The Lie
Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author
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There are seven prerequisite studies to this one. If you have not read them, or if it has been two or more weeks since you have, please go back and read/reread them. They are:
This study will show the three things Satan did to cut us off from the truth and get us as deep into the lie as he could. First, understand that Satan is not God; he is not omnipresent he can only be in one place at a time.
Lies we have been led to believe as if they were the truth instead of the lies they are:
These three may have been responsible for more of our failures and problems than any others. Before we go on, let us look at the basis of this study.
In the next 3 verses find the lie and who told the lie.
Genesis 3 (KJV)
1. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
If you said Satan told the lie, you would be wrong. It was Eve (in verse 3), when she said, "Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." God never said they could not touch it. You see Adam, in trying to protect Eve, started the lie. But, you say it is a little white lie or not a lie at all; who knew they could touch it.
{The point is - when God says something, it is true; who are we to add to it}
Genesis 2 (KJV)
17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Once the lie is introduced, it cannot be taken back.
- Who told Eve they could not touch the tree?
Adam did.
- Why do I say Adam?
God did not tell Adam that if anyone else ate, they would die. God is always very specific. Therefore, if God did not tell Adam that Eve could not eat or that they could not touch, why would He tell Eve differently? That only leaves Adam; it is very doubtable that Eve would have made that up on her own. If she had, Adam would have corrected her.
- Why did Adam say that they could not touch?
He used the same reasoning a parent does in telling a child not to play with matches or even touch them - to protect them out of love.
The problem is - once the truth is deluded with anything other than the truth, it is no longer true. From there, the lie was planted in them, took root, grew, and overcame the truth. As a result, they both fell from grace.
So why is this so important?
{It took God thousands of years planting the truth, His word into the earth to get one with enough faith to agree with Him to bring His Son into the earth to deliver us from the lie}
Luke 1:38 (KJV)
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Satan started even earlier planting the lie. So, which do you see greater in the world today?
To help you understand the fruits of each here is which each will produce:
Galatians 5 (KJV)
19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Which do you see more of in the world today?
For the lie to continue, Satan had to first cut them (Adam and Eve) off from God. When Satan noticed the lie in them, he saw his chance and went to work. Satan deceived Eve; and then Adam sinned. That was just the first step.
{Never forget Satan is the king of liars and the Prince of deceptions}
Genesis 4 (KJV)
3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
{The problem was in Cain had started believing the lie and was not giving of the heart but of his leftovers. If Cain had brought his best, and if his best was less than Abel's, God still would have honored Cain. Not because one was better than the other but because of their desire, honor, integrity, and truth -= over the lie, deception, and lack}
8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?
10. And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
12. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
13. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
Notice the lie started in Cain and in time, it drove him to murder his brother. If Cain had cast down that imagination in the beginning and strove only to have God's thoughts, then Cain and Abel would have been at the least equals.
So Satan had taken the lie started by Adam and perverted it to the point of a brother killing a brother.
When God told Adam in that day he would die in Genesis 2:17, God did not mean Adam would physically die as we read. However, it meant Adam would die spiritually; and as such, Satan had driven a wedge between man and God.
Next, Satan had to separate us in the physical as well. As long as we could see God, we did not need faith to believe. Satan knew he could pervert our faith.
Genesis 4 (KJV)
13. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
Notice in verse 14 above, Cain talks about being driven away from the face of God. So even after killing his brother, he could still live in the presence of God.
What is the big deal?
A little later on in time, Moses, one God used to save His chosen, could not see the face of God lest he would die. So what had changed? Apparently, something changed in the flesh for mankind to no longer be in the presence of God without dying.
As we are born physically into this world and then in this world we are born again spiritually (John 3) so were the attacks on us from Satan. But in reverse, Satan first cut us off by sin from God spiritually and then physically.
Genesis 6 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
{Who are the sons of God? We are not called that yet, not until after Jesus}
Job 1 (KJV)
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
The "sons of God" reference is angels. The angels in "Job" are the two thirds, which are still of God; the ones in "Genesis" are those which follow Satan. What would happen if you crossed a dog with a wolf? It would not be pure dog or pure wolf any longer. Actually, it is a perversion of what God created.
Genesis 6 (KJV)
3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Here is the only time God refers to striving with man or a length of time in this fashion. We know the year of jubilee, or God's year, is every fifty years.
Lev 25 (KJV)
8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.
9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
Therefore, 120 of God's years equal 50 times 120 or 6,000 years. This is the lease on the earth that He was giving man.
Genesis 6 (KJV)
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
{"Giants and men of renown" does not necessarily refer to physical stature here. It should be translated as men of great wisdom and ingenuity (technologically advanced)}
5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
{As with Babel, the more men build big cities and develop technology and become dependant on each other, the less they are dependent on God; and the more doubt that He "is" enters. Remember this is all His}
6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Noah finds grace
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Genesis 6 (LIT)
9.
|0428| These are
|8435| the generations of
|5146| Noah.
|5146| Noah,
|0376| a man
|6662| righteous,
|8549| whole
|1961| had been
|8435| among his peers.
|0000| with
|0430| God
|5146| Noah
|1980| walked.
Strong's Ref. # 8549
Romanized tamiym
Pronounced taw-meem'
from HSN8552; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth:
KJV--without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright(-ly), whole.
Noah was born before the sons of God and daughters of man got together and had children so Noah was whole, complete not perverted in the flesh as those who came after. Noah's wife, however, was of this perversion and this made the children of Noah not as perverted as most; but not perfect as Noah. Since we all come from one of the three sons, this means we are not perfect in the flesh any longer.
Satan's second step was complete and rapidly proved to be effective, because it was not long before God repented of making mankind.
Gen 6 (KJV)
10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted His way upon the earth.
As we become more intelligent (not intelligent in God and His ways) in the ways of the world and technology, the more evil, violence, and perversion grow.
Next, Satan planted the lie and let it grow, and then would find one in each generation, who could perpetuate the lie even more for him. Satan would work on this one and one alone.
Genesis 6 (KJV)
5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
2 Corinthians 10 (KJV)
5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Let's see how effective the lie was in the days Jesus walked the earth.
Luke 23 (KJV)
18. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
19. (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
20. Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
21. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
22. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
23. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
Now remember the people who yelled, "crucify Him!" were the same ones Jesus fed, healed, and that followed Him from town to town. In John 12:13 we read that only one week earlier, these same people cried, "Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord."
To better comprehend this, understand that for Passover it was required that they would travel to Jerusalem and celebrate it there. They could not leave during Passover or the day after, because it ended on the Sabbath; no one was allowed to travel on the Sabbath.
Actually, they called Him "Hosanna" on Sunday, then on Thursday they yelled crucify Him because the Passover was on Wednesday. Thursday they crucified Him. He died and spent three days and nights in the ground. To have spent three days and nights in the ground and to rise on Sunday proves the crucifixion had to have been Thursday. Why do we celebrate Friday as the day He was crucified? It is religious tradition, the same reason we celebrate Dec 25 as His Birth (Jesus was born either in the fall or spring, not winter).
So how can a crowd fed, healed, and blessed of a man they called Hosanna only four days earlier yell crucify Him? Satan deceived them through the religious leaders of the day. This is comparable to the way a person can incite a crowd to become unruly today. We have the lie in us and we have "buttons". When they are pushed, we can be manipulated by these lies to do whatever Satan wants us to do. I know this is shocking, but it is true. Think of the times you thought, said, or did something only to wonder where did that come from; or wish you had not done it.
There are three levels to the lie.
Never forget Satan has been around for many thousands of years. The lie(s) have been planted for thousands of years; and we have enhanced them. No, Satan did not have to do much after planting them. We did the watering and gave them light of day. The truth will never be offended by anything including the lie; but the lie will always be offended by the truth. The lie affects even the best of us; an even the best of us live the lie.
Matthew 23 (KJV)
13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
The church 2000 years ago The church today
attended once a week attended once a week at least
Listened to a man of God Listen to a man of God
4% gave of their tithes 4% at best give their tithes
Gave of their resources Give of their resources
Gave of their talents Give of their talents
Led of a man, not God Led of a man, not God
All of the above taught that if you did not believe as they did, you would go to Hell. Fire and brimstone coupled with God's wrath were comon sermons of the day. Many thought that if they could not get the people to be loyal one way, they would do it by instilling fear. Fear is Satan's perverted faith.
By now, if you have read many of my writings, you know that I believe we are to have a one-on-one relationship with God; not one-on-one with a man/woman, but of God. On the contrary, there is one religion that teaches that its leader is just that the man, who stands the gap between man and God; as Moses did in the wilderness with the children of Israel. It is even known to be used by the Antichrist (in the book of Revelation) to form the world Church to rule man in the name of Satan and not God. Do not get me wrong. The people of each denomination are not that denomination. Only those, who lead and mislead the members of denomination, are at fault or guilty. Those following are deceived or misled.
Matthew 23 (KJV)
13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Hosea 4 (KJV)
6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Revelation 1 (KJV)
6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
{The word "knowledge" in the Old Testament is data, information, etc. In the New Testament, it is spiritual discernment}
John 4 (KJV)
24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
{Many hold to the belief that the spirit ended, as did faith, in the 1st century church}
Hebrews 13 (KJV)
8. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Christ is God, the Spirit of God; so, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, the spirit and faith is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Before Christ came to us, one could have the faith such as Mary agreeing with a spirit and be the mother of Jesus. How could that be…unless faith is the same, yesterday, today and forever? Taking that into account, how much more should faith be today.
Would Jesus tell us to do something we could not do?
John 8 (KJV)
11. She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
{If a woman or man before His death and resurrection could go and sin no more, how much more should we be able to go and sin no more?}
At the beginning of this study in Genesis 3, Eve told the lie. A lie is the opposite of the truth; and God is truth. Satan is the opposite of God, so Satan is the lie, since God is the truth. Sin is not of God, but of Satan, sin is the lie, the lie is sin. Get the lie out and you get sin out.
An addict cannot be helped; they must help themselves. In order to do that, they must first admit that they are addicted. They cannot overcome the problem until they know that they have a problem; and they cannot overcome that which they deny they have. That is why in Hosea 4:6 when we are told, "His children are destroyed due to a lack of Knowledge" We should seek knowledge. The only knowledge worth knowing is that of God. God is truth, so to know God is to know the truth.
John 8 (KJV)
32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
2 Corinthians 10 (KJV)
5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Romans 1 (KJV)
25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Romans 7 (KJV)
18. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 8 (KJV)
1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
2 Corinthians 5 (KJV)
17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Put on the new and off with the old. By now, you should realize on our own we cannot do this. But, those of Christ this is easy, because to be of Christ, one must be hearing of God. It is far more desirable to hear God than Satan.
I John 2 (KJV)
13. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1 John 2 (KJV)
27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
1 John 4 (KJV)
1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
I John 5 (KJV)
4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The truth is that we are all called of God to our salvation. Jesus is our salvation, and between our salvation (Jesus) and Christ is the church, we must be called to be saved.
Then God must reveal to us whom Jesus is as the Son of God and THE CHRIST. When this happens, we are growing and hearing from God and of His church; not man's church.
When you are of Christ the proof is the fruit of the Spirit in, on, and through you. We are not talking about the fruit of the labors of your hands; anyone can do that. To help you understand what James meant, when he said faith without works is dead - Faith that is alive and well will produce all kinds of works; some that are driven directly in the physical of faith and some that are spiritual. Again, it is not works driven, but faith driven works.
What is the difference?
Matthew 7 (KJV)
{When the following fruit is evident in your life, the fruits of the physical will be as well}
Galatians 5 (KJV)
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
All that lasts, that is real, and of God comes in time and patience is required thereof. Stop, listen, and do not go until God tells you to go. What a man can do of his own in 100 years cannot match what a man with and of God can do in 100 hours.
Review
Satan tripped up Adam and Eve in a lie, and got Adam to sin; thus separating man from God, Spiritually.
Satan separated man from God in the flesh.
Satan planted the lie to separate man from God in the Soul (mind, will, and emotions)
Overcome the Lie
We must be of God.
We must hear from God.
Cast down every imagination and thought that is not of God
God Bless You as you hear His words and follow His leading.
2-25-04 H.O.M.E.