The Digital Battlefield

Whether we realize it or not, there is a war going on all around us. It is not a traditional war that you may first imagine, with soldiers marching in formation, arrayed in battle against an enemy, with bullets flying through the air. This war takes place on the “digital battlefield”, composed of the screens surrounding us every day. From the large-screen televisions that dominate most family rooms to the smartwatches on our wrists.

The war being waged is for our hearts and minds. It is as serious as traditional warfare and carries an eternal impact. Ephesians 6:12 warns us, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”.

On this battlefield, we are bombarded with notifications, updates, pictures, and videos. Each of these interactions either brings us closer to the image of Christ or drives us further from Him. Romans 12:2 reminds us to “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The ultimate goal of this war is to transform our lives and shape our minds towards those things that we see and hear.

There are a variety of tactics that we will encounter on the digital battlefield. Our enemy is cunning, armed with a multitude of methods they deploy to reduce our effectiveness in serving the Lord. We will examine each of these methods to prepare ourselves for the battle.

Distract

One method that our enemy will use is distraction. If the enemy can get our eyes off of Jesus Christ and onto the things of the world, our effectiveness will be reduced. There is no lack of distractions in social media. The sheer amount of content uploaded to the Internet on a daily basis is beyond belief. Approximately 40 million texts are sent every minute! In the same time, 2,000,000 Facebook updates, 16,000 TikTok videos, and 500 hours of YouTube content are created.

With this overwhelming assault of information, it is no wonder that we spend so much time on our mobile devices. According to the Global Web Index, the average person spends around four hours every day on a mobile device. Not all of this time is wasteful, but we are called to redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16). Corrie ten Boom, who miraculously survived her time in a Nazi concentration camp, once said, “If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy.”

Divide

When we are united with fellow believers, we can more effectively battle our enemy. There is strength in numbers (Ecclesiastes 4:12), and a unified front stands stronger against adversity, reflecting the power of collective faith and shared purpose. Satan knows this, and he will use any means necessary to sow discord, causing us to fight with each other rather than fighting against him.

This division is sometimes brought about through petty arguments, often over unimportant topics. 2 Timothy 2:23 says, “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.” How many times have you scrolled through social media and encountered two or more believers speaking harshly back and forth over their favorite sports team or their political preferences? It is important to have standards, but our focus should be on edifying others, not tearing them down.

Discourage

With the vast amount of data we find ourselves wading through online, and the division that occurs, it is all too likely we will find ourselves discouraged. The algorithms used by some social media companies are engineered to keep us engaged on our mobile devices for as long as possible, and if the algorithm recognizes that we stay longer if we are presented with negative content, it will serve us more of the same.

There is no lack of bad news in the world today, and we can be tempted to consume a steady diet of discouraging information about politics, natural disasters, injustices, and persecution. While we should not ignore the world around us, we must be careful not to fall into discouragement. Remember Matthew 11:28: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Deceive

Another strategy that our enemy will use is deception. The devil is a liar, and the father of lies (John 8:44). Not everything that we will come across on social media is true. Some use filters to portray themselves as something they are not. We come across stories that are presented with an agenda or bias against the truth clearly revealed in Scripture. We may even be tempted to click on a link to win a prize, but it is a scam that carries a financial cost. The rise of artificial intelligence heightens this danger, with stories that sound convincing but have no basis in reality.

We are promised that evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse (2 Timothy 3:13). Armed with this knowledge, we must be diligent to seek out the truth online. Visiting trusted sites from reputable sources can help keep us from being deceived. Bring a healthy dose of skepticism when reading things online, and be careful of who you share personal information with.

Destroy

Once we have been successfully distracted, divided, discouraged, and deceived, we are much easier to destroy. Jesus Christ told us the ultimate goal of the devil in John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”. Do you want a destroyed life or an abundant life?

Social media can destroy our lives. Our destruction may come through the temptation of looking at the wrong things online, such as pornography. Social media can heighten our anxiety and depression, rendering us ineffective servants. Our reputations can be irrevocably damaged due to the things we post in anger or thoughtlessness. The same is true when we share without counting the cost or considering the impact it will have on others. The digital battlefield is littered with landmines, and caution is warranted.

Conclusion

In 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul was concerned about the weapons of Satan being used against believers. He addresses the tactics of Satan using a lack of forgiveness to hinder the work of the church. In 2 Corinthians 2:9-11, he writes, “For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

We, too, must not be ignorant of his devices. Know this: the mobile devices that we use on a daily basis, sometimes for hours at a time, are literally some of Satan’s most lethal devices. We should prayerfully work to equip ourselves for the digital battlefield so that we can successfully use those same devices in the war we find ourselves in.

(Click here for additional ideas on how to use social media.)

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About David Pack

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Resource: 

Social Media and the Great Commission