Nancy Reagan was visiting Longfellow Elementary School in Oakland California in 1982 and was asked by a schoolgirl what to do if she was offered drugs. The first lady responded by saying: “Just say no.” And from that moment the “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign began and spread throughout the country and internationally. “Just say no” is what it means to stand against temptation when it arises. Can we just say no?
What does it mean to be a Christian? First, it means that you are a redeemed child of God – living for the glory of Jesus Christ. But it also means that you are an enemy of Satan. Every Christian is in a war – a life-and-death struggle with a vicious enemy. There is a saying that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. But there is another similar saying: “The Devil hates you and has a terrible plan for your life!” He will do anything to make you fall, to keep you from growing spiritually, to discourage you and cause you to give up on God. The enemy never quits – he never gets tired. Praise God we have a Lord who is more powerful and gives us victory in the battle as we trust in him!
This morning we are continuing in the foundational matters of Genesis. Last week we looked at God as the master provider. And this morning we continue to look at God our master and his great warning – battle ahead! Be ready!
Here in the very beautiful and perfect Garden of Eden the battle begins for God’s children. We find the serpent suddenly in Chapter 3 verse 1. That alone is evidence that something happened between the creation of the perfect universe and this verse because God does not create evil but only good. There was a rebellion against God in the heavenly places as one of the highest angels sought the authority and glory of God and he was cast out of heaven along with many other angels who followed him. (see Isaiah 14 or Ezek. 27).
And so we have the first battle for the soul of a human being in the Garden of Eden as Satan in the form of a serpent attacks Eve – how? Through temptation. And it is through her experience of temptation that we learn the common strategy of the enemy that he also uses to this day. If he was able to get a perfect man and woman to sin, he will do the same to you and I who are born sinners and vulnerable.
What is temptation? It is not sin. If you are tempted you don’t have to confess it to God. If temptation was sin, then Jesus sinned because the Bible describes how he was tempted by the Devil on at least two occasions.
Temptation is the thought in your head to do something against God’s will. That thought can come from one of three sources – either your own sinful flesh. We are born in sin and that nature often rears its ugly head and temptations come from our own mind. Sometimes the temptation comes from the world around us that pulls us in to its rebellion against God. Third, temptation comes from Satan or more likely his demons who plant thoughts in our minds.
No matter where it comes from, the temptation is not sin but the option to sin. Temptation can very quickly become sin as James says in 1:14 – “carried away and enticed by his own lust.” This means that if you take the original thought and dwell on it and desire it and carry the action through in your mind it has turned to sin without any outward action. That’s what it means to be “carried away” by lust. You desire it. And that is the ultimate goal of the enemy!
Satan has a strategy. Genesis describes him as crafty as he tempts us through our flesh, the world or directly. What are his strategies as we fight temptation?
Temptation is UNEXPECTED – Be on the alert!
Satan is very crafty, he doesn’t tempt when we are expecting it or when we are ready for it but temptation come when we least expect and when we are most vulnerable.
Look at Eve. How was she vulnerable? Eve knew God’s Word. She was perfect. She was very close to God. She seemed safe. This is why the Scripture reminds us: “Be on the alert!” The enemy is not stupid – he will come when the watchmen are sleeping and easily attack the city.
Since he is very crafty, the enemy will attack not at your strongest point but at your weakest. He won’t bother dealing with an area which you won’t give in to. He’ll attack at an area in which you struggle with and at times and places in which you are most vulnerable.
Again, we have to realize that EVERYONE has terrible & horrible temptations. No one is without them. If you think you are alone in thinking terrible thoughts, you are wrong because I can testify that I’ve been plagued with horrible temptations (and I thank God that they were just temptations). But again, remember that these are just temptations.
But most people keep these struggles and later sins a secret and try to fight the devil alone. They believe that they have God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to fight the Devil alone. This is true that we have these weapons, but God has also given us our brothers and sisters in Christ as weapons against the evil one. They are sent to us by God so that we can be stronger.
I strongly encourage you, if you struggle with sin and can’t seem to overcome temptations, be accountable to someone you trust! Expose it to the light and I promise you, you will find victory as soon as you are unified with a brother or sister against this sin.
• Temptation QUESTIONS God (3:1b-3)
The path of temptation leads is to sin. What is the first step on that path? We question God. Notice how the serpent causes her to question God’s authority. Does God really know what’s best for me? Questions whether God is holding back something that would really be good for her. (vs.4) She should have returned to God’s Word and remembered that God has never given them a reason to doubt his rules.
But this one of the key areas in which we begin to fall away from God. We question if God really is doing what is best for me. We are so prideful to think that we know what is best for us. It’s like a 1 year old thinking that playing in the fire is the best or that a diet of chocolate cake is perfect for breakfast, lunch , and dinner. Does that child really know what is good for him? Very little. But parents know a lot better!
What does God know about your situation? EVERYTHING – past, present, and future! And yet we think that we are smarter than God. If God is a loving God would he really plan what is the worst life for you? And yet we like to play God and question him like Eve did – does he really know what’s best for me? Oh, how we need to humble ourselves under God!
Eve did the right thing: she went to God’s Word. That is exactly the way we deal with temptation. Remember again that Jesus did that to confront Satan. But Eve made two mistakes.
First, she added to the Word of God making him appear harsher than he really is. Verse 3: “neither should you touch it, lest you die.” We are on very dangerous ground the moment we add to the Word of God or subtract from it. You know how it is when someone misrepresents what you have said. It’s infuriating! And when we dare to do the same with God’s Word – imagine the danger we are in. Don’t ever go astray from the literal words of the Lord!
Second, she stopped using the Word. When Satan continued to tempt her, notice that Eve stopped quoting God’s Word. When Jesus was tempted by the Devil he quoted Scripture. Did the devil quit after the first verse? Be persistent against the attacks of temptation. Don't give in just because you continue to struggle.
When the temptation comes – CLING to the Word – don’t change it, excuse it, throw it out. That is our weapon!
• Temptation MIXES TRUTH WITH LIES (3:4-5)
The second step leading from temptation to sin is mixing truth with lies. The serpent said: “You shall not die, you will know good and evil” and she believed it. Satan is called “the father of lies” by Jesus (Jn 8:44). His big power is in twisting the truth and making us believe a half-truth about God and about himself. He puts lies in our minds many times which are about ourselves:
“I will never be used by God, I’m worthless, I’m a failure, There’s no hope for me.”
These are lies which are clearly the opposite of Scripture which says that through Christ, we are God’s holy and precious children.
He mixes truth with lies in the world in very subtle ways:
“God’s is normally righteous except with me – he treats some people well and others he lets them suffer.”
“God is love except for me he doesn’t really love me.”
“All will be saved.” (all meaning those who trust Christ)
“Being a Christian means just suffering and missing out on all the fun things in life.” (yes we suffer but there is fruit of spirit)
“Jesus was a good man.” (yes, but not just a man)
“Jesus leads to God – so does Buddha, Mohammed, and Confucius.”
It’s the most dangerous to mix truth with lie because some things are good and true but then he inserts some false. Like a contract with small print or a drop of poison in a bucket of spring water. We gulp it all down because much of it sounds right. Beware and know the Word – the source of truth!
• Temptation rationalizes sin (3:6a)
The third step leading from temptation to sin is rationalizing the sin. Eve begins to think that the fruit is good for food and a delight to the eyes; that she can become wise through it. This makes sense – so why would she NOT eat it?
We do this today with lying: “It’s only a little white lie and can only help someone.” Or cheating: “if I can get away with it, it’s okay.” “I’m only trying to help someone else to succeed.” “It’s only a small sin, God wouldn’t notice.” “Only good can come from it.” Eve was finding a way to see this as making sense. Most sins have to be justified with excuses somehow. “I deserve it after what I’ve been through!” And instead of listening to God’s Word we listen to the enemy’s temptation and lies.
• Temptation focuses on feelings – Don’t go by feelings!
The fourth step leading from temptation to sin is following our feelings.
Notice how Eve focuses on the externals – what she “sees” and what is “good tasting.” She doesn’t think about the objective truth. “If it feels good it can’t be bad.”
Remember that song in the 70’s by Debbie Boone? There is that one line that strikes me: “It can’t be wrong when it feels so right, cause you light up my life.”
That’s a lie from Satan! Why? Because all sin feels good at the time – see Heb. 11:25 which mentions Moses’ resistance of temptation: “choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” Feelings should not determine our actions – the objective truth of God’s Word is rock solid!
• Temptation leads to sin by desire (3:6b)
The fifth step leading from temptation to sin is desire. James 1:14-15 “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” The closest point to sin is when we allow desire to take control of our thinking. She looked and stared and thought over and over again about that fruit and how wonderful it would be. It is almost impossible to stop the sin at this point. The longer you dwell on the temptation, the harder it is to resist. Like a car going down the mountain – gaining speed until it’s too late to slow down.
• Give in (3:6c)
And finally, what she had already committed in her heart through desire she carried through in action – she picked and ate of the fruit. And not satisfied with sinning alone, she passed it on to Adam. This is even worse – Satan didn’t need to tempt Adam at all – his wife did all the work. The Bible has harsh words for those who lead others astray. But in the end, Adam apparently gave in even quicker than Eve. It’s bad enough to sin but you multiply the sin when you pass it on to others. That’s why leaders do enormous damage when they fall. If you as a youth leader or Sunday school teacher incite the people under you to sin against God, imagine the consequences.
So if Adam and Eve so fell, what about us? We have no hope except for one crucial thing: we have Jesus and the Holy Spirit he sent. Jesus too experienced every temptation and yet did not give in – not even once. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” In Matthew 4 it tells us how Jesus was tempted by the devil – alone, weak, face to face. And Satan was defeated by the Son of God. And when we trust in him, we too have victory! We are forgiven of our past sins – because the perfect man overcame sin and died for us. But he also gives us this promise that as we approach his throne, we will receive and mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. Do you see the promise? He will strengthen and provide for us in any temptation! He gives us HIS power to overcome and will provide a way of escape.
So again, as I said at the beginning, “Just say no!” to the enemy but before you can say no, you need to say “yes” to Jesus. Seek his help; his mercy and grace in your weakness. He will provide. Praise God we have such a Savior!
