The Aire of Invincibility

Good day to each of you reading the column on the aire of invincibility.

When reading the books of Genesis & Ezekiel, this aire came to me as each of use has, in our lifetime, experienced the aire of invincibility.

Think about the times as a child when you thought you could rule the world, take dares because someone called you a chicken, did what was wrong and knowing it was wrong, yet doing it again because you did not get caught.

Yet, this aire comes over you thinking you won’t be caught because you did it so many times before and got away with it.

Whether you are a child, teen, or an adult, each of us have experienced being so powerful, so invincible, so invulnerable that no one or nothing can overcome what we are planning to do.

Here’s the thing, I remember in American history of a General who went to Little Big Horn and led his troops into a massacre even though his scouts said for him not to do so. Why? Because he thought he was invincible.

I’m sure you can think of other examples in history when famous leaders were told not to invade a country and were murdered for voicing their thoughts and, in return, the leader failed miserably due to his or her aire of invincibility. How about Napoleon or Hitler invading Russia in the winter?

You could say the aire is so very rare when you experience this feeling and you fool yourself by saying “I’ll do it one more time, before I get caught”.

These are the feelings or urges of the mortal man, those who have been seduced by the aire of invincibility even though they know what they are doing is wrong.

Wrong, but strong for we are experiencing this power, this sense, this overwhelming feeling of being invincible to everyone around us.

The first mention in the Bible to me of the aire of invincibility is in Genesis 3: 1-13 (FF) where the serpent or Satan introduces the dare!

Now the Serpent was more impudent than any of the wild animals of the field which the EVER-LIVING GOD had made. So he asked the woman, “Is it true that GOD has said, you may not eat of every tree of the Garden?”

RF GEN 3:2 And the woman replied to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the Garden;

RF GEN 3:3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the Garden, GOD has said, ‘do not eat of it, and do not even touch it, lest you die.'”

RF GEN 3:4 But the serpent answered the woman: “You will not die;

RF GEN 3:5 but GOD knows that at the time you eat of it, your eyes will then be opened, and you will be like GOD, acquainted with both good and evil.”

RF GEN 3:6 So the woman perceiving that the tree was good for food, and beautiful to the eyes, and a tree stimulating to the intellect, she took some of its fruit and ate it, and gave some to her husband with her; and he also ate it.

RF GEN 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they became aware that they were naked. They accordingly joined fig leaves together, and made aprons for themselves.

RF GEN 3:8 They then heard the sound of the EVER-LIVING GOD moving in the Garden in the breeze of the day; and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD GOD among the trees of the Garden.

RF GEN 3:9 But the EVER-LIVING GOD called to the man, saying, “Where are you?”

RF GEN 3:10 And he replied, “I heard Your sound in the Garden, and perceiving that I was naked, I hid myself.”

RF GEN 3:11 Then He asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded that you should not eat?”

RF GEN 3:12 And the man replied, “The woman whom You gave to me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate it.”

RF GEN 3:13 Why did you do that?” the LORD GOD asked the woman. And the woman answered, “The serpent deceived me and I ate it.”

Satan planted the seed into Eve that she would not die for Satan says to her, “but GOD knows that at the time you eat of it, your eyes will then be opened, and you will be like GOD, acquainted with both good and evil.”

And Eve perceiving that the tree was good for food, and beautiful to the eyes, and a tree stimulating to the intellect, she took some of its fruit and ate it, and gave some to her husband with her; and he also ate it.

This aire should be shared with someone so if it’s wrong, then they take some of the blame also—all because of a dare and the thought that I would not be caught.

And the result, But the EVER-LIVING GOD called to the man, saying, “Where are you?”

RF GEN 3:10 And he replied, “I heard Your sound in the Garden, and perceiving that I was naked, I hid myself.”

RF GEN 3:11 Then He asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded that you should not eat?”

RF GEN 3:12 And the man replied, “The woman whom You gave to me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate it.”

The air has been let of the balloon for Adam knew He was wrong but he was not taking the blame by himself and made sure that Eve was behind the urging of eating the apple.

Back in the 1960’s, people would say “the devil made me do it” as a joke—maybe it came from Adam & Eve’s time.

I must wonder if Adam & Eve talked before they both ate the apple—since Eve ate first and the fruit was good, she shared it with Adam and they thought they were in the clear, then the unimaginable happened—their eyes were open and they realized they were naked.

The aire of invincibility was gone, for God was calling Adam to be accountable for his actions. God asked Adam how he knew he was naked and if he ate from the tree of which he commanded that you should not eat?

Take not of the word commanded for God did not ask or prefer but commanded that both Adam & Eve not eat of the tree—this was a command directly from God and I would perceive that Adam & Eve knew that if it was broken, repercussions and discipline would follow.

Throughout the Bible, man tests God with the “aire of invincibility.”

If you are looking at examples, turn to the book of Ezekiel and read about various countries in the Middle East and their fate as they rose to the highest of heights only to become the dirge of God.

When reading Ezekiel, it is interesting to note that God utilizes his prophet, Ezekiel, as “O, mortal man” in the Smith & Goodspeed version.

 Why? Please read Ezekiel and send me your thoughts—It is so interesting that God may use only one man or woman for his glory and show mortal man that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The alternative, be invincible and prepare yourself for the repercussions and disciplines that follow.

The same choice that was given to Adam & Eve is given to you and me—which choice would you make?

In closing, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1 (KJV).