All suffering, disease, and destruction arrived in the world because Eve listened to three words. Hath God said (Gen. 3:1 KJV).

Tempting the first pair in a beautiful garden, Satan questioned and distorted the Truth. “God didn't really mean what He said. You won't die if you eat the fruit. You'll be even better, because you'll be like God.” (Gen. 3:1-5).

How many times do we let that same lie rob us of what God wants us to have? (Mat.13-19).

In a barren desert, a reflection of the curse on earth, Jesus stopped Satan's lies—also with three words. It is written. He never got into the realm of reason. He simply focused on God's word.

We can do the same. When the tempter suggests, “God didn't really mean that he forgives all your iniquity and heals all your diseases, because you're still sick,” we can answer, “It is written in Psalm 103, He forgives all our iniquity and heals all our diseases.”

When the liar reasons, “You've prayed and got no answer, so God must be correcting you with this trial,” we can say, “It is written, God's word is for instruction and correction (II Tim. 3:16). If suffering could correct or perfect us, the Church would have been perfect long ago.”

We can refuse to bow to Satan's lies. Instead we trust God's word. When we are discouraged, ill, or feeling defeated, and don't know what else to do, we can speak as Jesus did on the mount of temptation, “It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God,” (Mat. 4:20) bow our knees and worship God. Speaking the written word, which is the sword of the Spirit, (Eph.6:17) defeats the enemy every time.

Written by Harriett Ford