Genesis 3
1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. He said to the woman: Did God really say: You shall not eat of every tree in the garden?
2 The woman answered the serpent: We eat of 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.’ ”
There was a conversation between Eve and the serpent. But we know that animals don’t talk like humans. An animal has no spirit and cannot communicate with man.
So it’s not an animal snake, but a metaphor for the devil. It is because of the character of the serpent that this image has been used to speak of the enemy.
For example, the character :
1/ The snake has no limbs, so it looks harmless, yet it’s very dangerous and kills.
2/It stings. When it stings, it transfers its venom. (It can even sting without the person knowing). And its poisonous venom will gradually kill the person.
3/ Once it has seized its prey, it can roll it up to suffocate it, then swallow it whole.
These are all characteristics similar to the character of the devil, whose aim is to swallow, destroy and infect man.
Adam having named all the animals, he saw no creature like himself. So it was impossible to communicate physically.
So the serpent approached Eve to converse with her, and she heard the serpent.
This means that Eve’s conversation with the serpent was spiritual. It was in his mind. Eve was in front of the tree, receiving ideas, suggestions, reasoning in her heart.
And these ideas, suggestions, reasonings came from the snake.
In fact, in the same way, the serpent went off to tempt the Lord Jesus in the desert when he was hungry in Matthew 4. This scene also took place spiritually, in the mind.
This is how the devil communicates with man: through thoughts.
That’s why the Christian must know how to control his thoughts if he is to succeed. Through thoughts, the devil can steal a person’s star, humanity’s star.
The devil is a spirit, often represented by a snake. It wasn’t physical that a snake had come to speak to Eve.
The devil’s agenda is to steal, slit throats and destroy.
Genesis 3
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.”
The way of the serpent is a destructive way, with suggestions of destruction and pollution.
This is why the Christian must discern the voice of the devil from the voice of God; and even discern his own voice from the voice of the devil. Voices or, in other words, “thoughts”.
If we take the devil’s thoughts as our thoughts, the devil will infect our soul.
The devil’s thoughts are negative thoughts. These are thoughts of destruction, confusion, sadness that lead to general confusion, discouragement, sadness, pride, seeking one’s own way and disconnecting from God, …
This is how the devil has been, from Genesis 3 to the present day.
The snake is always trying to connect with man’s thoughts. He injects his suggestions, his opinion, his desires, his way into man’s thoughts.
The Christian must know the difference, otherwise he will find himself in a very sad situation. He must discern these thoughts, because this is how many lose their deliverance, their spiritual position, because of the infection of the serpent’s venom.
Consider this: You don’t have a car, and you end up at a car dealership. What’s going to happen when you see all these cars?
At that very moment, you’ll want a car. And you’ll hear suggestions: “You can apply for a loan and buy this car, if people see you in this kind of nice car, they’ll respect you, people won’t make fun of you anymore…”
This is a conversation with the devil when we are faced with a need.
Or :
You take part in a meeting, make a suggestion. But someone objects and thinks your idea is no good. What will you hear inside?
You’ll get suggestions: “this person is against you, he doesn’t like you, it’s a suggestion you gave but look how he dares to talk to you…”
And as you receive these suggestions, the anger in you will begin to increase…
That’s what we call having a conversation with the snake.
Or in the same way, a Christian meets a beautiful woman who begins to admire him and approach him, the devil will make suggestions. The Christian who goes to a family reunion and there’s an argument. Or a couple at odds…
Suggestions from the serpent: “All that you have done for him he does not see, he is ungrateful…”
All these illustrations are examples of conversations with the snake.
Genesis 3
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.
The devil’s suggestions encouraged Eve to eat the fruit. (Since all the suggestions in the above examples encourage either buying a car or getting angry…)
This is what the serpent does to lead man astray from the way of God. It starts with what you see or hear. Once seen or heard, the devil will amplify things to convince the soul to do the deed. Once the soul has obeyed the serpent, then it can take control of that soul.
Genesis 3
8 And they heard the sound 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 among the trees of the garden
9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”
12Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”
13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
That’s how the fall came about.
And ever since, that same serpent has been there to seduce all human beings from walking with God. It’s the same method he uses: he’s manipulated their will.
The devil pushes man to do what is not good for man himself.
In the end, it’s man who loses out: Who’s sick? Who suffers? Who is poor? Who is in the dark? Who is manipulated or confused?
When God asks us to choose what is good, He helps us have dominion and stay on track.
Jesus is called the Way, the Path of Truth. That’s what it’s all about.
When it is said that the way of man is evil, it is because man has been polluted by the seed of the devil.
In Noah’s time, all these people were under the control of the serpent’s venom. In the same way, the people in Ezekiel 8, Isaiah 44, Psalm 78…were manipulated by the serpent.
It was all from the devil to destroy them.
Everything we hear at home, in the family, at work, in church…let’s not react to it all because very often it’s the devil’s suggestions.
That’s why God wants us to have self-control and walk in His way.
Anger, pride, bitterness, unforgiveness, lack of time to pray, distraction…. These are suggestions from the devil in the Christian’s heart.
If we deeply understand what God is teaching us through this passage, we will have victory.
Genesis 3.10 He replied: “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I am naked, and I hid myself.
Fear comes from the seed of the serpent.
Jesus said to His disciples in Mark 4, “Why are you so afraid?
For fear comes when man has left the domain of God to find himself in the domain of the enemy.
A person in a well-lit house won’t be afraid. But if she finds herself outside and there’s no light, then she’ll be scared.
The beauty of Adam and Eve was thus seized; The heart of man was defiled.
Let us humble ourselves so that the Lord may reveal to us the suggestions of the serpent in our souls. We need to ask forgiveness every time we've listened to the voice of the serpent, every time we've been infected. There are no small sins; let's not neglect these things because they can stop champions.