Genesis 3:4-5, "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
How crafty the devil is! His goal is to rob the people from their Maker by making them doubt God’s very character. Here's the devil’s counsel to his co-workers, “If you want to mislead the people from their Creator, it’s quite simple - just make use of the opportunities to let them doubt His love and goodness.” The serpent had been successful in tempting Eve by having her doubt the goodness and faithfulness of God. He implied that God is selfish and doesn't want to share His knowledge of good and evil with them. He deceived her into believing that God withheld from her the best. Regretfully, Eve believed the lie of the devil and did that which God had forbidden her.
Ever since then the devil has been busy in getting people to doubt the goodness and faithfulness of God. When things don’t happen according to our expectations or when situations seem to be unfair, we are always tempted to ask, “Why did God do this to me?” The serpent lies in our mind: “If God really loves you then why did he put you in such a difficult situation? If God really cares for you then why is He not answering your prayers? If God is in control of your life then why all things are not going well with you?” By having us believe such lies, he turns us to get bitter against God and do things that which He has forbidden.
Dear friends, we have to destroy the devil's lie by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17). For it is written, "God is good and His love endures forever" (Ps 118:1). When tempted Eve failed to acknowledge that God gave her the best. She couldn’t believe that He works all things for good. She couldn’t trust God’s love for her. Oswald Chambers once said, "The root of sin is the suspicion that God is not good."
How painful it would be for God to see His children doubting His goodness in their lives! In most cases, the root cause for worry, disappointment, loneliness and depression is our failure to acknowledge who God is. The state of our mind and heart speaks more of what we believe about God than our statements. Whenever you are tempted to doubt God’s love and goodness in your life gear yourself up to cling to the following Scriptures:
Romans 8:32 - He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
Matthew 7:9-11 - Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
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