Rick Joyner Rick Joyner has authored more than fifty books, including The Final Quest Trilogy, There Were Two Trees in the Garden, The Path, and Army of the Dawn. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of MorningStar Ministries, a multi-faceted mission organization which includes Heritage International Ministries, MorningStar University, MorningStar Fellowship of Churches and Ministries. Click here to take a look at Rick's latest Rant #ricksrants

Voices

And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" (Genesis 3:11)

It is interesting to note that Adam and Eve did not think it was strange that a serpent spoke to them. From this we can deduct that before the Fall, man could communicate freely with the creatures, and they with him. The Fall caused the corruption of one of man's greatest gifts—the gift of communication.

Fear

And he (Adam) said, "I heard the sound of Thee in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself " (Genesis 3:10).

The first mention of fear in the Bible is in the above verse. There is a pure and holy fear of God, and there is an unholy fear. This is the unholy fear of God that leads to further corruption of the soul, and causes us to run from Him instead of to Him.

The Delusion

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.


Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:8-9)

Taking the Land, Part 11

After the incredible and miraculous victory over Jericho, Achan's sin had caused a defeat for the entire nation of Israel before the tiny little village of Ai. Without question, this shook their confidence. If any pride had entered the camp after Jericho, it was dispelled at Ai. They were again...
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The Fall

       She took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate (see Genesis 3:6).
 
If we listen to the devil, and give serious consideration to what he says, we will almost surely fall into his trap and sin. Those who fall into sin almost never do so because of a single, instantaneous temptation.

The Deception

       When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes,
       and that the tree was desirable to make one wise (see Genesis 3:6).
 
The deadly tree is called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil for a reason. The "good" side of the Tree of Knowledge is just as deadly as the "evil" side.

The Trap

       And the serpent said to the woman, "You surely shall not die!
 
       "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened,
       and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:4-5).
 
When the devil saw that the woman had already shown a subtle disrespect for God's command by adding to it, he then pushed her all of the way into the t

The Question

       Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
       And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Openness

And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25).
 
God established the relationship between men and women in a way that would help to preserve and enhance their relationship to Him and each other. All relationships are built upon trust. Trust is the bridge over which meaningful interchange takes place. The stronger the bridge, the more weight that can be carried across this bridge.