Dark forces, according to sources, affect a person through cunning deception and seduction.

The Battle for the Soul: Overcoming Deception

Dark forces, according to sources, affect a person through cunning deception and seduction. They do not use direct violence but disguise themselves as something attractive and harmless. For example, as noted in one text, Satan uses his ability to transform into an “angel of light” and manipulates by presenting temptation in the guise of worldly benefits and carnal desires. This is done to replace God’s plan for life with a counterfeit and distract the individual from the true spiritual path. Consequently, by focusing on apparent evils—such as "hexes," "evil eyes," and other similar phenomena—a person drifts further from God, making them even more vulnerable to the influence of dark forces.

On the other hand, the strategies to counteract their influence are based on active offense rather than passive waiting. The material emphasizes that a person must know Satan’s “strategy” — all his tricks and methods of operation — to be prepared to recognize deception when it appears. It is concurrently stated that true resistance lies in drawing closer to God through a deep understanding of His power and sharing that knowledge with others. Thus, active spiritual armament—constant forward movement, empowered by faith and works—becomes the best defense against the influence of dark forces. In other words, drawing near to the Lord and sincerely spreading the truth gives a person strength that “pierces Satan like a knife,” reducing his ability to affect our lives.

Supporting citation(s):

“This, however, does not mean that you should do nothing; you are called to, firstly, understand—truly understand—that Satan has already been defeated. The death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ determined the fate and ultimate defeat of Satan. This fact is a reality for those who believe in Christ. Secondly, you must know ‘Satan’s strategy.’ Know all his techniques and, first and foremost, his ways of operation. And this includes his ability to transform into an angel of light. Satan’s modus operandi (Latin for ‘manner of operation’), besides direct lies, involves the subtler art of deception. He attempts to seduce with worldly benefits and carnal temptations. Satan’s desire is to replace God’s plan for life with HIS counterfeit, just as he already tried to do in the Garden of Eden. Thirdly, aside from good defense—which lies in knowing the power of Christ in our lives and Satan’s strategy—we must always be on the offensive, whatever we do.” (source: link txt)

“Furthermore, the issue here is ascetic.

To what is our sight fixed, that we experience more keenly: the power of our enemy or the strength of our Lord?

Faith in ‘hexes’ and the fear of them is precisely the turning of our gaze toward the presumed evil. But if God is not in our field of vision, then we find ourselves in a state of falling away from God. And that means, the more defenseless we are against the forces of the fallen world, the more a person dwells on ‘hexes’ and ‘evil eyes,’ and the more he fears them—the further he indeed is from God…” (source: link txt)

“If evil is an actual malevolent force that, with its fury, destroys our existence, then in opposition to that force of evil, the power of good must be set, so that the latter will neutralize, push back, and ultimately overcome it.” (source: link txt)

Thus, the influence of dark forces occurs through deception, camouflage, and seduction, while an effective strategy to oppose them is an active spiritual offense: a true awareness of the nature of God, an understanding of the enemy’s deceptive methods, and the relentless spreading of truth, which strengthens personal faith and makes the soul less vulnerable to dark influences.