The Enemy's Playbook

Ever feel like you've just poked a hornets' nest? That undeniable buzz, the sudden swarm, the stinging realization that you really should have seen it coming? That's been my experience since I started writing "The Unfallen" series. When you dare to expose the enemy's tactics, when you begin to give away his playbook, rest assured – he'll come after you.

 

But this time, I was prepared. When I was younger, I'd get involved in a ministry and assume that God would see it through, that he'd make doors open, that everything would get easy because the Spirit was involved. What I didn't expect was that the enemy would be there too, throwing every wrench into the works he could find.

 

In fact, I kind of poo-poo'd the enemy. I didn't really take spiritual warfare all that seriously.

 

I've learned my lessons over the course of a few decades of dealing with the devil. A lot of what I'm writing about in The Unfallen is insider information.

 

I know a lot of his most effective plays. Most of the unique temptations we see befall Landon and Sarah are from my life... the ways I've been attacked (and am still attacked) on the regular.

 

Of course, I don't actually have a physical copy of the devil's playbook. No NFL team has their opponent's actual playbook either. Instead, they meticulously "reverse-engineer" them by watching hours of game film.

 

But here's the trick. The best coaches hold back their most effective plays, keeping them "off tape," saving them for the biggest moments. Why? Because once a play is revealed, it's known, it's countered.

 

Spiritual warfare is uncannily similar. The enemy has a big playbook. If the first few "simple" plays work on you, he won't show you the rest. Some of us only have a few tools. We shoot up a few prayers, we rush through Bible reading like checking a box, and that's that. But there's a lot more in our playbook as believers than that, if we're willing to look at some of the pages that have been handed down to us by those who've prevailed over the enemy in the past.

 

The Familiar Trap and the Shifting Strategy

 

Think about it: the more we give in, the less effort the enemy has to expend. He can stick to the same old temptations, the familiar "runs out of the backfield." Why unveil a new, more complex "play" if the old ones keep working? Why put his more advanced plays on "film" if the simpler ones are working, and he's scoring a TD every time?

 

If you stop that play he's been using against you, learn to resist it, to "stuff" the run up the middle, he'll turn the page. He'll dig up more creative plays.

 

He'll try something new, something unexpected. We need to adapt, be ready for that long-bomb he hasn't put on film before. But don't over-compensate. Just when you’re fully focused on countering this "new" threat, he’ll often pivot right back to the old.

 

It’s precisely what happens in football. Your defense shuts down the run? The offense starts throwing deep passes, challenging your secondary. You adjust your defense to cover those long bombs, leaving fewer players up front to stop the run. And that’s when the offense goes right back to the run, catching you off balance.

 

This dynamic, this strategic ebb and flow, isn't just for the gridiron. It's how the devil operates. Trust me, I've seen it a hundred times. The harder you fight, the greater a "threat" you become, and the more creative and insistent his approach will be.

 

I've faced my share of defeats in this fight, but I'm absolutely determined: he will not win the war. That means learning from past mistakes, building resilience, and yes, becoming more creative in my own spiritual defense.

 

I tell you that so that you don't "roll over" when the enemy scores, and you're down 14-0. You're not dead, which means, there's plenty of time to come back and win.

 

But we need the best plays. We might have a play that gains one yard each time, but if we keep getting to fourth down and end up punting, we never make a lot of progress.

 

Put another way, our "practical" tactics will only take us so far. You can "remove" one form of the temptation, and you should, but the sinful nature (especially when stoked by the enemy) is incredibly creative in finding new opportunities for sin.

 

I think most people who've struggled with a sin in the past knows that the sinful urge will always find a way if all we're doing is relying on our human strategies. There's a lot of good practical advice for avoiding temptation. You can "physically remove" the source, you can add exercise to your routine, or distract yourself with a hobby.

 

Those things are helpful, but limited. All good ideas, depending on the kind of sin you're dealing with, but it won't stop the enemy. Strategies like that might help you stop a play here, or there, from the opponent... it might help you gain a yard here or there, but it won't win the game.

 

St. Augustine said it like this: "For the devil cannot conquer or subdue any but those who are in league with sin; and therefore he is conquered in the name of Him who assumed humanity, and that without sin, that Himself being both Priest and Sacrifice, He might bring about the remission of sins." This powerful truth liberates us: our vulnerability lies not in his power, but in our consent to sin.

 

Our ultimate victory is found in Christ alone.

 

A Mark of Progress: When Opposition Intensifies

 

Have you ever noticed that those who walk closest to Christ seem to face the fiercest storms? Throughout Church history, those who most effectively exposed the works of darkness—the prophets, the saints—often endured the most intense opposition. Think of Jeremiah, faithfully proclaiming God's truth, lamenting, "I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me" (Jeremiah 20:7). His unwavering commitment made him a target.

 

This dynamic offers a profound, even paradoxical, encouragement: opposition often confirms your effectiveness. 

 

If your witness, your spiritual growth, or your efforts for the Kingdom provoke little resistance, it might be time to ask if you’re truly engaging the enemy's territory. Conversely, when the opposition intensifies, when the attacks seem to multiply, it often signals that your spiritual advances are posing a genuine threat to the kingdom of darkness.

 

It's as Martin Luther aptly observed, "Where God builds a church, the devil builds a chapel right next door." 

 

St. Teresa of Avila wrote, "We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials." This isn't a sign of divine abandonment, but often a testament to a deepening union with God. St. Leo the Great echoes this wisdom: "Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife." Embrace the resistance; it often means you're doing something right.

 

Deciphering the "Designs": Unmasking Temptation's Patterns

 

The Apostle Paul urged us to not be "ignorant of [Satan's] designs" (2 Corinthians 2:11). That word "designs" — noēmata (νοήματα) in the Greek — isn't about random attacks, but calculated schemes, mental perceptions. Scripture calls us to cultivate a spiritual discernment that recognizes these recurring patterns of deception and temptation.

 

Look at the original temptation in Eden (Genesis 3:6). The progression is familiar to most of us by experience: "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate."  

 

Visual attraction, escalating desire, culminating in action.  

 

This pattern repeats throughout Scripture and human experience. You can't stop the birds from flying over your head, as Luther said, "but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair." The initial suggestion may be unavoidable, but our response? That remains squarely within our control.

 

James provides a vivid, almost clinical, description of this progression: "Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:14-15). The verbs "lured" and "enticed" (exelkomai and deleazomai) are drawn from fishing and hunting terminology – imagine the perfectly chosen bait, matched to the target’s known appetite.

 

The Hebrew word for the serpent's cunning (arum, עָרוּם, "crafty") in Genesis 3 even plays on the word for Adam and Eve's nakedness (arummim, עֲרוּמִּים). This linguistic connection hints at how the enemy exploits our particular vulnerabilities with precisely targeted approaches.

 

Our Evolving Battle: Responding to Sophisticated Tactics

 

This understanding should lead us to honest self-examination: What are the recurring temptations that have consistently proven effective against you? Where have you established patterns of surrender that allow the enemy to operate with minimal effort?

 

As we grow in resistance to those familiar temptations, our adversary is forced to adapt, deploying more sophisticated approaches. Even Jesus experienced this. After His wilderness temptations, Luke records that the devil departed "until an opportune time" (Luke 4:13). That "opportune time" (kairou in Greek) implies strategic timing – a temporary retreat to develop new approaches. Paul warns us about "the schemes of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11), using methodeias (μεθοδείας), the root of our word "methodology." This isn't random chaos; it's a systematic, calculated approach that evolves in response to our spiritual growth. 

 

This adaptive opposition explains why spiritual growth often feels less like a plateau of ease and more like facing increasingly complex challenges. As elementary temptations lose their power, subtler deceptions emerge.

 

Perhaps pride replaces lust, or religious self-righteousness supplants worldliness, or doctrinal distortion replaces outright unbelief. Yet, this progression offers profound encouragement: intensified opposition often signals spiritual advancement. When previously effective temptations lose their grip, it's undeniable proof of genuine sanctification. The enemy's need to employ more sophisticated tactics is a powerful confirmation of your progress in spiritual maturity.

 

St. Ignatius of Loyola, whose Spiritual Exercises offer wisdom on discernment, taught us to recognize the different "movements" in the soul. He distinguished between "consolation" (a movement towards God, increasing faith, hope, and charity) and "desolation" (darkness, turmoil, spiritual dryness).

 

It's really common sense, but sometimes we have to say it outload to realize it. Which direction are you moving in? Are you drawing closer to God, doing things that nourish faith, hope and love? Or are you doing things that lead you into desolate places?

 

Because while we need to keep an eye on the enemy's movements, we also need to be fully aware, and honest about our spiritual condition. Understanding these movements is fundamental to responding effectively to the enemy's shifting, methodical tactics.

 

The Power of Fundamentals and the Wisdom of the Communion of Saints

 

Sometimes, when a football team struggles, the coach doesn't introduce complicated new plays. Instead, he says, "Let's get back to the fundamentals." Focus on the basics: tackling, blocking, the "little things" that advanced players can sometimes lose sight of. Spiritually, we often seek dramatic experiences, while neglecting the foundational disciplines that sustain our faith.

 

Our growth often stalls not from a lack of advanced theological knowledge, but from neglecting the basic practices: prayer, Scripture reading, fellowship, confessing our sins, and humble service. Jesus Himself affirmed that all the Law and Prophets hang on two simple commandments: loving God and loving neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). These fundamentals, consistently practiced, are the bedrock of all other spiritual growth.

 

The Psalms celebrate this devotion to fundamentals: "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11). The Hebrew tsaphan (צָפַן), "stored up," evokes treasuring something precious, hiding it away—a deliberate, consistent practice, not sporadic spiritual heroics. As Paul advised Timothy, spiritual leadership requires "practicing these things" (1 Timothy 4:15). The Greek meleta (μελέτα) isn't just intellectual understanding; it's diligent, repeated practice. This focus on faithfulness in "very little" things resonates with Jesus' teaching: "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much" (Luke 16:10). Spiritual maturity truly begins with faithfulness in seemingly minor matters.

 

St. Alphonsus Liguori beautifully encapsulated the power of simple, fundamental prayer: "What does it cost us to say, 'My God help me! Have mercy on me!' Is there anything easier than this? And this little will suffice to save us if we be diligent in doing it."  

 

Finally, sometimes "thinking outside the box" means drawing insights from other "teams" – from the vast, rich tapestry of our shared faith. This values learning from the broader community of faith across traditions and centuries. The author of Hebrews, in chapter 11, presents a diverse "hall of faith" – a catalog of predecessors whose examples should inspire us.

 

The chapter concludes: "And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect" (Hebrews 11:39-40). The Greek teleiōthῶsin (τελειωθῶσιν), "made perfect," suggests completion and maturity, indicating that our spiritual journey builds upon the work begun in previous generations and different traditions. We learn from their victories and their struggles, integrating their hard-won wisdom into our own battles.

 

This openness to learning from others requires discernment, as Paul advises: "Test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Greek katechete (κατέχετε), "hold fast," means firmly grasping what proves beneficial after careful examination. We neither dismiss wisdom from other traditions nor accept it uncritically.

 

At the same time, the devil is the father of schism. Sometimes our closed-mindedness prevents us from embracing the fullness of the faith. For instance, "confession" might not be a part of your denominational background, but in some churches, "going to confession," far from being a "burden" is healing, and a great weapon against the adversary. When we confess we take what lurks in the darkness and bring it out into the light. Even if your church doesn't offer "formal" confession, I don't know of many Christians who don't understand the value of accountability. James 5:16 commands Christians to "confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed."  

 

Conversely, your tradition might not prioritize Bible study, or studying the scriptures daily and regularly, with the same emphasis in other churches. Perhaps you can embrace more Scripture in your daily life if it's not a part of your daily life already.

 

Bottom line. The battle is real. The fact that I've been attacked, in ways you couldn't imagine (that are clearly of inhuman origin) isn't a shock to me anymore. I'm not going to tell you those stories, because sensationalizing the enemy is a part of his tactic. He likes to "psych" us out that way, to stoke fear with a lot of show. I know, I know. A lot of people think that's all mumbo-jumbo, they don't believe in the reality of evil forces, devils, and demons.

 

Well, you can doubt it all you want. I know what I know. I've seen what I've seen. Bottom line is: you've got to be "in the game" before you're opposed. And if you're in the game, you should expect resistance. The more you fight back, the more intense the opposition.

 

Don't let that discourage you.

The question is, are you prepared? Have you practiced the principles necessary to stand against the adversary? How many hours do you spend each day in prayer and Scriptural meditation? Are you keeping all your sins and struggles hidden, or do you confess your sins and allow your fellow believers to hold you accountable.

 

I know the above sounds crazy to some of you. Hours? I would have thought that way in the past, too. But these days it's easier than ever. I can listen to the Bible, a good book, or even to guided prayer. My wife and I each have ear-buds and listen to the Scriptures and other Godly books while we're doing chores, or working in the garden. While I'm writing I listen to sacred music, or worship music. To pray continually means keeping that channel open, to be in touch with God all the time. It doesn't mean kneeling at your bedside for hours on end. It means infusing more of the Word of God, more prayer, into the rhythm of daily life. It's totally possible.

 

God Bless,

Judah

 

P.S. Please send up a prayer for me as I continue to fight the good fight! I'm not going into details, but with my books exposing a lot of the devil's plays, the battle is real.