The Devil is Trying to Gaslight You

10 biblical truths to fight off the "Father of Lies"

Every year, new words gain popularity in the English language. Some words have political or tech industry connotations. Some have other meanings. A few make it into a standard dictionary. One of these “new” words I’m already weary of hearing is gaslighting—not because the word isn’t meaningful but because it gets misused so frequently. It showed up in common speech about a decade ago but has recently become quite popular on social media.

The word originated from a 1944 film based on a 1938 play named Gaslight. The movie tells the story of an unscrupulous man who marries with the intention of stealing all his wife’s wealth. He takes several actions to make her question her own reality and sanity. He hopes to have her declared mentally unfit so he can gain control of her property. One tactic he employs is lowering and increasing the fuel to the house’s gaslights. The wife notices the lights flickering and dimming, but the husband denies it is happening so she will question her own experience.

The plot is a bit more complicated than that description, but in the end, she discovers his malicious activities, and he is taken away by the police.

Gaslighting is a real problem in toxic relationships. The person in power uses his or her control to make the other doubt reality.

The Most Notorious Gaslighter

It can also be a problem for Christians, because the devil is a notorious gaslighter. He wants to make you doubt reality. Your life was marked by sin and failure, but then you heard about what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross to remove your sins and give you victory. You turned away from sin and toward Him. You asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. He removed your sin and shame and covered you with His righteousness.

But then something dreadful happened. You started hearing his lies. Maybe it wasn’t an audible voice, but in your heart or emotions you began “hearing” that God doesn’t love you, that He can’t be trusted, and that you are worthless. Maybe you even believed those lies.

You need to know those lies are from the devil. Jesus calls him “a liar and the father of lies” in John 8:44 (NIV). In 2 Corinthians 11:14, Paul writes that “Satan transforms himself into an angel of light.”

Maybe a better way to put it is that he is an “angel of gaslight.”

When you are an unbeliever, the devil tries to tell you God either doesn’t exist or doesn’t have the power or grace to fix your predicament. If you are a believer, then the enemy wants you to think that you can ignore God or that the power of your sin is greater than God’s grace.

When Satan lied to Adam and Eve, they believed him. But when Satan tried to lie to Jesus, our Lord used the Word of God to counteract the enemy’s deceptions. So I want to give you 10 truths from the Bible that you can use to fight off the ultimate gaslighter.

One: Our battle is spiritual.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.—Ephesians 6:12

Two: The devil is a liar, and he wants to destroy us.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.—1 Peter 5:8–9

Three: God cannot lie, and Jesus Christ is the basis of truth.

This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.— Titus 1:1–2 (NIV)

“God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
—Numbers 23:19

Four: Jesus is the only source for a rich and satisfying life.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”—John 10:10

Five: Jesus is stronger than the devil’s lies.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.—1 John 3:8

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.—Acts 10:38

Six: Sin does not have to be our ongoing practice.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.—1 Corinthians 10:13

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.—Ephesians 4:25–27

Seven: We do not have to continue carrying shame and guilt for our sins.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.—1 John 1:9

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.—1 John 4:18

Eight: We should learn how the devil operates.

…lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.—2 Corinthians 2:11

I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.—1 John 2:21

Nine: The devil will use other people to spread his lies.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”—Matthew 7:15–17

But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.—2 Timothy 3:13

“For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.”—Matthew 24:24

Ten: God can equip us to stop the devil’s attempts to work in our lives.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.—Ephesians 6:11

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Satan has been busy trying to gaslight and deceive humanity, but I have incredibly good news for you: Satan will ultimately lose! He will finally be thrown into the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:10).

The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 16:20 that God will crush Satan under His feet. That’s one of the most encouraging parts of the Book of Revelation and something we can definitely look forward to in the Last Days.

So stand firm, rely on Scripture, and don’t let the devil gaslight you into believing something that isn’t true.