3856—The Power of Satan
By Editor
Is there any Biblical reference made which will explain to what extent Satan has the power of life and death over us? In short, has he the power, under any conditions, of cutting human life off at his will? The following references may help (doubtless there are others): Job chapters 1 and 2. In this record we have Satan tempting God to afflict Job, declaring that the only reason why Job served God was for a selfish purpose, that the Lord had blessed him and surrounded him with all that he had, and had built a hedge around him; consequently Job had no reason to do other than to serve the Lord. In response to this, the Lord permitted Satan to try Job, but on the express condition that he should not take his life. We would gather, from these chapters, that all the power that Satan exercises over the saints of God is simply permissible—God permits it—but always with the limitation expressed in 1 Cor. 10:13: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape ["the way to escape," literally], that ye may be able to bear it." From 1 Peter 5:8 we learn that Satan goes about seeking those whom he may devour. He destroys and devours through deception, for he works with all power and signs and lying wonders. 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; Rev. 12:9. But his power is limited, for the next verse declares that Christ had one salvation for all His children. The only way in which Satan obtains power over humanity is for humanity themselves to yield to that power. Satan may move other men to slay, and God's children may be slain because of it; but we may know in this—because God has given us individual instances to show us—that God has all the care, and helps in every way He can those who are slain. But preeminently of the children of God there is no power that can take them out of the Father's hand. John 10:28 and Heb. 2:14, 15 are assurances, to all the children of God, that Christ the Lord will keep all those who trust in Him, and that He will preserve every one who does not yield himself to the power of the devil. There was a pamphlet published a few years ago, which may be obtained at some of our branch offices or tract depositories, entitled "Ministration of Angels," but now out of print, which will offer some good suggestions. We have not space in this department to answer the questions fully.