The flu hit our house this week. While down for the count, we channel surfed to find something to watch. We stumbled upon the movie, “Jungle Book” (not the animated version). We picked up where Mowgli is wandering all alone through the jungle while waiting on his friend, Bagheera.

Mowgli sensed someone/something was there. It was Kaa, the huge, powerful python. Using her hypnotizing voice and gazing eyes, Kaa begins to slither closer to Mowgli warning him of the dangers for a little man cub who is alone in the jungle. She offers to keep him close and protect him.

Immediately, my husband and I both commented of how that Satan does the exact same thing. Ever since the beginning of time, Satan has been trying to seduce humanity to sin with his subtle movements and the trickery of his words.

In Genesis, Adam and Eve are in the garden of Eden. It was a beautiful place that God created where they could live and prosper. God designed the garden for them to work it and have everything they would need. But there was one stipulation.

Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more crafty (clever) than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 

And just like Kaa, the serpent with his seducing voice said just enough to cause Eve to begin to second guess what God said. So much so that Eve added to God’s instruction that they could not “touch the tree” or they would surely die (verse 3).

The serpent said in verses 4 and 5, “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.” And there it was. The temptation was presented, and Adam and Eve succumbed to it, opening the door for sin to enter the world.

It is no different today. Just as in the garden, Satan approaches his prey as someone who knows what is best, offering friendship and guidance; yet all the while, with his twisting words and luring ways, his main purpose is to steal, kill and destroy us. (John 10:10)

The enemy does not approach us with a red suit and pitchfork to entice us to sin. He knows exactly how to draw us in. He examines and listens to us verbalize all our weaknesses, frustrations, and desires. Then he confuses us, twists our words and the words of Jesus, tricking us and luring us into following the things contrary to the life that Jesus offers.

We have been given all that we need to live a victorious life. But it is up to us to decide if we will do so.