before God. Duane explains that trying to earn God's blessings through the law leads to condemnation, as we are now under grace, not the law (Romans 6:14).

Duane encourages believers to embrace their freedom from condemnation in Christ, resist the sources of condemnation, and live in the righteousness and grace provided by God's love and sacrifice. Run your race with patience and finish your course.