John Eckhardt: How to Confront the Enemy's Tactics

We are not to be ignorant of the devil’s tactics. We can overcome all his schemes. The devil is a schemer. A scheme is a plan, design, or program of action.

The Bible talks about the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:11). A wile is a trick or a trap. A trap is a snare. Warfare involves tactics and strategies. The greatest generals are great tacticians and strategists. You cannot win without a strategy. Don’t allow the enemy to strategize against you.
Overcome and destroy his strategies through
prayer. Traps and snares are hidden. People fall into traps unknowingly. We are delivered from the snare of the fowler. A fowler is a hunter. Satan is the hunter of souls. We can release ourselves and others through prayer.

The main tactic of the enemy is deception. He is a liar and the father of lies. The Word of God exposes the tactics of the enemy. God is light, and His Word is light. The light exposes the enemy and tears away the darkness.

Multitudes of people are deceived by the enemy. There are hosts of lying and deceiving spirits that work under the authority of Satan. These spirits include delusion, deception, lying, seducing, blinding, error and guile. Our prayers can strip the power of these deceiving spirits and cause the eyes of people to be opened.

David prayed against the enemy conspiracies of the wicked. The psalms are filled with references to the plans of David's enemies to overthrow him. His prayers were the key in destroying these plans and bringing him deliverance. David prayed for his enemies to be scattered, confused, exposed and destroyed.

David’s struggles were with natural enemies. But behind these natural enemies were spiritual ones that were opposed to the Davidic kingdom. Jesus was to come from this line and sit upon this throne. David was fighting something beyond the natural. Through the Holy Spirit, he was contending with the powers of darkness that were set against the arrival of the kingdom of God.

These powers were also manifested through Herod, who attempted to kill the coming Messiah. Herod was driven by spirits of fear and murder. He was used by Satan to attempt to abort the coming kingdom. However, the Holy Spirit had already been loosed through the prayers of David, and David’s throne was secure.

Many of these warfare prayers are taken from the psalms of David. Jesus is the Son of David. He sits on the throne of David. David’s prophetic prayers were weapons against the enemy’s attempt to stop the promised seed. David’s victories in prayer opened the way for his throne to continue. The throne of wickedness was unable to overcome the throne of righteousness.

God taught David. He became the warrior king. His victories caused his kingdom to be established. His victory over the house of Saul came after a long war (2 Sam. 3:1).
Don’t become discouraged in prayer. Continue to pray. You will become stronger, and the enemy will become weaker.

David consumed his enemies (Ps. 18:37-40). He did not turn until they were destroyed. We must see our spiritual enemies completely destroyed. We must pursue the enemy. To "pursue" means to follow in order to overtake or capture. It means to chase with hostile intent. We cannot be passive when it comes to warfare.

David’s victories prepared the way for Solomon. Solomon enjoyed peace and prosperity. Solomon’s name means “peace.”

Peace is the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom means “peace, prosperity, favor, health and well-being.” Your victories over the enemy will release shalom. You will experience greater levels of peace and prosperity.


John Eckhardt is overseer of Crusaders Ministries in Chicago. Gifted with a strong apostolic call, he has ministered across the U.S. and in more than 80 other countries. He produces a weekly TV program, Perfecting the Saints, and is the author of more than 20 books, including Ordinary People, Extraordinary Power and the popular Prayers That ... series (Prayers That Rout Demons, Prayers That Break Curses, Prayers That Bring Healing, Prayers That Release Heaven). For more, visit his ministry at www.impactnetwork.net. This article was excerpted from his book Prayers That Rout Demons.