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. Genesis 2:8-9 NLT
Tree of Life TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD & EVIL
*FREEDOM *BONDAGE
*GRACE *THE LAW
*ETERNAL LIFE *LEADS TO DEATH
*GOD IS GOOD *GOD IS GOOD TO HIS FAVORITES
*GOD IS FORGIVING *GOD IS A JUDGE
*GOD IS LOVING *GOD IS ANGRY
SIN SEPARATES US FROM LIFE AND BROADCASTS THE MESSAGE OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE.
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Colossians 1:21 NLT
…God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. Colossians 1:20 NLT
For “Everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 NLT
EVERY PERSON CAN LIVE IN FREEDOM THAT COMES FROM JESUS!
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NLT
1. THE DEVIL MAKES YOU QUESTION GOD’S COMMANDS
He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 NIV
THE DEVIL CANNOT TAKE AWAY THE PROMISES OF GOD, BUT WHAT HE CAN DO IS MAKE YOU QUESTION THE PROMISES OF GOD
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy… John 10:10 NLT
So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:11 NLT
But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:16-17 NLT
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 NLT
THE MOMENT YOU START WRESTLING WITH A SIN YOU WILL ALLOW YOUR EMOTIONS TO DO THE ANSWERING
Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Amos 5:14 NLT
2. THE DEVIL MAKES YOU QUESTION GOD’S INTENTIONS
16. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17. except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:16-17 NLT
THE DEVIL WANTS YOU TO IGNORE THE FREEDOM GOD GIVES YOU AND ONLY FOCUS ON YOUR LIMITATIONS
GOD IS NOT ROBBING YOU, HE IS PROTECTING YOU!
God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. Psalms 18:30 NLT
For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation Psalms 100:5 NLT
3. THE DEVIL TAKES US THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TEMPTATION
Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. James 1:14-15 NLT
TEMPTATION
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 NIV
FANTASY
“You will never make yourself feel that you are a sinner, because there is a mechanism in you as a result of sin that will always be defending you against every accusation. We are all on very good terms with ourselves, and we can always put up a good case for ourselves. Even if we try to make ourselves feel that we are sinners, we will never do it. There is only one way to know that we are sinners, and that is to have some dim, glimmering conception of God.” -Martyn Lloyd-Jones
STEP TOWARDS SIN
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 NIV
ACT OF SIN
DEATH
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 14:12 NLT
4. THERE IS VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION
So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:16-17 NLT
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
ACTION STEPS
- MAKE A LIST OF WHO AND WHAT TRULY MATTERS IN YOUR LIFE
- STAY AWAY FROM UNHEALTHY INFLUENCES
- IN YOUR STRUGGLE YOU MUST GET OUT OF IT EMOTIONALLY AND GET THEIR SPIRITUALLY
- DEVELOP LIFE-GIVING RELATIONSHIPS
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 NLT
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 NLT