Four ways you allow the enemy to attack your soul.

We’re in a spiritual battle every day. You might think you’re just waking up, making coffee, and heading to work, but there’s a war going on for your soul. It’s not a fair fight either; it’s subtle, quiet, and hits where you least expect. The enemy doesn’t come at you with horns and a pitchfork. No, he uses addiction, depression, anger, and insecurity to twist you up inside, to get you so distracted that you forget who you are and what you’re made for. Now, maybe you’ve heard this a million times and think it’s old news. Maybe you’re tired of hearing about the same old sins, the same old struggles. But let’s get real for a minute, because this isn’t about pointing fingers; it’s about recognizing what’s pulling you away from God.

Addiction is first on the list. And no, this isn’t just about alcohol, drugs, or the stuff we always label as “bad.” It’s anything that’s got a hold on you. Your job, money, power, that constant need for approval. Maybe it’s your phone, your endless social media scroll. You know what it is. The question is, why does it have such a grip on you? What happens if someone tries to take it away? Do you get defensive, angry, anxious? That’s a sign you’re not as free as you think. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). Addiction is like an idol. It’s something we’re pouring our hearts into more than we pour into God. We like to think we’re free, but we’re enslaved to whatever we can’t let go of.

When addiction has you, you focus more on feeding that habit than on feeding your soul. Your relationship with God becomes secondary. It’s like you’re giving God leftovers. You’ve got to ask yourself: Is this thing worth more than my relationship with the Creator of the universe? He’s the one who knit you together in your mother’s womb, and you’re telling Him He’s second to a substance, a feeling, or a lifestyle? It doesn’t make sense. Paul tells us, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). Notice he calls it a yoke. Addictions are heavy; they burden you, drag you down, and steal your joy. God’s plan is for you to live free, and the first step is recognizing what’s got its chains around you.

Depression is another way the enemy attacks. Now, let’s be honest: Depression is real, and it’s not just something you snap out of. But part of its power is in its ability to make you forget what you do have because you’re so focused on what you don’t. It’s a thief, a liar, and it thrives on stealing your hope. The psalmist wrote, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11). Even when you’re in that dark place, there’s a reminder that God is your Savior, your hope. Depression will try to convince you that you’re alone, that no one cares, and that there’s no way out. But that’s the enemy’s voice, not God’s.

God doesn’t promise a life free of struggles, but He does promise to be with us through them. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Depression wants you to focus on your burdens, your failures, and your lack. But God says, “Focus on Me. I’m your rest. I’m your hope.” It’s not about ignoring the reality of your pain; it’s about choosing to see God in the midst of it. When depression starts to grip you, it’s a sign that your gaze has shifted from God to your circumstances. Lift your eyes back to the One who knows you, loves you, and promises that He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

Anger is another subtle trap. We love to justify it, don’t we? “Well, I was wronged!” or “If they hadn’t done this, I wouldn’t be angry.” But Scripture doesn’t give us a free pass here. It says, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Ephesians 4:26). Anger is a natural emotion, but it becomes toxic when it controls us. Most people get angry, and instead of dealing with it, they lash out, throw fits, and end up hurting others. Anger is like a wildfire; it starts small, but if you don’t contain it, it burns everything in its path, including you. And that’s exactly what the enemy wants. He wants you so consumed with rage that you forget the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

You see, God is a God of peace. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Anger wants to convince you that peace isn’t an option, that holding onto that grudge is your right. But God’s will for your life isn’t about holding onto bitterness. It’s about extending the same grace to others that He extended to you. When we’re stuck in anger, we’re focused on what went wrong, how we were wronged, and we completely miss how God is working to make things right in our hearts.

Now let’s talk about insecurity. If there’s one thing the enemy loves to use, it’s insecurity. Everyone on this planet has something they don’t like about themselves. Everyone. The enemy whispers that you’re not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough, not anything enough. It’s the oldest trick in the book, going all the way back to the Garden of Eden. When the serpent approached Eve, he made her question who she was and what she had. “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1). The enemy wants you to doubt God’s goodness and your worth.

But the Bible tells a different story. In your weakness, He is strong. Paul writes, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Your weaknesses aren’t a hindrance to God; they’re the very place where His strength shines through. You don’t have to be the best, the strongest, or the most talented. God wants to use you as you are, in all your imperfect glory, to show what He can do.

Insecurity tricks you into thinking you’re the only one who feels this way, that everyone else has it together. That’s a lie. The enemy loves to isolate you, to make you think you’re alone in your struggles. But God says, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). He made you on purpose, with a purpose, and that purpose isn’t contingent on you being flawless.

These are four ways the enemy tries to keep your soul under attack. Whether it’s addiction, depression, anger, or insecurity, each one is a method designed to shift your focus away from God and onto yourself. And that’s the point of all these attacks—to get you so wrapped up in your problems, your desires, your feelings, that you forget you were made for something more.

So, what do you do? You get your eyes back on God. You remind yourself of what’s true, what’s real, and what the Bible says. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). It’s not a complicated formula. It’s a matter of realigning your heart, confessing where you’ve gone off track, and getting back into the Word. You don’t fight these battles on your own strength; you fight them with the truth of God’s Word and the power of His Spirit.

Your soul is precious. It’s under attack because it has value. The enemy doesn’t waste time on things that don’t matter. But here’s the good news: You have a Savior who’s already won the war. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). That’s your victory, right there. Not in your strength, but in His. Not in what you can do, but in what He’s already done.

It’s time to stand up and recognize what’s really going on. This isn’t about feeling bad for where you’ve been; it’s about stepping into the freedom that Christ offers. Because in Him, you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). So, go ahead. Break those chains. Walk in that freedom. The battle is fierce, but remember, you’re not fighting alone. Your soul is worth it, and God is with you every step of the way.