For everyone of us, our lives are an expression of the consequences from which tree we are eating from, either the Tree of Life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, (Genesis 3.)
Genesis 2:16-17 (KJV) “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.” In the margin the Hebrew is expounded: “…dying thou shalt die,” – an ongoing death sentence! This dying is not necessarily a “coffin job,” but negative consequences from wrong believing which had it’s source from eating from the wrong tree, instead of eating from God’s provision of the Tree of Life – only what God says is true! Eve listened to the serpent’s version of what God had said and gave in to temptation with dire consequences, (Genesis 3.) The devil will twist the word of God to subtly tempt and confuse God’s children to lure them away from eating from the Tree of Life, if we listen to him.
God gives us choice to eat from His life source, the Tree of Life. This is His provision for us for Kingdom life. The consequences from eating from this source are God’s joy and peace, accompanied by His Presence. You cannot steal the presence of God. It accompanies the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
We are all on a journey through life, all at different stages with our walk with the Lord. Sometimes we eat from the wrong “tree” and suffer the consequences but God is wooing us out of our wrong choices in His great love for us. He wants us to learn to eat from His Tree of Life continually where we can live in His Presence and experience all the benefits from listening to what He says and allowing Him to have the last word. The test comes when circumstances will try and dictate and tempt us away from what God says. If I look at the circumstance my heart will scream at me if I am in unbelief. Only what He says is true! My choice is to stand on that.
Adam and Eve had the joy of God’s constant presence until they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They then became self conscious and self-centred. These are the fruits of eating from the wrong source. We were never meant to know “good,” just God. When my car has a flat tyre and I am late for work, do I judge it as evil and lose my peace, (eating from the wrong tree,) or do I still see God in it. I can say “amen” to God (not the situation), and still maintain the Presence of His peace as He enables me to work through the situation by accessing His grace. His word tells me “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me,” 2 Corinthians 12:9. Does that not apply then to all situations He permits in my life? It is here I can access eating from His Tree of Life.
Revelation 22:14 brings us full circle back again into the garden where Adam and Eve lost it: “Blessed are they who do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” When all the world is screaming for “it’s rights,” our only right is to access the Tree of Life, according to the above scripture, as we “do His commandments.”
LET GOD HAVE THE LAST WORD…..and enjoy your divine birthright restored through Calvary – His Presence.
