“(1) Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (2) And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat 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 has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” (4) Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. (5) “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (6) So when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make [one] wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” – Genesis 3:1-7 NKJV
One of the threats to undermine pure prophetic streams from those impure traces right back to the original sin in the Garden of Eden. We are well familiar with the narrative of Genesis 3, when Satan, in the form of the Serpent, beguiles Eve and leads her astray. Worthy of note is the means by which this seduction took place.
Verses 5 and 6 uncover the nature of how Eve then Adam were enticed to sin against the Lord. It was for greater revelation—for their “eyes” to be opened so they might be like God knowing good and evil. When Eve looked at the tree and saw its fruit was pleasing to her eyes she was drawn to it. That’s because the fruit was a shortcut to spiritual revelation and wisdom, all attainable in the indulgence of her fleshly appetite. I believe this tactic Satan used so effectively in the Garden of Eden is the same he continues to use today. Satan offers spiritual enlightenment but the cost is separation from fellowship with the Lord.
There is a seduction connected with having greater spiritual vision and we must be careful how such “revelation” comes. Revelation without intimacy is a dangerous thing.
Here’s what Jesus taught us in John 15.
“(15) “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” – John 15:15 NKJV
Satan offers enlightenment that destroys; Jesus offers revelation that brings life.
This verse flows from the beautiful discourse of abiding in the True Vine. In this context of deep and intimate fellowship with Him, Jesus calls us “friends” and all things He has heard from Father, He makes known to us. This is where we must glean, the trusted source of all wisdom and truth:
“(2) My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, (3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” – Colossians 2:2-3 NIV
These principles are true for all believers but concerning those called as prophets, we must understand that
a “word” from God isn’t validated by whether it is true or not, but by the means through which it comes!
I believe Satan can entice with truth as well as lies. Do not be allured into the heightened spiritual perception that bypasses your loving devotion to Christ, for there are many ways in which that can happen but stay in the Vine. The word of the Lord will come to you from the place of intimacy and when you hear it you will know with certainty the voice of the Lord has spoken.
