The Slithering Shenanigans of the Snake
This blog post is Week 2 of a 9 week series entitled, "The Snake Among Us" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN.
Message Date: May 8, 2022
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If believing there is no “god” is one of the worst atrocities towards our Creator, then believing one can be equal with Him must surely be a close second. At the beginning of time on earth, the Snake did not try to convince Adam and Eve that God did not exist. Instead, he convinced Adam and Eve that they could be like God – all-powerful, all-knowing, and full of wisdom.
You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:4-5
The first lie ever spoken on our planet was spoken by the one scripture tells us was created perfectly, beautiful & full of wisdom. He was the guardian over the garden. This most likely means that the Serpent was a friend to Adam & Eve. It is highly likely they had talked with him previous to this moment. They had a relationship with him. They probably trusted him.
But the Serpent proved then and continues to do so to this very day, that he never had and never will have our best interest in mind. He is the author of lies and he will continue to lie. This is his native tongue.
Why?
Why does God allow the Snake to do all that he does on this earth?
If God is really in control, and if He really wants what is best for me, then why doesn’t He make it easier on me? Why does He allow Satan to do all he does?
Lies. Deceit. Influence. Interference. Harm. Pain. Wars. Abortion. Death. - - Why?
In order to answer this question one must answer two more questions:
Do I believe God loves me?
Do I trust God wants what is best for me?
I hope you answer with an emphatic: “Yes!” to both of these questions. Because, YES God loves you, and YES, God wants what is best for you!
So then, this must be also true:
Because God loves me and because God wants what is best for me, allowing Satan to live and tempt and even hurt me must be a part of God’s sovereign plan.
Evidently, God views the ongoing slithering shenanigans of the Snake as necessary to accomplish His will for this world and for my life. I know…this is tough to swallow. How a God who loves me could allow Satan to hurt me….But what God allows He allows for a reason.
I have to remember:
Yes God loves me, and…Yes! God wants what is best for me.
And yes! God allows Satan to do what he does for reasons I may never fully know.
5 Foundational Truths about the Snake
Foundation Truth #1. The Snake is on a leash.
Satan only gets to do what God allows Him to do. He cannot do whatever he pleases. There is a story in the bible of a time when Satan spoke with God about one of God’s most faithful servants. God gave Satan specific limitations on what Satan could and could not do to Job:
The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man, himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Job 1:12
Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. Luke 22:31
Satan cannot do whatever he wants.
Foundation Truth #2. The Snake is not Starbucks in Manhattan.
Manhattan is only 13 miles in length. And every 6 blocks in Manhattan, there is a Starbucks!
Total # of Starbucks to date in the Big Apple: 370! If you’ve been, it feels like AND looks like Starbucks is everywhere in Manhattan.
Well, the Snake is not “Starbucks in Manhattan.” Meaning…the Snake is not omnipresent. The snake can only be in one place at one time.
But, as Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, he does have a horde of demons called: “…the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Foundation Truth #3. The Snake will never be like a zero-calorie substitute.
Zero-calorie Equal claims to be the “equal” substitute to sugar – equal to the real thing! The snake will never be equal to God.
The Snake was made perfect. But he did not remain perfect!
You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Ezekiel 28:15
Foundation Truth #4. The Snake will spend eternity being extremely warm.
The Snake is not in hell yet. But he’s headed there!
Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41
The devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and . . . will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10
The Snake will one day get scorched! But not yet.
Foundation Truth #5. The Snake has a slogan: “Go to hell…along with me!”
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. John 10:10
Destroy (Greek) = to perish eternally
Satan wants me to join him in hell.
If this can’t happen, he wants to keep others from joining me in heaven. As a Christ-follower, I will never follow the snake into hell. It’s impossible, and he knows it. Therefore, the intention of the Snake, the reason why he does all he does to deceive, disrupt, tempt, and more, is to trip me up in an attempt to render my outreach to others ineffective.
The goals of this series:
1. Clearly understand the intentions of the snake.
2. Better recognize the ways by which the snake slithers his way into my life.
3. Be equipped to combat his lies and win.
Let’s unpack #1: Clearly understand the intentions of the Snake.
I cannot underestimate the power of the Snake.
The Intentions of the Snake: Confusion.
Have you ever faced a situation and didn’t know what to do? Of course, you have. Each of us has been here before. Maybe you are in this spot today. A question about a change of course with your occupation, confusion over what is next for you in life, or frustration over a situation that has come out of nowhere and you aren’t quite sure what to do…
Now, sometimes, confusion is merely that – confusion. A normal part of life. But, many times, know this: Satan works to confuse and to keep you confused.
What he often does best is to take a normal life situation that is confusing and uses such confusion to plant a seed of doubt…
Genesis 3:1-3
“Did God really say…” And then, Eve responds! She gets shaken and then the doubt creeps in and she misquotes God!
Satan wants to confuse. He wants you to live in doubt. He wants you to believe that your confusion is evidence of that lack of power, love, and interest God has offered to you in a given situation, or that simply, God got it wrong!
The Snake knows that if he can keep you in confusion, he potentially can encourage you to get ahead of God or go around God in your attempts to wade through the confusion and get to a conclusion that makes better sense to you or, even better, gets you what you want. Scripture confirms that the Snake can interfere and disrupt, and in doing so, causes confusion.
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Job 2:7
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you. Revelation 2:10
For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. 1 Thessalonians 2:18
This is why it is important that you not allow your confusion to lead to compromise. Because this is often exactly what happens: Confusion often leads to compromise.
You get confused about a situation in life and/or a response to this situation, you pray, you don’t get an answer quick enough or don’t like the answer you receive, and you begin to take matters into your own hands. This is exactly why we need to take time to understand the ways of the enemy. He is a liar. He is a deceiver. And he wants to masquerade lies as truth to instill fear, create doubt as to God’s existence and will for your life, and keep you confused. I cannot underestimate the power of the Snake.
The Intentions of the Snake: Deception
There are so many people today who have been deceived by the Snake. And in a place of confusion, the Snake is so good at encouraging people to turn to things of this world for remedy. The snake doesn’t wage war against me by stating his intentions to destroy me. Instead, the snake wages war against me by working to blind me.
This is what true deception is = blinding to the truth.
Listen to how successful the enemy has been at deceiving Gen Z’s (today’s 9–24-year-olds) to turn to the things of this world for fulfillment:
- 26% of people under the age of 30 have an eating disorder.
- A majority of girls under the age of 19 struggle with low self-esteem.
- Of these girls, 3 out of 4 engage in negative & destructive behaviors such as an eating disorder, self-harm, vaping & pre-marital sex.
- 8,000 teens will contract an STD today, totaling over 2.5 million each year.
- 38% of all eighth graders have experimented with drugs.
- 33 million teens admit to being binge drinkers.
- 80% of today’s graduating seniors have used alcohol
- 42% have used marihuana.
- 52% have used an illicit drug.
- An estimated 270,000 guns are carried to school each day.
- Within the next 30 minutes:14 unmarried teenagers will give birth to a child, 29 kids in America will attempt suicide, 57 will run away from home, and 686 kids will use an illegal drug for the first time.
But it isn’t just this present young generation. It’s every generation. Though we each may turn to different vices, we are all in search of fulfillment.
A Gen Z may turn to smoking pot for a quick hit of escape. A married 45-year-old - his choice may be to flirt with the cute thing in the office down the hall in search of gratification. To a college student whose dad checked out long ago, she may be deceived into believing that the best medicine to fill the hole in her heart from her dad’s absence is to sleep with whomever the next guy is who shows her some attention, while the 70-year-old Sunday school grandmother is deceived into gossiping about another who doesn’t quite fit the mode of how she defines a “good ole’ Southern Baptist.”
Make no mistake: The one who gossips, complains or feeds the “rumor mill” is no different than the one who cheats, flirts, or has an affair. The high may differ, but in the end, sin is sin!
And this is where the Snake excels:
He knows what medicine deceives me. And he’s gonna sell it and sell it and sell it!
I cannot underestimate the power of the Snake.
The Intentions of the Snake: Encouragement
This may sound like a positive word. I don’t use it in this case as something positive.
Two critical truths about the snake:
- He is my greatest enemy.
- He wants me to believe he is my greatest ally.
The Snake wants to encourage you into believing that sin is best for you, that “this choice” is right for you because it will make you happier, wealthier, gratified, and more. You’ve heard this “encouragement” from him before in some form or other, possibly such as: “Come on, you know you deserve this.” Or, “Go ahead! I mean, who is going to know anyway, right?!” Or, “Porn is much better than having an affair.” Or, “For once you deserve to get what you want in life. Go ahead and jump in!” Your husband doesn’t get you anymore. You’d be much better off with THIS man, He gets you! This is what I mean by “encouragement.”
Here’s one way the Snake excels: Convincing me that “sin really isn’t sin!”
It’s just a choice. I deserve this. It will make me feel better. I’ve been done wrong, so I’ll retaliate.
The intention of the Snake is really a combination of confusion + deception. In a plethora of ways, the Snake will customize the best approach to encouraging me to sin. It is the intention of the snake for me to sin. Satan clearly understands the power of sin.
This is why at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Satan did what he did to Jesus.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1
And he didn’t just do this to Jesus!
- Satan was there with Adam & Eve. They disobeyed God and set in motion a path for all of humanity.
- As they departed Egypt & set out for the Promised Land, Satan was there with the nation of Israel to tempt them. They disobeyed God, worshipped idols, and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.
- A Nazarite set apart by God from birth was tempted by the lure of a beautiful woman. He caved too and it cost Samson his power, his eyesight, and eventually his life.
- A King of Israel whom the bible says was a “man after God’s own heart.” This man, King David, was tempted by lust. It cost him much pain, including losing his own son.
On and on and on we could go with story after story in the Bible of people whom the Snake tempts. The Snake knows that it is sin that separates me from God. So, he encourages me, in a way that appears to be in my best interest, to do exactly this.
A really important question:
- Can the Snake make me sin?
You’ve probably heard it said before, “Well, Satan made me do it.”
The snake will try and confuse me. The snake will work to deceive me. But the snake can never make me sin.
But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. James 1:14
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
I cannot underestimate the power of the Snake.
The Intentions of the Snake: Murder.
No, Satan cannot end your life on his own will. But think about the three words we have already unpacked as to the intentions of the Snake: Confuse, Deceive, and Encourage. With his intentions to confuse and deceive, he can encourage others to do harm. And he does.
We saw this with King Herod in Matthew 2 of the Bible when, in a response to the fear of losing power and authority, ordered all newborn males killed. Some might say, “How could this have ever happened… The murder of so many innocent children?” Well, it happened then, and it continues to happen to this day.
Over the fear of losing power and authority over “one’s body,” ashamedly our nation has allowed the murder of more than 63 million innocent children through abortion since 1973. A woman’s right to have an abortion is placed squarely at the top of the conversation in America this week with the leak that the Supreme Court is about to announce the overturn of the Federal Law of Roe v. Wade. Those for abortion say that a woman has the right to do what she desires with her body. But you see the problem with such a defense fails to recognize that the right of life begins with God, and not with one’s body. This is a perfect example of the intentions of the Snake to murder. Though he never forces such an act, he encourages such an act through deception with smoke and mirrors.
Abortion kills an innocent life. Those for abortion place the conversation on one’s rights rather than on what IS right – the sanctity of life!
We shouldn’t be having this conversation! We should be leading this conversation! We should be the loudest voice proclaiming that GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF LIFE! Period.
Not a father, not a mother, not a doctor, and not our government! God is the author of life!
This is NOT about politics. This isn’t political. It’s about life. More importantly, it’s really about: Sin.
“No one is going to tell me what I can and cannot do!" "I’m going to do whatever I want with my body!”
Isn’t this eerily similar to the words the Snake spoke in the Garden? His words were really about the same thing… “No one should be able to tell you what you can eat and can’t!”
Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Jeremiah 1:5
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
The Snake has devoured the unborn by encouraging murder. He has slithered his way into this battle and the result - - the murder of millions of innocent children.
We the church must stand up. We must stand up for the child! We must take a stand for life!
I cannot underestimate the power of the Snake.
Dear God,
My struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, & against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. Protect me, my family, my home, my health, & Donelson First. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior.
Amen.
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Jeffrey Dean Smith is a husband, father to Bailey & Brynnan, author, and the Senior Pastor at Donelson First in Nashville, TN. If you are in Music City, meet Jeffrey and enjoy iced tea on the front lawn each Sunday at 10:30a.