From the very beginning satan attacked our identity and tempted us with the desire for power through doubt. What did satan say to Eve?
“…Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1
Did God REALLY say you can’t eat from ALL the trees? How dare he restrict things from you! He began tempting her by placing doubt in her mind. But what did God actually say about the trees Adam and Eve could eat from?
“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17
God says you can FREELY eat from all the trees, but there is only one you can’t eat from (for your own good!). Satan tries to get us to believe that God is restrictive. That He really isn’t good and cannot be trusted. He tries to get us to see everything through a negative lens. He wants us to focus on the ONE thing God asks us to stay away from, instead of all the FREE gifts God pours out on us. Satan wants us stuck in a scarcity mentality, but God gives us abundant riches. Satan wants to steal. God wants to freely give us abundance (John 10:10). When satan convinces us that God is restrictive we focus on all the things we don’t like. We start feeling like God is unfair.
How did Eve respond after Satan planted seeds of doubt and restriction in her mind? In response to satan’s questions Eve explained God’s command this way:
“But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Genesis 3:3
Did you notice that Eve answers Satan incorrectly? She says I can’t eat it OR TOUCH it without dying. God never said anything about touching the fruit. He said in the day you eat it you will die.
I may be over thinking this, but I can see Eve getting closer to that fruit the longer satan talked. As she picked it up, she didn’t die. Can you imagine what she was thinking? Doubts and twisted truth already clouding her mind? The feelings of “I deserve” planted in her heart. I can imagine she may have thought: well I touched it and didn’t die, maybe God isn’t who He says He is. When we start doubting God isn’t who we says He is. When we start thinking He is a restrictive God who shouldn’t be trusted. When we get close to sin and nothing happens, we are tempted to start living in doubt of God. We are tempted to start living in our own logic. Satan is a good liar, but God is truth. Satan wants us to believe that God isn’t who He says He is. He wants to cloud our minds so we miss use/ or miss-apply scripture. He wants to confuse us and steal the abundance God has given us. But God, He is always God. He never changes and He cannot lie (Numbers 23:19). He freely gives us abundance, we simply need to open our eyes to Him and believe Him. We need to be willing to trust His ways, and not be offended by them.
Temptation is hard, but the good news is, we aren’t alone. Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days to be tempted. Forty days! God did not leave us alone to battle all the lies and temptations satan throws in our path. There is truly is no temptation that hasn’t been faced by other men (1 Corinthians 10:13) and more importantly Jesus Himself ( Hebrews 4:15)! Jesus wandered and fasted in that wilderness forty days. I can’t imagine satan having forty straight days to tempt me at my weakest point!
As Jesus is tempted in the desert Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12 to Him as a temptation. The quote satan was referring to here, in the context of the Psalm, is God’s promise to provide protection for us. He promises to be a refuge. This verse is reassuring us that God will conquer our enemies. However, when satan quotes this to Jesus his intent is to get Jesus to prove who He is. To rise about God’s plan and control of the situation. God promises us free protection, but we are never to exalt ourselves over Him. He FREELY gives us protection, we don’t have to prove ourselves with His promises because He is in control. Do we long for more or do we trust God have FREELY given us exactly what we need?.
Jesus is abundant in all the things our souls deeply long for. We can run to Him even as doubts rage. Satan will use negativity and subtle forms of lies. He will twist truth and take things out of context. Always remember the simple truth in every Word Jesus says. The simple truth that He saves us and sanctifies us daily. The truth that His words are true. Satan is a smooth talker, but we have confidence in God’s Word and the Spirit’s wisdom. We can always turn to the Word when confusion or temptations come. We get the opportunity to daily delight in God and Scripture so we can constantly combat temptations with God’s truth. James 4:7 tells us that if we resist satan he has to flee. By being aware of satan’s tactics we can be aware of how he is subtly trying to confuse and abuse us. Resist him by quoting the Word of God to him. Tell him to get away, like Jesus did. Believe the simplicity in Jesus and trust God’s ways are above yours.
Satan wants us to doubt God and doubt our identity. He wants us to ask these questions: Is our identity in Christ enough? Is our purpose and calling enough? Satan doesn’t want us to think so. He wants us to believe that there is something more out there. Keep running to God despite doubts, He will sustain us. Jesus understands and gives us grace upon grace.
“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16 ESV
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