Powerful Truth You Need to Resist the Enemy’s Lies
It’s a hard truth to accept, but I believed the enemy’s lie.
Like Eve, I failed to walk away. I stood at the tree and listened as he hissed…
“God’s holding out on you.”
For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:5
Have you listened to the enemy’s lies too? This is one of his favorites…
You’ve waited so long…
“God’s holding out on you.”
You want it so much…
“God’s holding out on you.”
You need it desperately…
“God’s holding out on you.”
You’ve prayed and prayed and prayed some more…
“God’s holding out on you.”
Yes, I listened to the lie, and like Eve, I not only listened… I acted.
Have you noticed how giving in to one of the enemy’s lies often leads to giving in to more of them?
It may begin with…
“God’s holding out on you,”
But then follows up with…
“God helps those who help themselves.”
“God wants you to be happy, you just need to…”
“It’s not really a sin, so it must be okay.”
“Everyone else is doing it or has it.”
He’s relentless. His greatest goal is to get us to doubt God and question His love.
The enemy was relentless, and I was impatient. What I wanted wasn’t wrong. My sin wasn’t what I wanted; it was that I wasn’t accepting God’s “not yet” because I was afraid He was really saying “no.” And that felt like more than I could bear.
Unlike Eve, I didn’t see the consequences of my choices right away. Everything seemed good; so good…
Until…
Everything fell apart.
It’s easy for us to blame Adam and Eve for sin in the world. We hate its consequences, and we want to blame someone other than ourselves. But the truth is, we’ve all stood at the tree and listened to the enemy’s lies.
At one time or another, we’ve all grabbed the fruit and taken a bite.
Sometimes our consequences are life-changing, and sometimes they’re so subtle we almost think we’ve gotten away with it.
But either way, every one of us needs God’s promise…
“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel.”
Genesis 3:15
The Good News is that God’s promise has been fulfilled in Jesus…
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
John 3:16 (AMPC)
God loved Adam and Eve and every person ever created so much that He spoke His promise in the Garden, and His plan was set in motion.
You and I are so greatly loved and dearly prized that God gave Jesus… that is definitely not “God holding out on us.”
Still, the consequences of giving in to the enemy’s lies remain – just as they did for Adam and Eve.
I don’t share the details of my story because of the other people involved. I don’t want anyone to get lost in those details.
So, like Paul shared his “thorn in the flesh.” A challenge that was given to him, “to keep me from becoming proud.”
So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
2 Corinthians 12:7
Because we don’t know exactly what his “thorn” was, almost everyone can see themselves in his story.
“Paul’s thorn” may not be a consequence for something he did, but the Lord’s answer is always the same… whether we caused the pain, someone else caused it, or it is the result of living in a sinful world.
God’s answer for His children is always grace.
The Lord replied, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
God’s grace is always the answer to our struggle with the enemy’s lies.
Through Jesus, God graciously loves. Forgives. Heals hurting hearts. Gives strength and hope.
God’s Grace—Saves!
He spoke the promise of His eternal plan and set it in motion in the garden, then He gave His only Son, Jesus, to accomplish it.
You are saved through His grace. And so am I.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer Thanking God for Grace
and Help to Resist the Enemy’s Lies
Heavenly Father, You are so very gracious and good. After the fact, it’s hard for us to understand how we could have given in to the enemy’s lies.
You promise that You are always working for our good and Your glory, even when Your answer to one of our prayers is “no.” (Romans 8:28) Yet, since the very first temptation in the Garden, the enemy wants us to believe You are holding out on us.
Generation after generation, we have listened to him, failing to resist his lies. I am so sorry. Please forgive me.
You are gracious and merciful. You gave Jesus to save us. Your love is beyond our ability to comprehend completely. Through Your Word and the Spirit, You give us the power to rebuke the enemy and resist His lies.
Please help me. I surrender all to You through my faith in Jesus. I love You. You are Lord of my life. Amen.
Whatever you’re facing. Whatever your “thorn” or struggle, God’s grace is with you, and He has promised that His grace is enough. The eternal plan He set in motion in the garden is still at work. The promise has been fulfilled, and the victory won; Jesus is our hope for the future.
The next time we find ourselves standing in front of the tree listening to the enemy’s lie, may we have the strength to resist him, walk away, and trust God’s grace in and through Jesus.
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.
James 4:7–8a
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Oh Deb! I never thought of giving in to the enemy’s lies this way. Puts a whole different light on it, doesn’t it? I find that imagery very insightful. I’m so thankful for God’s grace and for all Jesus has done for us.
Blessings, Cecilia
Me too, Cecilia. I can’t imagine trying to live a moment with God’s grace, mercy, and love. He is so very good to us. God be with you and bless you!
Deb,
Thank you for this beautiful reminder of life’s challenges because of choices we make. Like you said, about yourself, what you wanted was not wrong, but not accepting “God’s not yet” was the problem. Being patient and waiting on God’s timing or accepting what His decision is has been difficult for me. I am a master at drawing my own conclusions and scenarios but in the end, I do know I have to accept God’s “not yet” or even “not ever!”
I do love that you pointed out the scripture telling of God’s plan for our salvation and forgiveness. This morning I was reading Matthew 12: 18-21 (one of my favorite scriptures) and I love how God explained it and the character of Jesus. It speaks volumes about the character of our God and His love for us as well; His desire to have relationship with us. I am thankful that God chose me to be in His world, with my shortcomings and faults and my sinful nature. And He forgives me!!!God is good!! All the time! And all the time God is good!
You are too! A true blessing!
Prayers for a safe and wonderful weekend to you.
Amen, Sue! It is life’s greatest blessing to be known and loved by the Lord, and to be invited to respond to Him with love in return. His grace overwhelms me. God bless you, beautiful friend!
I don’t think there’s one of us who hasn’t found ourselves listening to the enemy’s lies, Deb. Thank God for the saving grace and forgiveness of Jesus! Where would we be without Him? Blessings!
Amen, Martha! I know there is nothing in me that could satisfy God’s righteousness without the covering of forgiveness we can have through faith in Jesus. Praise God for the blessing of knowing, loving, and trusting Him. God bless you, dear friend!