Who Are Our Enemies?

For a long time, I struggled with understanding the idea of “enemies” in the Christian life.

I would read the Psalms and hear David crying out about those who were hunting him down, setting traps, breathing violence against him—and I’d look over my own shoulder, wondering, Where are my enemies? Nobody’s stalking me. No one's trying to kill me. No one is banging down my door to drag me away because I follow Jesus. Am I missing something?

I began to realize that in the absence of true persecution, I had started assigning that role to people around me: the woman at work who rolled her eyes, the friend who stopped texting back, the family member who said I was “too deep.” I labeled those small discomforts as spiritual persecution because I wanted to feel that I was living out the suffering Jesus said would come to His followers.

But let’s be honest, sisters—sometimes we call it “persecution” when really, it’s just the consequences of our poor choices or disruptive behavior.

We get saved and want to overhaul every room we walk into. Suddenly we want to lead prayer circles at staff meetings, turn birthday lunches into evangelism opportunities, and pass out Scripture bookmarks with the company logo. And when HR calls or coworkers pull away, we claim it's because “they hate the light.” But what if they’re just annoyed? Yes, it is true that they hate the light, but at what point are you just being worrisome?

God didn’t call us to harass people into the Kingdom. He said to spread the Good News, yes—but also to shake the dust off our feet when people reject it. He’s not asking us to manufacture persecution so we can feel like we're faithful. The truth is, He already wrote Himself on the hearts of all people (Romans 1:19), and it’s not our job to play the Holy Spirit. We bear witness, we pray, we live quiet, godly lives—and we leave the rest to Him.

So if those aren’t our enemies, who is?

Let me offer a humbling, perhaps even hard-to-hear, answer:

Our greatest enemy—especially as homemakers—is often our own mind.

Not your neighbor.
Not your boss.
Not your mother-in-law.
Not your husband.

It’s the thoughts you entertain that contradict God’s truth.

It’s the anxious whisper that says God won’t provide unless you hustle.
It’s the bitter replay of your husband’s past mistake that you chew on all day.
It’s the discontentment that arises when you compare your life to someone else’s highlight reel on social media.
It’s the resentment that grows when your work at home is unseen and unappreciated.
It’s the self-righteous pride that convinces you you're a better wife or mother than the next woman, because of your schedule, your convictions, or your standards.

These are the voices that chase you down, trying to rob you of joy, hope, obedience, and peace.

These are the enemies that twist the Word of God ever so slightly until you're unsure if submission is really necessary, if reverence really matters, if keeping the home is truly noble work.

These are the voices that say:

• “God's way is outdated.”

• “You don’t deserve this life.”

• “You’re not doing enough.”

• “You’ll never be enough.”

Those thoughts may not come with fangs and swords like David’s enemies, but they pierce just the same. And here’s the sobering truth: many of those thoughts come from within. Your flesh is still at war with the Spirit. And if you don’t take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), you’ll soon find yourself living according to the lies you let linger.

The Real Battle

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6 that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood. Your enemies are not the people who dislike you or disagree with you. Your enemy is spiritual—and sometimes, the battlefield is between your ears.

As a homemaker, this battle is quiet. It's not televised. It doesn't make headlines. But it's daily, and it’s deadly serious. The enemy wants your mind. Because if he can get your mind, he can pull you away from your calling, from your joy, from your obedience to Christ.

What Can You Do?

1. Test every thought against the Word. If it contradicts God’s Word, it’s not your friend. No matter how convincing or familiar it sounds.

2. Stop labeling consequences as persecution. Be honest about your behavior. Sometimes we suffer because we are wrong—not because we are righteous.

3. Seek quiet obedience, not noisy attention. God doesn’t need you to make a scene. He calls you to faithful living, not forced relevance.

4. Pray for discernment. Ask God to help you recognize real spiritual opposition, so you don’t waste time fighting the wrong battles.

5. Repent often. Be quick to confess when your thoughts have wandered and your attitude has soured. Grace is ready, and renewal is available.

Final Thought

The devil doesn’t always come to you with horns and fire. Sometimes he comes dressed in your own ideas, using your own voice, echoing your own frustrations. Don’t fall for it.

Know your true enemies.

And know that Jesus has already overcome every one of them.

You don’t need to be paranoid or walk around in fear—you just need to walk closely with the One who is greater than all.

He will guard your heart.
He will renew your mind.
He will keep you in perfect peace, if your mind is stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3).

Stay alert, dear sister.
Not every battle is external.
Sometimes, the fiercest war is inside your own thoughts.

—Jacqueline, the Unimportant Homemaker