“10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”
No one sets out to “wreck” his or her life, but sometimes we find ourselves heading down paths that lead to disappointment, shame, pain, and regret anyway.
By examining the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, we find valuable insights on how to avoid common pitfalls and instead pursue a life of joy, purpose, and spiritual fulfillment.
Five steps to avoid wrecking your life
Step 1: REFUSE TO EDIT GOD’S WORD
One of the first steps towards a fulfilling life is to fully embrace God's Word.
In Genesis 3, we see how Satan cunningly questioned God's instructions, planting seeds of doubt in Eve's mind. Satan asked: “Did God really say you can't eat from any tree in the garden?
This simple question set in motion a chain of events that led to sin, suffering, and death entering God’s perfect creation.
We must be vigilant against our sinful inclinations to edit, add to, or subtract from God's Word to suit our desires.
When we encounter challenging passages or commands that go against our personal preferences, it's crucial to remember that God's Word is perfect and true.
When something you want to believe conflicts with God’s Word, know that it’s you who are in the wrong, not the Lord.
Each of us must decide the place of God’s Word in our lives.
Will you choose to be a person who edits God’s Word to fit your desires?
Or will you be a person who lets God’s Word shape your desires?
One way leads to joy, the other to suffering.
Instead of trying to mold scripture to fit our desires, we should let Scripture shape and transform our lives.
step 2: DON’T DOUBT God's Goodness
Another key to not wrecking your life is maintaining an unwavering trust in God's goodness.
Satan's deception in the garden hinged on convincing Eve that God was withholding something beneficial from her.
Satan said to the woman: “God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Satan hinted to the woman: “If God really loves you, He wouldn’t be so selfish, and keep His best stuff from you.”
This lie persists today, tempting us to doubt God's love and provision.
But God always has our best interests at heart.
We don’t always understand everything God does or allows to happen, but we know that He is a good and gracious King!
We must resist the urge to focus on what we lack and instead cultivate gratitude for the abundance God has already given us.
The Ten Commandments are not ten ways God is trying to restrict your freedom or steal your joy. God’s Commands tell us how to experience the fullness of freedom and joy.
It’s been said that those who think holy living is boring haven’t tried it yet.
To those who love God, His commands are not burdensome but good!
step 3: FLEE TEMPTATION and pursue holiness
When faced with temptation, our natural inclination might be to see how close we can get to the line without crossing it. However, this approach is dangerous and often leads to failure.
It is always safer to avoid temptation than to think we are strong enough to resist it.
Instead, we should follow the biblical advice to flee from temptation.
As 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
God promises to provide us with an opportunity to escape temptation.
We just need to take the way out God provides before it is too late.
Rather than asking, "How close can I get to sin without crossing the line?" we should be asking, "How closely can I cling to Jesus?"
By keeping our focus on Christ and actively avoiding situations that may lead us astray, we strengthen our ability to resist temptation and live a life of holiness.
step 4: Take Responsibility for Your Actions
When Adam and Eve sinned, their immediate response was to shift blame.
Adam pointed to Eve (and God for giving him his wife). Then Eve blamed the serpent.
This pattern of avoiding responsibility for our actions can severely hinder our spiritual growth and relationships with others.
While it's true that we live in a broken world filled with influences that may contribute to our struggles, ultimately, we are responsible for our own choices. Satan may tempt and deceive, but it’s ultimately on you and me when we choose to take the fruit and eat.
Owning our mistakes and shortcomings is the first step towards healing, restoration, and growth.
The good news is that when we confess our sins, God is "faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Followers of Christ must make repentance and confession of sin a way of life as we grow more and more to reflect God’s holiness.
By taking responsibility for our sins and bringing our failures to God, we open ourselves up to His transformative power and grace.
Step 5: TURN FROM SIN AND ASK GOD FOR HELP
Perhaps the most crucial step to avoid wrecking your life is recognizing your need for God and turning to Him for help!
After Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to cover their shame with fig leaves and hide from God. But their efforts were futile, as they are for us when we try to hide from God or think we can fix our problems on our own.
The beautiful truth is that God pursues us, even in our brokenness.
Just as He called out to Adam in the garden, "Where are you?", God is calling out to each of us today. He seeks us to restore us and bring us back into relationship with Him.
In Genesis 3:21, we see a powerful picture of God's grace: "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them."
This act foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, covering our sins and shame with His righteousness.
Romans 5:8 says: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Jesus is the help every struggling sinner needs.
Living a Life of Surrender and Abundance
As we reflect on these lessons from Genesis 3, we're reminded again of Jesus' words in John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
While the enemy seeks to lead us down paths of destruction, God offers us a life of abundance and purpose.
The key to experiencing this abundant life is surrender. It's about continuously yielding every aspect of our lives to God – our desires, our struggles, our dreams, and our fears.
As we do this, we discover that the more of ourselves we surrender, the more of Jesus we get to experience.
Whether you're exploring faith for the first time or you've been a believer for years, God is inviting you into a deeper relationship with Him. He knows every aspect of our lives that are not yet aligned with His will, and He is big enough to forgive, restore, redeem, and help us become who He created us to be.
Today, you can choose to embrace God's Word, trust in His goodness, flee from temptation, take responsibility for your actions, and turn to Him for help. As you do, you'll find yourself on a path to a truly fulfilling life—one marked by joy, peace, and the abundant life that Jesus promised.
This blog is a summary of a sermon preached on march 16, 2025, at first baptist church Clinton mo. full sermon video below.
Header photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash