21 Apr Who Is Whispering in Your Ear by Tara Vick
Heart pounding, I raced through the underbrush until I was able to crouch down behind a thick pile of grass. I was out of breath, dirty, and a bit confused as I took in my new surroundings. ”Where are you?” rang out in the crisp air as I gulped and tried to speak, but no words would come. I sat there replaying in my mind what had just happened. Suddenly, a voice beside me broke the silence, “We are here, but we are hiding because we are naked”. My grip loosened as the fruit fell to the ground. ”Adam and Eve, WHO told you that you were naked?”, God asked….
Naked – adjective: 1. without clothes. 2. without the usual covering or protection. 3. Exposed to harm; unprotected; vulnerable.
As women, we share many of the same fears, regrets, and worries; many of us believe that we are naked, vulnerable, and not equipped for God’s work. No woman exemplifies this more in the Bible than Eve. In today’s devotion, let’s not look at the WHAT but focus on the WHO that God referenced in Genesis 3:11.
From the beginning of her faith walk, Satan targets Eve and challenges her beliefs. In Genesis 3:1-5, he asks, “did God really say that you could not eat of this fruit?…“Surely you will not die…He just doesn’t want you to know the real truth.” How many of us have had similar conversations with Satan? We may not be standing in front of a fruit tree, but it is still real. Remember, the goal of Satan’s lies is to create division and confusion. Like Eve, we often let Satan’s lies make us who we are instead of the person God created us to be! Recognize the whispers. Never allow Satan to speak into your life OR use you to betray or belittle one another.
Imagine for a moment Eve reaching her hand out to pick the forbidden fruit. Now, look at your own hand and each of your 5 fingers. Let’s take the number 5 and focus on 5 common lies that Satan can use against YOU in your own faith walk just as he did Eve:
Lie 1. You are unlovable. No one could love you, not even God.
Lie 2. You are not worthy. After all you’ve been through and done, God can’t use you.
Lie 3. You are not able. Who do you think you are?
Lie 4. You are not good enough. Some people are made for greatness and you are not.
Lie 5. You are naked so run, hide, and be afraid. You have nothing to offer.
If the Bible had ended there, I might also be inclined to believe these lies. After all, we did fail miserably, and we do sin daily, but the story does not stop….Jesus came as the Truth. Now, look at each lie with the TRUTH (John 14:6)….
TRUTH 1. When Satan whispers that you are not loved, repeat John 3:16 that says God loved the world so much that He sent his only son. Jesus says in 1 John 4:19 that He loved me even before I loved Him!
TRUTH 2. When Satan says you are not worthy, you repeat John 3:17 that Jesus did not come to condemn but to give a new life.
TRUTH 3. When Satan says you are not able, declare that God says, yes I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:11). God knows me and created me special.
TRUTH 4. When Satan lies and says you are not good enough, you declare that God made me wonderfully according to Psalms 139. God knew what He was doing and makes no mistakes!
TRUTH 5. When Satan says you are naked, remember that even after the great fall, Genesis 3:21 says that God himself stitched clothing for Adam and Eve as covering. In Isaiah 61:10, Jesus says that you are lovingly clothed in His own righteousness! You are not naked!
Ladies, it is time for us all to stop living with a tight hold on the lies of Satan. Release your guilt, self-doubt, criticism, fear, and bitterness and experience the gift of God’s grace. God is asking YOU today, “WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED?!?” You are surely loved. You are wanted. You are able. Stop accepting the lies of Satan. Go and believe the Truth, women of God!