9 Lies Satan Tells Women About Their Leadership
I remember firmly the first time someone looked at me like a leader. I was literally in the sixth grade and was coaching cheerleading for girls younger than myself. In the sixth grade. Yes, my mom and her bestie were the coaches but didn’t know much about cheerleading so I ran practices and games.
I was so confident in my skill set but also terrified. Who was I to coach these girls? Sure, I had been cheering at that point for years and had been in dance since I was 2 but was I really qualified?
I’ve struggled with my ability to lead ever since. Until Michelle Schaffer said something to me during my second round of Radiant Leadership Academy. She said, “You are born to lead and God has equipped you. Satan knew this and tried to keep you down.”
That hit me hard. I was always viewing my lack of confidence as something to overcome, or an attribute to be pushed down but it never occurred to me that satan could be the source of these lies.
Satan has so many tricks up his sleeve and works especially hard against women in leadership. So, here are 10 lies he tells us about our leadership.
You’re not good enough to lead
Raise your hand if you’ve ever thought this. I know I sure have. But what does the Bible say about it?
John 14:10-12(NIV): “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
This is Jesus speaking to His disciples. We are His disciples. This promise is for you. God has given us the power to do greater things than we can imagine, so don’t believe this lie from the enemy.
Jesus was preparing us to lead the world. He saw our potential and wanted us to step into it. We can do this by believing in Him and His promises for us. When Satan lies and says we aren’t good enough, remind him of that promise from Jesus!
You’re too young/old to lead
Are you ever too young or old to lead? Absolutely not.
Leadership is about wisdom, knowledge, and experience that you can use to better serve others. We all start somewhere and learn as we go. The truth is, age doesn’t matter when it comes to leading – the ability to learn, grow and inspire others does.
God has given each of us a unique set of gifts and abilities to use for the benefit of others. So don’t be stopped by what people think about your age – because that’s not what matters. Titus 2 encourages older women to mentor younger women.
The truth is, you’re always older than someone else and they need your leadership. So don’t let age limit you from using your gifts. I remember being in my early 20s and I was mentoring young women in their teens. I felt so inadequate because of my age, but I also had a great sense of responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders.
Leadership is not just about age. It’s about wisdom, knowledge, and experience. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
You will never be successful or respected in a leadership role
This is a lie that the enemy tells us to keep us from stepping into our power. We will never be successful in leadership if we don’t try, and we will never have respect for ourselves or others if we don’t take risks. Be someone people can respect.
Your opinion doesn’t matter and no one listens to you anyway
This is a lie from the enemy that wants to keep you small. Your opinion matters and people are listening. Stop playing small and step into your power. I hear this lie so often.
“The space is crowded.”
“There are already women leaders.”
“No one is going to care what I think.”
These are all lies from the enemy. Yes, there may be a lot of people doing amazing things in your chosen field, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for one more. You bring something unique to the table and you have an important voice in our society.
Take ownership of what God has given you and speak up!
Your gender puts you at an automatic disadvantage in the workplace
This is not true. We may have to work harder as women than men for the same recognition, but that doesn’t mean we are at an automatic disadvantage. There are plenty of examples of women who have used their gifts and talents to be successful in positions of power and influence.
The truth is that your gender does not determine your success. Success is determined by the effort you put in and the attitude you have. Your gender does not define you, and there are many successful women leaders who have used their talents to make a difference.
Believe in your talents, use them to make a difference, and don’t give up when it gets tough. Success is achievable for anyone who puts their mind to it!
People won’t take you seriously because of your faith
I grew up in a time where we didn’t discuss religion and politics. Maybe you did too. But times are changing and people are more open to faith-based conversations.
People will take you seriously when they see your faith in action. Show them that you can be a leader, while also staying true to your faith. The truth is, our faith should shape the way we lead and it will help us make better decisions. When people see that you lead with faith and integrity, they will take you seriously.
So don’t be afraid to let your faith guide your leadership – it’s an important part of who you are and how you can serve others. Believe in yourself, trust in God, and don’t be afraid to let those two things intertwine!
You don’t have time for a leadership role because of other commitments
This is a lie from the enemy. We all have 24 hours in a day, and it’s up to us to decide how we use them. Leadership roles don’t have to take an immense amount of time. In fact, if you focus on things that are important and delegate the rest, you can make a real difference in a short amount of time.
Don’t let the enemy tell you that you don’t have enough time for a leadership role. You can make it work with the right planning and strategy. Believe in yourself and your ability to make an impact – no matter how much time you have! Leadership can look any way you want and it doesn’t always mean a full-time role.
Leadership is a choice, and you have the power to choose how and when you want to step into your power. Don’t let the enemy hold you back! Embrace your gifts and use them to make a difference in the world. You are capable of great things! It’s time to start believing it.
So, don’t let the enemy’s lies hold you back from stepping into your power and becoming a leader. Believe in yourself and what you have to offer – because it is valuable! With the right attitude, effort, and strategy, you can make an impact no matter what role you choose to take on.
You can’t balance a career and family life as a leader
This is a lie from the enemy. It’s true that the demands of leadership can be hard to balance, but it is possible. You just need to plan and prioritize and make sure that you are taking time for yourself as well as your professional and family commitments. Check out this podcast I recorded on balancing work and family and thriving in both.
Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup! So take time for yourself. Invest in your career and family, but also invest in yourself. You are worth it!
Also remember to ask for help from friends, family and colleagues. Leadership doesn’t have to be done alone – delegate tasks where you can so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. And never forget that you can always reach out for support when needed.
You have to choose between being a leader or being Godly
This is a lie from the enemy. We can be both! We don’t have to choose between leadership and our faith. In fact, we should use our faith to guide us in all aspects of our lives – including leadership.
Leadership and faith go hand-in-hand. Our faith should shape how we lead: it will inspire us to be kind and compassionate, to think of others before ourselves, and to make decisions that are in line with our core values.
Leadership is not an all-or-nothing proposition – it’s a choice, just like faith. We have the power to choose how we live and lead – in ways that are in line with our faith. So don’t listen to the voice of fear that tells you that you have to choose between being a leader and living out your faith. You can be both!
Leadership is a choice, and it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. We can choose how we lead based on our faith and values, while also balancing family life and career commitments.
Don’t let the enemy’s lies hold you back from stepping into your power as a leader – believe in yourself and what you have to offer! With the right attitude, effort, strategies for delegation, planning, and prioritization – plus making sure to set aside time for yourself – anyone can make an impact no matter what role they take on.
Leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress. So don’t be afraid of failure but instead use that fear as motivation to become better versions of ourselves every day. You can do it! It’s time to step into your power. Let’s show the enemy that we won’t be held back!
Leadership starts now. What are you waiting for? Go get ’em! Come join a community of Christian female leaders and get the support you’ve been after.
