Genesis 3:1-6 NIV
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
The enemy cunningly started by making Eve question the Word of God. In her first reply she corrected the his questioning by telling him exactly what God said and did well by doing so. However, slipped once she took the devils word for it (Gen3:4).
The devil literally polluted the Word of God, and man fell because he started living according to the wrong word.
One could say they didn't have enough words to tackle the enemy, but the truth is the Word God had given them was more than enough. When the serpent said "you shall not surely die" They could have replied, God said "...for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die"...all they had to do was to keep repeating the exact thing God had said, and stand firm on that, but they didn't.
Now see how Jesus handled a very similar situation.thousands of years later.
Matthew 4:2-11 NIV
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
The devil again in Jesus' case attempted creating a word contrary to Gods Word by saying "if You are the Son of God...".. because there is no where in the Bible that God ever said the proof of being His child was turning objects into things that would gratify bodily desires.
Romans 8:13-14 NIV
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
The above doesn't say those who are led by the devils suggestion of what should be, but those who are led by Gods spirit.
The Holy Spirit led Jesus to be tempted and so was leading him through out the situation. Truth is at this point Jesus was remedying the point at which Adam fell..it was the very first thing he had to do after being baptized and endorsed by God (Matt3:16&17).
The devil attempted to up his game by using Gods word, but using it wrongly...and still Jesus was more than ready..He did not make it personal, He just stuck to what "is written". The devil finally got directly to the agenda he had been pushing all along when he tried to make Jesus worship him and Jesus sent him away again using the Word..Its like Jesus was saying "You shall worship the Word your God and only Him shall you serve...END OF DISCUSSION".
The devil had been pushing the agenda of Jesus worshipping him from the first temptation.
He did the same for Adam and Eve by deceiving them that they would be their own gods, and as a result they became slaves to their cravings and fleshy desires.
So once Jesus dealt with the crux of the matter, he sent the devil packing.
Jesus had to be born in The Flesh but of The Spirit to show us how the flesh being led by Gods Spirit in using His word and His wisdom, can overcome and deal with all the deceitful methods of the enemy which are aimed at turning one away from worshipping God! He was born in the flesh but of the Spirit to show us how to do what (Eph6:10-17) instructs.
This is extremely exciting..many of the things written in this post are things I only truly became aware of through the Holy Spirit as I was writing..God is super amazing! Thank you Father!
Be Spekky...Be Spectacular!
(Matt5:13-16).
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