Satan the deceiver, came to Eve in the garden and led her to lust, for the fruit which God had commanded not to be eaten. Having approached her in the likeness of a serpent with great craftiness, Satan led her to disbelieve God and to go against His will and commandment. Gen. 3:1-6. The fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden was not to be eaten. God had subjected her and Adam to obedience and trust of Him and His word, for he was their creator and sustainer, the Almighty God (Elohim).

Satan's guile is reflected in the animal of choice for tempting Eve "...and the serpent was cunning/crafty above every animal of the field which God had made...," and the method of his questioning of Eve, alone without Adam's inclusion. Why was Adam not there? Had Satan been watching for the right moment of attack? Being crafty/cunning did he not know that Eve was Adam's helpmate, often the bringer of fruit for her beloved to enjoy.

Satan will continue to test the people of God concerning their earthly desires and carnal/fleshly longings, as opposed to their faithful reliance upon God (waiting upon the Lord Isa. 40:28-31). Notice verse six: "...when the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it...."NIV. How does wisdom come from fruit juice? Does wine or other intoxicants bring understand? Satan still works his craft. THE GREAT ERROR OF SIN WAS TAKING THE WORD OF SATAN OVER THE WORD OF GOD. The cost was death, not life, darkness, not light, ignorance instead of godly wisdom.

It is interesting that the so-called church of Satan (COS), founded by the late Anton LeVey, professes not to believe in a Personal God or a personal Devil/Satan. LeVey, who published the "Satanic Bible" in l969, taught that Satan was a myth of the Christian Church. The COS then used the name Satan as a type of lightning rod to draw attention to their self directed pleasure driven lifestyles of "let's indulge in all our lusts to the fullest." A new age translation of eat and drink and be merry for tomorrow we will die or get too old and weak to have our sensuous pleasures any longer. LeVey died at the age of 67. I'm reminded in Romans 3:18 by the apostle Paul: "There is no fear/reverence of God before their eyes." The "Nine Satanic Statements--indulgence, instead of abstinence;-- vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams,-- undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit;--kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates;-- vengeance, instead of turning the cheek;"...man is just another animal...."

So the Satanists seek freedom from the constrains of God's Laws. They banish the Christian God- Jehovah and Jesus Christ in the name of Satan in whom they neither believe nor understand. I suppose that Satan is really pleased, even though these hedonists don't really believe Satan exists. Instead believe themselves, to be their own god. Now Satan directs his energies toward God's true children of faith in efforts of deceit, lies, murderings (this is being reported regularly) and against the Church of the living God, who will trample Satan under foot as the Church moves on triumphantly.

Where has Satan been most successful against the children of the "birth from above"? Probably, Satan has been most successful in disrupting personal relationships within the Christian community/fellowship. It seems the submission teachings of Christ, meaning that we should, in love, submit to each another's need for support, is where Satan presses his greatest attacks on Christians. Satan, through demonic spirits, will stalk us and seek to break us down in our spirit and mind. Too often, he succeeds, in planting fears and doubts which lead to breakdowns of trust and fellowship among individual believers. Satan works through mind and spirit deception. Yet, we must believe in God's promise to make us overcomers, in spite of trials/temptations brought by Satan and his demons (other fallen angel spirits). See Acts 26:18; Romans 16:20; 2 Cor. 2:ll, 4:4, 11:3, 12:7; I Pet. 5:8; 2 Pet 2:4; Lk. 10:18.

God does not lie! "... he (Satan) is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44.