The Devil Has a Plan for Your Life (Gen. 3:1-20)
Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, kill and destroy, but I came that you might have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
The devil sought to distract Eve and Adam from the goodness of God. They enjoyed 99% of the desires of the heart, but the tempter tried to get them to focus on the 1% of what they did not have. Many of us get in to trouble when we concentrate on what we do not have instead of praising God and thanking Him for His goodness, greatness and gracious gifts that are so freely ours in Christ.
God’s plan promises love, joy, peace, and fruitfulness, but too few people choose correctly. Instead, they subtley surrender to the devil’s plan for their lives and suffer as Adam and Eve did in the garden.
Illustration: He’s Dad
Two 6 year olds struggled with the problem of the existence of the devil. One boy said, “Oh, there isn’t any devil.” The other, rather upset, said, “What do you mean, there isn’t any devil? It talks about him all the way through the Bible!” the first replied, “Oh that’s not true, you know. It’s just like Santa Claus, the devil turns out to be your dad.”
G. Lewis, Demon Possession, ed. J. Montgomery
Illustration: Counterfeits
1. False Christs Matt. 24:24; 1 John 2:18
2. False apostles Rev. 2:2; 2 Cor. 11:13
3. False teachers 2 Peter 2:1; 2 Tim. 3:8
4. False brethren Gal. 2:4; 2 Cor. 11:26
From the Book of 750 Bible and Gospel Studies, 1909, George W. Noble, Chicago
Be on guard against every form of greed, covetousness and lust. NO good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Consider some of the following disobedient ways that the devil plans to wreck destruction, defeat and discouragement to billions every moment of every day in every way:
1. DOUBT and DEMORALIZE - The devil began to cast doubt on God’s authority, love and truthfulness. His word and His message when he said, "Has God really say you must not eat any of the fruit of the garden?" (Gen 3:1) When we start to question the truthfulness of God’s word, His will and His authority we allow the seed of doubt to shake the foundations of our faith in a God who cannot lie or alter His word.
2. DELUDE - Satan tried to fool and deceive Eve by casting false impressions about God to the woman. When people become delusional they start to believe their hallucinations. The devil said to Eve, "You won’t die! God knows that you eyes will be opened when you eat of the fruit. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil." (Gen. 3:4) So many people are deluded in their view of God, His word and His will for their lives. Consequently, their lack of discernment causes them to think they are doing fine when in fact they are deceiving themselves. James wrote, "Be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves." (James 1:22)
3. DIVERSION - Satan tried to make the forbidden fruit seem attractive so that the woman would want it more than the right things. So many people follow Satan’s plans for their lives because they naively allow their attention to get diverted to useless, harmful or things that appear to be attractive but are shadows of what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent, admirable and praise-worthy. (Phil. 4:8) Failure to pursue the things that please the Lord in all respects only spells defeat. We are told to flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love and peace with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart. Do not get distracted by worthless arguments. (2 Tim. 2:22-24)
4. DISSUADING and DISDAIN - Satan tried to dissuade Eve by persuading her that she would be like God. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be more like Jesus Christ, but there is a subtle error into thinking we can assume the power, authority and omniscience of God. Paul wrote, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day." (2 Tim 1:12) Notice, Paul allowed the Lord to persuade him and he would not allow anything to dissuade him. Abraham staggered not in unbelief but grew strong in faith being fully persuaded that what God had promised He was able to perform." (Rom 4:20,21)
5. DISOBEDIENCE and DISRESPECT - Satan tempted Eve to disobey God and to obey his own devilish plans. When she convinced Adam to share in the forbidden fruit, immediately sin wrecked havoc in their lives. "The woman was convinced as the fruit looked fresh and delicious and it would make her so wise. So she ate of the fruit. she also gave some to her husband who was with her." (Gen. 3:5)When we disobey God in thought, word, deed or in assumptions about His character, we can expect to have to suffer from the consequences of sowing a seeds of our self-destruction. The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. (Rom 8:6-8) Disobedience can come in numerous ways, but the chief way is to fail to do what God tells us to do with a whole heart of love, faith, and hope in His holy and just character.
6. DELAY - Satan wants you to delay obeying God in the hope that eventually you will become so enamored with non-essentials that you will forget to do the essentials of the will of God. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Procrastination is the seed of most disobedience.
7. DISGUISE - In the evening Adam and Eve heard the Lord God walking about in the garden so they hid themselves among the trees. The Lord God called to Adam, "Where are you? He replied, "I heard you, so I hid. I was afraid..." (Gen 3:6-10) When people follow the devil’s plan for their lives they try to hide, disguise themselves or camoflauge their activities under the guise of something noble. Be sure your sin will find you out. You cannot hide from God. Stop trying to cover up what is wrong and confess your sins as He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9) Our biggest problem is often that we are unwilling to come clean and admit our sin, our weaknesses, our failings to God. Only then , as we are broken can the Lord renew, restore and reconstruct us into what He wants us to become.
8. DIVISION and DIVISIVENESS - The devil wanted to divide the first couple so that they would be at each others’ throats. God said to the woman, "Although your desire will be to control (dominate) your husband, he will be your master." Today many women seek to dominate their husbands through all kinds of means. I remember that Tim LaHaye would tell us that the number one problem he saw in marriage counseling was the problems of the passive male who was beaten down from domineering wives. So many men face a great deal of put-downs from their wives with uncessant criticism and lack of respect that it is unusual to see a marriage that is harmonious.
The feminist agenda is party to the problem of division in the family where the woman is expected to criticize her husband if he is not performing up to her standards. Husbands fail to love their wives and women fail to respect and submit to their husbands and divisions result. Everyone in the family then splinters off into their own isolated world. No wonder there is constant tension in most households today.
9. DEVIATION and DETOURING - Satan wants people to deviate from God’s plan by trying to think that they know how to best run their lives with their own knowledge. "Then the Lord God said, "The people have become as we are, knowing everything, both good and evil. What if they eat the fruit of the tree of life? Then they will live forever. So the Lord God banished Adam and his wife from the Garden of Eden and he sent Adam to cultivate the ground from which he had been made." (Gen 3:22,23)
The Lord has the right to allow people to suffer the repurcussions of their disobedience by allowing to eat of the fruit of the selfish rebellion. Only when we eat of the fruit of righteousness found in Christ, His word and His Spirit are we given the incorruptible seed that produces Godly fruit of holiness, love, joy, peace and the righteousness that pleases the Lord in all respects. Trust Him for restoration, healing and forgiveness. If things are not going as you planned recognize that He still wants you to trust Him in the dark times as well as in the light. Let us trust Him and obey in sad and times of triumph. He who believes in Him will not be disappointed. (Rom 5:4,5)
10. DESTRUCTION AND DISGRACE - Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, kill and destroy. But I came that you might have life and have it abundantly. The devil’s bottom line strategy is destroy people by taking them to hell. Paul wrote, "The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace." (Rom 8:6-8) Do not be deceived about the devil’s plan for your life. He wants to derail, diminish and then destroy everything that is good in your life. Listen to what James wrote, "Submit yourself to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Purify your hearts you double-minded."
At the name of Jesus, Satan will have to flee. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ command the devil to flee from you. Renounce the tempter and send Him away. Do not try negotiating with Him or his emmissaries. When Jesus encountered the devil the desert He issued the three keys three strategies to overcome the devil. "You shall worship the Lord God only and serve Him alone. Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. You shall not tempt the Lord you God by taking on any idols." Use the word of God against the devil and you will enjoy the truth that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (I John 4:4)
Conclusion: No Teeth
Writing in Moody Monthly, Carl Armerding, the former President of Wheaton College, recounted his experience of watching a wildcat in a zoo. “As I stood there,” he said, “an attendant entered the cage through a door on the opposite side. He had nothing in his hands but a broom. Carefully closing the door, he proceeded to sweep the floor of the cage.” He observed that the worker had no weapon to ward off an attack by the beast. In fact, when he got to the corner of the cage where the wildcat was lying, he poked the animal with the broom. The wildcat hissed at him and then lay down in another corner of the enclosure. Armerding remarked to the attendant, “You certainly are a brave man.” “No, I ain’t brave,” he replied as he continued to sweep. “Well, then that cat must be tame.” “No,” came the reply, “he ain’t tame.” “If you aren’t brave and the wildcat isn’t tame, then I can’t understand why he doesn’t attack you.” Armerding said the man chuckled, then replied with an air of confidence, “Mister, he’s old—and he ain’t got no teeth.”
Moody Monthly
Put Off the Old and Put on the New Thought-life (Eph. 4:22-32)
1. Impurity with Purity
2. Idolatry w/ Consecration
3. Impropriety w/ Properness
4. Imprisonment w/ Spirit-Led
5. Impossibilities w/ Possibilities
6. Indiscipline w/ Discipline
7. Incoherence w/ Coherence
8. Insufficiency w/ His sufficiency
9. Immorality / Morality
10. Insidious w/ Frank-honest
11. Insensitivity w/ sensitivity
12. Impunity w/ fear of God
13. Indolence w/ hard work
14. Inadequacy w/ His adequacy
15. Inability w/ His abilities
16. Ineffectiveness w/ His effectiveness
17. Incompleteness w/ His completeness
18. Incomprehension w/ comprehension of His will
19. Insolence w/ obedience
20. Instability w/ stability
21. Insipidness w/ flavorful
22. Indifference w/ commitment
23. Impatience w/ patience
24. Immaturity w/ maturity
25. Imposing w/ Spirit’s convicting, leading, enabling
26. Impishness/ maturity
27. Inattentiveness w/ attentiveness
28. Instability w/ stability
29. Impetuous w/ ponderous
30. Inconsistency w/ faithfulness, steadfastness
31. Insecurity w/ security
32. Impossibilities w/ His possibilities
33. Ignorance w/ knowledge
34. Insincerity w/ sincerity
35. Inactive w/ active
36. Insignificant w/ significance
37. Incendiary w/ make peace
38. Impertinence w/ respect
39. Inconclusive w/ conclusive
40. Inexpressive w/ expressive
41. Iniquity w/ blameless
42. Ingratitude w/ thankful
43. Insatiable w/ satisfied
44. Insensible w/ awareness
45. Insistent w/ trusting
46. Insouciant w/ concerned
47. Intellectual w/ wisdom
48. Interference w/ minding one’s own business
49. Inexperience - experience
50. Inferiority w/ confidence
51. Inflexible with flexibility
52. Infantile w/ maturity
53. Indetermination w/ determination
54. Indignity w/ dignity
55. Incompetence w/ competency
56. Independent w/ inter-dependent & dependent
57. Inept w. skilled
58. Inharmonious w/ harmonious
