What Fear, Temptation, or False Belief have you overcome (or not overcome)?
While talking with a wise friend, he heard my fear of starting something new (like this website) and feeling like I’m not good enough. He stated, “That has a ring of “Did God actually say?” in it.” I immediately knew that he was right and needed to make a decision to act for my good or remain stuck in my false belief. I also in that moment decided to stop listening to one voice and start listening to another. (FYI- For this blog post, I will forgo the argument that we can hear God’s Voice, and assume the Bible’s presumption that both God and Satan speak to mankind.)
The Bible records an instance where the first two people on earth faced a similar challenge to their beliefs about themselves. The Bible records that “The Voice” of God was used form Adam and Eve (the Bible uses the Hebrew word “Ruah” , translated as breathe or spirit to describe how man was formed). The Voice gave command to Adam to name the animals, and The Voice was with Adam in the cool of the day. After creating Eve, his help mate, The Voice continued to speak with them and gave them the command to be “fruitful and multiply”. Lastly, The Voice told Adam and Eve that they could eat of any tree except for the knowledge of good and evil. Up until this time Adam and Eve only knew this Voice, and it was good.
Enter the second voice. The second voice came unannounced and was described as “crafty”. This other voice asked the woman a simple question that changed the trajectory of her and the man’s life. Things were going well until the second voice asked, “Did God actually say, you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” The second voice questioned the validity of the first. That second voice was from a “serpent”, that the Bible refers to later as Satan or the Devil. You may know the latter names of that voice since they are famous for the spirit that stands in rebellion against God and deceives the world. And, according to the Bible, the second voice has a long track record for deception and even trying to deceive Jesus, God’s son. This story is no exception. His question, “Did God really say?” is a leading question causing Adam and Eve to doubt the first Voice and believe his voice- even though they had heard the first Voice before, had only seen good come from The Voice, and had even walked in the cool of the day and heard The Voice- which leads to the current version of life that is unclear on who’s voice is actually speaking.
We are left with the same choice. We are left to believe either that first Voice or that second voice. Choosing which voice to listen to matters. The one Voice leads us to life, connection, and protection from evil. The other voice, we are taught, can lead us to be bound in doubt, fear, and temptation.
Something I ask myself the more I counsel is, “where is that coming from?” It’s an easy question, but has deeper implications. The implication is that what we do comes from someone, someplace, and some time in your life.
Which voice will you choose? My journey has lead me to put away the second voice when I recognize it, and to listen for and obey the first Voice. The Voice that speaks truth, life, and seeks my good.
