Bad things will happen. Tragedy will strike. Market downturns are inevitable. Though it all, we can take heart. We can have peace and rest in knowing that God, who has the ultimate say, has assured a good outcome for His child’s benefit (Romans 8:28). Simply put, with Him as our Father (the perfect Father), He will carry the weight if we let Him and guide our path if we follow.
But there’s an issue! Yes, an enemy! The ultimate protagonist. In fact, this adversary wants to derail God’s plan and wreck your life. This is not just some person who is learning as they go. He has had millennia of experience. He’s been practicing his deception on others way before you and me. His first victim was Adam! Yep, we can blame it on Eve, if that somehow makes you feel better, but our brother Adam was created first and given clear instructions directly from the mouth of God. He was supposed to be the leader of the family! Yes, the leader! God gave Adam clear instructions: “Don’t eat the fruit! The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is off limits but eat freely from every other tree (Genesis 2:16-17).” As the leader, he was supposed to lead, teach and protect. It was his responsibility to have a conversation with Eve about God’s single rule. On a regular basis, he should have reminded her, “Honey, don’t even think about it! Don’t let your guard down. God said no, and that must mean it won’t end well!”
Remember that the enemy is a liar. He’s crafty and deceptive. His falsehood is not easy to detect and his lies often appear attractive. Satan didn’t show up to Adam and say, “I want to destroy you.” He showed up to Eve and promised that if she ate, she would be like God, her eyes would be open, and she would know both good and evil (Genesis 3:4). Who wouldn’t want that? Satan promised her what we all want! We all want wisdom, insight, and power. But here’s the struggle: this went against God’s will and directly opposed God’s Word!
Adam should have stepped between Eve and the serpent and said, “We’re already like God – we’re made in His image. I don’t need to know evil because I’ve been declared by my Creator to be very good. Serpent, you fell from glory because you wanted to be God. I don’t want or need to be God now get away from my wife!”
Instead, Adam stood by passively and let his wife eat the fruit. Then, with no clothes, she offered her husband a bite. He didn’t step in and say, “Honey, no way!” He just took a big bite as well. I know what you’re thinking, if your wife walks in with no clothes and hands you an apple, you’re not going to hesitate! Yeah, honey, anything for you! Men, this is how Satan (God’s enemy) works. It’s imperative that we, as men, know God’s Word! Read the Manual (RTM) so we can have insight into how God wants to guide and protect us. This way when Satan offers something attractive to us or our loved ones, we can say no! Remember, Satan came to steal, kill and destroy while Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). Resist the devil and receive Christ’s guidance.
Steve L. Thomas, RTM