Combatting Spiritual Identity Theft
From the beginning, God created us with a clear and perfect identity. In Genesis 1 and 2, Adam and Eve lived fully known, fully loved, and fully secure in who they were and who God was. But then in Genesis 3, the enemy slithered into the story and planted a single, subtle question: “Did God really say…?”
That question is still his favorite weapon. Satan rarely shows up shouting lies. Instead, he twists truth just enough to make it sound believable. He told Eve, “You won’t surely die,” and while her body didn’t die that moment, something inside her—her innocence, her sense of security, her confidence in God—did. Shame entered the story, and humanity’s identity shifted.
But notice how God responded: as Adam and Eve hid, He called out to them, “Where are you?” This wasn’t because He didn’t know where they were, but because He wanted to draw them near. Then, when Adam confessed they were hiding because of their nakedness, God replied with, “Who told you that?”
The first step in discerning truth or lies about your identity is to discern the source.
The Enemy’s Playbook
One of the best ways to combat spiritual identity theft is to recognize which voice you’re listening to.
Satan is a LIAR, and his tactics haven’t changed:
- L – Lies: just like he did with Eve, he twists God’s Word just enough to sound true.
- I – Isolation: he loves to weaponize shame to drive you into hiding. If he can separate you from God’s truth and presence, he can keep you from living boldly in the identity God gives you.
- A – Accusation: Satan will attack your worth by getting you to focus on yourself instead of on what Jesus has done for you.
- R – Rejection: he will make you question God’s love, because God’s love is God’s motivation for His relationship with you. Your identity flows from it.
God’s voice is different:
- His voice always aligns with His Word. There is no confusion. We don't have to question what He thinks about us because He’s told us: if we’re in Christ, we’ve been chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed with His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:3-14).
- He’s constantly drawing us near, especially after we sin. We see Him do this in the Garden with Adam and Eve, and we see Jesus do it for Peter post-resurrection to restore Peter after he denied Him (John 21).
- God never speaks unkindly, even when He speaks hard truth. Unlike the enemy who uses vague and final terms to condemn us–words like “You’ll never change” and “You always mess up”–conviction from the Holy Spirit is specific and always leads towards hope and healing.
- His love never changes and isn’t dependent on you. The cross is evidence He loved you before you put your faith in Him and He’d love you even if you never loved Him (though it would break His heart).
Protecting Yourself Against Spiritual Identity Theft
God has not left you alone in the fight against the enemy. Making a conscious effort to become familiar with His Word through daily Scripture reading and prayer will help you get to know His truth and His voice so you can recognize it over the enemy’s.
Remember: if you are in Christ, your identity can’t truly be stolen.
When the enemy whispers lies, respond with truth. When shame tries to isolate you, draw near to God. When the old doubts resurface, ask again: Who told you that?
This post is inspired by the second message of our “Identity” sermon series by Pastor Gaylyn Kelly. Dive deeper into how God sees you and what that means for your life by ordering a copy of Gaylyn’s book, “Identity: The Lies We Believe.”