The Accuser of the Brethren!

“Has God really said…”

(that devil since the beginning, from Gen. 3:1)

Since the dawn of creation the devil’s tactic has not changed. He comes and questions what God has spoken. At the very beginning of creation, he was in the garden questioning the word of God to the woman. It took place something like this:

"And God said, 'Let us make [mankind] in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.' So God created [mankind] in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (King James Version, Gen. 1:26-27).

Some time after the devil comes to the woman and says to her, "Has God really said, 'you must not eat of every tree in the garden?"

The woman responds, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, except the fruit from the tree in the midst of the garden. God has said, 'You shall not eat of it neither touch it lest you die'." 

The devil smirked, he knew that he had her. She added to the word of God, God never said not to touch the fruit. He knew at this moment she did not have a full understanding of what God had said. The devil touched the fruit and said, "You surely won't die! God knows that if you eat it you will be like him knowing good and evil." 

**This conversation is paraphrased and artistic license was used. Please refer to Genesis 1-3 for the full picture.**

Have you ever talked to someone about a subject and the more you heard them speak you knew they had no idea what they were talking about? It becomes so evident, especially if you know the subject they are talking about. The moment she added to the commandment of God the devil knew she didn’t have an understanding on what God had spoken This is the same thing Jesus got on to the Pharisees about. They taught the traditions and doctrines of men as commandments. Then rejected the commandment of God (read Mark 7:1-13). More importantly, though, she did not have a full understanding of what God actually said about her identity.

The Pride of Mankind.

I have heard people say that the temptation in the garden was based off of pride. To a degree this is true, but not to the extent that I have heard it preached. What people have said is, “they wanted to become like God, exalted to a place of power and omniscience. Just like the devil himself…” This is a complete and utter misconception of the truth.

Rewind back to what God had said when he created mankind on the earth. “Let us make man in our own image and after our own likeness…” then in the very next verse it says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (from Gen. 1:26-27).

So scripture cannot be broken, right? God said that he made mankind in his image and after his own likeness. So who was already like God? That’s right mankind. Is it prideful to admit something that is true? If someone comes to me and calls me a woman I would quickly let them know I am a man. Would I be in pride if I admitted to them the truth about what God made me? No; so why is it prideful for the woman to believe the word that God had spoken concerning her identity? The simple answer is that it is not.

When does pride come in this story? When she does not believe the word of God and believes a lie. Instead of humbly submitting to what God had said, she believed the devil when he made her feel like she was lacking. God made her complete and lacking nothing; but, instead of trusting in God to be true she was deceived into thinking she was lacking. It is not prideful to believe in how God created you, but it is prideful to think that you were created differently than how God created you.

“Woe unto him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What are you making? or your work, He has no hands? Woe unto him that says unto his father, What are you begetting? or to the woman, What have you brought forth?”

Isaiah 45:9

True Temptation.

There are only two times in the Bible where it is recorded how the devil tempted an individual. The first being in the garden, and the second is the temptation of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are actually quite similar. Let’s take a look at our Lord’s temptation.

"Then Jesus comes from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him... and Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'." (from Mat. 3:13-17).

Then Jesus was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness and after 40 days the accuser comes to tempt.

The accuser speaks in his ear, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."

Jesus answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'."

Then the devil takes him up into the holy city, and sets him on a pinnacle of the temple, and says to him, "If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down: for it is written, 'He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hand they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone'."

Jesus, knowing the devil's schemes, said, "It is also written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God'."

The accuser is fretting, Jesus knows and understands the word of God. He can tell he is losing and his time is short. He takes Jesus to a high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. Then says to him, "All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me'."

Jesus, in a commanding voice, says, "Get away from me Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve'." 

Then the devil, knowing he lost the battle, left him.

**This conversation is paraphrased and artistic license was used. please refer to Matthew 4:1-11 for the full picture.**

The temptation of Jesus mirrors mankind’s temptation in the garden. God spoke a word concerning their identity, and then the devil comes and questions the very word God said about them. In Jesus’ case, he overcame the wiles of the devil.

We tend to think that temptation is when a sinful desire comes along and we struggle against doing whatever it may be. What true temptation is, is when the enemy tries to get us to believe in something other than what God has said. That was what the temptation was in the garden. Do they actually believe what God has said about them? And that was the temptation Jesus faced in the desert. Does he actually believe what God has said about him? This is what the devil is after in us, our identity.

Identity Is Everything!

One of the reasons the devil wants us to question our identity is because he knows if we do not know who we are, then we will do things that are contrary to our nature. If he can get you to believe that you are a lustful person then you will do lustful things. This is why identity is so important.

The bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (from Pro. 23:7). If the devil can get us to believe things about ourselves that is contrary to what God has said about us, then he can manipulate and deceive us into all types sin.

But, bless God, if we stand firm in what our God has said about us we will be the righteous children he has always determined us to be. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did PREDESTINATE to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). It was always in our Father’s heart for us to shine bright like the Son!

I am talking to those who are believers in Jesus Christ at this point. Those who are not born by water and the Spirit are enslaved to sin and must be born again in order to be freed from the bondage of Satan. I want you to know though, it is our Father's deepest and earnest desire for you to be born again. He loves you and wants you to be born again. Talk to Jesus and ask him to birth you again in him. He will do it for you. Our Father has so much love for you! Trust in his unfailing love.

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”

Galatians 6:15

The only thing that matters is the new creation that God has made us, nothing else. Everything stems from what God has done in us, by birthing us again unto a lively hope. We are his masterpiece! And my Dad does not make trash! He is a Master Craftsmen there is none like him! “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…” (from Eph. 2:10).

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:17-18). We are new. We have a new nature, God’s nature (read Col. 3:9-10). He has said that he’s given us a new heart and placed his Spirit inside of us to cause us to walk in his statutes (from Ezk. 36:26-27). Now, are we going to believe the lies of the Devil? That we are still that old sinful person, especially when God has told us that we are a new holy creation?

Be blessed brothers and sisters! Our Father loves us with an everlasting love. He has given us an eternal victory through his Son Jesus. We always win. Especially when we hold firm to our confession. Jesus is Lord!