Duped Much?

From an ealier post on Gen 3..
NO MATTER HOW CRAFTY (Gen 3:1-5)


Did you catch that?... He (God) said that the serpent was crafty (sneaky, tricky, skilled at manipulation, manipulating people, manipulating the words of God, manipulating the situation, the opportunity, the right moment as well as the wrong moment)... The serpent wasn't really asking the woman what God said, he already knew. He was scoffing at what God had said in disbelief and disgust, as though God was trying to set boundaries and limits that were unfair and un-fun.

He casually leaves out the whole truth of what God said, quotes partial truths.. which are lies. So often when people feel that the Bible is untrue or full of contradiction, it is because they have not read it or studied it in it's entirety. Here is Satan from the beginning, causing such seeming contradiction and questioning of God.

He is a master in his technique, because by using such an approach.. it causes Eve to begin explaining about the trees in the midst of the Garden. It puts her mind on the forbidden fruit.. which is not sin in itself.. but it puts her mind on the forbidden fruit in a spirit/atmosphere of questioning God. It takes the seed of the enemy's words and plants it in her thoughts, searching for an open door to cause doubt and rebellion to spring to life in her heart.

Yes, Satan is crafty.. the serpent.. that woman, that person, that temptation, that door of evil.. that chooses to satisfy it's own lusts as it yields to Satan so that he can bring life to rebellion against God and death to those loved by God. He then uses the talents, skills, and God given abilities of the people he is able to influence and woo, in an effort to manipulate and convince others to doubt and rebel against God. All that for one purpose.. to steal, to kill, and to devour. He has no concern or sincerity for your rights or your fun or for justice in any way.. he uses you and everyone and everything to feed the fires of his hatred against God. He lies to you and works every angle to keep you deceived and in the dark. Blinds you with the darkness of all that you lust for.

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Additional thoughts 6/7/2013:

Scripture says that we are not ignorant of his devices... if we are in continual prayer (conversation with God about everything in our life), and continually reading/studying the Word of God.. checking ourselves in all honesty.. seeking out other believers to watch our back by calling us out when we seem to step off the path.. Satan is crafty.. he gets us to willingly sin.. cuz that's the hook.. that's the contract.. that's what hurts the heart of God and costs so much to clean up.. when we choose to sin.. to go against the plans that God has lain to bless us and prosper us and every life our life touches. The enemy is good at what he does.. subtle.. that person seducing us, convincing us.. that addiction offering an escape from the difficulties of life, to make us cowards, prisoners, living death, failures.. our own arrogance, believing we have caused the good things in our life, or that we deserve them and should not be denied whatever makes us feel free and happy... don't be duped.

The enemy knows how to play us.. he watches us and studies us.. he knows the weaknesses of mankind.. but -- he fears God, just the mention of the name of Jesus terrifies him.. because he is light and he reveals all that the enemy tries to shroud in darkness to keep us blind to the truth of that temptation, that lie, that sin... without the Light that is Christ and the Lamp that is his word in our lives daily.. we set ourselves up against an enemy who will convince us he is our best friend, all the while stealing, killing, and destroying every good thing in our lives. Pay attention.