by Eddie Smith
Q: When you feel attacked by the enemy, do you rebuke him or ask the Father to do it?
A: How to respond to an enemy attack can be a complicated matter because there are times when the enemy has God’s permission to do what he’s doing.
1. Job’s experience. Satan got God’s permission.
2. Peter’s experience. Jesus prayed that Peter would be strengthened by Satan’s “sifting.” He didn’t pray that Peter would not be sifted.
The steps I recommend are:
1. First, ask God to intervene on your behalf and stop the enemy’s attack. In other words, “tattle.” 
2. Second, ask God to use whatever the enemy means for evil, to accomplish a good result. Whatever the enemy throws at you will ultimately hurt him more than it hurts you.
3. Third, be open to any directive the Lord gives you to address the enemy. Say only what the Father is saying in the matter (John 5:19).
Finally, sometimes the enemy’s strategy is simply to distract you from focusing on the Father. In this case, the best step to take is to pay no attention at all to the enemy, but to rise up in joyful celebration and worship Jesus. This usually puts a quick end to the enemy’s attack.