“Yea, hath God said…” (Gen 3:1)

The scripture this morning enlightens us to the first question recorded in the bible and an example of how knowledge of the word of God keeps us from sin. The first recorded question was a tactical maneuver by satan. He comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. His tactic was to distract the woman’s attention from God onto herself. The maneuver planted a seed of doubt in her knowledge of God’s word, deceived her with hope of greater personal gain, and sought to discredit the word of God. He employs these same tactics against believers today. Though the woman enjoyed the provisions God provided in the garden, along with the pleasure shared in fellowship with Him as He came to walk with the man and woman in the cool of the day, she had yet to know the joy of the Lord through faith and obedience to His word. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). The word of God strengthens us to live by God’s grace through faith and combat the “wiles of the devil” that seeks ultimately to separate the believer from fellowship with God. The first couple failed to resist satan’s deceit and temptation and sinned against God. They saw their nakedness and were ashamed. They made an attempt to cover their sin and hid themselves rather than come to the joy that God created them to know through faith and obedience to His word. My friend, we not hide in our sin. Arm yourself and stand in the strength of God’s word to face down the doubts, deceptions, and deceits of the enemy and know the “joy of the Lord” (Neh 8:10). Jesus came that we might life and life filled with His joy. He promised “these things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (Jn 15:11). Father, today we endeavor to live by faith in Your word. When pressed to respond “hath God said,” I pray that Your word that is hidden in our heart will draw near, strengthen our faith to proclaim the word of truth and fill us to the utmost with the joy of the Lord. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.