Devil's Dart: Misinformation

What misinformation do we fall for? What leads us away from our walk? Why is truth so important?

To really understand how Satan uses misinformation as a dart to harm our walk with God, we have to go all the way back to the fall. In Genesis 3, are the first recorded spoken words of deception. Four simple words spoken by a devious serpent were able to twist around all that Adam and Eve had previously known to be true.

“Did God really say...?” seems like an innocent enough question. However, the serpent’s intent behind the question is quickly revealed in his next words. Following Eve’s reply, the serpent presumably corrects her understanding of God’s decree: “Surely you will not die.” And with those few words, doubt is cast in Adam and Eve’s minds, and they are drawn away from God’s truth.

From that moment onward, humans have possessed—and will always possess—a corrupted nature which seeks truth through our senses. We tend toward naturalism and materialism, trusting what we can see, taste, or touch, rather than resting in what God Himself has spoken.

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Gen 3:6

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:16

Everywhere in our world today, Satan is using this very same tactic. His playbook is limited because the plays still work! Early in Jesus’ life, we are told of His encounter with Satan. Satan appears to be quoting Scripture to Jesus when he says, “He will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” (Matthew 4:6) But as Jesus points out, by using these words out of context, Satan is attempting to get Jesus to disobey a direct command of God. If Jesus had followed Satan’s suggestion, Jesus would be in direct disobedience to the actual words of God in Deuteronomy 6:16: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”

We see this same tactic of Scripture-twisting at work in our culture today: take a verse, pull it out of context, appeal to people’s fears and emotions, and use it to redefine God’s character. A clear example is Matthew 7:1, from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “Do not judge so that you be not judged.” In context, Jesus is calling believers to first search their own hearts, making sure that any correction comes from a sincere love and a hope to guide others toward repentance. Taken out of context, this verse causes many well-meaning believers to feel as if they’re sinning simply by speaking truth. But Jesus wasn’t forbidding all forms of judgment — He was warning against hypocritical and self-righteous judgment.

“Try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but insteadexpose them.” Ephesians 5:10-11

God is both love and justice—equally and at the same time. Throughout Scripture, His character is revealed as He consistently calls out disobedience, yet lovingly receives all who return in repentance. This is the very Good News that Satan does not want people to hear, so he distorts their perception, causing them to mistake God’s judgment for condemnation rather than loving correction.

Another common tactic of Satan is using misinformation to sow disunity. Ethnic and economic divides have fractured society throughout history and remain widespread today. If he can convince us that race, income, or identity makes someone less a beloved child of God, he wins. A divided people cannot unite around shared beliefs when they are consumed by superficial differences—inside or outside the church.

Paul addressed this in his letter to the Galatians: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). He urged believers to look past their differences and see that they are all equal at the feet of Jesus, the One who unites them. Just as a painter uses many colors and textures to create a great work of art, God uses our differences to build His Kingdom. Genesis 1:27 reminds us, “So God created man in his own image... male and female he created them.” Every person is made in God’s image and therefore has inherent value and worth. Remembering this truth helps us resist the devil’s lies that keep us focused on what divides us.

Misinformation can draw us away from God and His perfect design in countless subtle ways. In the ebb and flow of daily life, we are constantly bombarded with misconceptions, half-truths, exaggerated claims, and outright lies. It is all too easy to be led astray by the things we hear and read without even realizing it. Often these distortions appear close enough to the truth that they seem harmless—or even wise—but they are designed to undermine our faith. If Satan wages war with misinformation, the Christian must stand firm in the truth.

Many years ago, my father introduced me to the art of snapping a chalk line. I couldn’t tell you what project we were working on that day, but the lesson stuck with me. In building, a precise chalk line is essential to ensure that what you are building stays true to the intended path. When laying out walls, you must first determine both the starting and ending points before snapping the line. Only then can you be sure your straight lines lead you to the intended endpoint so that your walls meet.

As we go through the ebbs and flows of our daily lives, we are constantly bombarded with misconceptions, half-truths, exaggerated claims, and even outright lies. It is very easy to be led astray by many of the things we hear and read. We all need a chalk line that we can follow: a reference guideline that holds true and never moves. For believers, we have God’s written Word as our chalk line.

In Genesis, we are told the beginning point of our Creation and our fall. In the books of the prophets and the histories, we see God’s character on display. We see His abundant love, His unrelenting pursuit of His people, His continued forgiveness, merciful judgment, and amazing grace. In the Gospels, we see the ultimate promise fulfilled. In the last book of the Bible, we find the ending for believers means eternity with God in the New World.

This is an often-used analogy, but when bank tellers are taught how to recognize counterfeit dollars, they study real money and all of its characteristics. Because if they don’t know what real currency should look like, it is hard to spot a fake. Just as, we are far more likely to believe lies about someone we barely know. The more we immerse ourselves in Scripture, the more we come to love God and truly know Him as He reveals Himself.

The Gospel of John is a fantastic place to start if you want to begin to learn the truth about God’s character. The only way to thwart the enemies’ darts is with God’s help. As humans, we are too weak to stand against the lies of the devil and his fallen world. Thankfully, God endowed believers with His Spirit so that we are not alone in the battle.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Eph 6:10-13