Key Scriptures: Genesis 3:1-7, James 1:13-15
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’?” 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.”
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. 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.
James 1:13-15, When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
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The Downward Spiral
Part one: A temptation from the enemy enters our minds.
James 1:13-14, When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
The enemy is crafty
The enemy challenges God’s truth
The enemy attacks God’s character and his intentions
The enemy promises something that he can’t deliver
The enemy appeals to basic human needs
The enemy often uses other people to encourage us in our choices
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Part Two: We act on the temptation, and we sin.
James 1:15, Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
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Part Three: There is usually momentary pleasure when we sin.
Hebrews 11:25, Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
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Part Four: We discover sin’s hook
Genesis 3:6-7a, 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. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked.
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Part Five: We are met by feelings of frustration, guilt and shame.
Genesis 7b-10, …so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
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Part Six: The enemy shifts to a new tactic—accusation and condemnation.
Revelation 12:10, Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
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Part Seven: We find ourselves vulnerable, weak, isolated, empty and longing.