DRIVEN – Lesson Three: THE DRIFT - The Psychology of Deception

📅 Date: February 15, 2026

📖 Text: Ephesians 5:8–18

INTRODUCTION: DISTORTION OF PERCEPTION

The enemy’s strategy has always been to distort perception.

If he can control what you see →

He can control how you think →

If he controls how you think →

He can drive how you live.

This is spiritual psychology.

2 Corinthians 2:11 (NKJV)

“Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

Context:

Paul references earlier instructions (1 Corinthians 5) regarding a man involved in sexual immorality.

1 Corinthians 5:2 – “Remove the wicked man from among you.”

1 Corinthians 5:5 – “Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved…”

Now in 2 Corinthians, Paul says:

Complete the process of forgiveness and restoration, so Satan does not gain advantage.

“TAKE ADVANTAGE” – Greek: pleonekteō(πλεονεκτέω)

Meaning:

To exploit

To overreach

To defraud

To take more than is due

Satan “overreaches” when discipline and forgiveness are mishandled.

Meaning:

Don’t let Satan turn a temporary situation into a long-term spiritual wound.

SATAN EXPLOITS IMBALANCE

Two ditches:

No Discipline

Permissiveness

Compromise

Contagion in the body

No Restoration

Condemnation

Excessive sorrow

Bitterness

Division

Satan doesn’t care which ditch —He just wants the church off the road.

“DEVICES” – noēmata (νοήματα)

Meaning: Thoughts, designs, mental schemes, mind-games, and intentions

The devil’s weapons are mental mechanisms.

He studies: Tendencies, Perceptions, Emotional triggers

To produce:

Carnal behavior

Godless behavior

Spiritual bondage

DO NOT BE CONFORMED

Romans 12:2 (AMP)

“Do not be conformed… but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

Conformed = syschēmatizō → molded by pattern

World (kosmos) → organized system

Transformed = metamorphoō

Renewing = anakainōsis → restore to original function

The Message Translation

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that YOU FIT INTO it without even thinking. Instead, fix your ATTENTION on God.”

Kingdom Psychology: ATTENTION equals TRANSFORMATION

What you consistently focus on, you become conformed to.

THE CYCLE OF DECEPTION

1. Stimulus → 2. Emotion → 3. Belief → 4. Behavior → 5. Bondage

Stimulus: Message/image enters.

Emotion: Provokes a reaction that our heart responds to

Belief: The mind accepts it as truth because it feels true.

Behavior: Action follows emotion.

Bondage: Pattern repeats until normalized.

You’ve been programmed.

Proverbs 4:23

“Guard your heart…”, “Issues” (Hebrew: towtsaah) = boundaries.

What flows out defines what enters.

THE HEART GOVERNED BY THE WORLD SYSTEM OF THIS WORLD IS DECEITFUL!

Jeremiah 17:9 (AMP):

“The heart is deceitful above all things…”

When the heart becomes unhinged from Truth:

Emotion becomes authority

Satisfaction becomes purpose

Self becomes god

THIS IS THE DRIFT - SELF AS AUTHORITY (Recurring Pattern in Scripture)

Judges 21:25 – “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Philippians 3:19 – “Their god is their belly…”

2 Timothy 3:2–4 – Lovers of self, pleasure

Romans 1:25 – Exchanged truth for lie

THE LAW OF EXPOSURE AND AGREEMENT

(Mark 4:24–25)

“Take heed what you hear… With the measure you use, it will be measured to you…”

Jesus reveals a spiritual law.

1. Attention Governs Intake - What you repeatedly hear shapes you.

2. Measure Determines Return - métron = level of engagement

3. Increase Follows Stewardship - Whoever has (guards truth) → receives more.

4. Loss Follows Neglect - Truth not guarded

PRINCIPLES OPERATE IMPARTIALLY

A principle: Governing truth, Consistent and Impartial

Satan exploits principles God established.

He cannot create truth —He corrupts attention.

WHAT YOU REPEATEDLY RECEIVE…

You rehearse.

What you rehearse gains influence.

Influence shapes direction.

Truth measured in → freedom multiplies. Lies measured in → bondage multiplies.

Every voice carries a value system.

It is either: Forming you for the Kingdom or Conforming you to the world

PSYCHOLOGICAL PARALLEL

The Kingdom uses repetition for discipleship.

Darkness uses repetition for desensitization.

COUNTERFEIT DISCIPLESHIP PIPELINE

Fight for the ear gate

Intensify exposure

Agreement produces increase

Truth erodes through neglect

Babylon disciples desire.

THE ANTIDOTE – THE MIND OF CHRIST

Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you…”

Mind = phroneō - Inner regulation; Internal disposition

Christ’s mind:

Anchored in obedience

Unmoved by external pressure

Truth becomes compass. Peace becomes driver.

PRACTICAL STEPS TO BREAK THE DRIFT

Silence the Noise - Psalm 46:10 – “Be still…”

Feed on Truth - Scripture for mental reprogramming.

Guard Emotional Triggers - Not every reaction deserves response.

Community - Isolation increases susceptibility.

Follow the Spirit - Romans 8:14 – Led by the Spirit.