WE CAN LIVE IN FREEDOM EVERYDAY
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:8-9;16-17 NLT
KNOWLEDGE IS YOUR MINDSET.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 NIV
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4 NLT
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:2-5 NIV
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 14:12 NLT
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 16:25 NLT
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:6 NIV
3 ROOTS OF SIN
- GOOD FOR FOOD- LUST
- PLEASING TO THE EYE- GREED
- GAINING WISDOM- PRIDE
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:16-17 NIV
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:7 NIV
THE CHOICE BETWEEN DEATH & LIFE
DEATH SAYS: GETTING TO GOD MEANS I MUST DO MORE
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
LIFE SAYS: RECEIVE THE FACT THAT JESUS HAS ALREADY DONE IT
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. John 5:39-40 NLT
DEATH SAYS: KEEP TRYING TO GET GOD’S APPROVAL
…So they hid from the lord God among the trees. Then the lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” “Who told you that you were naked?” the lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” Genesis 3:8-11 NLT
LIFE SAYS: RECEIVE THE FACT THAT HE ALREADY LOVES YOU
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT
DEATH SAYS: WE OBEY OUT OF DUTY
LIFE SAYS: WE OBEY OUT OF DELIGHT
In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome…Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:3;12 NIV
TEMPTATION OR COMPROMISE DOESN’T EXPOSE OUR WEAKNESSES IN WILLPOWER, BUT A WEAKNESS IN OUR RELATIONSHIP.
ACTION STEPS
1. FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS
If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15 NIV
2. SERVE GOD THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS NOT RULES
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17 NIV
3. RESPOND TO ALL SIN WITH LIFE
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 NLT
4. GUARD YOUR HEART FROM GOING BACK.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 NLT
* WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO BE RIGHTEOUS AND GODLY?
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life… Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT