The start of temptation

I Corinthians 10:13a
There hath no temptation taken you
but such as is common to man.

The devil strives to tempt us to do evil and disobey God. He strives to tempt us to do things that would cause us to lose out with God.

Genesis 2: 16, 17
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying,
Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
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 wasn't just suggesting that Adam not eat of the tree. He was giving a commandment, letting Adam know that he would SURELY die if he disobeyed.

There were many trees in the garden, and Adam and Eve could eat from any of them, except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were to leave that particular tree alone.

The subtle tactics of Satan in these last days -

While I was in prayer one day, the Lord spoke to me about the subtle tactics of Satan in these last days:

Know the forces that fight in this world, wicked and evil forces that strive like the four winds of heaven.

We certainly can understand these words as we look about and note the awful struggle in this last day, knowing that the Bible told us it would be like this.

As I pondered what the Lord was telling me, I realized He wasn't referring just to these last day forces, but to their intent to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ:

Know these forces - know them and identify them. Know these forces have only one great purpose: to destroy the church and God's people.

This was enough to cause me to open my ears to hear what God was really driving at in speaking to me:

There's only one purpose, one aim.

The devil devotes himself exclusively to this purpose, attempting to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ. There are many forces around today that attempt to do this very thing, and many of these forces are right within the church.

Wherever the Gospel is preached, these wicked forces are at work to destroy.

Know these forces that fight against the church, and against God's people. Know that they fight to destroy the Church and to destroy God's people.

The Lord was emphasizing this point to me, wanting me to gain a clear understanding. He wanted me to get that thought moving in my heart, that I would see and recognize those evil forces more clearly.

I want you to know these forces as they are revealed to you - one by one.

Then He went on to add yet another dimension - a dimension that troubled me:

I want you to know that you've got some pre-conceived notions and ideas about this.

It's easy to form preconceived ideas about what we read and study in the Bible.

We think we know what God is saying. But we need to realize that there are many things we might think we understand - when we really have no true understanding at all of that matter.

The next day the Lord began to open my eyes to understand more fully what He was telling me.

First, He called to my remembrance a vision He had given me over 25 years ago.

In this vision I suddenly found myself in total darkness (though the room I was in had light).

I couldn't see a thing at first, when suddenly as I looked up my eyes began to see something! I saw a figure of someone dressed in white. As I looked, this person began to fall end over end.

I had no idea what this meant, but I took it home with me to seek God for the meaning. After several days of seeking the Lord, I began to understand what He was showing me:

II Corinthians 11:14
And no marvel;
for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light.

This is what I had seen in that vision! That figure dressed in white was Satan, transformed into an angel of light, falling from his first estate.

Where it all began -

We've got to consider this event when we think of these evil, wicked forces being let loose. This is where it all began, with Satan being transformed into an angel of light.

John 1:4, 5
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 1:9
That was the true Light,
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world . . .

Here we find Jesus being introduced as the TRUE Light that lights everyone who comes into the world. And, in Matthew 5:14 He tells us that we believers are the light of the world.

How does the devil being transformed as an angel of light fit into this? Jesus is said to be the TRUE light! What type of light is the devil? Let's look into this and see what is being said here.

How can this father of evil be called an angel of light?

There are many false religions in this world, encompassing millions of souls. Who is the head of these false religions? Who is being worshipped by them? Satan! transforming himself into an angel of light.

Know that Jesus is the author and finisher of the one and only TRUE faith - Hebrews12:21.

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

The devil is the author of all false faiths, or religions. We find he is even at work within the Church, slipping in as an angel of light in an attempt to destroy the flock.

II Corinthians 11: 13 -15
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel;
for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing
if his ministers also be transformed
as the ministers of righteousness;
whose end shall be according to their works.

Paul was dealing with those false apostles who had transformed themselves as being apostles of Christ. They posed as true apostles to gain a hearing, wanting the church to consider their words as being words of authority and truth.

And no marvel,
since Satan has also transformed himself
into an angel of light!

Today we find many angels of light in the church, preaching the Word, but not living it.

In this message, we want to take some time to deal with these evil forces that have been set loose in the church, forces that are attempting to deceive God's people.

The devil works in and through vessels he finds he can use to accomplish his subtle work.

In the garden -

There was nobody around in the garden for Satan to use to deceive Adam and Eve (as there were no other people on the face of the earth).

Genesis 3: 1
Now the serpent was more subtle
than any beast of the field
which the Lord God had made.
And he said unto the woman,
Yea, hath God said,
Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

We find Satan entering this subtle creature, and speaking through it to Eve. Listen, if a snake ever talks to you - watch out!

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world:
he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.

You may not realize it but the snake does talk to you - that old serpent, the Devil! Hath God said?

Hath God said what? Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Now, why does he bring that up?

We can clearly see here where Satan set himself to be an adversary of God, moving about in a subtle fashion to accomplish his evil works.

Remember, now, Satan was once an angel dwelling right in the midst of heaven! Before his fall, he had stood in the very presence of Almighty God.

Luke 10:18
And He said unto them,
I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Can angels sin? Satan did! and he still does!! He fell from heaven through the sin of pride. And he sinned in the garden, lying and causing Adam and Eve to fall.

It's his premeditated motive to destroy man, bringing him into subjection to further his end.

Remember, now, we're dealing with an angel of light. We're dealing with the father of all lies, who, with his subtle tactics, has one motive in mind: the destruction of God's people.

Adam and Eve were God's people. They were about to parent the entire human family. It was the devil's purpose to destroy the human family before it could get any larger.

How does this affect Eve? What was in her heart? How knowledgeable was she?

Genesis 3:2, 3
And the woman said unto the serpent,
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
but of the fruit of the tree
which is in the midst of the garden,
God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it,
neither shall ye touch it, LEST YE DIE.

Eve wasn't ignorant of the commandment of God. She knew she wasn't to so much as touch that particular tree.

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said unto the woman,
Ye shall all not surely die!

Ye shall not surely die! This marks the point! This marks the place! This marks the beginning! the first lie ever told to man.

John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil,
and the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning,
and abode not in the truth,
because there is no truth in him.
When he speaketh a lie,
he speaketh of his own:
for he is a liar, and the father of it.

We find Satan took God's Word and twisted it to form his first lie to man. He made it seem like God had said it - yet it was a lie.

This is the danger point to be on guard for (twisting the Scriptures, and assuming what they say).

Now, the devil said, Ye shall not surely die! But take another look at what God actually said:

Genesis 2:16-17
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying,
Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
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 didn't say, Ye shall not surely die! On the contrary, He said, Thou SHALT surely die! That's plain. But the devil came along and twisted God's words to deceive Eve.

Remember, Satan is an angel of light. Here he is somehow bringing light to Eve. Yes, he was bringing light to Eve - but it was a new light.

She was being enlightened from a source other than the TRUE light.

Heaven says you're going to die! - and Satan came along to say, You won't surely die! that's not what will happen if you eat!

That was a different message, a new message (new light on what God had said, light with a different twist to it).

He did this in such a subtle manner so she would grasp it as truth.

We need to watch out for this in our own lives. The devil is very subtle, and he can slide things right by us as being true, when it is really a lie. He will deceive us - if we're not watching.

Genesis 3:5
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.

The devil was twisting things to make it look like it would be a good idea to eat of that tree (after all, it would open their eyes)!

God never told that to Adam and Eve! He merely let them know they would die in the day they ate. He didn't elaborate on that fact one bit.

There are lot of folks who are looking to get their eyes opened, with no consideration as to what is true and what is false. They look into every new doctrine that comes along, wanting something above what God has given them in His Word.

That's why there's such a mess in the church world of our day - such corruption, such confusion, and so many false doctrines.

Listen, there's no confusion found in the Gospel. The confusion is when man listens to the 57 varieties of the Word, instead of checking things out with the Bible to see what the Lord has actually said.

Ulterior Motive -

The devil was very subtle in wanting Eve to get her mind and attention on that particular tree, on that forbidden fruit.

Eve, it's not as bad as you thought! It's not the way it sounded. You won't surely die if you eat! All that will happen is that your eyes will be opened to know good and evil. My, then you and Adam will be as gods!

What was his purpose back there? and what is his purpose today? What is his only goal? To destroy the church of Jesus Christ

John 10:l0
The thief cometh not,
but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly.

Satan painted such an enticing picture for Eve:

Genesis 3:6
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.

This brought about the fall of mankind! We should always pay very close attention to what God has said in His Word. Too many have the attitude, Don't tell me! others let it slip in one ear and right out the other.

I John 2:16
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.

That's clear enough: ALL that's in the world.

The three realms of temptation -
+ the lust of the flesh: it looked good for food
+ the lust of the eyes: pleasant to the eyes
+ the pride of life: desired to make one wise

These are the three realms of temptation into which the carnal man is ever falling.

The lust of the flesh:
The carnal man is ever lusting after food (not just three square meals, but more and more and more). He could be stuffed to the gills, but if something looks like it would taste good, he wants it.

The lust of the eyes:
He may not need it, but when he sees it he wants it. After all, he sees others getting it, so he wants it, too! That's the carnal nature at work.

When evil is presented to us in the form of temptation, it's always made to look really good. But after we get what looked good to us, we find a price tag went along with it.

It's like the fish that sees bait on the end of the line. After he reaches out to eat that enticing bait, he finds he is hooked.

The woman saw the tree was pleasant to her eyes. She saw it. The devil magnified it to her eyes as she stopped to look.

He enticed her through the lust of the eyes.

The pride of life:
Finally, it states that Eve saw it was a tree to be desired to make one wise. This was the pride of life. Eve believed she would become wise by eating that forbidden fruit.

What did she need to be wise about? She was clean and pure. She was uncorrupted. She had never been defiled.

This is the temptation that many young people face today. They can hardly wait to get away from home, and find out what the world's attractions really taste like (such as drugs, sex, alcohol, etc).

And when they do get out there, they only find heartache and sorrow. The devil deceived them with his enticements and his lies.

We find Eve being affected by this very subtle temptation. She's being drawn and enticed by the wicked one.

And she gave in! She couldn't resist the offer. She took of the forbidden fruit and shared it with her husband.

What did God say? In the day you eat thereof you shall surely die! But it was too late now to worry about what God had said. The damage was done. They'd already eaten.

After your foot is caught in a snare, it's too late to escape. And Adam and Eve were caught in the snare of the enemy.

Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of them both were opened,
and they knew that they were naked;
and they sewed fig leaves together,
and made themselves aprons.

Their eyes were opened! That's just what the devil promised! He told them their eyes would be opened - verse 5. He said it was just what they needed to make them wise.

But what was the first thing they saw when their eyes were opened? They both saw they were naked. This shows you just how naive they were of sin, how ignorant they were of wrong doing.

They were so innocent and pure that they had never been aware of their nakedness before.

Now that their eyes were opened, and they were ashamed of their nakedness. They attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves, but that wasn't sufficient.

Genesis 3: 11
And He said,
Who told thee that thou wast naked?
Hast thou eaten of the tree,
whereof I commanded thee
that thou shouldest not eat?

Genesis 3:21
Unto Adam also and to his wife
did the Lord God make coats of skins,
and clothed them.

What made the difference? What happened to them? This is the point you have to understand. It isn't a question of what made them self-conscious of their nakedness. There is something greater than that to consider.

The devil had accomplished his purpose.

Romans 5: 12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned.

Sin and death came into the world by ONE MAN.

The devil hadn't warned Eve that she'd be committing her first sin when she would eat. He didn't tell her that. He wanted to deceive her into falling.

Not only was this Adam and Eve's first sin - but it was their WORST sin, in that it caused sin to fall upon all mankind.

They sinned by disobeying God, and that one act of disobedience brought the sinful nature into their once sinless lives. And, through sin, it also brought death, just as God said it would.

But did they really die?

God said they would die on the very day they ate; yet the Bible records that Adam didn't die unto he was 930 years old! Well, Adam may have lived that long physically, but he was dead in sin from the moment he took that bite.

The devil couldn't have picked a better time in history to have brought this fall about. He knew if he could get them to fall here, he'd gain total control over mankind through sin and death. Adam and Eve certainly never considered all this would transpire just from a single act of disobedience. The entire human race has been affected by the sin these two committed that day.

They allowed the angel of light to deceive them, that he might destroy them. That was the devil's subtle purpose and intent: destroy them! and, thus, destroy all mankind.

II Peter 3:16, 17b . . .
they that are unlearned and unstable wrest,
as they do also the other Scriptures,
unto their own destruction.
Ye therefore, beloved,
seeing ye know these things before,
beware lest ye also,
being led away with the error of the wicked,
fall from your own stedfastness.

This Scripture looks back to what Adam and Eve did (how they were led astray by the wicked one when he wrested the truth that God had related to them).

Satan bent God's Word to deceive the mind of man into believing that it was quite all right to go contrary to what God had originally told him. Satan came along with a lie, that he might get man to think he could make his state a little better.

Yet, when we read the account of creation we find God saw that what He had created was VERY GOOD. Adam and Eve had a good relationship with God before the fall. He fellowshipped with them daily, walking and talking with them in the garden.

But the angel of light. in his subtle way, sought to destroy that relationship. We see how clever and deceptive he really was in causing them to fall.

Be careful! Peter warns that many would twist the Scriptures to their own destruction. Listen to his warning, and be careful what you do with God's Word. Realize His Word is truth.

When God gave that commandment to Adam in the garden, He clearly spelled out what the consequence of disobedience would be - DEATH would be the result!

Not only did sin come into the world through Adam: but the consequences of sin also came. Yes, death entered the world as the result of Adam's sin - and it passed upon all men.

But that's Old Testament! Listen, you find this in the New Testament, too. God didn't changed this death sentence one bit:

Romans 6:23a
For the wages of sin IS DEATH!

That's what God told Adam would be the fruit of sin if he disobeyed by eating of that tree.

So we can see that sin is a serious thing. If you're living in sin today then you're in serious shape because the wages of your sin is DEATH!

Romans 6:23b
. . . but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thank God for His gift of eternal life. This is why Jesus came (that we might have life, and that more abundantly).
It's important to know where we stand, important to have the assurance of eternal life. If you're standing under the death penalty today, come to Jesus that you might have life.

John 3: 16
For God so loved the world,
that He gave gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.

---

Back in the garden we found the serpent came to Eve as an angel of light. That serpent was possessed of the devil, controlled of the devil, and used of the devil to bring mankind down. His subtle, crafty conversation made evil look innocent.

I Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
whom resist stedfast in the faith,
knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished
in your brethren that are in the world.

I trust from this message that you can see that the devil has no other purpose today than to strive to destroy the children of God. If you have been born again, brought into the family of God, then Satan is out to destroy YOU!

He already has the unsaved in his grip, through the fall in the garden. But today he is out to further his end by attempting to destroy those who have turned to receive life in Jesus Christ.

The spirit of error worked so subtly to beguile Eve; and he is at work today to deceive men with the same lies. That's why we should read the Bible daily, that we might know what God has said.

The Lord said these evil forces are fighting to destroy -

The evil forces will fight: and the awful battle will continue on until the very end, when I come to put down and destroy all those wicked and evil forces. Then I will reign over My kingdom and over My people.

I want you to know the modern wicked and evil forces that fight to destroy My Church and My people. There are many intellectual and arrogant men sitting in high places. They control schools of theology; raising up a new generation.

Men of corrupt minds, they hold not to the truth, and have not the truth. Their work is to deny the truth. They deny the same things they always have denied: My miraculous birth; My blood; and My resurrection.

Though the things they deny are the same as in past times, their ways have changed. They are very intellectual and learned in their way, and very subtle. Their influence over men is much greater than it was in other generations.

They not only teach these damnable doctrines, but also cast their awful influence into the heart of them that hear them. They are raising up a whole new brand, or group of deceivers.

A vision that reveals a new subtle work -

Many years ago, the Lord showed me a vision of the ocean: It looked so pleasing and innocent.

There was one wave after another gently rolling in: each one thinning out until it vanished as another began to calmly roll towards the shore.

The Lord went on to tell me:

Satan is beginning to do a new work in the world that is more subtle! more subtle! more subtle than anything he has ever done!

Anybody who felt like wading wouldn't have hesitated a minute to walk into that calm water. But when the Lord spoke to me, I looked closer.

The Lord told me:

It looks so innocent, but the undertow will pull you right under - and once it gets hold of you, it won't let you go.

Now I could understand what God was trying to show me. That water looked so innocent, so peaceful and calm. It looked so normal, without any signs of being treacherous. It didn't look like somebody would be suddenly sucked under by an undertow, unable to get out .

In 1988, as the Lord revealed the evil forces that are fighting, He said,

I showed you the vision of the innocent looking water. The feeling to walk right in is like the subtle work Satan is doing. Those who feel compelled to accept these damnable doctrines wade right in, not knowing there's an awful undertow in the water.

When they walk into the water, they're pulled under, never to get out. This means all those who accept this damnable doctrine of rejecting Christ and His sacrifice will be lost, forever without hope, having no chance to ever repent.

The attack of these men and women is against those who were inspired to write the Word of God. They speak evil of those dignitaries of old, and of their writings. They dare to challenge the Scripture of truth, not accepting the inspiration of the Word. They are of the spirit of Antichrist.

And, like the Antichrist, they attack those in heaven. These are the architects and engineers of the fall of the Church, and the rise of Antichrist.

The course of events of the end of the age is an attack against the Church from within to destroy those who believe in Jesus and in the Word of truth.

These wicked and evil forces, working under this spirit of Antichrist will promote the awful doctrines of Satan; and will cause the Church to suffer this great falling away (with many supporting the rise of the Antichrist in this world).

I want you to see how men wrest the Scriptures Many wrest them unto their own destruction.

It's very important that every word be established in truth: and it is important that you establish every word in truth - because you are saying, "GOD SAID IT!"

The temptation of Jesus is a very good example of rightly dividing the Word of truth.

My son, learn to stand on the truth, learn to anchor yourself in the truth, and stand on the truth.

My salvation is founded on the Scriptures of truth. Also, My grace and mercy are founded on the Scriptures of truth.

All teaching that denies the Scriptures is Antichrist. All teaching that wrests the Scriptures about Me and My coming is Antichrist.

It is very important to compare all teaching with the Scripture. Many common teachings of the day don't compare with the Scripture: Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

When I speak unto you, it can be verified with the Scripture of truth. Men make very grave errors because they listen to the spirit of error; and don't compare what they hear with the Scriptures.

My son, open both of your eyes and both of your ears: behold what you see and hear; and perceive in your heart. Compare what you see and hear with the Scriptures.

My son, draw near unto the Lord your God, and give ear to what I shall say unto you: draw near. You're going to hear of a massive upheaval, a massive trembling: and it will seem like it's never going to end.

My son, those wicked and evil forces that are unleashed in the world, those forces that fight against the church and God's people to destroy, they are surveying and plotting and planning. They are surveying the happening of the past months.

Simon the Sorcerer offered Peter money, thinking the gift of God could be purchased with money (see Acts 8:15-24). But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Simon the Sorcerer was used to bring corruption into the Church. This was Satan's plan to bring sorcery into the Church. These wicked and evil forces who are surveying the happenings of the past months are plotting and planning to bring this power of sorcery into the Church to corrupt it.

That's the bottom line. The devil has a mission: to destroy the Church.

That's his sole purpose, and we ought to be wise to that.