In this series, we have established that God is the definition of Loyalty. He is loyal by nature.
Learning from God we must position ourselves to be loyal to Him. To be loyal to God means obedience, allegiance, truthful, faithful, and commitment to Him.
Let us examine some personalities in the Bible that were disloyal to God. In our study we shall look at the following:
1. The personality of the character.
2. The relationship between the character and God.
3. Lessons from the disloyalty of the character.
4. Application of the lessons.
Character: Adam
1. The personality of Adam
Adam was the first man that was created by God. He was the master creation through which other men will come. Adam was created in the image of God with the breath of the almighty God.
He was created to be in charge of all that God had created.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
2. The relationship with God
Adam was created for fellowship, God communes with him regularly.
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice 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 amongst the trees of the garden.
This scripture shows that it was not the first time God was coming down to commune with them. The relationship between Adam and God was very deep because God created him specially as His ambassador on earth.
3. Lessons from the disloyalty of Adam
Adam has the responsibility to be loyal to God because of the relationship that existed between the two and the responsibility that God committed into his hand.
Genesis 1:27-28
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 2:15-16
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Adam was expected to be loyal to God with everything that God had invested in him. But Adam failed by yielding to the words of the serpent against God's instruction to him. The serpent came through Eve his wife and he simply betrayed God.
What are the lessons:
• The devil always come through your weaker part to get at you. In Genesis 3:1 the serpent came to Eve who was the weaker part of Adam. Eve was made from Adam, Genesis 2:21-22 confirms that one of his ribs was used to create Eve.
The weaker part of Eve was her eyes (lust of the eyes). Women are naturally moulded to appreciate beauty, colour, and precious things. The Devil saw this weakness and appeal to her weakness.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Application: We must always protect our weaker parts from getting too exposed. Adam did not protect his weaker part he allowed him to keep engaging the devil while he was there watching.
For example, if your weakness is your anger, then you must deal with it because the devil will always come to you through that area to make you sin (disloyal- unfaithful, disobedience etc) against God. How do you deal with it? Pray to God concerning the weakness and God will tell you the specific thing to do that fit your personality.
2. Avoid engaging the devil or his agent on the object of your responsibility or obligation to God. The devil and his agent always like to engage with you to gather information and make you stumble.
Genesis 3: 2-3 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Eve engaged with the devil and she revealed information that should not be revealed and even stumbled in the process by stating that God said they should not touch the fruit. This engagement exposed Eve and gave the devil the chance to score points that triggered the betrayal.
Application: once the devil comes to your thoughts (mind) with questions, images, suggestions, ideas that relate to your commitment to God disconnect immediately don't allow a second of it. Two seconds allowance could be dangerous. Let it become something you do instinctively.
The lessons will continue in the next series. However, note that prayer remains our key weapon to fight to maintain our loyalty to God in midst of a crooked word.
Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
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