Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Spiritual Seduction Begins With Questions

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"

Job 1:9-10a  Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side?

Luke 4:3 And the devil said to [Christ], "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

Do you see a pattern here, ladies and gentlemen?

Your adversary, the devil, does not always come against you with a "full frontal assault". Many times, and in many ways, he will seduce you with questions; it's a tactic that successfully began in the Garden of Eden, when there were no other temptations or enticements to undermine Adam and Eve's relationship with God.

He questioned Job's loyalty to God, insinuating that the only reason Job was faithful was because of God's protective hedge.

He questioned the divinity of Jesus Christ Himself, during the 40 days of temptation, boldly stating "IF You really are the Son of God..."

The erosion of your relationship with God will almost always begin with questions: "Why should I...?" or "What's wrong with...?" or even "Where does it say so in the Bible...?"

If you catch yourself questioning the authority of God, the authority of Scripture, or even the authority of the man of God in your life, it's time to pray. Your adversary may never, ever get you to turn away from God with an all-out attack on your mind, body, or spirit - many of us can recognize a brazen tactic such as that - but if he can get you to start questioning God, your spiritual demise is soon to follow.