“What’s it going to hurt?” Eve may have thought that, too.
But the enemy begins to sow seeds of doubt in that seemingly innocent thought—right along with excuses! Or, “You don’t understand. “ Oh, yes, I do! When playing with the devil’s influences, you create roots of mistrust that dig deep into your spirit with every lingering question. What starts as curiosity can quickly spiral into confusion, which lays the foundation for devastation.
One little bite will destroy lives.
Do not; please do not give in to the enemy’s lies!
The Devil is a master of manipulation, leaving behind a trail of D’s—doubt, despair, destruction, denial, and ultimately, death!
And like a serpent lurking in the grass, that deceitful whisper will slither into your mind, questioning and asking, “Did God say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” “Did God really say not to.…?” So what would you say?
Let me share with you a divine revelation! In her conversation with the serpent, Eve altered the very words of the Almighty! She quoted God, yes, but she added her twist to His command! “You shall not eat it, nor shall you not (touch) it” — oh, my friends, those extra words were not from the heart of God!
Now, let’s be clear: avoiding temptation is wise; it’s like steering clear of a pit of vipers! But when we begin to mix man’s doctrines with the Lord’s pure commandments, we tread on dangerous ground! As it is written in Matthew 15:9, “In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
We must hold tightly to the truth and not let our understanding distort the divine message! Can I get an Amen?
She took a bite and swallowed the lie!
Genesis 3
4 But the snake said to the woman, “You will not die. 5 God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree, you will learn about good and evil. Then you will be like God!”
The devil is an arson, and he starts his fires.🔥
It’s a twisted, flaming, forked tongue full of lies that seeks to distort the image of the Creator, planting a virus of questioning doubts that spread like wildfire.
The enemy knows that if he can capture our thoughts, he can capture our hearts.
Oh, but we know the truth! Conviction in every case shows up. Learn to heed to it.
Let’s talk about the powerful force of temptation and how it can seep into our hearts and minds, much like a thief at night. Remember the beginning, when Satan, in his cunning disguise, approached Eve in the Garden. He lured her with whispers of doubt and desire, trying to lead her away from God’s perfect plan.
It always goes back to Adam and Eve! In that pivotal moment in the Garden, a divine choice laid before them! Yes, the serpent came, whispering lies, tempting Eve, and she, in turn, offered that forbidden fruit to Adam. But, oh, they were not forced! They had the freedom to resist! They made a decision—a choice to partake at that moment.
Nobody can say, “The devil made me do it!” No, no! We must take responsibility for our actions! Like Adam and Eve, each of us faces moments of temptation, moments when we must choose.
But I want you to understand this: Temptation is not a sign of weakness; how you react to it matters. It can be an opportunity for divine strength!
Remember, the devil is already defeated! Jesus Christ, our mighty Savior, has triumphed over sin and darkness!
The enemy knows his time is short, and he’s working at a feverish pace to ensnare the hearts of humanity. But let me warn you: If you fall for the enemy’s lies, you put everything at risk—your trust and your very identity in Christ!
How we see God shapes every area of our lives! If we perceive Him as distant or unloving, we drift away from the glorious truth of who He is! This doubt becomes a wedge, driving a wedge between us and our Creator.
When the ultimate truth of God’s love for you becomes scrutinized, mistrust finds a foothold. Doubts about His intentions, plans, and character take root; before you know it, they yield a harvest of destructive thought patterns.
The enemy’s strategy is simple and sinister: he crafts a distorted image of our Heavenly Father God, sowing seeds of doubt that blossom into bitter consequences.
We must lift our eyes to Him, our faithful Creator, and reject the lies that seek to pull us away from the truth.
Look for God’s escape route.
Look for the exit and run!
And here’s the hope: God always provides a way out. He gives an exit when we face temptation.
The Temptation of Jesus
He overcame the devil’s lies with the truth! (Mat 4:1–11, Mar 1:12, 13; Luk 4:1–13 )
When the enemy came to tempt our Savior Jesus in the wilderness, the devil twisted the very Scriptures from the Book of Deuteronomy.
But listen to me: the Word of God is our mighty sword! Just as Jesus spoke the Word of truth against the devil’s lies, the Word is our weapon; it protects and defeats every enemy attack.
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Eve had the chance to flee from the tree at that moment and should have never conversed with that serpent. She could have run to her husband. But she chose not to follow God’s escape route. When you face temptation, remember you have the power to walk away! You can choose what is right and declare God’s Word! You are never alone in this battle! Keep your eyes fixed on God; He will guide you in the right direction and give you a way out.
As I was writing, the Holy Spirit revealed something powerful:
Adam was given a command from the Lord and heard God’s words. Genesis tells us that God placed Adam in the garden to tend to it, and He commanded him, “You may eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you do, you will surely die!” (Genesis 2:15-17).
Here are the What Ifs: When Eve offered that fruit to Adam, what if he had turned to God for guidance instead of succumbing to temptation?
Adam could have used those words of God’s command as his sword when tempted to take a bite. He should have asked her, “Which tree did you this from”?
Back to the Garden of Beginnings.
Can’t you see Father God’s generosity shining like the morning sun in that garden? Everything He created was a gift for them. Adam was freely invited to partake of the Tree of Life!
God planted that tree, not man; its fruit was a divine gift of life and abundance!
What’s truly amazing is that God did not withhold the Tree of Life from Adam! He wanted Adam to experience its blessings but warned him about the other tree. This shows us God’s heart, for He desires a relationship with us that is filled with love. Right love gives the truth that protects us while giving us the freedom to choose.
That is why He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Those two trees in the garden symbolize our choice! We must choose life!
But let me tell you, the anatomy of sin begins when we step outside of God’s boundaries, which I lovingly refer to as ;
“His love lines of protection.”
So, let’s stay within those lines.
New Boundary Lines: A Divine Call to Spiritual Discipline
Genesis 3:24 declares, “So God drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He permanently stationed the cherubim and the sword with the flashing blade, which turned round and round to protect and guard the way to the tree of life.” Oh, what a profound truth we find here!
Here is something powerful! Discipline is not just a gentle recommendation; it is the heartbeat of our spiritual walk with the Almighty! We must embrace the truth that we are not gods!
But precious children are fashioned by our magnificent Creator! In His infinite love and mercy, He lovingly sets boundaries around us, and within those divine limits, we find the strength to truly thrive! Can you feel His presence? But sadly, we know we will no longer feel His presence when we cross the line.
When we honor these divine parameters, we create a sanctuary for our souls—a sacred space where we can blossom and reflect the overwhelming love and grace He has lavished upon us! Let us embrace this truth, striving to align our lives with His perfect will and trusting in His magnificent plan for each of us!
Now, let us revisit the beginning—the book of Genesis! Oh, it is here that everything was birthed in the splendor of goodness! Six times, our God, in His infinite wisdom, surveyed His creation and proclaimed, “It is good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). And then, after forming humanity, He stepped back and declared, “It was very good!” What a glorious affirmation! From the outset, God gave us the gift of freedom, allowing Adam and Eve the power to choose and the blessing to trust and obey Him.
Generational sins are a pattern passed down
The enemy is a master of seduction.
He’s familiar with sins in your bloodline. All those generational curses passed down through the ages, bound by deception, yet the bait remains the same: just as the devil did with Adam and Eve using something forbidden! His aim? It is for us to keep planting seeds of sin that breed and are passed down to the next generation, those twisted truths about God with a distorted understanding of His Word. If he can succeed, he wins the battle for our minds, for our spiritual lives are anchored in knowing who God truly is!
When we allow lies and false truth to creep in, relationships erode! The enemy subtly crafts his questions: “Why would a loving God withhold anything good from you?” It’s easy to think, “They should have known better,” but understand this: so we all should have known better. You see, the foundation of trust is built on relationships! Your parents, spouse, relatives, teachers, pastors, and more…
Because we trust those we think have our best interests at heart.
Tragically, not everyone can be trusted—only God! For there is no evil in Him (Psalm 5:4)!
God takes no pleasure in wickedness (Psalm 5:4), does not tempt us with evil (James 1:13), loves righteousness, and abhors (hates) wickedness (Psalm 45:7). He is always, always good!
No excuses
James 1:13-15
13 No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.
But when we allow the devil’s deception to take root, it becomes a treacherous slope! Sin becomes the influence, and it’s never satisfied.
Picture this—imagine an avalanche!
One sinful choice made by someone close to you begins to roll downhill, gathering momentum, sweeping away everything beautiful and precious in its path! This vivid illustration reminds us how swiftly the enemy can affect what truly matters in our lives! In these moments, we must turn to God, cry out in prayer, and seek peace for our hearts and minds! With His divine wisdom, we can establish the necessary boundaries to protect our loved ones and ourselves.
It fractures our connections with others.
That is when boundary lines must be drawn to shield those we love. But always remember: “God sees what they are hiding.” Let us align our hearts with Him and trust in His restoration of what was violated.
Someone may have chosen, like Eve, to rebel against God’s boundary line, which may have negatively affected you.
But fear not! Romans 14:12 reminds us, “So each of us must explain to God what we have done.
Yes, we can stand in God’s mighty presence today! We choose to release forgiveness for every offense that has come against us. Oh, but remember, my friends, they, too, will need the ultimate forgiveness that only our Heavenly Father can provide!
So, let us surrender to the Lord, confess, and do what is needed. His Word promises us that He will take care of those who have wronged us. Cast your burdens upon Him, for He is a just God, and He will vindicate His children! Trust in His mighty hand.
Above all else, guard your heart with diligence—for out of it flows the very essence of life (Proverbs 4:23).
But I want you to understand this: temptation is not a sign of weakness but an opportunity for divine strength!
But here’s the good news:
Jesus is there for you to call on for help.
Stand firm against these attacks.
Let’s lean into His grace and find the courage to resist, knowing we are never beyond His reach. With God’s help, we can navigate the rough waters of temptation and emerge stronger in our faith.
