Genesis 3

What are your favorite commercials? Commercials can be very funny and very annoying. But there is usually a few that are memorable- and what makes them memorable is a line that you never forget. The goal of the writer and producer is to make them as memorable as possible.

I remember a few of the slogans lets see if you remember these:

Wendy’s famous commercial – “Where’s the Beef”

Nike – "Just Do it"

AMX - "Don’t leave home without it" H

How about EF Hutton – "When EF Hutton speaks, people listen.” Who do you listen to? When it comes to decisions in your life who’s voice do you listen to? The fact of the matter is as soon as we stop talking we are all listening to someone.

The most tragic day in human history was the day called the "Fall of Man." This was the day that man listened to - and chose to follow - a different voice. Like no other event in the history of mankind, the Fall of Man had the single most profound impact on man's destiny. Nothing changed the course of history more then what was recorded in Genesis Chapter 3 - No war, no disaster! What was at stake: prior to the Fall of Man – our Relationship with God was perfect and unhindered; why? because man knew no sin. And in order for us to experience all of God’s love, God gave man a very special and personal gift, the gift of "Free Will." God the Creator - requires all of creation to worship him but in his relationship with man God wanted man to experience more of him, more then any other part of his creation did. God is perfect and his love is perfect and his desire for us - his prized creation - is to experience more of him. This can only happen when we choose to love God – it is only then that our love becomes true, real and authentic to Him. This is our highest calling and highest purpose – to Worship the Lord God and Him alone! You see Adam and Eve must have a choice to make a choice! That's why God allowed Satan to talk to them! But the perfect relationship between God and man was broken that day. The Voice of Lies entered the scene and since then life for man has never been the same!

For you see today some of you are listening to this voice. It is not the Voice of Truth – and you are stuck – believing the Voice of Lies You see this is what God wants you and me to know today through the story recorded in Gen 3; that there is a second voice and it is the voice of Lies. And today God want to demolish the Lies and set you free from them. The reality is, we are always listening to someone...

So who are you listening to? For every decision you are about to make, For every word you are about to speak, for every thought you are about to entertain, and for every emotion you are about to feel. This is the question we must answer as we study Genesis Ch.3. In this story God exposes the adversary to God, the second Voice and his Purposes - the Fall of Man - and the plan of God to bring restoration between himself and man. It is this story God calls us to choose The Voice of Truth and to know God is my Defense I shall not be moved. Say that with me – "God is my defense I shall not be moved."

There are three things from this story that helps us make the most important choice of our lives...

To Choose The Voice of Truth you must:

#1. Spot the Voice of Lies - Exposing The Enemy

How many of you have High School kids? You know the challenge, at times they are hard headed and fail to listen to you. As they listen more to the other High school kids they struggle to listen to you! You pray they don’t get connected to the wrong crowd.

Your Father in Heaven says there is a wrong crowd for YOUR spiritual life. Genesis 3:1 "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made." The serpents name was Lucifer, an Angel created by God. His name means star of the morning and he ruled as the highest of all Gods created beings. He was once the anointed cherub who covered the very throne of God Himself. Like man there was a time when Lucifer knew no sin. He was perfect in God's design but he too was designed with free will. There is no mystery to this being. The name Satan in Hebrew and Greek means adversary . And Lucifer is reveled to be the adversary, a created fallen angel who raised a mutiny against God.

This passage in Isaiah sheds light on Satan's fall from heaven.

"How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart,"I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High [Isa. 14:12-14]."

He wanted to be God. To rule above God - as God. He wanted ultimate authority over all things. He attacked God directly. God cast him down out of Heaven. God has judged him and condemned him and the angels that followed him. Satan exists until God's perfect plan to destroy Him is complete. Satan, the evil serpent, became Gods arch enemy - and it is here that God wants us to recognize that Satan is our arch enemy.

He will do everything he can to hurt God. He has an objective, plan and a strategy to replace God the Creator in His authority and as the object of creations worship. The advisory’s purpose is to get you to choose to replace God in you. That’s what Adam and Eve did and when they acted on Satan’s deception, they unwittingly joined in the mutiny! And because they where the first humans - all the seed of mankind became implanted with a mutinous nature within them – this nature is called sin. Gen 3:1,4-5 The Adversary’s nature and the mutiny is apparent – he immediately calls into question Gods word, Gods motives, everything about Gods nature. And the Voice of Lies comes in a familiar voice with an unfamiliar thought! He said three things that will allow you to spot the voice of lies in your struggle to overcome sin.

vs.1 “Did God really say” – does God really exist, his Word is really not working, He really doesn’t want to help you, you can’t handle this and ether can God.

vs. 4 “You will not surely Die” – God really didn’t mean that is his Word, that doesn’t apply to you, you can do what ever you want- eat,drink,sin- God will forgive you anyway

vs. 5 “You will be Like God” – you don’t need God; you can do this on your own. Your way is the best way, you first before anyone else ,do what every you want, take care of yourself – God helps those that help themselves.

The Adversary's nature is in complete contrast to Gods: John.10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

The Adversary’s nature is the exact opposite of all that God is: God is Truth – The Adversary is a liar God is ALL Good – The Adversary is ALL Evil God is life and light – The Adversary is murderer and death God is Holy – The Adversary is defilement. You see there are only two voices the Voice of Truth and the Voice of Lies?

What Lie is he whispering to you now, at you sit and read this?

While you are on the Road what is he telling you to do that you would never do or try at home? The Voice of Lies comes in a familiar voice with an unfamiliar thought! Choose the Voice of Truth. "God is my defense, I shall not be moved. To live you must choose the Voice of Truth. You must die to yourself and sacrifice all, just as Christ did

#2. Reject the Voice of Lies – Know How the Enemy Works

As a kid what did you learn from your parents about crossing the street? What would they say? "Look Both ways, before you cross!" Why, because if you didn't you could get hit by someone.

God says the same thing, "Look and Watch. The day sin entered the world and as a result we were all born with the innate tendency to replace God and His authority with our own importance and wisdom. That is called our sin nature because of the adversary position to God prior to his fall he has some power and control over the earth. He is called the God of this age, ruler of the powers of this dark world. The Adversary will do all he can to hide the truth!

How does he speak to us? He will hide his voice as a thought spoken into your life. Like the beauty of the serpent's voices we hear a thought in our thoughts. In every temptation what is at stake – our ability to Worship God and our responsibility to Choose God, our very souls.

Gen. 3:1-11 illuminates on how the Adversary works through temptation: We are confronted - suggestive thoughts. We entertain the thoughts – by discussing them We doubt the consequences – by forgetting or ignoring We think we will be more fulfilled – by putting self first We desire it – by looking - (now lusting)… We commit the sin – by taking and eating – acting on it we lead others to sin by being a stumbling block.

When and where did you stop looking both ways? The voice of Lies comes in a familiar voice with an unfamiliar thought!

Reject The voice of Lies. "God is my defense I shall not be moved To Choose the Voice of Truth you must die to yourself and sacrifice all. "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ as a garment and flee from fleshly desires [Rom 13:14]."

#3. Accept Christ - Know What God Has Done!

Do you remember when your Father was really angry? This was such a time – God's anger burned, His wrath on Satan is perminate and there are consequences established for all mankind.

"So the LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock…..And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel [Gen. 3:14-15].'"

There is another name for Satan, it is the Accuser. because man has fallen Satan reminds God all the time, And God says – I will put enmity between you and man. Here the word enmity means hatred. Antagonism and hostility God says, Believers are to be angry with Sin and God says to Satan – I am going to use the very created beings you deceived to destroy You And then God so loved his creation that He sent his Son Jesus to become a man, to destroy the work of Satan and who so ever believes in Jesus will not perish with Satan but will instead have eternal life back with me. And I will reestablish our fellowship that I the Lord God created you to have with me.

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins [Col. 1:13-14]." God does not listen to the Accuser when it come to those that have received his son Jesus - we are permanently forgiven.

And so who are you listening to? God gave Jesus Christ – God the Son - all authority over the Enemy. It is The name of Jesus that is above all names! Victory is secured over death. "Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross [Col 2:15]."

If you have not been rescued: Accept Christ- Let Christ rescue you – "for who so ever believes in him shall be saved [Jn. 3:16]."

If You Know Christ: Accept Christ -Strength then simply speak His name – He is the Voice of truth God calls us to choose the Voice of Truth and spot the Voice of Lies.

Reject the lies, accept Christ! "Jesus Christ is my defense I shall not be moved!"

Pray This Verse with Me: Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel! Amen.