THE TEMPTER
When God created the earth and the fulness of it he also created a man called Adam from the dust of the earth.
Genesis 2:15-17 15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
God told Adam first not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Sometime later God put Adam to sleep and took a rib from him and made woman.
Genesis 2:22 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
This was the first marriage, the first bonds of the marriage covenant of God.
Genesis 3:4-6 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 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.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
The word subtle means crafty with words. It describes such qualities as quickness of sight, swiftness of motion, activity of self-preservation and seemingly intelligent and adaptable to its surroundings.
Satan spoke through the serpent and questioned the word of God; his use of the woman was to get Adam. Just as God preached to Adam, Satan preached to the woman, “you shall surely not die”.
This is how the tempter gets to people by lying and half-truths, questioning the word of God.
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, it presents the lust of the eyes. That it was pleasant to the eyes, presents the lust of the flesh. The tree was to be desired to make one wise, the pride of life. She gave it to her husband who was with her and he did eat.
1 Timothy 2:14 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1 John 2:16 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
There is nothing in the system of this world that lines up with the word of God. Lust of the eyes craves what it sees, the lust of the flesh, refers also to evil cravings. The pride of life is trusting in one’s own power and resources and despising the divine law and human rights. This is the system of the world and not of our heavenly father. The word of God is the system we must seek.
Genesis 3:12-13 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Now comes the blame game. First, Adam blamed God for the woman he gave him, then the woman blamed the serpent.
Genesis 3:20 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
Until now Eve was called Woman, after the fall Adam called his wife Eve. Adams name means read earth; the name Eve means life. Adam bears the name of the dying body, Eve of the living soul.
1 Corinthians 10:13 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
There are some limitations God has placed on Satan. God is faithful and won’t allow us to be tempted above that which we are able to overcome.
We have His promise, all temptation is overcome by our faith. Remaining constant in Christ and the cross gives us the power of the Holy Spirit who helps us.
When temptation comes God will always make a way of escape. We will be able to bear it.
Hebrews 3:8 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
We must not let our hearts become hardened or set against God as the Hebrew children did. Make peace with God so when Satan comes to tempt you God will be faithful. He will send the Holy Spirit to guide us through our difficult times.
James 1:12-15 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
When temptation comes, and it surely will, your faith will most certainly be tested. Blessed is the man who endures temptation. You must be rooted in the word to endure the strategies of the devil.
When you endure and win this trial you will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised.
If we truly love Him, we will stay righteous before God. The object of your faith in Christ Jesus and the cross will cause the Holy Spirit to work within your life.
Revelation 3:10-11 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
God will keep us out of the hour of temptation, only if we will be patient and keep his word in our heart. This verse is referring to the rapture.
We must, with patience, hold fast to the mind of Christ. The battlefield of the soul is in your mind, that is where Satan will fight to win your crown.
The devil will use everything possible. Even Christians or friends or relatives to move us away from our faith in Christ and the cross.
These are the rewards the Lord will give the faithful for serving him, the crown of life given to those who endure a great deal of testing and trials and tribulation.
A crown of life
James 1:2 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
2.A crown of glory
1 Peter 5:3-4 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Some theologist say this is only for teachers and pastors.
I can’t see or understand this because it refers to the victory crown as well and a victorious crown is for all that overcome. I do think it is for pastors who feed the church. Since I can’t quote on this I will just move on to the next crown.
3. A crown of rejoicing,
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
20 For ye are our glory and joy.
This is referring to the apostle, pointing for beyond to the great coming time when there will be no more separation and no more hindrances by Satan and to the coming rapture of the church and what Christ had made of them.
4. the crown of Righteousness:
2 Timothy 4:6-8 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
The word, ready, signifies that the Holy Spirit had already told the apostle that the time had now come. “my departure is at hand” presents the fact that the servant of the Lord is immortal until his work is done.
Paul is saying, I have fought the good fight and have finished my course. He had been faithful. There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, not only to, but to all of them who also love His appearing, which is the rapture.
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