In the movie Patton, there is a scene in which the American General encounters a corps of tanks under the command of the brilliant German war strategist Rommel—the Desert Fox. Rommell has already been successful in destroying the Western armies, but Patton “outfoxes him” and routs him in an ambush.
After the defeat, General Patton laughs and says, “Rommell, you son of a…gun—I read your book.” What was the secret of Patton’s success? Patton had carefully studied Rommell’s writings, and he used that knowledge to defeat his enemy.
I’m convinced that one reason so many Christians are living defeated lives today is because they do not believe or they do not understand the reality of Satan and His strategy for their spiritual destruction. A knowledge of the enemy is essential for spiritual victory.
Many scholars have called Genesis 3 the most important chapter in the Bible, and I tend to agree with that assessment. If you tear this chapter out of the Bible, the rest of God’s Word makes no sense. In Genesis 1-2, you find a man and a woman in a pristine state, enjoying God’s creation, and experiencing an untainted relationship with their Creator. If you jump to chapter 4, you see jealousy, murder, and judgment. And, indeed, the rest of the Bible is filled with violence, lust, wickedness, and God’s final destruction of this world.
What occurred between Genesis 1-2 and the rest of history? The answer is Genesis 3. For in Genesis 3 we find the answer to the question, “How did sin enter the world?” But far more than helping us understand the theological truth of sin and our need for atonement, Genesis 3 also helps us to understand the reality, the strategy, and the triumph of Satan—an understanding that is essential to experiencing spiritual victory in our lives.
1. The Reality of Satan (Genesis 3:1a)
- Satan’s Origin (Ezekiel 28:11-17)
But there are two “origins” that the book of Genesis never attempts to explain. One is the origin of God. The Bible assumes the existence of God. “In the beginning God…” Psalm 14 exclaims, “The fool has said in his heart there is no God.” The reason the Bible does not attempt to explain the origin of God is because He has no beginning. As Moses wrote in Psalm 90, “From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
The other origin never explained is the origin of sin. If God created a perfect universe—and He did—where did sin come from? Although the Bible never tells us where sin came from, it does tell us how sin came into this world.
Unlike God, however, Satan had a definite beginning in time. He is not an eternal being like God; instead, he was a created being (Ezekiel 28).
The first portion of Ezekiel 28 is addressed to the ruler of Tyre who is denounced because of his pride. Verse 2 clearly says he was a man, not a God.
But when we come to verse 11, it is obvious that God is addressing not the human leader of Tyre, but the spiritual power behind him—Satan himself. And in these verses, we are given an understanding of Satan’s original position in heaven.
The idea here is that, like all of God’s created beings, Lucifer, Satan’s original name, was created to reflect the glory of his Creator.
- Satan’s Fall (Isaiah 14:12-15)
Before Satan’s rebellion, there was only one will in the universe—God’s will. But after Satan’s fall, there were two wills. After Adam and Eve sinned, there were four wills; after the birth of Cain and Abel, six wills. And today, there are billions and billions of wills that explain all of the conflict in the world, in the church, in your home, and in your own life.
The essence of all sin is two wills instead of one will. Sin occurs when I place my will and my desires above God’s.
Lucifer was cast out of heaven along with the angels who chose to rebel with him, and since that time he has been attempting, along with his demons, to rebuild a counterfeit kingdom to rival God’s.
- Satan’s Goal
Satan’s goal is to build a rival kingdom that will ultimately defeat the kingdom of God. And that is why, since the time of his fall, Satan has been trying to thwart the plan of redemption through Christ, why he has been trying to destroy the people of God, why he has been trying to deceive the nations of the world, and why he is trying to capture the souls of unbelievers. He is trying to rebuild his kingdom.
- Satan’s Appearance (Ezekiel 28)
As we will see, it was only after the fall that the serpent was cursed and transformed into the hideous creature that crawled on its belly. To have seduced Eve, this creature, through which Satan spoke, was charming and appealing.
Let me make an application here. When Satan comes into your life, don’t expect that red-flannelled, long-tailed creature with two horns and a pitchfork that we have come to ridicule.
Satan is far too clever to appeal like that. In fact, I think he loves those kinds of caricatures because they are so deceptive.
2. The Strategy of Satan (Genesis 3:1-5)
Have you ever wondered why Satan talked to the woman first, instead of the man? The Bible doesn’t tell us why, but I think Satan reasoned that she was an easier mark. Not because she was a woman, and not because of any sort of inferiority. But because she did not receive the command not to eat directly from God.
According to Genesis 2:16-17, God spoke to Adam. So, the fact that she was receiving this command second-hand, so to speak, made it easier for Satan to cause her to doubt.
Notice the four things that Satan caused Eve to question and that he will also cause you to question God’s commands.
- The Word of God (Genesis 3:1b)
- The Wisdom of God (Genesis 3:2-3)
- The Judgment of God (Genesis 3:4)
- The Character of God (Genesis 3:5)
3. The Triumph of Satan (Genesis 3:6)
In 1 Timothy 2, the Bible says Eve was seduced. She was seduced by that which would satisfy her appetites and would please her eyes and would satisfy her ambition to rule instead of being ruled.
Here is Satan’s strategy in a nutshell: Once he can get you to question the Word of God, the wisdom of God, the judgment of God and/or the character of God—then he is able to dangle just the right bait in front of your eyes and finish you off.
Never forget that the bait that looks so attractive to you has a hook right in the middle of it that will eventually destroy you. In the day that you eat, you shall surely die.
