Does God Still Allow Satan to Test Born Again Christians
It is very important to sympathise who our adversary the Devil is, and what he is able to do. We must be careful non to attribute to him abilities and honors that belong to God and Him alone. The Bible says the following about the limitations of the Devil.
1. Non Opposite Of God
Though he would similar people to think and so, he is not the opposite of God. God is all-powerful, everywhere present, and all-knowing. Satan is none of these. He does not have unlimited power, he cannot be everywhere at once, and he does non know everything. He is a created, limited being. He depends upon God for his existence.
2. Approaches As A Subordinate
When Satan approached God, he did not come as an equal, but rather every bit a subordinate.
At present there was a day when the sons of God came to nowadays themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them (Job 1:vi).
3. Cannot Tempt Without God's Permission
Satan was unable to tempt Jesus without the permission of the Holy Spirit.
So Jesus was led upwards by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil (Matthew iv:1).
He also could not tempt Chore without God'southward permission.
And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a mitt on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD (Job 1:12).
4. Cannot Influence Nature Without God's Permission
When it came to influencing nature, Satan was not able to do it without God's permission.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; merely upon himself put non forth your hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. . . . While he [a servant] was nevertheless speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I merely am escaped alone to tell you. and, behold, there came a peachy wind from the wilderness, and struck the 4 corners of the business firm, and it vicious upon the young men, and they are expressionless; and I just am escaped alone to tell you (Job 1:12,16,19).
5. Cannot Physically Harm Without God's Permission When Satan wanted to physically harm Job, he had to first ask God's permission.
The LORD said to Satan, "Where have y'all come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the globe, and from walking upward and downwardly on it." The LORD said to Satan, "Have y'all considered my servant Job? In that location is no 1 similar him on the earth, a clean-living and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He nevertheless persists in his integrity, although you incited me confronting him, to destroy him for no reason." And so Satan answered the LORD, "Pare for skin! All that people accept they volition give to salve their lives. Only stretch out your mitt now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, he is in your power" (Chore 2:2-6).
6. Kill Without God'south Permission
Satan cannot accept a human life without first getting God'due south permission.
The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life" (Job 2:6).
The Bible does say that Satan has the ability of death.
Since the children accept flesh and claret, He likewise shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the Devil (Hebrews ii:xiv).
However this does not mean that he has the ultimate potency to cause people to die, only God has that authority.
7. Cannot Bear on At All Without God's Permission
Satan cannot even touch a believer without the permission of God. Satan complained to the Lord near this.
Have you lot not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blest the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land (Task 1:ten).
God has placed a fence effectually each believer protecting them from the Devil.
Nosotros know that those who are built-in of God do not sin, only the ane who was born of God protects them, and the evil one does non touch them (1 John 5:18).
8. Cannot Mention Believer'due south Proper name Without Permission
We as well discover that Satan cannot even mention the proper noun of Job until God allows him to do so.
And the Lord said unto Satan, take yous considered My servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright human, one that fears God, and turns away from evil. He still holds fast his integrity, although y'all moved Me confronting him, to destroy him without cause (Job ii:3).
9. Cannot Force Believers To Exercise Anything
In addition, Satan has no power unless it be granted him by God. Those who have trusted in Jesus Christ have been freed from the authority of the Devil. God said.
to open their eyes, in social club to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified past faith in Me (Acts 26:xviii).
Satan, therefore has no authority over the believer.
10. Cannot Read Our Thoughts
Because he is a created being, Satan cannot read our thoughts. He is not all-knowing like the LORD. It is God alone that knows everything - including our thoughts.
Take you not known? Take you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable (Isaiah 40:28).then hear in heaven Your domicile place, forgive, act, and render to all whose hearts You know - co-ordinate to all their ways, for just Y'all know what is in every human heart - (1 Kings 8:39)
The LORD knows our thoughts (Psalm 94:11).
Jesus, who is the LORD, also knew people'due south thoughts.
Just Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do yous think evil in your hearts? (Matthew 9:four)
The lack of being able to know our thoughts is some other limitation in the graphic symbol of Satan.
xi. Does Non Know The Hereafter
Only God knows what is going to occur in the hereafter.
Call up the quondam things of former, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the start, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasance' (Isaiah 46:9,10).
Neither Satan, angels, or demons know what will happen next.
12. Does Not Know What We Dreamed
Only someone speaking through the power of God can know what people dream.
Daniel answered the male monarch, "No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is request, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has disclosed to Rex Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at the end of days. Your dream and the visions of your caput as you lay in bed were these" (Daniel 2:27,28).
Satan has no such power.
13. He Is A Coward
In spite of all his bluster and rage, he is a coward. The Bible says:
Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the Devil, and he volition flee from yous (James 4:vii).
14. Believers Are Victorious
Scripture says that believers are ultimately victorious.
Merely thanks be unto God, who always leads u.s. in triumph in Christ, and makes manifest through u.s.a. the savor of His knowledge in every place (2 Corinthians two:14).
Summary
Without God's permission, Satan is non able to do anything. He cannot create or search the human center. Therefore the conflict betwixt God and Satan is not really a struggle between two great equal and opposing powers with the outcome nevertheless in doubt. All ability and authority belongs to God and Him alone.
Does God Still Allow Satan to Test Born Again Christians
Source: https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_90.cfm