To fail, in faith, we must first succeed in doubt and fear. For Wormwood and Screwtape to succeed in their victim falling from faith they must first feed him full of fear and doubt. Throughout the Screwtape Letters, both demons try to bring their subject to worship their father by practicing tactics that lead and misdirect their human to fall from his faith in Christianity. Fear, doubt, and insecurity are the first and foremost tools of misdirection that Screwtape tries to employ Wormwood to exploit.
“The immediate fear and suffering of the humans is a legitimate and pleasing refreshment for our myriads of toiling workers”. Lewis, C. S. The Screwtape Letters (p. 22). Through fear, the demons find one of their main sources of joy. The demon Screwtape is constantly trying to get his pupil Wormwood to focus his quarry’s fear to distract him from faith. Screwtape would have Wormwood use the impending war in Europe to feed their insatiable appetites. The fear their target feels from his own demise at the hands of his enemy is one of their greatest tools. Fear, however, is a double edged sword they yield. The demons are always constantly afraid themselves that the cattle they tend will flock to the Enemy regardless of their meddling.
“In a week or two you will be making him doubt
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These emotions are what the demons would use against us; fear, doubt, and our own insecurities are among their chief tools that they use to exploit us. When we allow them to fully use these tools against us, we give them the chance to lead us from God. However, we aren’t defenseless against this onslaught against our faith. The Lord has given us the tools to attack these emotions. If we allow ourselves to believe in the scripture and if we make the choice to consciously believe in His true power and righteousness for no other reason than love, then we can be wholly free from the torment of these