This is what it seems butb it all depends on our perspective.

There is a trend within the church to believe that God and the devil are on equal footing, or so it seems by the way some Christains talk. They think that Satan sometimes has the upper hand and that we need God’s intervention to get him off our back.

What has the Bible to say about s
this situation?

Three stories come to mind, Job, Paul and the Gadarene demoniac.

The prologue to the story of Job’s suffering clears up the issue of who is in charge. Satan is fully and always under Almighty God’s authority.

Told in poetic language, Job’s story was one of severe suffering but only because God permitted the devil to test his integrity. Satan accused Job of being mercenary. “He only trusts you because you are good to him. Take away the blessings and he will turn on you,” he taunted.

We know the outcome. Despite Job’s questions and the cruel accusations of his so-called comforters, Job affirmed his trust in God even to death.

Job 13:15 NIV
[15]” Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him”…

God did not fault Job for being unrighteous. He lifted the issue much higher. “Where were you…?” Was Job ever on a par with God to question His ways? All Job’s questions and arguments were obliterated at the blast of God’s revelation of
power and glory. “No more questions, Job! I am not obligateded to you.”

God’s sovereignty over all creation including the spirit beings who serve Him is beyond question.

Hebrews 1:14 NLT
[14] “Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.”

So, where does the devil fit into the picture? Does he attack and harass God’s children? Yes and no.

Yes, he does, according to Job’s story but only by permission. No, he is not permitted to harass and attack randomly. God uses him for His own purposes.

Paul’s story illustrates at least one purpose for his attacks.

2 Corinthians 12:6-7NLT
[6] “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, [7] even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.”

Paul was seriously tempted to be proud of the supernatural revelations he received that could have easily elevated him above fellow believers and even above his fellow apostles. He was constantly harassed by those who wanted to get rid of him as well as by the dangers and challenges of his mission. He identified the source of these hardships as Satan himself. Was he right or wrong?

God did not correct him.

Strange that Paul calls his trials a “messenger from Satan” and a “thorn in the flesh”. Did he recognise, on hindsight, what was happening to him?

Yes, it was, true that those who mistreated Paul did so at Satan’s instigation, but why did God allow this to happen? Was Paul harking back to God’s warning to the Israelites after they had conquered and taken possession of the Promised Land?

Judges 2:1-3 NLT
[1] “The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. [2] For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this? [3] So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”

Paul understood that ungodly idolaters are those who elevate themselves above God, reject the truth about Him, refuse to worship Him, and set up their own gods in His place. They, in fact, take God’s place as God.

Proud people do the same in their attitude. They elevate themselves above God and become God by the way they live.

To God, this is so serious a situation that He permitted the devil to use his methods to keep His servant humble. Paul was surrounded by idolaters who hated God enough to pour their hatred out on him. No matter how much he prayed for deliverance from them, God said an emphatic, “No!”

God regarded Paul’s weakness and constant dependence on His grace of greater value than deliverance from his hardships. So, He allowed the attacks to keep coming because, as Paul realised, in this way, he would always be thrown on God for the strength to endure.

So, Paul could say,

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT
[9] “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. [10] That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The third issue is that of so-called “demon-possession”. There are many examples in the New Testament of Jesus delivering people from indwelling evil spirits. How can demonisation happen?

It seems to me that demons take occupation and control in a person who so persists in his or her sinful beviour that demons make their home in that person’s spirit. This is so serious that the demonised person can no longer make choices and decisions but is under the influence and control so completely that the demon acts through him or her.

This was the case of the Gadarene man that Jesus delivered from demons. This man gave his name as “Legion” because of the many demonic spirits in him. The story illustrates the motive of demons… to alienate and destroy.

The man was so violent that he was driven out of his community. He was continually mutilating himself. He was out of control. He was destined for a horrible death and a worse eternal destiny.

The story also illustrates Jesus’ absolute authority over demonic spirits and His power to restore the man to sanity and normality.

Mark 5:15 NLT
[15] “A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.”

What do these records in Scripture teach us?

1. God and Satan are not fighting on equal terms. God is sovereign in each and every situation in every human life. He orchestrates situations for His own purposes. He determines the boundaries in which Satan can act.

Job 1:8, 10-12 NLT
[8]” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”
[10]” You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! [11] But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” [12] “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.”

1. God knows and uses the devil’s work and his tactics for the good of His people.

Romans 8:28 NLT
[28]”And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

1. God will use whatever it takes to keep His children humble and dependent on Him.

Paul’s thorn in the flesh is an example.

1. Persistent sin is dangerous because it gives the devil a foothold in our lives. Only God’s power can break his hold on us when we repent and turn from evil. James 4:7-8 NLT
   [7] “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”
2. God uses Satan’s work to destroy the hold fleshly desires have on believers. He turns suffering into salvation.

1 Peter 4:1 NIV
[1]”Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.”

Suffering can turn us away from sinful behaviour if we allow it to do its work.

Psalms 32:3-4 NLT
[3] “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. [4] Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.”

Paul instructed the Corinthians believers to hand an unrepentant member over to Satan.

1 Corinthians 5:1-5 NLT
[1]”I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. [2] You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship. [3] Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man [4] in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus. [5] Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.”

How important for us, then, to acknowledge God in all our hardships. He is at work, refining, purifying, and preparing us for our role in His eternal kingdom. We must never give credit to the devil what God is doing.

God is sovereign in every circumstance in our lives. Let us worship Him with gratitude that He has not abandoned us to our sin, that He is merciful and patient, and that He will finish what He started, recreating us in the image of His Son.