Temptation: “When you are drawn away and enticed by your own evil desires”

Eve, Adam’s wife, was deceived by the serpent in the garden near the tree of knowledge. The serpent was the devil and he used three steps to draw her in.

Challenge the Word- “Indeed, has God said you shall not eat of any tree of the garden?”

Once we begin to question God’s Word we open ourselves up for the devil to try and deceive us. Have you ever said the following words before as you are drawn to do something you feel is wrong yet in your mind what you hear is: “God is forgiving He will understand, what I’m going to do it’s not that bad other people do worse.” Or perhaps, “Someone hurt me bad so it’s OK to hurt them.” Or even, “Well I don’t care what you say this is what I believe.”

We need to weigh every thought against the Word of God so we don’t fall into the devils trap.

Neglect the Word- “You surely shall not die”

When Eve touched the fruit nothing happened to her. It was not until she ate it and shared it with her husband. The devil always tries to down play the consequences. It is never OK to play with sin. One moment of pleasure could cause a lifetime of pain. The devil tries to draw us from the Bible. He wants us lean on what feels good or “seems logical” rather than what God’s Word actually says. This brings confusion. We don’t like to be confused and so we replace God with self. The Bible says if we take back lordship we become Lord of our lives then we become idolaters. 

Spiritually you are dying and later you will feel and experience what the devil left out if you don’t repent.

Distort the Word- “For God knows from the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The devil wanted Eve to believe that God was holding back good things and pleasure from her and Adam. God was, is, and will always be a good father. A good father knows how to care and provide for His children. “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Sometimes a father will tell his children to stay away from certain things because even though the children don’t see a problem with it their father knows it will hurt them. The devil will make use of any opportunity to twist what God’s Word says to lead us into a place of confusion and condemnation. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The devil wove a web of lies through Eve’s thoughts with the intent to deceive her from the truth. As she entertained the thought it gave birth to action and she took of the forbidden fruit.

Bring every thought to the Bible and compare it to what God says.

There is a little plant the grows in the Australian bush country called the "sundew." It has a slender stem and tiny round leaves fringed with hairs that glisten with bright drops of liquid as delicate as fine dew. Woe to the insect, however, that dares to dance on it. Although its attractive clusters of red, white, and pink blossoms are harmless, the leaves are deadly. The shiny moisture on each leaf is sticky and will imprison any bug that touches it. As an insect struggles to free itself, the vibration causes the leaves to close tightly around it. This innocent-looking plant then feeds on its victim. 1

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