Good morning. In a recent adult Sunday school class we considered an example given to us by the author of our study (Louie Giglio, “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat At Your Table”). He used the example of football coaches utilizing those precious minutes during the halftime of a game to quickly run through what had worked and what had not, and to set new tactics and strategies for the 2nd half. There are times when an honest assessment and a change of tactics are clearly in order. And there are times when something is working very well so no changes are needed.
It would seem as though when we are considering the tactics of our true enemy, Satan, his thinking is more in line with “no changes needed, all is working well”.
Please consider his tactics in the garden of Eden: 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.” Genesis 3:1-5
Tactic #1: Raise doubts about God’s Word “Did He really say that?” “Why would He say such a thing?” “Surely, you shouldn’t take that literally!” Notice that he misuses and misrepresents God’s Word, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” No, in fact God never said that, He commanded that they never eat from that one tree in the middle of the garden.
Tactic #2: Denial Satan said to Eve, “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. Satan is telling her that God got it wrong. After all, they were created to live forever. How could eating of this particular tree’s fruit change that reality?
Tactic #3: Deceit Satan told her, “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”Do you see his lie? He claimed that God had an evil intention in keeping them ignorant. He claimed that if they would partake of that which was forbidden: you will be like God.
His tactics haven’t changed. He continues to raise doubt about God’s Word. Even among Christians it is sometimes taught that God’s Word is a take it or leave it offer. Accept what you like and disregard the rest. That is the enemy talking. The enemy continues to whisper that God’s truths needn’t be followed, “You will not certainly die”. He twists the truth of God’s love, saying that a loving God must accept everyone, even those who have never accepted Him. Satan’s deceit is never ending and his lie, the greatest lie of all, continues to be told: and you will be like God. No, God is God, and we are not Him, and we will never be Him. Thank God!
Vern