Resisting the devil!

Resisting the devil!

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety and beyond? This faith-focused conversation with Debbie Chavez and Sarah leans right into that question by looking at spiritual attack as a real factor in everyday struggles, including unhealthy habits and addictive behaviours.

Drawing straight from 1 Peter 5, James 4 and other Bible passages, Debbie lays out **seven common schemes of the devil**: temptation to disobey God, lies about your worth, crushing guilt, grinding “sifting”, subtle deception, spiritual blindness and attacks designed to steal joy, wreck relationships and weaken faith. The tone stays warm and practical, mixing Scripture with honest personal stories, like Debbie’s sleepless nights and long-term family heartbreak.

There’s plenty here for anyone wrestling with alcohol, compulsive behaviour or low self-worth. The enemy’s whispers sound very familiar: “Everyone else is doing it”, “You can stop tomorrow”, or “God just wants you to be happy.” One striking line captures the mood: **“Do you need to put on devil repellent as often as you put on deodorant?”** That “devil repellent” is shown as daily spiritual habits – Bible reading, prayer, gratitude, worship and authentic Christian community.

You’ll also hear clear warnings about trying to fight darkness in your own strength, alongside practical encouragement to submit to God, set boundaries, make pre-decisions about things like drinking or media, and even use a playful physical gesture to say, “I see you, enemy.” Debbie’s story of shifting from feeling like a victim with estranged stepchildren to asking, “How can I be a blessing?” rounds things off with real-life hope.

Anyone who suspects their battles run deeper than willpower alone will find solid, Bible-based tools here to stand firm, resist temptation and remember they’re on the winning side in Christ. What might change if you treated your spiritual defences as daily essentials, just like deodorant?