Whisperings of the Adversary

I am currently reading the book ‘Putting on the Armor of God’ by Stephen A. Cramer.  Based on some calculations he estimates that each Latter-day Saint has upwards of one hundred agents of the adversary following them around at any given time whispering lies and working to exploit their weaknesses. 

I would like to list some of those lies that the adversary and his followers have not so subtly whispered in my ear; lies that I have at one time believed.  It took a lot of time, courage and strength bestowed in me by my Heavenly Father to decipher, dismantle and eventually disable these lies, but with His gentle encouragement I have exposed them and for the most part stopped believing them.

It is important to note that the lies the adversary tells us are very personal and individual.  You may relate to the lies I have listed below; but I guarantee each of us have our very own.   

Lies Satan has told me that I have believed at some point during my recovery (over the last three years)...

Regarding seeing my Bishop:

·      Don’t tell your Bishop – he will think you are disgusting

·      Don’t tell your Bishop – he will hate you

·      Don’t tell your Bishop – you are wasting his time

·      Don’t tell your Bishop – he will never understand

·      Don’t tell your Bishop – you will trigger him and then you will be responsible for his thoughts

·      Don’t tell your Bishop – you can’t trust him

·      If you make an appointment with your Bishop – the executive secretary will guess why you need to see him

Regarding how I feel about myself:

·      You are just a piece of meat, your only purpose is to please men

·      You are dirty, no one wants to touch you

·      Everyone knows – they can see the grime on you

·      That gun would fit perfectly into your hand

·      If you become a more righteous person you will lose your sense of humor

·      You offend everyone at church

·      You have no value

·      Just kill yourself – all the pain will end

·      If you die no one will miss you

·      Your kids and your husband are better off without you – you bring them down

·      No matter how hard you try – it will never be enough

·      There are so many more righteous people than you

·      You were born with the need for dirty things – that makes you horrible

Regarding my relationship with my Father in Heaven and Savior

·      God obviously doesn't love you since He let you suffer

·      Your Heavenly Father has looked over you so many times

·      Your Savior is so disappointed in you

·      Why would your Savior love you?  You have caused Him so much pain

·      You are beyond the reach of rescue

·      You will never be clean therefore you will never reach Heaven

·      If you follow me instead – I will give you everything you want

·      I pay more attention to you than God does

·      God doesn't love you, but I do 

Regarding worthiness:

·      The Celestial Kingdom is only reserved for the elite apostles and prophets anyway so why bother trying

·      Do you see how white the Temple is?  You can’t go in there

·      You are too dirty to even be worthy to enter the church building

·      All the hell and damnation scriptures were written for you

·      Even if you stop using you’ll never escape your thoughts

·      Your carnal desires are ingrained in you – you are innately unworthy

Regarding asking for help:

·      If you reach out for help people will think you are weak

·      Don’t admit when you mess up – you will only disappoint people

·      You always have to be happy, good enough and strong for people to like you

·      If you ask for help you will be sucking the energy of those around you

·      People like you because you are a charity case – they won’t really want to help you even if you asked

·      Stop being so weak – just buck up

·      No one thinks you are important

·      You can do this on your own

·      You should be able to do this on your own

·      Do this on your own

The lies are endless…

The single most important resource I have used to decipher Satan’s lies is to acknowledge how the thoughts that pop into my head make me feel.  If the thoughts I have leave me feeling scared, dark, lonely or hopeless then they are most definitely whispers of the adversary.

Gordon B. Hinckley counsels:

How do we know the things of the Spirit? How do we know that it is from God? By the fruits of it. If it leads to growth and development, if it leads to faith and testimony, if it leads to a better way of doing things, if it leads to godliness, then it is of God. If it tears us down, if it brings us into darkness, if it confuses us and worries us, if it leads to faithlessness, then it is of the devil. 

The adversary will use every tactical advantage in his arsenal to weaken and trample us but with our Savior out or side the adversary is left powerless and impotent.  Let us reside in the arms of the One who lifts us, comforts us and leads us home.  There we will find refuge and peace, comfort and hope, sustenance and rest.