Satan’s Desire to Ruin Everything You Hold Dear
Genesis 3:1-8
Mar 30, 2025
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig
I. Introduction and Review (Revelation 3:11)
A. Happy Mother’s Day! (We have a special gift for all the Moms…)
B. We are studying the Book of Genesis, verse by verse
C. We have worked through all of chapter 1, and chapter 2
1. The marvellous and true account of the creation of the universe, about 6,000 years ago
2. The creation of a perfect Garden in Eden
3. The making of a Man – Adam (Genesis 2:7)
4. The forming of Eve (Genesis 2:18)
5. God Brought the Woman to the Man – the First Marriage (Genesis 2:22-25)
6. Everything was finished
7. Everything was perfect!
a. No competition. no rain. No storms. No thorns. No bugs.
b. Just two people. Living in paradise – walking with God!
D. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
E. We now come to Chapter 3
1. And we will watch as the most cunning creature God ever made used his wisdom for the ruin of all of mankind
2. And learn from Eve’s entrapment, so you don’t fall for Satan’s lies as well!
3. What is a woman to do when the devil is really good at ruining things?
4. I am going to be real practical this morning, and helpful – next week we will go deep!
5. Revelation 3:11, Jesus says to every Christian… Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
6. Most people don’t even know what they have that is a gift from God, and how easily they are being robbed!
II. Message
A. Meet the First Family (Genesis 2:21-25)
1. Genesis 2:21-25 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
2. Eve is in a perfect home with Adam
a. She and her husband lived in a Garden
b. No neighbours
c. Just beautiful views in every direction!
d. There are no children yet. Only she and her husband.
3. She has the best marriage
a. Perfect harmony. Each complimenting the needs of the other person
b. Each deeply in love with the other – no doubts about the other’s attraction
c. No competition. (There was no one else in the world yet)
d. No history to keep bringing up either!
4. They have perfect worship
a. Nothing was confusing to them about God. Nothing was hidden.
b. God is first and pre-emminent in their lives
c. They walked with God, talked with Him. Heard him speak to them.
d. They loved God! And they knew that God loved them!
5. There is no stress
a. There were no hassles to deal with
b. No storms, no thorns, no bugs that ate the fruits. No schedules.
6. She has perfect weather
a. No rain
b. Just a sauna, with steam rising from the ground every morning!
7. She has perfect health
a. Woke up every morning full of energy
b. She had the body of someone around 25 years of age
c. Adam’s body was that of someone around 30 years of age
8. She has a perfect body
a. With no grey hairs, no visceral fat, no varicose veins.
b. No headaches, no achy joints, no swollen feet
c. No spots, no warts, no brown patches, no crooked teeth
9. Everything was perfect… why? Because everything was a gift from God
a. Everything that she is enjoying was a gift from God, and she knows it
b. None of it was her own doing, and none of it was an accident
c. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
d. You need to remember this fact!
B. Meet the Thief (Genesis 3:1)
1. Adam and Eve are both doing their own things in the garden – they are not together at this moment – you can’t be all the time
2. And that was when some-THING stepped into view…
3. A Serpent
a. Genesis 3:1 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?
b. Yes, a real, live, sneaky snake – God created all the animals, including snakes
c. But, This is no ordinary snake – it is unique as we shall see!
d. And this is NOT a fairy tale snake either
e. This is Satan, the devil, Lucifer, disguised as a beautiful serpent that walked and talked, and seemed to make a lot of sense!
1) He is NOT as he seems (2Corinthians 11:14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2) Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
f. This serpent is possessed, inhabited by Satan himself – simply used to destroy Eve and ultimately Adam
1) Satan can take control of people’s lives – unbelievers have no idea how controlled they are
a) Mark 5:1-9 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
2) He can possess false preachers (1Kings 22:22)
3) He took over Judas Iscariot’s mind and heart (Luke 22:1-4) Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.
4. He's Very Subtle
a. Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made…
b. That means he was SO careful, so wise, cunning, crafty
c. Like a snake in the grass, approaching its target – you don’t hear it coming!
d. Beware of people who sound so right, but won’t let you question THEM!
e. They don’t care about YOU or the truth – they just want to USE you!
f. Satan knows exactly what he is doing…
g. Did you notice that this serpent walks up to Eve? He targets her, not Adam!
h. He is super smart – because Adam would have kicked him into orbit if he had tried to talk with him against God!
5. He’s a Talker
a. Genesis 3:1 … And he said unto the woman, …
b. He begins to speak to Eve, which was very unusual
c. Speaks HER language – probably Hebrew
d. Reasons with her
e. It is interesting that women love men who want to TALK. Just saying…
6. A Debater
a. Genesis 3:1 And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
b. He didn’t ask about the weather
c. He didn’t ask how she was doing today
d. He questions what God had said.
1) “Did God not say you can be eating from EVERY tree in this beautiful garden?”
2) The power of suggestion by a question!
3) He will use her own thinking, and confusion, and discontentment to ruin her, all by herself!
e. Listen to Eve’s response:
1) Genesis 3:2,3 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 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.
2) That’s strange. God never said anything about not touching the fruit – just don’t EAT of it
3) She and Adam are GARDENERS, so they will have to touch it at some point
4) Eve gives the devil his inch… his opportunity to turn her totally against God…
5) How?
6) By getting her to believe God was excessive
7) And by getting her to ADD to the words of God
8) And Satan will take a MILE!
f. Did you notice the progression?
1) First Satan instils DOUBT in what God said
2) Then Eve exaggerates what God said
3) Next, we will see them both decide to throw out what God has said!
4) And that’s when Eve will decide to “follow her heart”!
7. He is a LIAR
a. Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
b. Oh, now the serpent acts like the authority – he has taken the place of GOD and God’s words!
c. He begins to lie and to beguile, and to deceive her.
1) And acts like he has compassion on her deepest needs
2) He acts like he is thinking of her needs and he replaces God's gifts that she already had with discontent.
d. But did you notice that Satan calls GOD a liar?! “Ye shall NOT surely die!”
e. So confident sounding – like so much on YouTube – but he is so wrong!
f. And then Satan tells her a complete and utter falsehood
1) Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
2) John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
8. He is a Thief, a Robber, a Killer and a Destroyer!
a. He had been watching Adam, and now Eve, waiting for his chance
1) To test out these humans
2) To discover and expose their flaws
3) To embarrass their Creator
4) To trick them into giving up their dominion
5) To force God to have to destroy them like God was going to destroy HIM one day
b. He is thinking of nothing else except how to take from Eve and ultimately Adam and the entire human race everything of value!
c. Sought to rob Eve of everything she had
d. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
9. But she is hooked!
a. She believes him!
b. Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
c. And she goes all out. She makes up her own mind. And then the mind of her husband
10. More next week!
11. Just remember this… temptation is not our problem – our heart is!
C. Satan is the Real Enemy
1. 2Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2. Satan has convinced Eve that GOD is her problem
a. That HE is not being HONEST with her – has lied to her
b. And is holding out on her – keeping deeper wisdom and knowledge from her
c. And doesn’t want her to be “like gods” (THAT is what Satan always wanted too)
3.
But
folks… God is not Eve’s enemy! That serpent is!
I
feel like I am talking to children today warning them about the guy with candy
– that HE is evil, but no one is listening!
4. Satan is the source of all the troubles going on in your home and life and heart and world – he is behind it all
5. Not your husband, your parents, not your job, or your past, or even all your enemies!
6. And HE is the reason why everyone here needs God more than they realise!
7. Especially Moms!
a. Remember that Satan targeted Eve (the first Mom), not Adam
b. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
c. So, STOP fighting any and every body! Start wresting them in prayer!
d. Stop letting the thief into your heart, home and life!
1) Start closing all his ways into your life!
2) Like ANGER! Ephesians 4:26,27 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place [AN OPENING] to the devil.
3) Like discontentment, and envy, and lust and pride!
D. What is Satan's Problem?
1. He has lost his position
a. He started off at the top, and was thrown out of heaven
1) Satan USED to be the most beautiful Angel in heaven (Ezekiel 28:13) Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
2) He led the worship in heaven with his natural pipes and tabrets
3) He was the specially anointed cherub that covered the throne of God with his own wings… (Ezekiel 28:14) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
4) He was perfect in everything he did until… (Ezekiel 28:15) Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
5) He became interested only in having, and controlling, and making merchandise of creation (Ezekiel 28:16) By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: …
6) And God promised to destroy him (Ezekiel 28:16,17) … therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
b. Satan used to be known as Lucifer – the Bright One (Isaiah 14:9 -12) Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
c. He sought to be “A” God (Isaiah 14:13,14) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
d. So God promised to judge him in hell
1) Isaiah 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
2) Luke 10:17,18 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he [JESUS] said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
3) Remember that hell was made for SATAN and his angels!
2. He is so full of pride – can’t see God, only sees himself – obsessed with himself
3. He’s so full of wrath against God – such hatred (I see this in PEOPLE today)
4. He’s so full of bitterness – that God hurt him and his plans, didn’t honour him higher
5. Satan has LOST EVERYTHING!
6. And he only wants to RUIN everything that God has made – wants to bring everything down to hell WITH HIM
E. Now what did Eve HAVE that Satan wanted Ruined?
1. She had life – abundant life in every way. Every breath you take is a gift from God!
2. She has a soul – just like her husband, Adam – priceless, made in the image of God
3. She has a husband, not just a boyfriend or a man, but a man who loved her and was committed to her and was going to be a Dad, and a grandfather and great-grandfather!
4. She had a God-given purpose – to help Adam, work along side him in the Garden, and to glorify God – reflect God’s glory
5. She had joy – not just fun, but constant, unending joy in her heart!
6. She had freedom – she could eat from every tree in that garden except for one.
a. Real freedom is NOT being able to do absolutely anything without consequences
b. It is being free within the design and limits God gave you
c. Let’s imagine there are 300 trees. And there’s one she can’t eat from. Do you think that’s crazy to have limits and rules?
d. She imagines that it must be because it is poison, but it wasn’t. It was good.
e. God just said Don’t, and that’s what made it wrong to eat.
7. She had a future - she was going to have children and grandchildren. She had a world to explore and have dominion over! She wasn’t stuck in this garden forever
8. She had a closeness to God. And it was so natural for her to walk and talk with God and her husband as she enjoyed her life. She had a clear conscience with no regrets.
9. She had God’s words, His promises, and His warnings.
a. Satan’s biggest target are the words in THIS Book – he wants to change them, delete them, replace them, add to them – anything but believe them!
b. Don’t let the devil rob you of this Book! There is no BETTER translation!
c. God spoke to both Adam and Eve. Even though Eve wasn’t there when God spoke some of those words to Adam, Adam passed them on to his wife – and that was good enough!
F. Eve Lost Everything! (Genesis 3:6-8)
1. Genesis 3:6-8 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
2. Eve, along with Adam, has been robbed, and were facing total ruin!
3. She and her husband lost everything important!
4. Satan wants only to ruin, and steal, and kill and destroy YOU…
a. Everything in your life that reflects God’s handiwork, and His image
b. It is his only desire now
c. Your life! He has never left anyone better off
d. YOUR Soul
1) Satan hates your soul because it has God’s image in it!
2) Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
e. Your family – yes, your children and grandchildren
f. Your wife! Don’t think the devil will leave YOUR marriage alone!
g. And Your HUSBAND TOO, ladies! Some of you are so worried about losing your children! You had better worry about losing your husband!
h. Your purpose, and especially your ministry!
1) God calls every one of us to do something in the kingdom of God
2) Don’t let the devil ruin your labour of love for Jesus!
3) Don’t forfeit all the blessings of serving God for the pleasures of sin that only last a brief season!
i. Your Joy
j. Your freedom – she ends up losing access to all those trees simply because Satan convinces her to WANT the one she could not have!
k. Your health
1) Convincing generations that smoking was fine
2) That fornication with dozens of partners was fun
3) That the pill was healthy
4) That beer and whiskey was worth drinking
5) That sitting on a couch day after day instead of working was fine
6) That eating whatever you feel like won’t hurt you
7) Don’t think for a minute that the devil doesn’t want you DEAD any way he can!
l. Your sanity and clear conscience
1) Constant regrets
2) Unresolved guilt and shame
3) Unforgiveness
m. And, Your closeness to God – remember when you loved this Bible? Church? Singing praises? Soul-winning? Serving God? Have you been ROBBED?
n. Satan cannot rob you of your salvation – your forgiveness purchased by Jesus, but he can rob every one of you of just about everything else
o. Do you WANT to keep letting him rob you!
5. But it is not the end!
a. There was a LAMB coming, who will take away their sin!
b. More about HIM, next week!
G. What is a Woman to Do?
1. 1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
2. Practice Sober Vigilance
3. This is for Moms to do, as well as men and Dads…
4. Stay close to Jesus – This is serious!
a. Moms! Don’t rely on your priest, or your pastor, or your husband to be your soul’s protection – your husband can only protect and save your BODY, but only Jesus can save your SOUL!
b. There is no greater power than drawing near to God
1) James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
2) James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
3) Oh that Eve had done this!
4) Worship and praise one name - JESUS
5) Philippians 2:10,11 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
c. Don’t love the things of this world more than you love God
d. Fall in love with God, over and over and over again
e. Don’t allow yourself to get so distracted by social media – addictions!
f. Don’t get too busy
g. PRAY – make time to Pray and cast all your cares, ALL of them on He who cares for you!
1) Psalm 70:1-3 Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.
h. Set a timer on your phone ladies like you do for your teens!
5. RUN! If you find yourself talking to the devil, run.
a. If you are having Hateful thoughts, Lustful thoughts…
b. Defeated thoughts – discouraged at your own failures
c. Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
d. Run to a quiet place, and spend time talking with your heavenly Father
e. Ask God to teach you, and open your ears and eyes to HIS ways!
6. Fear having ANY of the besetting sins of the devil IN YOU!
a. Like, Pride – can’t see God, only sees himself – obsessed with himself
b. Bitterness – that God hurt him and his plans
c. Anger and hatred against God – you would be surprised at how many people are just angry at God about things!
7. Believe only the words of God
a. Not what you think they say
b. Not how you feel at the moment
c. But trusting whatever God has said to be true and right
d. They are your sword, and they give you a shield of faith against the fiery darts of the devil!
8. Stay close to your husband
a. Don’t forget this
b. The two of you, under God are a formidable strength against Satan and his devices
c. Stay under his shepherding
d. Make your HOME / your marriage a spiritual fortress of faith in God, and not a place where the devil has any hold
III. Conclusion
A. The tempter is still at work – he hasn’t gone away
1. He is the best liar
2. He is a very accomplished thief
3. And he only ruins lives – he has never left anyone better off
B. Eve almost lost everything, but thankfully God had an answer
C. Haven’t most of you lost too much by now?
D. You and I are sinners, just as deceived as Eve
E. But we don’t have to live and die that way!
F. We can be forgiven – saved
G. And you can have and hold onto all that is priceless
H. But you have to be sober and very vigilant