5 subtle ways the enemy tries to steal your faith and how to fight back

By Annie Keaney, Op-Ed Contributor Monday, March 23, 2020

I hope the reason you’re reading this article is because you value your faith, not because you are in a season of questioning. But if you are questioning, know you are not alone. While God is working on perfecting your faith, the enemy will stop at nothing to destroy your faith. Because the destruction of your faith means disconnection from the Father. The Bible refers to satan as a lion prowling around seeking someone to devour. It also tells us satan has three main goals: to steal, kill and destroy. He is prowling around your life seeking to destroy your marriage, your children and your identity, and ultimately your relationship with God.

In order to accomplish this destruction in our lives, the enemy uses the art of subtly. He begins with tiny chips at the foundation of our faith and trust in God. Here are some methods he likes to use:

1. Unmet expectations

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Have you ever asked the Father for something and heard “no” or nothing at all, time after time? As the silence grows so does the disappointment in your heart. You soon become offended by His seeming lack of involvement. Your disappointment turns to indifference, you begin to withdraw from the Father and you find yourself doubting if God really is who He says He is.

2. Pride

We take the gifts God has given: the new promotion, the doctorate, the new house, the athletic ability, our looks, and we begin to rely on the gifts, not the gift giver. This pride in our own accomplishments and things pushes God out of the picture. We no longer look to Him for help or seek His presence and our faith is slowly diminished.

3. Choices/free will

Each day we are presented with options. Go to church or sleep in? Read my Bible or watch Netflix? Forgive my enemy or hate them? Obey the Scriptures or do what I think is best? Our choices determine the direction of our lives. Even small decisions to ignore what we know we should be doing can add up to BIG consequences. Each choice we make either strengthen our faith or slowly destroys it.

4. Unforgiveness

Choosing to remain angry, or unforgiving, towards someone will also steal your faith. Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick. When we choose to withhold forgiveness, we allow the enemy to have a foothold in our heart, mind and soul. It’s like giving satan a key to your front door. Do not give him this kind of freedom in your life. He will move in and begin to wreak havoc in your life — destroying your faith in the process.

5. Isolation

Without healthy community, our hearts are more vulnerable to the lies of the enemy. Many struggle to hear God on their own. God uses healthy community to speak truth and encouragement to our weary hearts, dispelling the lies of the enemy. People are also good mirrors; they help us to see areas we need to be sharpened and give us tools to grow in our faith. It is also our people’s prayers that serve as a strong protective barrier against the enemy’s attacks.

So, what are some practical ways we can protect our faith against the enemies subtly? Grow. Growing your faith is a great way to protect your faith.

• Daily scripture reading and scripture memorization are great tools for responding to the enemy’s attacks. Even Jesus quoted scripture when rebuking the enemy —and so should we.
• I also find that speaking the truth out loud and listening to worship music helps fill my heart and mind with the peace and truth of God. Then when the enemy speaks a lie to me, I can more quickly identify the lie and respond with the truth. Plus, the more scripture you have in your heart, the more easily God can bring truth to mind.
• I also recommend journaling. It gives you space to reflect on truth. I often write down a lie I am believing and next to it I write the truth. Sometimes, I even write the truth over the lie as a symbol of how God’s love covers me.

I pray as you read the scriptures, the words would become more than ink on paper, they would become living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, helping you to rightly see the truth from the lie. And may God’s truth guard your heart and mind and protect your faith which is far more valuable than any earthly possession.