Know the Enemy

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. (Genesis 3:1-6, NLT) 

This is man's first encounter with Satan here on earth.  Notice that Satan was the shrewdest, the most devious and cunning animals God created; what a great definition of who Satan is. He starts off with a somewhat innocent question about what God has said that they could and could not do?  He appeals to two basic needs of mankind - food and power! When the woman explains the reason for not eating from the tree, Satan tells her the only reason they are told not to eat of this tree is because her and Adam, if they eat from it, will be just like God, knowing all things and being just like Him!  What a loaded question this is and it is exactly how Satan works today in our lives.  He tricks and deceives us into thinking we have all the wisdom and knowledge we need to be like God and just like God. He leads us to believe that if we study textbooks and science enough we will be just like God.  However, we may have earthly wisdom, but there is a wisdom that goes well beyond human understanding and that is godly wisdom that is supplied to us by the Holy Spirit.  Let us continue to seek godly wisdom over human wisdom each and every day of our life.  Let us know our enemy and his schemes so that we will not fall into his trap of wanting us to think we can be on the same level and just like God!  

Seek the Lord while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:6-9, NLT)