Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 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. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 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. (Genesis 3:1-5)
Satan does not show up as a red man with a pointy tail and a pitchfork in his hand, trying to make you sin. He is subtle and crafty. Deception is not overt or in your face; it often comes disguised as curiosity or natural wisdom. The enemy’s goal is to trick you into feeling right about deciding to turn away from God. Satan's primary tactic is to sow doubt in your heart as to who God is and what God said.
When the enemy met Eve, he asked her questions that led her to second-guess her understanding of God’s Word. Eve knew about God's command but still engaged with the serpent. This shows us how vulnerable we can be when we entertain thoughts and suggestions contradicting God's Word. Believers must learn to recognize and reject any idea or suggestion that contradicts the truth of Scripture immediately.
Satan’s lies will always include accusations against God’s character. To Eve, he was trying to convince her that God was withholding things from her and that God lied when He said that she would die. Her response shows she knew what God said but was “interpreting it for herself.” Knowledge of Scripture is vital, but knowing the Word isn’t enough. That knowledge must also have wisdom about how to apply it. That’s why being a part of a Bible-teaching church is so important for believers.
Practical Application
Don’t miss church. You mustn't just read the Word; you need to study it and learn from it with others in the house God has called you to be a part of.