I. The Creation in Genesis 1 and 2, and the Fall of Humanity Revealed in Chapter 3
Pastor David Jang underscores that the creation accounts in Genesis 1 and 2 are the starting point for all faith and theology. According to him, the words of Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” lay the foundation for understanding the origin and purpose of the universe, the reason for existence, and ultimately, humanity’s fundamental purpose and destiny. In this cosmic drama of creation, God proclaims light in the midst of chaos, and as a result of that light, time and space are distinguished, allowing the heavens and the earth to take ordered form. Every scene of creation reflects God’s goodness; at the very end appears humanity, made in the image of God.
Here, Pastor David Jang emphasizes the noble identity of human beings (as bearers of God’s image) and their special mission (to rule over all creation and care for it beautifully). Simultaneously, Genesis 1 and 2 depict God’s love and the perfect state humans enjoyed in the Garden of Eden. God granted Adam everything yet gave a command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thereby bestowing upon humanity both free will and responsibility. Pastor David Jang explains, “God did not remotely control humanity like robots. He created them with intellect, emotion, and will, so that they could choose to obey His Word and love the Sovereign God of their own accord.” The problem is that humanity, instead of exercising freedom rightly in accordance with heaven’s will, chose to fall. Genesis 3 introduces the “serpent” as the turning point.
Pastor David Jang notes that the wording in Genesis 3:1—“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made”—is extremely significant. First, it clearly states that the serpent is a created being of God. This repudiates a dualistic worldview—namely, that a good God and an evil god (Satan) existed side by side from the beginning—as unbiblical. Pastor David Jang explains, “Scripture testifies that the source of evil is not some evil deity on par with God, but Satan, a created being who fell. In other words, the serpent was originally a ‘beast of the field’ created by God but became Satan by rebelling through its cunning wisdom, which in no way undermines God’s absolute sovereignty.” He views the serpent in Genesis 3 not merely as the literal snake known to humans but as a spiritual being referred to in the prophetic books and the New Testament as the “Devil” or “Satan.” Hence, he teaches that the “great dragon, that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan,” declared in Revelation 12:9, matches the serpent of Genesis 3.
He then explains, through Revelation 12, how Satan rebelled against God’s order in heaven and was cast out. Satan is described as a great red dragon with seven royal crowns on its head and so powerful that its tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven. Yet Scripture testifies that this “great dragon” was ultimately expelled from heaven to the earth, and that those cast out with him took positions over the rulers and powers of this world, influencing worldly trends, blinding people, and leading them astray—an interpretation supported by Ephesians 6. Pastor David Jang asserts that recognizing this spiritual power behind earthly events is a key element of a biblical worldview. The real reason humanity commits various evils is not simply due to physical nature or environment but primarily because humanity is deceived by Satan. However, that does not absolve humans of their own responsibility. We must repent of our sins by acknowledging that “it’s my fault, not God’s,” he insists. When people ask, “Why would God create the serpent and allow such a fall?” he answers that a spiritual being with free will chose to rebel. And though it is Satan’s craftiness that leads us into temptation, it is still our choice whether or not to succumb.
He cites James 1:13—“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone”—as evidence that a believer should never shift all blame to God. We must recognize that the cunning serpent, i.e., Satan, is secretly at work behind many of the world’s pains and trials, yet also admit that we are not free of responsibility. Pastor David Jang warns against justifying or rationalizing human sin by saying, “God allowed the fall so that we could ultimately receive greater grace,” because such reasoning can shift all blame from creatures (humanity) to the Creator (God). Instead, Scripture clearly demonstrates that God, who gave the prohibition regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is not evil at all. He desired a relationship of love with humanity, but humans allowed sin to enter by willfully yielding to Satan’s temptation. This, he says, is the proper interpretation.
Pastor David Jang corroborates the idea that an angelic being, originally created good by God, later fell and became Satan, the devil, the serpent, and the dragon, citing various biblical passages. He believes this point connects directly to the core of soteriology: Humanity was created to live in God’s glory, was deceived by Satan, and sin entered the world, bringing death. Since Genesis 3, the entire universe has groaned under the influence of the fall (cf. Romans 8:22), and only through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is salvation announced—a message woven throughout the Bible. Thus, for Pastor David Jang, the serpent incident in Genesis 3 is not simply a tragic event that happened “back then and there,” but a very real, ongoing temptation happening “here and now,” which believers experience daily. Therefore, he urges believers to grasp “who Jesus is, who we are, and what exactly Satan is,” so that we recognize our opponent in the spiritual battle.
He often shares anecdotes of witnessing the expulsion of dark spirits from people as the gospel is proclaimed. Pastor David Jang recounts a time when he was teaching the Bible on a college campus and sensed a dark shadow leaving a reluctant student’s heart as the Word was declared. He testifies, “It was not my proclamation that did this, but when the authority of the Holy Spirit was delivered along with the Word, Satan could no longer hold on to that soul.” Satan tries to corrupt human intellect, emotion, and will, using “cunning wisdom” to estrange people from God. But when one sees his true colors, “Satan is not that grand; he trembles at the name of Jesus.” Hence, Pastor David Jang highlights Revelation 12:9—“The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray”—teaching that believers should be bold, knowing they are participating in a war that is already won.
However, boldness alone is insufficient. As Paul exhorts in Ephesians 6:10ff, we must “put on the full armor of God” for spiritual armament. If believers neglect truth as a belt, righteousness as a breastplate, the readiness of the gospel as shoes, faith as a shield, salvation as a helmet, the sword of the Spirit (the Word), and constant prayer, they can easily succumb to the serpent’s cunning. Pastor David Jang raises the question, “Why was Eve the first to be tempted by Satan?” and, by closely examining Genesis 2 and 3, suggests that Adam directly received God’s prohibition, whereas Eve heard it secondhand through Adam. From the narrative order, he infers that “Those who receive God’s Word firsthand and grasp it deeply tend to be more resistant to temptation than those who do not. Eve was not weaker merely because she was a woman, but because she lacked a deep ‘personal experience’ of the Word.” Likewise, modern believers must listen to, read, thoroughly understand, and repeatedly apply Scripture in life if they are to be equipped for spiritual warfare.
In conclusion, Pastor David Jang maintains that whether it be the serpent’s cunning or humanity’s weakness, the key to driving both out and overcoming them lies solely in the grace of Christ. Though Satan aims to lead people to destruction, we have the authority of children (John 1:12) as God’s offspring. This authority is granted to those who believe in and receive Jesus Christ. Genesis 3:15—where the “offspring of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head”—is the proto-gospel, fulfilled in Jesus, meaning that Satan, at best, can only bruise the believer’s heel. Hence, Pastor David Jang’s conviction is that the final victory of this holy conflict was sealed at the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He proclaims that we participate in this victory by faith, pressing believers to repent with an “It’s my fault” confession and to stand firm in “the power and authority of Jesus,” lest they become enslaved by Satan.
II. The Meaning of the Lord’s Prayer and “Lead Us Not into Temptation”
When Pastor David Jang preaches on the serpent’s temptation of Eve in Genesis 3, he frequently connects it to a particular line of the Lord’s Prayer: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” He contends that this final section of the Lord’s Prayer directly addresses Satan’s strategy and how to respond to it—precisely what appears in Genesis 3. He notes that the Lord’s Prayer can be divided in various ways, but the simplest division is “the first part asking for God’s name, kingdom, and will, followed by petitions for our daily bread, forgiveness of sins, and deliverance from temptation.” Among these, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” links directly to Satan’s scheme revealed in Genesis 3.
He explains, “When temptation comes, we tend to blame God. But as James teaches, God does not tempt anyone. It is Satan at work, and our own desires conceive and give birth to sin.” Therefore, the Lord’s Prayer, as taught by Jesus, reminds even believers to acknowledge their weakness and cry out, “God, please keep me from succumbing to this temptation. Don’t let Satan gain a foothold—guard my heart!” Pastor David Jang calls this “strategic prayer,” acknowledging that Satan can operate among rulers, authorities, and even within the church. We must counter with prayer, and the content of that prayer is encapsulated in the Lord’s Prayer’s concluding petition.
He also stresses that the plea “deliver us from evil” is not merely a passive request—“help me not to do evil”—but an active plea—“rescue me from the Evil One, Satan”—reflecting the urgency of spiritual warfare. “Left to ourselves, humans can fall at any time. But if we cling to God in the name of Jesus, Satan has no choice but to surrender. Consider how, in the Gerasene demoniac story, the legion of demons begged Jesus—‘send us into the pigs’—revealing the pitiful, humiliating reality of Satan,” he says. According to Pastor David Jang, the final appeal of the Lord’s Prayer is “a passionate cry to place me under the power of Jesus’ blood and authority, so that Satan cannot invade at will.”
He encourages the church not to recite the Lord’s Prayer mechanically but to read and apply it as a real “language of spiritual warfare.” During sermons, Pastor David Jang repeatedly emphasizes that when we pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” the words “temptation” and “evil” are never mere abstractions. Just as the serpent came to Eve in Genesis 3, asking in a sly tone, “Did God really say that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?,” Satan uses similar tactics in our daily lives—sowing doubt about God or prompting us to rely on our own perspectives. “Did God really forbid this? Is He really on your side, or is He hiding something from you?” Satan’s strategy lies in causing “misunderstanding toward God,” which Pastor David Jang identifies as particularly dangerous. “The door to sin always opens when we start doubting God. Once a small crack forms, sin is conceived,” he warns.
He pays special attention to Eve’s response. Eve answers the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 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.’” The issue is that it’s not clear from Genesis 2 whether God ever said “do not touch it.” Pastor David Jang interprets this as “either Eve not having a precise grasp of the Word or harboring unconscious disbelief, which made the disbelief grow.” He points out this single example to illustrate that inaccurate knowledge of God’s Word leaves an opening for Satan to insert falsehood, leading to confusion or a distorted image of God. Without clinging to the Lord’s Prayer in earnest prayer, anyone can become self-assured in their own ideas and interpretations, thereby ensnaring themselves in sin. Thus, he proclaims, “We must engage in spiritual warfare daily through the great shield that is the Lord’s Prayer. To avoid falling into temptation and being devoured by evil, we must continually bow before God.” Only in this way can we see through Satan’s schemes and prevail.
Pastor David Jang references James 1:2ff as well: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,” which speaks of how God may use even Satan’s temptations for our refinement and the resulting good fruit. Yet he reiterates that God Himself is never the one who tempts us. Human free will still remains, and Satan attacks that weakness. Hence, the final petition of the Lord’s Prayer is indispensable. “If we try to overcome Satan’s temptation with our own willpower or morality, we will surely fail. Prayer in Christ alone is the key. We must remember how Christ’s cross crushed the serpent’s head and petition daily for that finished victory to become ours,” he emphasizes.
Moreover, this prayer is not only for individuals but also for the church, community, and even the nation and its leaders. Because Satan can attach himself to rulers and authorities, more extensive evil can easily result. Citing Ephesians 6:12—“our struggle is against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”—he explains that the Lord’s Prayer’s “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” applies to the spiritual darkness over politics, culture, society, and the economy today. Thus, he highlights how believers must shine the light of Christ in every area of life, ensuring Satan is bound by Jesus’ authority, not only within their personal hearts but also in the public sphere.
III. Spiritual Warfare and God’s Love
Ultimately, Pastor David Jang defines the events of Genesis 1–2, which demonstrate God’s creation and love, and the fall of humanity in Genesis 3 as “the practical beginning of spiritual warfare.” The fact that the first humans fell to Satan’s temptation even under the perfect conditions of the Garden of Eden warns us that we, too, can succumb to sin. Yet this message is not purely one of despair. Scripture, at Genesis 3:15, already foretells the gospel: “The offspring of the woman will crush the serpent’s head.” This points to Christ’s redemptive work, indicating that Jesus’ triumph on the cross fundamentally destroys Satan’s authority, opening a new path for humanity.
When speaking of “spiritual warfare,” Pastor David Jang makes a point of clarifying that it is not about extreme mysticism or superstition. He opposes “having a form of godliness but denying its power,” while also cautioning against using spiritual warfare to promote unverified mystical experiences or sensational phenomena. Instead, biblical spiritual warfare is “the process of driving out the devil’s lies in every corner of our lives, within the victory of Jesus Christ who has already crushed the serpent’s head.” Concretely, when the Word is proclaimed, evil spirits flee; when repentance and the forgiveness of sins are declared, Satan’s accusations lose power; when we worship and praise God, darkness departs—this, he says, is the true experience of spiritual warfare. Pastor David Jang adds that the most crucial weapon in this war is “knowing the fullness of God’s love for us.” As love grows cold, faith grows cold, creating a larger entrance for Satan. Believers must remember they are God’s children, saved by the cross despite being sinners, firmly assured of His love.
He frequently cites John 1:12: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This verse reflects how the authority to “rule over all things”—originally given to Adam but lost to Satan—has been restored in Jesus Christ. Put differently, the dignity of bearing God’s image, lost by Adam, is restored in Christ. Pastor David Jang says spiritual warfare begins with the knowledge that “Christ’s victory has already been imputed to me.” Without such knowledge, people remain under Satan’s sway, stumbling in darkness. But once we believe in Jesus and declare our identity as God’s children, darkness cannot overcome the light, and it must retreat. This is the crux of his teaching.
He advises, “If you find yourself unable to sleep at night and tormented, examine whether a spirit of darkness is troubling you.” Then he continues, “When you hear the Word, worship, and pray in the Holy Spirit, night can be turned into bright day.” If Jesus, who is the Light, is present, Satan cannot exercise his influence. He supports these claims by recounting numerous testimonies of healing and restoration. For instance, he cites an occasion when someone who was deaf had “the spirit of darkness” depart in the Holy Spirit’s presence, causing their ears to open. Rather than boasting in such miracles, he emphasizes, “The heart of the matter is the cross of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Word.” Just as the early church healed the sick and cast out demons in Jesus’ name, so the same power still abides in believers today, serving as a weapon in spiritual warfare.
Nonetheless, he warns against misusing this authority. Some may think, “Then we should never suffer hardship, and every problem should be resolved instantly by miracles.” Scripture, however, never teaches that. The reality is that Satan continues to attack, and the marks of sin remain in this world. Still, believers endure “in hopeful patience” because Christ’s victory is with us. Citing Romans 8, where creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the children of God and groans in pain, Pastor David Jang clarifies that creation remains in agony under the weight of sin, yet it does not lose hope for ultimate redemption. He explains that when Jesus returns, all will be renewed, Satan will be thrown into the bottomless pit forever, and believers will worship God eternally in the new heavens and earth—this is his definitive eschatological hope.
Thus, starting from the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, Pastor David Jang shows how the spiritual reality known as the devil or Satan deceives and trips humanity, and how the final section of the Lord’s Prayer—“lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”—plays a decisive role in confronting Satan’s strategy. A recurring theme in his sermons is that unless a person faces their own sin, they cannot truly experience God’s love, Christ’s salvation, or the Holy Spirit’s power. Conversely, once a person repents with “It’s my fault,” and truly receives Jesus, they can then enjoy the astounding truth that “the outcome of this spiritual battle is already decided.” The freedom that follows is an everlasting rest and joy that the world cannot offer.
In closing his sermons, Pastor David Jang often urges believers not merely to settle for intellectual agreement or curiosity but to take “practical action” in their daily lives to “crush the head of Satan.” For example, he advises setting up a cross in one’s home or living space, offering a dedication service, declaring one’s authority under Christ, establishing family worship to reorder spiritual priorities, and meditating on Scripture daily to bar any entry point for darkness. He says, “Just as the demons begged Jesus for mercy, Satan’s fate is ultimately to be cast out in humiliation before the name of Jesus. But if we do not believe in Jesus and instead befriend the world, Satan will remain in us. Hence, spiritual warfare is real, and we must wage it alongside Christ.”
Overall, the core of his message weaves “humanity’s fall, the responsibility for sin, Satan’s cunning, the victory of Jesus, and the believer’s spiritual warfare” into one cohesive spectrum. The serpent’s temptation of Eve in Genesis 3 is a pivotal moment in the grand narrative stretching from the Old Testament through Revelation—namely, the clash between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. And the Lord’s Prayer petition, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” is the believer’s chief weapon in this holy battle. Pastor David Jang declares, “Whenever we pray this daily, Satan may try to strike at our heel, but we can crush his head by the power of Jesus Christ.” This proclamation rests on the theological conviction that “Satan, a created being, can never be equal to God the Creator, and he has already been defeated by Jesus’ cross and resurrection.” It is also undergirded by the certainty that “God is the sovereign ruler over all.”
Hence, the ultimate message Pastor David Jang hopes believers embrace is: “The fall of humanity is not just someone else’s story; Satan is a spiritual enemy ready to push us over at any time. But do not be afraid—resist him in the name of Jesus. Christ has already secured the victory, and we can share in it. Pray the Lord’s Prayer earnestly, keep your heart, and when you say, ‘It’s my fault,’ in repentance, God grants amazing salvation and restoration.” In that truth, he promises, believers can remain steadfast even when they face the trials of Satan’s temptations, becoming ever stronger spiritually and experiencing Christ’s victory.
By examining Genesis 3, Pastor David Jang vividly portrays the loving Creator God, fallen humanity, and the origin and work of Satan, ultimately directing us to the salvation story of Christ and the significance of spiritual warfare. He stresses that every believer is both a forgiven sinner and a called warrior—hence, we must daily equip ourselves with the Word and prayer in this earthly life, fighting “the real enemy—evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realms.” Yet we do so knowing that ours is already a victorious struggle. He does not fan senseless fear or advocate reckless conflict; rather, he declares, “Where believers are armed with the Word and prayer, darkness has no foothold.” Behind this declaration is the abiding assurance: “Know who you are—I am a child of God, heir to the authority of Jesus. Darkness cannot overcome the light.” This, Pastor David Jang affirms, encapsulates the essence of the gospel and the reality of spiritual warfare.