Satan Under God’s Authority

Satan is definitely under God's sovereign control because in the Job passage what does Satan have to do to get to Job? He has to get permission. So he doesn't go anywhere unless God first gives him permission to do something.

Then, of course, you get into the evil question, why does God let this guy loose, why doesn't He tighten up the leash a little bit, and we don't know. We just trust Him that He's doing it.

We seem to know, and the neat thing is if you play chess, you know that chess guys are masters at letting you move first, and they've got it all planned six or eight plays down the road, how they're going to ace you and take your men out, and if you can think of a master chess player, that's how God seems to rule, He doesn't come in and knock all the pieces off the board, He says, “come get me,” and all of a sudden Satan advances he piece and plink, plink, plink.

That's explained in Corinthians where Paul says if the rulers of this world had known the deal about the cross they'd never have crucified Christ, because in Satan's thought that was his glorious moment, “now I've got Him,” and precisely that was the moment that Satan lost it.

So he's a genius, he's a stunning genius, and a stunning fool, and this is why he's furious, and why Peter says he is our enemy, running around like a roaring lion, because somehow we are identified as the cause of his downfall. We are identified with Christ that way, so he hates us very much.

“Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”  1 Corinthians 2:6-8

“… the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Ephesians 1:11