And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.’ – Gen. 3:2-4
Satan often twists the truth by changing, adding, or omitting one or two words. When he led Eve to disobey God, it wasn’t with obvious lies. His conniving ways are to lead people onto a wrong path. The wrong path may appear to be appealing to the flesh, the eyes, or the prideful ways of men.
The temptations of the enemy can be attractive and seem to lead to wide avenues. Wide ways can narrow future opportunities. Narrow ways can broaden our possibilities. Eve explained to the serpent that death was the consequence of eating of the tree which was in the middle of the garden. God’s instruction narrowed her possibilities and restricted her options. The serpent broadened her possibilities with the lie that she would be exactly like God, with no restrictions and no consequences for going against God’s instructions.
God’s word is a lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path. Reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating upon the Word deepen our knowledge of the truth so we can recognize the lies. Praying for the Spirit of God to reveal truths to us keeps us humble and teachable, from glory to glory!