5 Lies the Enemy Wants Every Teenager to Believe

Your Parents Are Stupid

This lie is very important to the enemy because if he can convince you to believe this, it will completely erode your foundation. He desires teens to believe that their parents really just don’t know what they are talking about, or they just don’t understand. Some even go as far as to believe that parents set rules just because they enjoy making their lives miserable. I actually fell for that myth and believed my parents set a curfew for me because they didn’t want me to have any fun. When it all comes down to it, all of us struggle with authority to some degree and it starts of course with God and then our parents. If a person can’t submit to their parents’ authority, then they will always have problems in their life. It’s amazing how now that I am a father, my parents seem like geniuses and the older I get the smarter they seem. Of course there are some bad parents out there, but trust me teenagers, for the most part your parents love you and if they have a rule then there is probably a very good reason for it. They are not stupid and you could really glean from their wisdom and experience. I could have saved myself a great deal of heartache if I would have just listened to my parents! They are your biggest advocates.

Your Identity Hinges Upon What Others Think of You

This lie obviously is one that people of all ages struggle with, but teenagers begin to deal with this especially around middle school. This is when they are really trying to find themselves and make sense of why they are on the planet in the first place. Overall I enjoyed my childhood, but really hated seventh and eighth grade, mainly because I didn’t really know who I was or what group I was supposed to fit in. I remember thinking that I was just weird because I didn’t really fit into a particular group, but felt like I was supposed to. The truth is we are all unique but many are willing compromise their identity or who they are just so they will be accepted by certain people or groups. Satan wants every teen to believe that their identity is in their friends or some kind of relationship. The truth, however, is that our identity as believers is in Christ alone and not in anyone or anything else. If Satan can get teens to forget that, then they will make decisions based on being “accepted” when Christ has already accepted them and set them apart for His purpose. Understanding their identity not only leads to a healthy relationship with God but also healthy relationships with each other. So teenagers, God created and saved you for a specific purpose that involves you being yourself in Christ as He molds and shapes you! You aren’t called to be like your friends, teachers, celebrities, or even your parents. I believe with all of my heart that once a teen realizes that Christ alone is their identity, then they will become a force to be reckoned with.

If You Aren’t Involved in a Romantic Relationship, There is Something Wrong With You 

I believed in this myth as a teenager. I started dating someone at the beginning of my senior year of high school and the main reason was because I felt that people would think something was wrong with me if I were to remain single. In fact, I already believed that something was wrong with me because of the amount of time I had been single. Because I believed the lie of the enemy, this decision led my spiritual walk with Jesus into a downward spiral leading me to eventually hit rock bottom. Satan wants young people to compromise just to have somebody, instead of waiting on God’s best for them. The enemy REALLY hates when teenagers choose to remain single and focus on Christ because he knows that God will use that time to mold and shape their character, which will actually help them to love their future spouse more effectively and have healthier marriages. He ultimately wants teens to go into their marriages with all kinds of emotional baggage because of the lie they believed that they just had to have somebody. Listen teenagers, there is nothing wrong with you. Christ is setting you apart and preparing you for your future spouse. Don’t settle for just anybody, set your standards high! Don’t just date someone who claims to be a “Christian.” Date someone who is passionately in love with Jesus and lives a life that displays evidence of that. Does that narrow down your options? Absolutely! I promise you though that it is well worth the wait.

You Are Just a Youth

Satan wants every teenager to think that because of their youth they really cannot make much of a difference, if even any difference at all. The prophet Jeremiah actually used this excuse when God called him in Jeremiah chapter one. God responded by telling him that his excuse was not a valid one and that He would work through him. Paul told young Timothy in his second letter to him to not let anybody look down on him because he was young. Unfortunately, many in the church have contributed to this lie. I have heard many say (although well intentioned) that the youth are the future of the church. While I understand what they mean, the truth is that the youth are the church now and those in Christ are a part of the body just as much as adults. In fact throughout history, most huge revivals or spiritual awakenings were led by a young person. In Scripture we read about where God used David, Samuel, Jeremiah, Mary, Timothy, and others who were very young when they were called. Instead of using your youth as an excuse, use it to your advantage and don’t allow the enemy to deceive you! God’s plan for your life begins now and not just someday down the road.

Just Follow Your Heart and Do What Feels Right

This message is everywhere in our culture and especially targets teenagers. They are bombarded with this through media, movies, music, and almost everywhere they turn. The basic premise is “If it feels right, just do it.” This is basically what teens are spoon-fed from the culture in general. That sounds good from the outset, but the fact of the matter is that our hearts can be deceitful. Our hearts will ultimately lie to us. Here is what Scripture says about a heart that is not connected to God:

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9 

The point is that our heart’s dreams, desires, and wants are marred by sin. This view may not be politically correct or popular, but it is biblical and until we understand this we will never truly be happy or satisfied. Following our heart leads us from fad to fad, idol to idol, relationship to relationship, and just leaves us broken, frustrated, and alone. I cannot tell you how many teenagers I have talked with who said something like: “Well I know that I shouldn’t be having sex with my boyfriend/girlfriend right now, but I am just following my heart and it just feels right.” Once again, feelings can be deceiving because the truth of the matter is that often we really just don’t know that we want.

So what is the solution? 

We must seek after the heart of Christ. David was a man after God’s own heart (and he still made many mistakes). The more we chase after Jesus and get to know Him intimately, the more our hearts begin to line up with His heart. He then replaces our dreams, desires, and wants with His. This leads us to being satisfied in Christ alone and helps us recognize the false promises of these counterfeit fads/idols/relationships ever truly satisfying us. The more we drink from these things, the thirstier we will ultimately be. A heart that is connected to Christ recognizes this.

We were created to have relationships that are healthy and lasting by enjoying them and not depending on them to fulfill us in ways that only Christ can! Of course the enemy doesn’t want that but wants every teenager to chase after every false promise of satisfaction that leaves them empty and miserable.