Quiet Warfare: Discerning The Enemy’s Subtle Attacks

“You must open your spiritual eyes and remain aware of the one who is truly behind the things you’re blaming on your circumstances.” ~ Priscilla Shirer

Too many Christ followers are living totally unaware of the spiritual battle around them. One of the biggest ways the enemy deceives God’s people is by blinding them to the spiritual warfare they are in. As Christians it’s vital we have wisdom and understanding to learn how to resist the devil’s tactics against us.

The enemy’s most dangerous schemes are subtle; they start with a tiny seed of doubt, whispered to sound like our own thoughts. In John 8:44 the devil’s character is described as “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” We step into the devil’s trap by subconsciously agreeing with his lies. The result is that instead of faith we get bound to fear.

We need God to give us spiritual wisdom and revelation to recognize the enemy’s subtle attacks on us.

Here are three inconspicuous ways the enemy of our soul sneaks into our thinking and plants seeds of doubt. Recognizing the deceptive tactics of the devil is the first step towards closing the door to him.

1. The Bait of Offense

We tend to take offense at the smallest things. Maybe your pastor is friendlier with others, you miss a promotion, or a relative acts cold. The devil is quick to use these triggers to start a war in our mind. The enemy doesn’t want you to just feel hurt. He wants to lock you in a cage of disappointment. Our sensitivity becomes a weapon for the devil to use against us. We hand the devil a weapon every time we choose to be offended.

Offense is the devil’s bait, designed to trap us in the cycle of disappointment.

The disappointment we feel from an offense can push us to isolate and pull away. We must discern this snare from the enemy. Without discernment, bitterness will take root and block God’s presence. It’s critical that we learn to recognize that when we feel offended by someone, it is the enemy’s subtle attack on us. He wants to steal, kill and destroy our relationships-with others and with the Lord.

The enemy uses an offense to distract us from the peace God wants us to have. When others hurt us, we must purge the poison as soon as possible. Honestly, the most powerful thing we can do when we feel offended by others is to stay silent and pray. Pray and ask God to help you forgive and pray for the person that offended you. The word of God commands us to “Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you” (Luke 6:28).

Disappointments are a weapon used by Satan to try to make God’s people feel weak and defeated.

2. The Whisper of Doubt
The Bible has a lot to say about faith and how it takes faith to move the mountains in our lives. Doubting God is a subtle scheme the devil uses in our lives is to get us focused on our mountain instead of the One who can move it.

Doubt rarely shouts. It just whispers, “God won’t do this for me.”

Mistrusting God is the weapon Satan uses to hijack our focus. It magnifies our fears and insecurities so that we second-guess God’s goodness and faithfulness. We subtly believe the lie that God won’t answer our prayers-or worse, we begin to question His love for us. This is especially challenging when we have been praying and asking God for something for a long time. We begin to lose hope and our hearts become weary. This, however, is exactly the trap the enemy has set to keep our focus on ourselves and our circumstances. He wants to isolate us so we feel that perhaps God has forgotten us.

One of the most effective ways to shut the enemy’s whispers of doubt is to fight back with God’s promises. Find scriptures that remind your soul that He is faithful and true, that He is near and will never forsake you. Pray God’s word back to Him. For example, pray “Lord, you have promised me that you are near the brokenhearted and You rescue those whose spirts are crushed” (Psalm34:18). Thank you for being with me during this hard season. I know You will rescue me.”

There is supernatural power in the word of God. It is one of the most powerful tools we have to fight in the quiet warfare we are in with the devil. In Ephesians 6:17 we are told, “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” God’s promises are a sword. We need to recognize how the devil uses doubt to defeat us. The enemy wants to get you to stop believing in God’ power. He will also try to get you to believe that you are not worthy of it. This is how he leads us from the whisper of doubt into the dark shadow of shame.

3. The Stronghold of Shame
Shame is a silent thief. It creeps into one’s life in many different ways. Sometimes, shame comes through the words or actions of others, and sometimes, we bring shame upon ourselves through our poor choices, or by keeping secrets. Either way, Shame is a parasitic force that if we don’t get rid of immediately, it will rob us of life, stealing all that God has intended for us. Unfortunately, many children of God mistake remorse for condemnation, and unknowingly fall into a pit of shame. They don’t recognize the difference between guilt and shame. Guilt says, “I did a bad thing,” while shame says, “I am bad.”

Shame is never from God. Shame is from the enemy of our soul, Satan.

God convicts, but He will never make you feel ashamed. Romans 8:1 makes this clear, “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Shame is from the enemy of our soul, Satan. He takes our guilt and humiliation, and tells us we are disgraceful. Often, shame prevents us from speaking out or seeking help. Its lingering, dark presence follows you after an offense has taken root. The enemy uses feelings of remorse and guilt to try to get you to hide from God (like Adam and Eve), instead of running to Him. The devil wants to strip you of your true identity and disconnect you from others. If you are struggling with shame, you may want to click here to read my blog post “Breaking The Cycle Of Shame.”

These are just three examples of the enemy’s subtle attacks, but he uses many different strategies. Satan’s subtle strike is that he wants you to stop believing in God’s goodness. His goal is to get you to take your eyes of the Father. He wants to make you feel like an orphan and not as the child of God that you are. Whether the enemy is using the bait of an offense, the whisper of doubt, or the stronghold of shame, his mission is the same: to prevent you from walking in your divine purpose. We must be aware and put on our “God goggles” at all times. Once we can train ourselves to stop blaming our circumstances and start recognizing the devil’s subtle deceptions, he will lose his power over us.

Today, may you choose to silence Satan’s lies and listen only to the voice of Truth. You are not alone in this quiet war. Stand firm, stay alert, and always remember that the One who is in you is greater than the one that is trying to rob from you (1 John 4:4). Ask the Lord daily to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding (Ephesians 1:17), and walk in the divine authority that Jesus has given you to overcome the enemy’s attacks (Luke 9:1).

“…Resist the devil, and he will flee from you“~ James 4:7

Photo of sky by Sami Matias Breilin 

Photo of chess game by GR Stocks on Unsplash