In the course of writing this series, I lost outline files and drafts to spontaneous rebooting, which wasn't happening before I conceived this project. Verses and thoughts carefully organized, gone in a flash. Interesting emails or phone calls would come in as I was writing, or sometimes I would just mentally block up. Once I realized what was happening, I started taking measures like saving my work frequently, updating hardware drivers, resisting temptation to abandon my focus, and praying for wisdom to break through. God's word cannot be stopped. I have used the truths below and others on many occasions throughout the course of my salvation(and fallen short of them many times too!). Knowing what we know now about the enemy's machinations, what is important for us to remember about countering them? How do we most effectively neutralize his impact on our lives and character?

First, understand we are not meant to confront him head-on 
Luke 10:19, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."  
 Note carefully the highlighted portion. It says the disciples were given authority to overcome the power of the enemy...not the enemy himself! As we explored in the last segment, that will happen at the end of the age when he is bound for 1000 years and ultimately cast into the lake of fire. 
1 Thessalonians 2:18, "For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul, did, again and again – but Satan stopped us.  
 Perhaps it's surprising that the New Testament's most prolific author, most powerful apostle, performer of countless miracles, is stopped by Satan. We're tempted to think that this great man of faith would throw him around like a rag doll...not so! We're not told as to the exact nature of the demonic delays, but it should be a wake-up call to those who think they're instantly spiritual G.I. Joes because they're born again and indwelt by the Spirit of God. And no, he's not crying like a little girl under his pillow just because Johnny went and got himself a "second baptism". A person could have 10 baptisms and still end up in the same pickle as the next Swaggart or Bakker! "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism" is more than enough to have a strong, fruitful walk and ministry...IF we are diligent in purity, faithfulness, and obedience to Christ...which is explored in greater detail in the points below.
Jude 9, "But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!'"  
  How many earnest prayers do we hear that include the phrase, "Satan I rebuke you in the name of Jesus..." Boy we feel really tough when we pray that don't we? However; Michael, the warrior angel, God's strongest supernatural agent...even HE did not assume such hubris, although he probably could have. We are today as Jesus was in his time on the earth...a little lower than the angels(Heb. 2:9). Yet, in spite of this, many false prophets tout themselves as the next great healer/miracle worker to be feared and admired while uttering their unique brand of what is, at best, ignorance; at worst, dangerous antichrist teachings:

1 Tim. 6:3-5 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

  We are giving the devil a foothold every time we inflame or exacerbate "an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels". This is just one of countless subtleties he has at his disposal to beat us if the "firewalls" of our hearts and minds are not configured properly!

The best offense is a good defense 
James 4:7, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Ephesians 6:16, "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."
  When Jesus is being tempted in the desert in Matthew 4, he consistently uses the "shield of faith" to ward off the darts of twisted truth. His defense needs to be ours: "It is written!" Do you know your Bible well enough to effectively wield off attack? Accurate knowledge of God's word and truth increases our faith, which in turn leads to greater obedience. This magnifies the Holy Spirit in our lives, whom Satan then sees in us and subsequently flees from. It has nothing to do with any "hocus-pocus prayers" that come out of our mouths! This in part is what Jesus meant when he commanded us to worship "in spirit and in truth".
 
Obedience counteracts his slandering, assures spiritual victory
Ephesians 2:2,  "...in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." 
 Pretty easy equation here: increased obedience = decreased satanic oppression. A house that is consistently kept clean, swept, and secure cannot be invaded by outside forces. This includes, but is not limited to: Keeping a tight rein on our tongues (James 3:3-12), crucifying the flesh (Col. 3:5), and avoiding conceit and vengefulness (Romans 12:16-18). Those three things alone, if faithfully employed, will go a long way toward making us impenetrable to the evil one. But of course there are many more, such as: 
2 Corinthians 2:10-11,  "If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes."
Romans 14:17-19,  "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."
Romans 16:19,  "Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil."
 
  Billy Graham offers a great illustration for this benefit of repentance in his excellent book, The Holy Spirit:

Where I live in North Carolina we rarely have extremely cold weather, but once in a while I have seen the temperature go below zero. Even though the pipes are buried quite deep coming from the spring into our house in a natural flow, I have seen them completely frozen. On once occasion we had to dig up the hard frozen ground and use blowtorches to melt the ice in our pipes--our spiritual lives have been "frozen" by a hostile world. There is only one solution, and that is repentance to clear the blockage and restore the flow of the Holy Spirit. (The Holy Spirit, p. 110-111)

Repentance is a by-product of obedience. When we love God and keep his commandments, it illuminates the sin in our lives and leads us to confession and repentance. Doing this sweeps the house clean and, in concert with that, minimizes or even prevents a demonic foothold.
 
And last but not least...be fleet of foot
        FLEE sexual immorality (I Cor. 6:18)
        FLEE idolatry (I Cor. 10:12-14)
        FLEE the love of money and false teaching (I Tim. 6:3-11)
        PURSUE a Godly life (I Tim 6:11)
        RUN with perseverance (Heb. 12:1-2)
        RUN for cover (Prov. 18:10)
        RUN to the finish line (I Cor. 9:24, Phil. 3:14)

  The point here is not to ignore the devil...far from it. But we unintentionally elevate him in the course of what we imagine to be spiritual combat. This has led to the fall of many servants of God, whether it be by succumbing to scriptural and doctrinal error, or worse, falling into sin and scandal and destroying their ministry and testimony in the eyes of the world. Ultimately, this affects the testimony of the entire church and the faith upon which it rests. Let us take to heart John's advice: "He must increase, and I must decrease." (John 3:20). When we decrease, so does sin. When God increases, so does righteousness...the ultimate armor against the ultimate foe.