Realization Series

The second step in breaking free from our addictions is Realization. This step is quite simple. Realization is simply taking a good hard look at ourselves as God really sees us. This chapter deals with the real reason for our sin and the consequences of our actions. It will help us to take responsibility for our own actions.

ITEM 1

The reasons for your sin

Genesis 2:15-17: And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it: for in the day that thou eat thereof thou shall surely die.

3:1-6: Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field, which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 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. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

3:11-13: And he said, who told thee that thou were naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou should not eat? And the man said, the woman whom thou gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Man is by his nature sinful.

Man is sinful, and we show it in our actions and our conduct. Man is always ready to do evil. Paul says in Romans that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. When we, as children of God, are outside of His will, we are under the Divine sentence of the law; the soul that sinneth shall surely die. These things are true of men of all ages, of all nations, and all genders.

This lesson is quite simple. It is so simple that we can overlook it with considerable ease. When we sin and do not clear it up with God, we drift quietly and silently away from God, like a boat adrift on the sea. As children of God, we should never set our own will against the holy will of God. When we allow our actions to be outside of the will of God, we forfeit God’s favor and deserve His punishment. Worse than that, we lose our fellowship with God.

Lucifer influences us into sin.

Lucifer conquered Adam and Eve and drew them into sin, and Lucifer’s plan is to conquer each of us like he did them. Lucifer wants to separate us from our God and destroy any chance of us getting into heaven. In the garden, Lucifer tempted the woman, Eve. It was Lucifer’s policy to talk with her when she was alone. Lucifer took advantage of this when he found her near the forbidden tree. Lucifer will use things, people, and ideas that we are use to or familiar with to get to us. It is Lucifer’s strategy to send temptations by hands we do not suspect, and by those that have the most influence upon us. Lucifer questioned whether or not it was a sin to eat of the tree. Lucifer quoted the commandment wrong because he is a liar. It is the practice of Lucifer to speak of the Word of God as uncertain or unreasonable, so that he can draw us into sin. Lucifer will try to get us to doubt God, and then to deny the truth that we already know about God.

Our disobedience opens the doorway for sin.

As children of God, the Word of God says that we can have anything that we want. The bible says that God will give us the desires of our hearts, but we must be obedient. Before Adam and Eve sinned, they welcomed God’s gracious visits with joy. Adam had no corrupt nature within him; but he did have a freedom of choice. When Adam chose to sin, he drew in all of the rest of humanity into sin and ruin. When it was too late, Adam and Eve saw the mistake of eating the forbidden fruit. They saw the happiness and peace they once knew disappear. They saw a loving God provoked into anger. They saw His grace and favor forfeited. They soon found themselves outside the protective fellowship of God. Adam and Eve were now miserable comforters to each other!