How is sin like a s spider bite?

 

Originally posted on January 1, 2022.

The day before Thanksgiving, my husband and I were in our garage gathering our Christmas and winter decorations.  Our garage has a lot of spiders, but it was cold, and I did not see any at that time, so I did not worry. After accumulating the items, I was determined to find my plush snowman that seemed to be missing.  I went through possibly a dozen boxes looking for him.  Just when I was about to give up, there he was, white with grey sparkling thread, cute carrot nose, and blue striped hat, gloves, and scarf. (Bear with me, I actually have a point to this story!)

About a day or so later, I noticed a white raised spot on my stomach.  It looked like a small pimple, but it felt like a burn.  I put some aloe vera gel on it to heal, then I mostly ignored it. Fast forward to 3 days later and this tiny "zit" had tripled in size, was blackish purple around the wound, had a hard lump underneath, and the whole area around the "pimple" was swollen in at least a 6-inch circumference.  On top of that, the pain was as if someone had lit my entire belly on fire, inside and out. 

Remembering my dear husband, Mel, had a similar experience around 3 years ago, I said, "Do you think this is a spider bite?"  He was sure it was, so I attempted to make a doctor's appointment.  While I was on hold with the clinic where it often takes more than a month to get seen, the receptionist came back on the line and said, "Wow! I can't believe an appointment just opened up while you were on hold. It's a miracle!" Yes, she truly said that!  I was able to see the doctor and get started on some heavy-duty antibiotics right away. God is good! 

The antibiotics caused me a lot of problems and side effects (partly because it exacerbates my neurological disorder), but I knew I had to keep taking them to kill the potentially deadly MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) virus the brown recluse spider had caused. Also, it took another 7 days for the wound to pop and drain, and only then did the pain go away. After that, it healed quickly.

Once a person has MRSA, it can flare up again from time to time, even without the aid of another spider bite. My husband experienced this as a second outbreak right after the first, and a third around a year later.  The doctor he saw for the last outbreak recommend he place an antibiotic ointment up both nostrils once a month to keep all future MRSA infections away.  

Just 3 days ago, I started a second round of the hard-to-take antibiotics, because now I have at least five MRSA boils under my arm! This time I have to take the pills for 14 days instead of 10.  As difficult as the side effects are, the pills are vital to my recovery, so I must take them.   

Now, based on the title of this blog, you may already see where I have been heading with this true story. 

 How is sin like a s spider bite?  

A spider is so small you almost never see it coming.  Statistics say we are almost always a minimum of six feet away from at least one spider.  Just one little puncture from this tiny creature can cause a whole world of pain and illness, and in some extreme cases, even death.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

How easy is it to get caught up in the web of sin?  It may seem so small and insignificant. You may know you are in a dangerous area (such a garage known for spider activity), but instead of being cautious, you keep pressing forward in sin.  You may justify a flirtation with someone not your spouse as harmless.  Next thing you know, you have had an affair and are getting a divorce.  You may think a little marijuana, or a little alcohol is just a harmless way to relax. Next thing you know, you are doing things you never would have done sober, including immoral and illegal acts, and now need a stronger drug to "relax" and cope with the consequences of your actions. Now you have lost your job and are in rehab for meth addiction.  There are hundreds of other illustrations I could give, but I think you get the point I am making here. These examples are not as extreme as they seem, but realistic ways sin can quickly get out of control.  It is better not to play with fire.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Corinthians 6:17-18-7:1

How do we combat the tiny "spiders" in our lives? Just as I did not first recognize the wound in my stomach as a spider bite until it became unbearably painful, we must know our Bible to recognize what sin is. You need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you stay away from all these things. You cannot do it on your own! Here are some examples of things God hates: 

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-20

The virus made me terribly sick, and I had to take medication to keep this sickness from being potentially fatal.  The pills also made me sick, but the difficult cure was worth a week or two of suffering because it saved my life. Repenting and obtaining victory are much less painful than hanging onto sin that causes spiritual death. Emotional pains you may face when you let go of people, objects, and activities in order to save your very soul, will all be worth it in the light of eternity. 

Just as my husband and I must take a monthly preventative to keep us from getting sick again, we must also be proactive in conquering sin. Philippians 2:12 says we must "work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling."  It does not say we can lazily sit back and expect sin to take care of itself. Although in some cases deliverance can be instantaneous, realistically we must continually work at keeping habitual sins at bay.  We cannot just ignore the sinful issues in our life and expect them to go away on their own. Just as we cannot ignore any spider seen in our homes. Sorry, spiders, but we must kill all spiders for the sake of good health for us and our loved ones.  

How do we keep sins from accumulating and reemerging like the MRSA virus?  Again, I will say what is most important to remember, you cannot do it on your own!  John 15:4-5, Jesus reminds us, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."   Apart from help from Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we are unlikely to have permanent success on our own.  That is why so many addicts return to their vices after claiming victory, because they do not allow Jesus to take control of their life and use His Holy Spirit to fill in the void that addiction has left.  They still feel empty and hopeless even after they have done their best to take control of their sin, but since they are still denying the love of Jesus, the hole in their heart remains and therefore, they return to their sins.

2 Peter 2:21-22 puts it this way, "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."  

Those who have "known the way of righteousness" and then backslidden, is the same concept for those who claim to have gotten rid of sin but still live in rebellion to the Lord.  You are allowing poison to repeatedly permeate your heart and soul until you surrender yourself to Jesus and allow Him to make you clean every single day!

Even when you allow Jesus to take control of your sinful nature, you still must be proactive in battling your temptations.  If your addiction is pornography, get rid of your source of porn (magazines/books, phone, movies, Internet, etc.), just as you would remove the alcohol from your home if you were trying to quit drinking.  If you find yourself perpetually angry and fighting with others, stay off of social media if you feel it will tempt you to lose your temper and displease the Lord.

Remember what 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."  Therefore, you never have an excuse to say you were not able to simply say no and walk away from your sin. Pray for Jesus to give you the strength you lack when you struggle to say no to things that go against His holy Word. 

Just as I had to take two rounds of antibiotics, you also need to take your spiritual medicine to heal.  Read your Bible as often as possible and get to know God as well as through prayer and worship. Do not take anyone else's word for it, read the Bible on your own! The more grounded you are in what the Bible teaches, the more you understand how much God loves you, and you grow to love Him more too, the less likely you want to sin.

The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Romans 2:4 

If you make a mistake and repeat your sins, 1 John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Note the first 5 words, we have to confess our sins first, but God will always forgive us when we are sincere.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Revelation 2:5 says, we must "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."  Again, notice repentance is the key.