Gen 3:4 (NIV) “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. Jesus, help me see that the fear of death wasn’t keeping Adam and Eve from eating. The creative power of: “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” was keeping them from eating the fruit. They were the creation power words that were empowering them. As long as they had faith in them, they were safe. But, then Satan gave them some information that was pulling their faith away from its power.

Jesus, show me how Satan moved Eve’s attention off of the fact that God said it. Since God said it, that gave her power to not eat, and she could have walked away. But, as she allowed her attention to be drawn away from what God said, help me understand that she started listening to what Satan had to say. Teach me that, that is always the problem with thinking that God’s words are assignments for me to try to obey.

Jesus, show me that I can believe God made the rule; but, I can think He wants ME to fulfill it myself. Show me that when I see them as creation power words, my faith and respect is in God and His Word. But, since Adam and Eve saw them as rules that they were responsible to keep, it made God’s words open to discussion. Help me realize that once Satan gets the floor, he knows what to do next.

Next, Satan drew Eve’s attention to the penalty of the sin. “You will not surely die,” the serpent said. Jesus, make it clear to me that obedience to God needs to be my motive. When He tells me what the consequences are, help me understand that He is just trying to help me see He has my best interests in mind. He isn’t trying to motivate me to obey. He wants me to obey because I believe in His honesty and love for me. He wants me to obey because I love Him and believe in Him.

Jesus, make it clear to me that it mattered that GOD said Eve shouldn’t eat. Help me see that it doesn’t matter what will happen to me if I disobey God. It matters that it is God Who loves me, has my best interest in mind, Who is brilliant, and sees the future. Help me put my faith in the fact that God is so wise, He always knows what is best. And, because God sees the future, He is always right about what is best. So, make it clear to me that it matters that He is the One Who said it.

Jesus, help me see that Eve had two sets of information, God’s words and Satan’s words. But, she wan’t weighing the sources. She wasn’t considering WHO said these two opposing concepts. She was weighing WHAT was being said. That put her reasoning powers in control. She was asking her mind: “Does this particular case that is being presented to me, make sense?”

Jesus, teach me that if I know WHO said it, then it won’t be so important WHAT was said. If I make all my decisions based on who said it, then it won’t matter whether or not it makes sense to me. As long as my faith is in God and God alone, then I will only allow His words to come into my life. My only question will be, WHO is saying this to me? Once I know WHO is saying it, then I will know whether or not to believe it.

Jesus, the Bible tells me what God has to say. If I am getting something that isn’t in the Bible or disagrees with the Bible, then help me see that it isn’t God talking. God always agrees with His Word. Satan always disagrees with God’s Word. His statement to Eve was in direct opposition to what God said. Help me see that at first, Satan puts himself on an equal plain with God. He is saying that God said you are going to die; I say you aren’t. Then he implies, who are you going to believe, Him or me? Later, he will put himself on a superior level over God.

“You will not surely die.”Jesus, the Bible is the Word of God. It is always right. God is always right. When God and His Word speak, there is no room for partial obedience. Teach me that it is always presented in an absolute, take it or leave it fashion. Those who are in an intimate, respectful relationship with God and His Word, don’t want to have anything to do with disobeying God.

Jesus, help me consider who gave Adam and Eve the earth? Who gave them the garden of Eden? Who gave them all the animals to name? Who gave them all the trees to eat from? Who gave them their bodies? Who gave them each other? God did! Now help me combine that with the fact that, HE was the One Who said: “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Help me see that like them, Satan has done NOTHING for me. And he was the one who said: “You will not surely die.” Help me see who I would listen to, if I were them.

Jesus, show me that the only hope Satan has with a person who has been so blessed by God is, he must get their mind off of God and the generosity of that environment. Now comes the “is this really fair” question. Show me that Eve had to believe that even though God did do all those wonderful things for her, she deserved more. Satan had to convince her that she was being lied to. Satan had to convince her that God was just trying to scare her into obeying Him. She had to believe that God was self-serving and was trying to cheat her out of something. Protect me from listening to or believing such lies.

Rom 1:21 (NIV) For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Jesus, when I forget to be thankful or stop appreciating all that God has ALREADY done for me, I start concentrating on what God hasn’t done for me. I prayed for something and He said no. I thought He should do something for me and He wouldn’t do it. Help it not cease to matter to me what all God had already done for me. Deliver me from only being able to see and think about what I wanted that He wouldn’t give me.