The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 (NIV)

From the beginning of time Satan has deceived gullible people with the same question, “Did God really say…?” He tempted Eve to question God’s one and only rule, and she and Adam both ate fruit from the tree God had commanded them not to eat. Read this story for yourself in Genesis 3:1-24.

The Bible is full of examples of people who decided to make their own rules, and then suffered the consequences. Sarah brought her servant girl Hagar to Abraham because she didn’t believe God was going to honor his promise to give her a son. The servant girl bore a son, Ishmael, but he was not the son God had promised. (See Genesis 16.) The Ishmaelites were among the enemies of the Israelites in the years to come, and many consider Ishmael to be the Patriarch of Islam today.

The Israelites spent an extra 40 years wandering in the desert before they could enter the Promised Land because they didn’t believe God’s promise to help them conquer the land. (See Numbers 13 & 14.)

Satan still deceives people with the same basic question today:

• Did God really say “Thou shalt not have any other Gods before me…?”
• Did God really say “Abstain from sexual immorality?”
• Did God really say “Love your neighbor as yourself?”
• Did God really say “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your strength and all your mind?”

We must affirm every day whether we believe God’s Word or Satan’s lies.

Father God, help us to recognize our disbelief for what it is, as it is nothing less than rebellion against you. Grant us wisdom to see through Satan’s lies and to recognize your truth as you have expressed it in your Holy Word.