Adam and Eve

(Genesis 2:8-17; 3:6, 23)

This Sunday is the first Sunday in October. Our new big idea is “I can obey right away.” We’re looking at Adam and Eve this week (Genesis 2:8-17; 3:6, 23).

In these verses we see that God created a beautiful garden, full of trees that were beautiful and produced delicious fruit. He placed Adam and Eve in the garden to tend it and watch over it and told them they could eat from any tree EXCEPT the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

We all know the story. Eve eats from that one tree and offers it to Adam. As a consequence of their disobedience, God makes them leave the garden. We are, our world is, a product of their sin. 

I think the Lord shows us something really important at the beginning of chapter 3, though. He gives us a glimpse into Satan’s plan of attack. A blueprint for spiritual warfare.

In verse 1, Satan QUESTIONS “…did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees…?”

In verse 5, Satan LIES and twists “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God…”

In verse 6, Eve AGREES with Satan’s lie and takes an action of disobedience. “The woman was convinced…so she took some of the fruit and ate it.”

In verse 7, we see the CONSEQUENCE. “…they suddenly felt shame…” and are ultimately made to leave the garden, so they don’t have to suffer in their shame for all eternity. 

Satan is not creative. His plan of attack over us always follows the same pattern: 
❓He raises a QUESTION
❌He whispers a LIE
✅At some point, if we are not on guard, we AGREE with his lie and take an action
😢 and suffer the consequence of our disobedience. 

BUT GOD does not leave us powerless. He has given us, through his mighty power, all of the armor we need to fight back against the enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy.

Read Ephesians 6:10-18. Claim God’s armor as your own today. Put on your BELT OF TRUTH, your body armor of GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS, your SHOES OF PEACE from the Good News. Hold up your SHIELD OF FAITH, and put on your HELMET OF SALVATION as you take up your SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is the WORD OF GOD. 

Let’s stand firm together, friends, against all strategies of the enemy. We do not fight alone! God goes before us, and behind us, in front of us, and beside us. He has ALREADY WON!

~Jessica Plummer