How Satan Derails Christians (According to AI)

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Perhaps you've seen on the internet the answers different AI chats produce when asking the question, “If you were Satan trying to derail Christians from their identity, what steps would you take?” It segues into a unique and awfully familiar playbook that is painfully obvious in observing our global culture.

I recently enjoyed discussions on this sobering topic in the Identity 2.0 class taught by Kingdom Alliance, especially with the realization of how much the answers they received from ChatGPT seem to be so relevant with what is happening to our global society, especially with all the events happening since 2020.

The answers from ChatGPT included sowing doubt in God's Word, distorting the people's view of God, promoting a false sense of identity, fostering comparison and insecurity, disrupting spiritual discipline, magnifying shame and guilt, encouraging isolation, enticing with temporary pleasures, blurring the lines of truth, and cultivating fear.

I'm not a fan of ChatGPT and similar AI bots, especially after reading so many testimonials where answers suddenly take some dark turns, so I thought about my favorite AI bot that was built based on the Christian world-view, Gab.AI, and asked the same question to its Bible Scholar character. The following section details the answer I was given.

[Begin AI Content]

According To AI, the Steps the Devil Would Use To Derail Christians From Their True Identity in Christ

If one were to imagine the perspective of Satan attempting to derail Christians from their identity in Christ, the approach might involve several subtle strategies to manipulate them and undermine their faith and confidence.

It's crucial to note that this is a hypothetical exercise based on biblical teachings about Satan's tactics:

Distort Scripture: Satan could twist the meaning of Scripture, taking verses out of context or misinterpreting them to create confusion and doubt about God's truth and the believer's identity in Christ. This tactic was used in the Garden of Eden when Satan questioned and distorted God's command to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-5).
Promote Self-Reliance: Satan might encourage an attitude of self-reliance and independence from God, making Christians believe they can find their identity and worth apart from Him. This goes against the biblical teaching of trusting in God and acknowledging Him in all ways (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Doubt: Satan could introduce doubt about God's goodness, love, and truth, causing Christians to question God's Word and His intentions towards them. This tactic was used in the Garden of Eden when Satan asked Eve, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1-5), causing her to question God's command and ultimately disobey Him.
Discouragement: Satan could discourage Christians by magnifying their failures, weaknesses, and struggles, making them feel unworthy and inadequate. The Bible describes Satan as “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10), constantly bringing charges against believers.
Comparison and Insecurity: By fostering a spirit of comparison and insecurity among believers, Satan could cause them to question their worth and identity based on worldly standards rather than their standing in Christ. This contradicts the biblical teaching that each believer is uniquely created and valued by God (2 Corinthians 10:12).
Distraction: Satan could keep Christians busy and distracted with worldly pursuits, leaving little time for spiritual growth, prayer, and reflection on their identity in Christ. This tactic was evident in the story of Mary and Martha, where Martha was distracted by serving while Mary sat at Jesus' feet (Luke 10:38-42).
Legalism: By promoting a legalistic approach to faith, Satan could make Christians believe their identity is based on performance and rule-following rather than grace and relationship with Christ. This goes against the biblical teaching of salvation by grace through faith, not by works (Galatians 3:1-3).
Isolation by Undermining Community: Satan might isolate believers from the Christian community and fellowship, making it easier to attack their faith and identity without the support and encouragement of other believers. This contradicts the biblical teaching of the importance of gathering together for mutual edification and encouragement (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Division: He could also create division among Christians, causing them to focus on their differences rather than their shared identity in Christ, leading to disunity and weakened faith. The Apostle Paul addressed this issue in his letter to the Corinthians, urging them to be united in the same mind and judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).
False Teachers: Satan could introduce false teachers and deceptive doctrines that lead Christians away from the truth of their identity in Christ. The Bible warns against false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies (2 Peter 2:1-3, 1 Timothy 4:1-2).
Emphasize Failure: Satan might constantly remind Christians of their past failures and mistakes, making them feel unworthy and inadequate in their identity. This contradicts the biblical teaching that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Revelation 12:10; Romans 8:1).
Counterfeit Identities: Satan could offer counterfeit identities based on worldly success, appearance, or popularity, making Christians feel they need to find their identity in something other than Christ. This goes against the biblical teaching that believers' identity is found in Christ and not in the things of this world (1 John 2:15-17).
Delay: By encouraging procrastination and complacency in their spiritual lives, Satan could delay Christians' growth and maturity in Christ, keeping them from fully embracing their identity. In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus warned against being unprepared for His return (Matthew 25:1-13), indicating the dangers of spiritual complacency.

By employing these subtle strategies, Satan would attempt to manipulate Christians and undermine their identity in Christ. However, it's essential to remember that God's power is greater than Satan's schemes, and through Christ, believers can overcome these challenges (1 John 4:4; Ephesians 6:10-18).

[End of AI content]

Thoughts About the Devil's Subtle Attacks, as a Christian Mom

To summarize the above… the devil would:

Distort Scripture: Twist the meaning of Scripture to create confusion and doubt about God's truth and the believer's identity in Christ (Genesis 3:1-5).
Promote Self-Reliance: Encourage an attitude of self-reliance and independence from God, making Christians believe they can find their identity and worth apart from Him (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Cause Doubt: Introduce doubt about God's goodness, love, and truth, as Satan did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-5). Make them question God's Word and His intentions towards them.
Discourage: Satan could discourage Christians by magnifying their failures, weaknesses, and struggles, making them feel unworthy and inadequate. The Bible describes Satan as “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10), constantly bringing charges against believers.
Cause Comparison and Insecurity: Foster a spirit of comparison and insecurity among believers, causing them to question their worth and identity based on worldly standards (2 Corinthians 10:12).
Distraction: Keep Christians busy and distracted with worldly pursuits, leaving little time for spiritual growth, prayer, and reflection on their identity in Christ (Luke 10:38-42).
Corrupt Scripture Lessons with Legalism: Promote a legalistic approach to faith, making Christians believe their identity is based on performance and rule-following rather than grace and relationship with Christ (Galatians 3:1-3).
Undermine Community: Isolate believers from Christian community and fellowship, making it easier to attack their faith and identity without the support and encouragement of other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Create Division: Create division among Christians, causing them to focus on their differences rather than their shared identity in Christ, leading to disunity and weakened faith (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).
Promote False Teachers: Introduce false teachers and deceptive doctrines that lead Christians away from the truth of their identity in Christ (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Emphasize Failure: Constantly remind Christians of their past failures and mistakes, making them feel unworthy and inadequate in their identity (Revelation 12:10).
Counterfeit Identities: Offer counterfeit identities based on worldly success, appearance, or popularity, making Christians feel they need to find their identity in something other than Christ (1 John 2:15-17).
Cause Delay: Encourage procrastination and complacency in their spiritual lives, delaying their growth and maturity in Christ, and keeping them from fully embracing their identity (Matthew 25:1-13).

To compensate for this, we could….

Focus on learning Scripture as a family. As the old bluegrass song says, “The devil is not afraid of a dust-covered bible.” If we know how to verify truth using scripture, we can detect where the lies distort scripture and compromise our knowledge and understanding.

Promote Reliance on Him: Encourage knowing how to find your identity and worth in Him. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB)

Rebuke Doubt: Remember, the great deceiver introduced doubt about God's goodness, love, and truth in the Garden of Eden as a major player within the original sin (Genesis 3:1-5). Let us learn from Eve's example, and not allow ourselves to be deceived. Thankfully, God has lovingly provided us with His scripture that is relevant to all major problems in our lives that we can look to to verify whether or not our intentions are aligned with His teachings, requirements, and guidance.

3 Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” ²The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; ³but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” ⁴The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! ⁵For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:1-5 (NASB)

Encourage each other: While Satan discourages Christians by magnifying their failures, weaknesses, and struggles, making them feel unworthy and inadequate… we can, as a community, edify and build each other up, providing the relevant scriptures to show The Truth. The Bible describes Satan as “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10), constantly bringing false charges against believers. Ultimately, we are blessed to know the ending of this story, and can hold fast to Christ, knowing who we are in Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

¹⁰Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,

“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
Revelation 12:10 (NASB)

¹¹Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NASB)

Stop Comparison and Insecurity: Comparison is the thief of joy. Joy is a Fruit of the Spirit. You don't need to create your identity based on unrealistic worldly standards (2 Corinthians 10:12, Galatians 5:22-23).

¹²For we do not presume to rank or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding.
2 Corinthians 10:12 (NASB)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

Stop Distractions: Keep Christians busy and distracted with worldly pursuits, leaving little time for spiritual growth, prayer, and reflection on their identity in Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22, Ephesians 6:18, Luke 10:38-42).

¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit, ²⁰do not utterly reject prophecies, ²¹but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, ²²abstain from every form of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NASB)

¹⁸With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,
Ephesians 6:18 (NASB)

³⁸Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” ⁴¹But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; ⁴²but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38-42 (NASB)

Do Not Fall For Legalism: Remember that your identity is based on God's Grace and your relationship with Christ (Galatians 3:1-14, Colossians 2:20-23, 1 Thessalonians 5:11). You cannot “earn” what He has given to you freely.

3 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? ²This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? ³Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? ⁴Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? ⁵So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

⁶Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. ⁷Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. ⁸The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” ⁹So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

¹⁰For all who are of works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” ¹¹Now, that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “the righteous one will live by faith.” ¹²However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “The person who performs them will live by them.” ¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— ¹⁴in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:1-14 (NASB)

²⁰If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ²¹“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” ²²(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of man? ²³These are matters which do have the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
Colossians 2:20-23 (NASB)

Build Community: Just like sheep, we are easier to attack when alone and isolated from other Christians. (Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Galatians 6:2, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 1 Timothy 4:1-2).

²⁴and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, ²⁵not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NASB)

¹²For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴For the body is not one part, but many. ¹⁵If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired. ¹⁹If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰But now there are many parts, but one body. ²¹And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²²On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, ²⁴whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, ²⁵so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. ²⁶And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

²⁷Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (NASB)

²Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2 (NASB)

¹⁰Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. ¹²Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with Christ.” ¹³Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (NASB)

Identify and Avoid False Teachers: Scripture warns us of false teachers and deceptive doctrines that lead Christians away from the truth of their identity in Christ (Matthew 7:15-16, 2 Peter 2:1-3, Jude 1:4).

¹⁵“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?
Matthew 7:15-16 (NASB)

2 But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. ²Many will follow their indecent behavior, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; ³and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
2 Peter 2:1-3 (NASB)

⁴For certain people have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into indecent behavior and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:4 (NASB)

4 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ²by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,
1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NASB)

Emphasize Failure: Constantly remind Christians of their past failures and mistakes, making them feel unworthy and inadequate in their identity (1 John 1:9, Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 43:25, Philippians 3:13-14).

⁹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 (NASB)

¹²As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our wrongdoings from us.
Psalm 103:12 (NASB)

²⁵“I, I alone, am the one who wipes out your wrongdoings for My own sake,
And I will not remember your sins.
Isaiah 43:25 (NASB)

¹³Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14 (NASB)

Counterfeit Identities: Offer counterfeit identities based on worldly success, appearance, or popularity, making Christians feel they need to find their identity in something other than Christ (1 John 2:15-17).

Cause Delay: Encourage procrastination and complacency in their spiritual lives, delaying their growth and maturity in Christ, and keeping them from fully embracing their identity (Matthew 25:1-13).

There is so much to unpack with all of this, and I can't help but look back, especially since the global shutdown. I could easily point out where these line items were subtle, but since the global shutdown, they seem much more obvious, prevalent, and almost rushed with government endorsement around the globe.

It's eye-opening as an adult to look at each item and see how they apply to my own life… but then to look at my young kids, it inspires me to wonder, “How can we use this knowledge to prepare our children for their inevitable spiritual warfare?”

If you've contemplated this question already, please comment at the bottom of this page… I'd love to read your answer(s)!

Our family pastor mentioned to my husband and me that we will not regret surrounding our children with strong examples of faith, scripture, and Christian principles as much as possible during their formative years, and the more time goes on since then, the more I agree. Develop a strong faith foundation now, so they know what to do later when life throws curveballs and challenges that are known to cause jaded bias and spiritual trauma.

Currently, we as a family are reading through The 9 Fruits of the Spirit series and Answers In Genesis for Kids as an addition to our Christ-centered homeschool curriculum, plus personal bible or devotional readings in the evenings as part of our kids' bedtime routine. We are also very involved with our church and Trail Life, where our boys are focused on learning scouting skills, spiritual growth, apologetics, and service to the community while giving God the glory.

If you're looking for another option to simplify integrating growing your faith into your daily life, check out the Brilliant Movement app. It houses tons of useful scripture studies, devotionals, and sections that help with prayers, meditations, daily encouragement, and a variety of courses to help you grow on your faith journey… plus a section that actually helps you sleep better!

Read My Trail Life Review

Of course, this all also begs the question: “If you were God, how would you teach your children their true identity in Christ?” – So, I asked the same Christian-friendly AI bot and received some answers you won't want to miss!