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06 -- Do you know the method of Satan?
GENESIS 3:1-3
1 And the serpent was wilier than all other animals of the wilderness that the LORD God had made. So it said to the woman, “Did God truly say, ‘You shall not eat of all trees in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “You shall eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but concerning the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden God said, ‘You two shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
God warned us of the tricks of the evil one by describing to us the fall of Adam and Eve into sin. He did not explain to us how Satan became evil, or why He allowed him to attract humans. But He explained to us practically that all temptation to sin begins with deceit and error, for Satan is a tricky liar.
The road to committing sin is long. For before violating the commandment there is a long struggle in the heart of man, with him going farther and farther away from God. First Satan plants doubts about the word of God in our hearts, by making His love for us look suspicious. And sometimes the difference between truth and lying depends on just one small word, like the word “truly” in the question: “Did God truly say”. With this the evident truth is reversed into a terrifying doubt.
The woman was not yet there, when the good God commanded her husband that he should in no way cooperate with evil. And without any doubt her husband explained to her the danger that was awaiting them imminently. Possibly he did not sufficiently explain to her God's great love. And the woman did not have the gift of distinguishing between spirits to the same extent as it was present in the man.
Her first mistake was to enter into a conversation with Satan, instead of openly repelling him by saying: “You liar, truly you twist the truth. For the loving God told us to be careful of any evil thought, even if it were attractive and glittering. I do not want anything except to fulfill His good will. Go away from me, Satan!”
Satan may come to you planting in your heart doubts about the existence of God, and he may shake your assurance of forgiveness. And he may whisper to you: “A ‘white lie’ does not really appear to be an offence like stealing or impurity, which no one sees.” Do not ever listen to his lies, rather answer him with courage: “Truly my Lord is alive. He is my loving Father, and Christ has forgiven my sins. Also his Holy Spirit lives in me, even though I do not feel him.”
Do not allow Satan to twist for you the foundations of your faith, because his highest aim is always to shake your trust in the love of God and his salvation. Read daily in the Holy Bible and pray so that you receive power and wisdom. Refuse all whisperings of Satan from their very beginning, and strike them down with the sword of the Spirit. Then you will overcome him, just as Christ overcame him in the wilderness. Truly, God is alive and Christ has set you free, and his Spirit abides in you!
MEMORIZE: And the serpent was wilier than all other animals of the wilderness. (Genesis 3:1)
PRAYER: O Father, we are unable to comprehend the tricks of Satan on our own. Revive our consciences through your Holy Spirit and purify us from every sin. We thank you that you always love us and that Christ atoned for our transgressions. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we do not sin, together with all your children in Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti.