When the Devil Wears a Leadership Badge

Many people volunteer to serve in the church. Some are called by God, driven by a heart for service and a passion for His work. But not everyone who steps forward to serve has pure intentions. Some are sent by the enemy, strategically positioning themselves in leadership roles—not to build, but to destroy.

How do you recognize when the devil is placing his agents in high places within the church? How do you discern when a leader isn’t just set in his/her ways, but is actively working to tear down what God is building? The truth is, spiritual warfare isn’t just external; sometimes, the greatest battles happen within the church walls, and the greatest damage is inflicted not by outsiders, but by those in power on the inside.

The Strategy: Get Into Leadership, Then Tear It Down

The devil’s most effective strategy isn’t always a frontal attack on the church. Sometimes, it’s infiltration. These individuals come in like everyone else, often looking like the most dedicated, hardworking, and passionate servants. They gain trust, climb the ranks, and once they are positioned in leadership, they begin their destructive work. In my over ten years of working in the church, I have encountered many.

Here’s how they operate:

1. Sow Division Instead of Unity

A church thrives on unity, but a leader with an evil agenda thrives on division. These individuals subtly turn people against one another, and create factions within ministries, departments, and even leadership teams. They manipulate conversations, twist words, and plant seeds of discord to weaken the church from within.

📖 Proverbs 6:16-19 – “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”

🚨 Red Flag: Constant conflict, gossip, or tension that seems to trace back to the same leader or group.

2. Usurping Power and Creating Divisions

A recurring tactic of manipulative leaders is their subtle yet deliberate effort to make themselves appear as the most competent person in the room while undermining the actual leader. They take the initiative on tasks, making it seem like they are the only ones doing the job, creating an impression that the true leader is ineffective. Over time, both leadership and team members begin bypassing the designated leader to work directly with this individual, sidelining the leader and diminishing their authority.

Such individuals also create factions within the team, fostering loyalty to themselves instead of the rightful leader, the team, or the work of God. The group begins to criticize the leader while admiring the manipulative person. They gradually usurp the leader’s power, positioning themselves as the go-to person for direction and decision-making. Additionally, they take credit for work others have done, presenting it as their own while claiming to have all the answers. This pattern not only damages the morale of the group but also disrupts the unity and purpose of the team.

They whisper accusations, create scandals, and manipulate others into believing the leader is unfit to lead. If successful, they push the leader out—either by turning people against them or making their position unbearable—so they can step into the role.

📖 2 Samuel 15:6 – “Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.”

🚨 Red Flag: A leader who is constantly challenging authority, gathering a personal following, and subtly discrediting the senior pastor or ministry head.

3. Corrupting the Church’s Doctrine and Vision

Once in leadership, they begin to shift the church’s focus away from biblical truth. It might start subtly—watering down the Word, prioritizing personal opinions over Scripture, or introducing teachings that seem progressive but are spiritually dangerous. The goal? To lead people away from the true gospel.

📖 2 Timothy 4:3-4 – “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

🚨 Red Flag: Doctrinal shifts that contradict Scripture, resistance to biblical correction, or teachings that prioritize power, money, or personal gain over the Word of God.

4. Using Power for Personal Gain

Some leaders manipulate their position to gain wealth, influence, or control. They exploit people’s trust, take advantage of church resources, and use spiritual authority as a means to elevate themselves rather than serve the congregation.

📖 1 Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

🚨 Red Flag: Leaders who demand absolute loyalty to themselves rather than to Christ, those who are financially dishonest, or those who prioritize personal agendas over church mission.

5. Silencing the Right People

One of their first moves is to silence or remove anyone who sees through them. They push out or discredit genuine, spirit-filled leaders who might challenge their motives. They create an environment where questioning their decisions is seen as rebellion, ensuring that no one stands in their way.

📖 3 John 1:9-10 – “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.”

🚨 Red Flag: The sudden departure or sidelining of strong, godly voices in the church.

6. Exploiting Church Members

They misuse their leadership role to manipulate, control, and sometimes even abuse church members—spiritually, emotionally, and financially. They twist Scripture to justify their actions, and make people feel guilty for questioning them.

📖 Ezekiel 34:2-4 – “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?”‘

🚨 Red Flag: A leader who fosters a culture of fear rather than faith, manipulation instead of mentorship, or control instead of care.

7. Creating Burnout and Frustration Among the Faithful

They deliberately overwork and discourage those who genuinely want to serve. By making ministry an exhausting, joyless experience, they push committed workers away, leaving the church vulnerable and spiritually drained.

🚨 Red Flag: A church where volunteers are constantly burned out, feel unappreciated, or leave in frustration.

8. Leading the Church into Scandal

Some of these leaders don’t just destroy the church from the inside; they bring public disgrace upon it. Whether through moral failure, financial corruption, or abuse of power, their actions can cause irreparable harm to the church’s reputation and witness.

📖 Matthew 7:15-16 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit, you will recognize them.”

🚨 Red Flag: A pattern of secrecy, lack of accountability, and dismissing concerns about integrity.

How to Protect the Church from These Agents of Destruction

Evil leaders don’t just walk into power—they are allowed to rise. The church must be vigilant in discerning who is placed in leadership. Here’s how we can safeguard the body of Christ:

✅ Pray for Discernment – Not everyone who volunteers is sent by God. Church leadership must pray and seek God’s guidance before appointing anyone to leadership.

✅ Examine Character, Not Just Talent – A person’s skills and charisma should never outweigh their integrity and spiritual maturity. Look at their heart, not just their ability.

✅ Establish Strong Accountability Systems – No leader should operate unchecked. There must be systems in place for financial transparency, doctrinal oversight, and ethical accountability.

✅ Encourage a Culture of Truth and Transparency – When church members feel safe to speak up about concerns, evil has no room to hide. Foster an environment where people are encouraged to bring things into the light.

✅ Remove the Rot Quickly – When corruption or deception is identified, swift action must be taken. Evil should not be tolerated for the sake of “keeping the peace.”

Final Thoughts: The Devil’s Plan Will Fail

No matter how many agents the enemy tries to plant in the church, Christ remains the head of His body. 

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

The gates of hell will not prevail against the church. However, we must remain vigilant, wise, and discerning. Not every leader is from God, and some are working against Him in secret.

The question is: Will the church wake up before it’s too late?