🌿BREATH TRUTH🌿
“If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to fly away.” —Proverbs 1:17
🌿BELIEVE TRUTH🌿
Traps are not sprung for innocuous reasons. They are set with deliberation, decision, and detailing. Preparation and planning to ensure success.
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Engagement.
The serpent approaches and asks Eve a question. The “approach and inquiry” function as conduits to open us up and lower our inhibitions. To compel us to sin, the enemy must engage us within his sphere of control so that we will cooperate and continue to follow his stratagem into the next step of entrapment. Conversation sets up the terms of provocation.
One day he (the serpent) asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
“Of course we may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat.’ ”. —Genesis 3:1-3
The serpent gets Eve attention. She is drawn in like a prized award on a fishing reel. Hook, line, and sinker. Eve responds to the engagement and enters into a deep discussion with the enemy. Sharing what God’s instructions are. Giving away intimate details. Letting the enemy inch closer. Exactly what the serpent hoped would happen.
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Enticement.
Once the serpent has access to Eve, he drops the bomb: Do you want to be like God? Then take the fruit and eat it.
Enticements seduce the victim with an offer that looks too good to be true without the worry of the price. But the cost is always higher than what is advertised in the enticement ad. Enticements involve a captivating call and a persuasive pull that sprinkles falsehoods if necessary to sweeten the deal. The serpent outright lies to Eve and the sugary allure overwhelms her.
The serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” —Genesis 3:4-5
The enemy’s lies: You can eat the cake and become like the Master Baker too.
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Traps are laid out with intent. Traps are not placed or procured by accident. In our journey of faith, Satan is actively working hard to find ways to entrap us to sin and fall. He packages the bait and the benefits of obtaining it in such a way that makes it extremely attractive.
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Traps are also designed to catch and retain by allowing an entrance, but not an exit. Once Eve consumes the forbidden fruit, there is no way to undo her action.
There is no returning back and placing the bitten fruit back into the tree. The consequences are final. The latch in the trap is firmly locked. You check in. But you don’t check out.
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Tune in tomorrow for Part II.
Copyright 2019