Spiritual WarfareSample

Meet Your Enemy

You can’t truly understand the world unless you understand what wrecked the world, according to Genesis chapter 3.

And you can’t understand Genesis 3 until you understand the spiritual battle that began in this crucial chapter.

In Genesis 3:1, we’re introduced for the first time to one of the main characters in the battle: the serpent, later identified as Satan (Revelation 12:9). Scripture calls him various names: the evil one, the tempter, the destroyer, the deceiver, and more. He is a personal, spiritual being who rebelled against God and now leads a spiritual realm of demonic forces against God and His people.

Genesis 3 also introduces us to Satan’s main tactic:

Lies.

Jesus called Satan “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). In Genesis 3, he leads the first woman to question God’s Word. Satan uses lies to get us to question God’s way and choose our own path instead of his.

Genesis 3:1 sets the scene for our understanding of spiritual warfare. It helps us understand our enemy and his main tactic. This will prepare us to understand a little more about the spiritual warfare around us and our role as men in the battle.

Prayer: Lord, I need your help against this ancient enemy. Thank You that I don’t need to fear him. Thank You for Your victory over him. Help me to rely on Your power. Amen.

Reflection: Why do you think Satan uses lies as his primary weapon?