The Devil Poisons Us
The Tempter’s poison isn’t meant to kill us. It merely makes our faith sickly and weak. The one thing the Enemy can’t afford are strong, faith-filled believers, on fire for God. So Satan tempts each of us in ways that poisons our faith.
Yet the Devil can only tempt us with His poison. We can choose to say “No.”
Unfortunately, we often act as Satan’s biggest ally. Our fallen nature strongly pulls us toward indulging in sinful thoughts and actions.
But for every poison Satan offers, the Almighty provides a divine antidote.
Faith is All Important
Christians are saved by faith. It’s how we receive God’s blessings. All eternal work done in people’s lives is done by faith. My simplest definition? Faith is trusting in the Lord. Believing and resting in the knowledge of His power, mercy and goodness no matter what we go through.
Faith is the currency of Heaven.
The First Three Poisons
So what bad thought patterns weaken or destroys a Christian’s ability to trust God? Here’s a few.
- Poison: Self-pity
- Antidote: Thankfulness
Stubborn thankfulness focuses our minds on our blessings rather than everything that’s bad in our lives. 
Self-pity is one of the emotional sins I tend to stomp on immediately, because it makes me weak.
There is no strength in self-pity.
- Poison: Worry/Anxiety
- Antidote: Praise and Worship
These twin sins often lead to a defeated, miserable, guilt-filled Christian life.
In contrast, praise causes us to focus on God’s goodness, creative power and tenderness rather than the terrible problems we face. Worship releases faith when we keep doing it long enough.
- Poison: Bitterness/Hatred
- Antidote: Forgiveness
Bitterness is a prison. When we allow it to invade our heart, we give the person who injured us enormous power over our inner life and day-to-day happiness.
But forgiveness sets us free.
No one who’s been wounded ever feels like forgiving. Luckily, forgiveness is a decision. Our feelings do catch up eventually. Each of us may need to surrender the offense into God’s hands many times. It’s also important to stop mentally rehearsing the wrongs over and over again.
…and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV)
In my own life, I’ve formed a helpful personal habit. When I start to get upset again about how someone has mistreated me, I immediately stop myself and start to pray for that person (Matthew 5:44-45). Praying for our enemies is a powerful spiritual weapon.
It also annoys the Devil terribly.
The Next Two Poisons
As a Christian, you know that fighting against long-time thought patterns is very hard. But humans have been given a divine gift; we can change the way we think and how we respond to other people. God’s antidotes work miracles and transform our inner lives.
- Poison: Complaining
- Antidote: Stockpile Stones of Remembrance
Moses’ Israelites behaved badly while wandering 40 years in the wilderness. But in the “Complaining Olympics,” I am convinced that modern Americans would easily “take the gold.”
Of all the sins, this one seems to irritate God the most. A complainer ignores the fact that they are often swimming in a sea of divine blessings.
Complainers are ungrateful. Even humans quickly get tired of their ingratitude.
In the Old Testament, stones of remembrance were memorials that the Israelites set up to remember some powerful move of God to bless or save His people (Joshua 4:1-9, Genesis 28:10-19). Modern day “stones” can be written down instead and preferably posted.. These lists of blessings have to be often re-read and remembered to be effective.
- Poison: Envy/Jealousy
- Antidote: Crucify the Flesh.
Envy is another soul-destroying sin. The best cure is a “flesh-burner.” Pray and begin to ask the Lord to bless the people you’re jealous of. Start speaking kindly about them to other people. Do things to make them feel good.
Finally, learn to start focusing on all the good gifts in your own life.
Three of my “good gifts?” Color vision, air conditioning and indoor toilets.
The Last Three Poisons
All the poisons in this section have been hard battles for me. The Holy Spirit started working on my pride the first year I became a Christian. Like self-pity, I tend to stomp on any arrogant thoughts quickly. Am I humble yet? Let’s just say my ego has shrunk, as my understanding of God’s love for me personally has grown.
- Poison: Pride
- Antidote: Submit to God’s Will
A proud Christian can’t easily receive from God. They always resist, secure in the fact that they know what’s best for their own lives. Unfortunately, God’s blessings such as inner peace, healed self-esteem and joy don’t come to us from prayer. Instead, these blessings come from obeying the Lord.
Even when we don’t understand.
- Poison: Impatience
- Antidote: Pray for Patience
The prayer for patience is one God delights to answer. Just don’t be surprised if things get a little rough for a while. He will give you plenty of opportunities to practice being patient.
- Poison: Self-indulgence
- Antidote: Self-denial
This is a hard one for most of us to do.
May I suggest the many kinds of fasting? Each type challenges our self-indulgent habits.
There is of course the most common fast; not eating. But some people fast something they drink too much of, like coffee for a few weeks. The money they save goes to a charity.
Other Christians fast hours of entertainment. Instead they use the time to seek God’s will or pray for urgent needs around the world.
Jesus will save you from any of the Devil’s poisons, but you have to drink God’s antidote.
All images came from Pixabay.com
