What is the purpose of the serpent? (Genesis 3:15)

Genesis 3 StudyMap. Complete StudyMap here. 

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. (Gen 3:15)

Lord Jesus, why have you not crushed the serpent or devil then? Why did you let him harm our heels for all these generations?

Response received: 

Your heel is where you are weak, where you need protection. This reflects a key element in your creation. You have not been created to be self-sufficient, but to rely on others. This was a key element that would help you move toward love and away from the pride and bitterness that the evil spirits have acquired. 

You have to learn to discover that weakness is not a curse, but a blessing, as you learn to come closer to us, as you learn to love us and love your neighbor. Without weakness, you would be even more tempted to despise others. It is a paradox, but allowing the serpent to harm your heel is a key help we gave you to not wander too far away from our love. 
The problem is with people who despise their weakness and want to deny it. They will then enter into always greater lies and thus always more under the power of Satan, so that they will be destroyed by all the lies that they have accepted. Satan, the ancient serpent, and all the impure spirits, don’t have power as long as you remain in the truth, they get their power only through lies. 
It is only when you are with us that you are safe. All the creation is designed for love and mutual respect, grace and peace. This is where I am shepherding you, as all of my disciples, for you to learn what love is. 

I invite you to realize how your growth in love has always been related to a form of weakness or need. Without this, love does not grow much. When you learn that you have a need, you will seek help outside of yourself. Sometimes, people don’t seek help the right way, they demand and claim that you or others have to help, without respect and humility. This is a reality, yet this is not the only way to handle a need or weakness. Others will try to deny a weakness in order to hide that they need help, this is also a reality. Yet, there is another way to handle weakness, it is to acknowledge it and to come to us for help, to come with humility to your neighbor and humbly ask for help. It is not about claiming, it is not about despising, it is not about denying, but it is about humbly recognizing that you are incomplete and that you need the help of someone else. Ask and you will receive. It then becomes an occasion to realize that you have been created with needs, and that you need help to meet these needs. You need security, food, affection, many needs that we have embedded in humanity to help you overcome the pride and bitterness of fallen angels like Satan. 

As you learn about your weaknesses, that some are still there, like Paul learned (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10), you learn to deepen your relationship with us. We created you to learn to love, and you cannot learn alone. It is not a punishment, but rather a healthy safeguard. You can then discover where real strength comes from - from communion with us, from communion with your brothers and sisters in faith. You can then help others with their needs, and others can help you with your needs. If you observe around you, this relationship between mutual needs and mutual help is the foundation in your world of all healthy economies. It is such a simple reality, but also such a deep one. 

We allowed the serpent to bruise your heel, but don’t forget that I crushed his head, so that you also can now crush his head. I brought a final defeat on his evil power by accepting to rely on the Father, in a time of great weakness. I chose to trust his love, when I was to be crucified. 

In the way of the cross, there is the secret of the victory over evil. You learn to rely on love, on the pure love of God, so that evil cannot destroy you anymore, so that you are completely free to continue to love. This victory was costly, and in some ways this victory will not be easy to receive in your life, you have to follow my path. 

I died once for all, to open the way to complete freedom from sin and death. Yet, you also have to deny yourself, your desire to be self-centered and self-sufficient. You have to take up your cross and to rely on our love. I had weaknesses as you have weaknesses. I have won the victory, so that you can be renewed in the image of God. You can now welcome the Holy Spirit, after having been purified from your sins through faith in my sacrifice. 

As you welcome the forgiveness that flows from the cross, you are invited to follow me, to welcome the Holy Spirit and to walk in full communion with us. Some weaknesses will remain, but you will then be able to do what I did, to remain in communion with the Father, through the Holy Spirit and through me. Then, the weaknesses - these attacks on your heels - will become occasions to crush the head of the serpent and to find deeper freedom in our love. As I told you, take heart because I have overcome the world. With me, you will also be able to overcome the world in its temptations and deceptions. All things are possible when you are with me, when you follow me. 

Remember, our path is the path of love, love for God and love for your neighbor. On this path, you will find the peace and joy that your heart longs for.