PLEASE NOTE: The use of table salt, sodium chloride, to fight spiritual battles is futile - unless your trying to make an evil spirit die from laughter. Try the spiritual version instead!

That said, despite all the bad press about the detrimental effects of too much salt in our diet, modern medical science still uses salt for healing our bodies. In fact, we couldn't survice without it -- consider the IV saline solution drip used to either cure or prevent dehydration.

Likewise, the spiritual salt of God heals souls, families, communities, and nations. The marvelous work of Christ within believers makes us that spiritual "salt of the earth", and also the thirst-quenching "fountain of water" where others may come to find everlasting life!

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Scripture References
  • Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:6 NKJV)
  • "Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another." (Mark 9:50 NKJV)
  • Examples: uses of salt in biblical times

  • With all your offerings you shall offer salt. (Leviticus 2:13b NKJV)
  • ...a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you. (Numbers 18:19 NKJV)
  • Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? (Job 6:6 NKJV)
  • On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. (Ezekiel 16:4 NIV)
  • All that day Abimelech pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city and scattered salt over it. (Judges 9:45 NIV)
  • The men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive." "Bring me a new bowl," he said, "and put salt in it." So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, "This is what the LORD says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.'" And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken. (2 Kings 2:19-22 NIV)
  • Community Influence

  • ...extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. (Isaiah 58:10-12 NKJV)
  • "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:13-14 NKJV)
  • The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." ...And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified... (John 4:15-39 NKJV)
  • "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38 NKJV)
  • ...if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV)
  • Intercessory Prayer

  • Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NKJV)
  • "...pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you..." (Matthew 5:44 NKJV)
  • "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves." (Luke 10:2-3 NKJV)
  • ...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:18-20 NKJV)
  • ...pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 NKJV)
  • Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1 NKJV)
  • Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (James 5:13-16 NKJV)
Commentary
  • Biblical examples of using salt, some of which have continued into modern days:
    • A mandatory part of offerings to God.
    • A symbol of covenants and goodwill: not only between God and man, but also between men.
    • With food: for flavoring, and preservation.
    • To cleanse newborns and prevent infection, and to heal diseases of the skin.
    • Used to spoil the soil of a captured enemy city so that nothing could ever grow there again. God salted the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah for that purpose.
    • In contrast, Elisha used it to restore a poisoned spring of water which had caused the land to be barren.
  • If nothing else... salt influences its environment. Jesus calls His children the salt of the earth:
    • The only way to approach God is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed through human means.
    • We are a sign, a living epistle, of the new covenant (new testament) proclaiming "...on earth peace, goodwill towards men!".
    • We offer the Bread of Life in speech filled with grace that makes the message both palatable and attractive. (John 6:32-68)
    • As long as we have not lost our influence, the Church preserves society by teaching our children God's word, and by restoring health to the nation through repentant and intercessory prayers. (2 Chron 7:14; James 5:16)
    • We preserve souls and society for God's purposes, while simultaneously spoiling them for the devil's schemes.
    • We transform barren souls, and barren cities, with springs of living water.
  • You may not be able to make a horse drink, but you can add salt to its oats, and thereby make it thirsty for water!
  • The marvelous work of Christ within makes us the spiritual salt, and also the thirst-quenching "fountain of water" where others may come to find everlasting life!
  • Where your feet may not carry you, and where your voice may not be heard-- your prayers on behalf of others are carried to and heard at the throne of God.
  • God honors "prayer walking" when we talk to others about God as we talk to God about others. And not when we merely stand on ground were demons tread.

See Also: Spiritual Warfare Prayers

Sergeant's Notes:

Selected examples from modern science using salt:

  • Medicine - Saline solution in IV lines for treatment of dehydration, and prevention of shock after trauma.
  • Denistry - Saline wash after dental procedures promotes healing of gums.

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