FREEDOM thru HUMILITY - Principle:  True freedom results when you submit to the authority God has set over you.

Many of the problems of this life relate to authority in some way:

In this passage there are three authority problems illustrated,

Ge 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty 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'?"  2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,  3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"  4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.  5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."  6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

I. Again many of the problems of life relate to authority in some way:

#1. Abuse of authority
#2. Passive reluctance to use authority
#3. Refusal to submit to authority

Example of a Sheriff in the Wild West

#1. Abuse of authority
- He does not use authority to serve.
- Takes goods from local merchants without    paying.
- Exercises his authority only for his own   personal good.

 #2. Passive reluctance to use his authority
- Oulaws come into town and sheriff does nothing when they shoot up the town.
- He refuses to confront lawlessness because it  is hard and dangerous.

 #3. Refusal to submit to authority
- Sheriff is supposed to answer to the town  council and laws of the state, and city.
- He decides that he will do whatever he  wants and will not listen to the authority set over him.

II. Genesis 3:1-6 Includes All Three Authority problems.

- Adam is passive refusing to exercise his authority over all created things including his wife and the serpent.

• Not PC to include wife
• But she was made for Adam
• She was made from Adam
• She was made after Adam
• God spoke to Adam and he related God's command to her. "Because you listened to you wife", implication is you should've exercised some leadership here Adam.
• Adam passively sat by and let his home and family be invaded by evil.

 Even when God confronts Adam, he still is passive and weak:

Ge 3:12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me-- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

He didn't say, "It was my fault, I should have done something."

Instead he says, "The problem is the women!"

"I was just fine until you made this women"   "Way to go God"   "I've had a pain in my side ever since!"

Men make the same excuses today:

My wife, my kids, that guy at church, the pastor, my boss, that guy at work, the system, THEY ARE THE PROBLEM!

NO- you are the problem.  YOU'RE PASSIVE - But it's not my fault

Maybe not - but it is your responsibility!

GET ON YOUR KNEES AND FIGURE IT OUT!

- Satan abuses his authority

• Tried to take over heaven
• Tried to take over Earth in Garden
• Had no rights in Garden

(Evil will go as far as it can, until you stop it!)   (Too many men are passive just like Adam and do not defend their homes)

 
- Eve  Refuses to submit to authority set over her.

• She neglected God's command because Satan told her what she wanted to hear.
• She did exactly what Satan did, she raised her throne above Adam, and above God.

IV. All three had a common problem with authority - they failed to submit to the authority set over them.

They all rebelled against God who is the ultimate authority

One of the words the bible uses to describle a person who is willing to submit themselves to the authority that is set above them is the word "humble", or "humility"

V. Word Humility defined:

When used in relation to God or other authority:
Willingness to cheerfuly submit to legitimate authority, and to keep from putting yourself first.

Pride is the opposite of humility:

Pride manifests in an unwillingness to submit to authority and a need to be first in everything.

VI. Exercise Of Authority Must be Done while Submitted to Authority.

A. When Adam and Eve Demonstrated they could not submit themselves to authority, they lost the right to exercise authority.

Adam- Lost authority over creation

Ge 3:17 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
             - Nature and animals do not listen 
             - Lost authority over ground/work - Everything must be wrestled intosubmission.

Satan -
Ge 3:14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Crushing of Satan's head refers to the death blow of the cross that would remove Satan's authority on the earth.

Eve -
Ge 3:16 To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

Obviously a statement about diminished authority

B. We all have authority on some level  - Authority must be exercised under authority.

- Boss - employee (Blessed at work= submit)
- Pastor - Elders -

• I do not make large decisions by myself
• If I encounter a large problem I bring it to the elders
• Before we start large projects we all talk about it.

• I don't want to do this by myself.

World uses words like, Mavrick, independent, to describe those who are unwilling to submit to authority.

God calls them rebels.

VI. God opposes those who refuse to humble themselves to authority and choose a pridefull me first attitude.

Jas 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Pr 16:5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

VII. God Lifts up the Humble and those willing to submit to authority,

1Pe 5:5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Pr 22:4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.

Jas 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
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There is a freedom thru humility

Deliverance from demonic
Financial blessing
Honor
Grace - undeserved favor

Conclusion:

The reason we have this story of Adam and Eve is so that we can ask ourselves sthe question: Do we see any of that in us.

Have I been passive?
- defend my home
- walk in faith elieving His word

Have we been rebellious?
- What would my boss say

Is God humbling me now?
God allowed King Nebecheneezer to go into the wild as an animail because he was lifted up with pride.

Da 4:29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,  30 he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"  31 The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.  32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."  33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.  34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.  35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"  36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.  37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
(NIV)

- Is God giving you a Nebucheneezer experience because He loves you?

Where am I lifting my throne above God's?