Through conversations people exchange thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings. Everywhere we go we see people engaging in conversations. In beauty salons and barber shops, conversations make sitting in a chair for a long period of time a little more comfortable. Through conversation you now have a best friend that has been around for years. Through conversation you were able to talk the salesman down to a price that allowed you to buy that brand new car. A series of conversations is one of the main reasons you married your spouse. The way my wife and I got to know each was because I was a groomsman, and she was a bridesmaid in my cousin’s wedding. And through divine intervention, we ended up walking together in the wedding. We conversed throughout the wedding rehearsal, a little bit through the wedding, and the entire wedding reception. I furthered the conversation as I walked her to her car which bought me enough time to muster up some courage to ask for digits. And one year later, we had our own wedding.
Perhaps you had a conversation at home this morning, or before the worship service began. And I pray that no one is having a conversation right now. But conversations take place daily, and it seems like there is no danger in conversing. What I want to suggest to you this morning is that some conversations can be deadly.
Genesis, the book from which our selected scripture is found, is a book of beginnings. The beginning of the world, of human history, the family, civilization, and salvation. It is in this book and in our text where we see the beginning of spiritual warfare against man. This first spiritual battle took the form of a conversation between Eve and a serpent possessed by satan, which turned out to be deadly. But before we take a closer look at this deadly conversation, we need to know what the topic of this conversation was about.
In the second chapter of Genesis, before Eve was created, God placed Adam in the garden of Eden. Adam was to cultivate, watch over, and care for the garden. The Lord told Adam that he may eat from any tree in the garden except from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The Lord also made clear to Adam that the very day that this command was broken, he would surely die.
As we take a closer look at this conversation between Eve and the serpent, we want to see what the indicators of a deadly conversation are. And keep in mind that deadly conversations aren’t just perceptible by the ear, but because satan is the other party in the conversation, deadly conversations can also take place in the mind and heart.
Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the other animals of the field which God had made. In other words, the serpent was very difficult to detect. Isn’t it funny that satan chose the serpent to possess, because he’s subtle as well. It is through the craftiness of satan that he tempts people to sin. Satan has to disguise himself, and make it very difficult for us to detect that he is behind the things that we’re tempted with. This why satan was able to engage into a deadly dialogue with Eve, because she was unaware of who he really was.
The serpent said, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Here satan tests the waters, so that he can see how he needs to approach Eve. Our waters too are tested, because satan knows some of us won’t bite on just anything, so he tries to attack us from the best angle. “2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 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. I don’t want to get off track, but Eve said something very interesting. In her response to the serpent, she said that not only should they not eat the fruit, but they shouldn’t touch the fruit either. In God’s command to Adam, God didn’t say anything about touching the fruit. Some theologians suggest that Eve was adding to the word of God. Now, don’t run with this, because this is my personal opinion. I think that Eve was just showing how sacred the covenant was. Even though I may be able to touch the tree, I want to give God my best in being obedient to him that I’m not going to even get close enough to touch it, since its fruit is off limit. What an attitude of reverence toward God to have.
But now in verse 4, how would Eve respond now? “4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” One indicator of a deadly conversation is that we’re tempted to doubt God. Eve knew what God had said, but now satan comes back and says that it’s not true. We know Eve began to doubt if God’s word was true, because she never said anything back to the serpent. Whenever we doubt the word of God, then we open the door for satan to throw more punches our way. While Jesus was fasting in the wilderness, he was tempted by satan, but he responded to the tempter by quoting the word of God. So, when satan tries to get you to doubt the word of God, start speaking the word of God back to satan. If you start to doubt God’s love for you, tell satan, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” When you doubt that God isn’t concerned about your burdens, tell satan, “The bible says cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you.” And we’re not speaking the word of God back to satan for his benefit, but knowing what God says increases and strengthens our faith, which leaves no room for doubt.
Since Eve didn’t speak up satan went on to say, “5 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.” Another indicator of a deadly conversation is that we begin to feel confined by our position of trusting in God. Satan implies that God was strict, stingy, and selfish for not wanting Eve to share his knowledge of good and evil. Eve begins to forget all that God had given her, and starts to focus on the one thing she couldn’t have. You’ve been on your job for years, and you see someone who hasn’t been there long gets promoted. Instead of thanking God for just having a job and trusting him to promote you in his own time, you start trying to do your own thing to work yourself to the top. Contrary to what satan tells you, trusting in God is freedom.
Sometimes we have the illusion that freedom is doing anything we want. But God says that true freedom comes from obedience and knowing what not to do. The restrictions God gives us are for our good; they help us to avoid evil. Don’t feel confined by trusting in God. If you trust in God you are free from worry, because you know he will work things out. You’re free from stress, because you know that God has everything under control. And you’re free from sin, because you know that Jesus died for your sins, and receiving his salvation makes you free indeed.
I’m getting ready to close, sit down and be happy all by myself. But look at verse 6, “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.” Finally, an indicator that we’re having a deadly conversation is that it appeals to our sensual and ungodly desires. Satan was through talking, but because of the conversation, Eve began to look at the tree. She saw that its fruit was good for food, it was pleasing to her eyes, and when she thought about the wisdom she would gain, she desired its fruit. Just one look, that’s all it took. She reached for the fruit and ate it, and she gave some fruit to Adam, and he ate also.
Eve made her mistake when she looked and desired the tree. We need to start closing not only our spiritual eyes to certain things, but sometimes our physical eyes as well. Satan didn’t make Eve eat the fruit, but James says when we are dragged away and enticed by our own evil desires, then it leads to sin. Satan just paints the picture, but it is our choice whether or not we take the picture home and hang it on the walls of our heart.
While watching television, and listening to certain types of music, these are ways satan can have deadly conversations with us. And before you know it, we desire something that isn’t of God. Deadly conversations can be recognized because they tempt us to doubt God, they make us feel confined by trusting in God, and they appeal to our sensual and ungodly desires.
Why are these conversations so deadly, because eventually we are lead into something that displeases God, and goes against his will? This is called sin, and sin brings forth death. Satan attempts to have conversations with us all the time, but if we don’t learn to walk away from the conversation, then they will be deadly. Satan cares nothing about our well being. Because God kicked him out of heaven, he wants to keep us out of God’s will. He wants you to catch hell, raise hell, and then die and go to hell.
This conversation with Eve turned out to be deadly because she gave in to sin. Adam gave in as well, leading to a broken relationship between God and man. But Jesus Christ, God’s Son opens the way for us to renew our fellowship with him...
