THE CHOICE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

Genesis 3:1-7, 21

INTRODUCTION

CREATIONMANKINDFREE-WILLTHE FIRST TEMPTATION

GENESIS 3:1-4“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?” And the woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God a said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.’ And the serpent said to the woman, “You surely shall not die.’

GENESIS 3:5-“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.”

GENESIS 3:21

“And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”

IS SATAN FOR REAL?

“NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY

THAN ANY BEAST OF THE FIELD WHICH

THE LORD GOD HAD MADE….”

Genesis 3:1

THE SERPENT?

“AND THE GREAT DRAGON WAS THROWN DOWN, THE SERPENT OF OLD, WHO IS CALLED THE DEVIL AND SATAN, WHO DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD; HE WAS THROWN DOWN TO THE EARTH, AND HIS ANGELS WERE THROWN DOWN WITH HIM.”

IS SATAN FOR REAL?

WHERE DID SATAN COME FROM?Revelation 12:9Isaiah 14:12-15Ezekiel 28:12-17

WHAT IS SATAN ALL ABOUT?“The thief comes ONLY to steal, kill and

destroy…” John 10:10

LET’S TALK ABOUT TEMPTATION!

“There has no temptation overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will with the temptation provide a way of escape that you may be able to endure it.” - I Corinthians 10:13

FIVE FACTS ABOUT TEMPTATION!

GENESIS 3FACTS ABOUT TEMPTATION

FACT #1: TEMPTATION CAN COME OUT OF NOWHERE AT ANY TIME TO ANY PERSON!

SURPRISE!“Now the serpent was more crafty…” Genesis 3:1

GENESIS 3FACTS ABOUT TEMPTATION

FACT #2: TEMPTATION WILL OFTEN INVOLVE THE

EVERYDAY NORMAL EXPERIENCES OF LIFE:

CONVERSATION

CONTROVERSY

“And he (the serpent) said to the woman, ‘Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”

Genesis 3:1b

EVE’S WORDS

WHAT GOD REALLY SAID:

“And God commanded the man saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat f rom it you shall surely die.’” (Genesis 2:16,17)

WHAT EVE SAID GOD SAID:

“And the woman said to the serpent, ‘From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God as said, ‘you shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.’” (Genesis 3:2,3)

SATAN’S WORDS“And the serpent said to the woman, ‘You shall surely not die. For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God knowing good and evil.’”

GENESIS 3FACTS ABOUT TEMPTATION

FACT #3: TEMPTATION OFTEN INVOLVES A LOT OF LITTLE STEPS TAKEN IN A WRONG DIRECTION!

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes and that it was desirable to make one wise….” Genesis 3:6

3 SOURCES OF TEMPTATIONAND SIN

GOOD FOR FOOD LUST OF THE FLESHDELIGHT TO THE EYES LUST OF THE EYESMAKE ONE WISE THE PRIDE OF LIFE

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the Father, but is from the world.” I John 2:16

GENESIS 3FACTS ABOUT TEMPTATION

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes and that it was desirable to make one wise, SHE TOOK OF ITS FRUIT AND ATE AND SHE GAVE ALSO TO HER HUSBAND, AND HE ATE. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.” Genesis 3:6,7

FACT #4 THE SMALL STEPS OF TEMPTATION IN A WRONG DIRECTION OFTEN LEADS TO A WRONG DECISION AND WRONG ACTION!

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SIN AND TEMPTATION

1. KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS A TARGET OF THE ENEMY! (I Peter 5:8,9)

2. LOOK FOR THE WAY OF ESCAPE THAT GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES FOR YOU (I Cor. 10:13)

3. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD AND BE PREPARED WHEN TEMPTATION COMES (Eph. 6)

Armor of God

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SIN AND TEMPTATION

4. KNOW THE WORD OF GOD AND MAKE IT A PART OF YOU LIFE! (Psalm 119:11)

5. AVOID SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY CONBRIBUTE TO YOUR VULNERABILIT (I Thess. 5:22)

6. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GODLY PEOPLE (Hebrews 10:25)

THE PROVISION OF GOD

“Then the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.” (Genesis 3:7)

“And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

THE PROVISION OF GOD(FOR US)

“I will rejoice greatly in the Lord; My soul will exult in my God! For He has clothed me with garments of salvation; He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness….” Isaiah 61:10