Go to Jacob! Laban played him so bad and he fell for it so hard. Desperation makes you an easy prey to deception. He couldn’t go back home to a vengeful brother; his mother had specifically sent him to Laban, so Jacob had no other alternative for survival. He inadvertently became Laban’s pawn! All the negotiation power was with Laban!

Jacob fell in love with Rachel and was given a ridiculous condition for her, and he accepted it. When the 7 years elapsed, he was given Leah instead of Rachel. Then he had to work another 7 years for the one he truly loved. In all, he worked 14 years just for Rachel.

How was Laban able to successfully deceive Jacob? How did Jacob become intimate with a woman who wasn’t the one he had chosen, yet did not realise until day break? There is an architecture to deception and Laban was the master craftsman at it.

Laban ensured the elements required for deceiving Jacob were in place, and that was why his strategy was so effective. It’s the same wiles the enemy deploys till today, but many unsuspecting people, and sometimes even believers, fall victim to his many devices. Remember, Jacob was already blessed by Isaac at this point, yet he fell victim to deception. The same way many believers are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, but still fall victim to the devices of the enemy. Understanding the architecture of deception helps to disarm the enemy and place you in a positional advantage against him and all his schemes.

And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? — Genesis 29:21‭-‬23‭, ‬25 KJV

The following were the conditions that aided Laban’s deception of Jacob:

1. Laban Established Desire (Lust) in Jacob before Activating his Plan. When the 7 years of servitude were fulfilled, Laban didn’t call to Jacob to remind him of his reward; instead, he waited for Jacob to demand for Rachel. With this, he established Jacob’s desire to become intimate with Rachel, which activated the full arsenal of deception. The devil can only tempt or deceive you to the degree of your lust.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. — James 1:13‭-‬14 KJV

Laban waited till Jacob couldn’t hold it together anymore. He had waited 7 years and was now unable to wait any longer. This impaired his judgement and discernment and made him serve his baser instincts.

I know you have waited 7 years, but can you wait one more year without becoming apprehensive? Can you stay controlled in the 8th year of your waiting? This is why God hardly puts a time perspective on His promises (He sometimes does, but they’re rare and conditional upon an initial indefinite waiting season). He simply wants you to wait on Him, simple. Waiting for a time heightens your propensity for falling into the snare of the adversary as that set time draws nearer. In those moments, the devil can take full advantage of your lust. Indeed, unanchored Patience can lead to Lust! This is why we must anchor our Patience to God and not to a specific outcome. Looking unto Jesus, the author of our Faith, not looking unto time! If He said He will do it, He will… leave the timing to Him.