# Quotes about Satan being under God's sovereignty



## Pergamum

I need your quotes! (citations included) about the devil only being able to do what God decreed. I think Calvin called the Devil, "God's devil, and I need some of these quotes.


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## Poimen

How about Luther in "A Mighty Fortress"?



> though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear though God has willed, his truth to triumph through us; the prince of darkness grim we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure for lo! His doom is sure, one little word shall fell him


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## Semper Fidelis

Calvin, Book I


> 17. With regard to the strife and war which Satan is said to wage with
> God, it must be understood with this qualification, that Satan cannot
> possibly do anything against the will and consent of God. For we read
> in the history of Job, that Satan appears in the presence of God to
> receive his commands, and dares not proceed to execute any enterprise
> until he is authorised. In the same way, when Ahab was to be deceived,
> he undertook to be a lying spirit in the mouth of all the prophets; and
> on being commissioned by the Lord, proceeds to do so. For this reason,
> also, the spirit which tormented Saul is said to be an evil spirit from
> the Lord, because he was, as it were, the scourge by which the misdeeds
> of the wicked king were punished. In another place it is said that the
> plagues of Egypt were inflicted by God through the instrumentality of
> wicked angels. In conformity with these particular examples, Paul
> declares generally that unbelievers are blinded by God, though he had
> previously described it as the doing of Satan. [116] It is evident,
> therefore, that Satan is under the power of God, and is so ruled by his
> authority, that he must yield obedience to it. Moreover, though we say
> that Satan resists God, and does works at variance with His works, we
> at the same time maintain that this contrariety and opposition depend
> on the permission of God. I now speak not of Satan's will and
> endeavour, but only of the result. For the disposition of the devil
> being wicked, he has no inclination whatever to obey the divine will,
> but, on the contrary, is wholly bent on contumacy and rebellion. This
> much, therefore, he has of himself, and his own iniquity, that he
> eagerly, and of set purpose, opposes God, aiming at those things which
> he deems most contrary to the will of God. But as God holds him bound
> and fettered by the curb of his power, he executes those things only
> for which permission has been given him, and thus, however unwilling,
> obeys his Creator, being forced, whenever he is required, to do Him
> service.
> 
> 18. God thus turning the unclean spirits hither and thither at his
> pleasure, employs them in exercising believers by warring against them,
> assailing them with wiles, urging them with solicitations, pressing
> close upon them, disturbing, alarming, and occasionally wounding, but
> never conquering or oppressing them; whereas they hold the wicked in
> thraldom, exercise dominion over their minds and bodies, and employ
> them as bond-slaves in all kinds of iniquity. Because believers are
> disturbed by such enemies, they are addressed in such exhortations as
> these: "Neither give place to the devil;" "Your adversary the devil, as
> a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour; whom resist
> steadfast in the faith," (Eph. 4:27; 1 Pet. 5:8). Paul acknowledges
> that he was not exempt from this species of contest when he says, that
> for the purpose of subduing his pride, a messenger of Satan was sent to
> buffet him (2 Cor. 12:7). This trial, therefore, is common to all the
> children of God. But as the promise of bruising Satan's head (Gen.
> 3:15) applies alike to Christ and to all his members, I deny that
> believers can ever be oppressed or vanquished by him. They are often,
> indeed, thrown into alarm, but never so thoroughly as not to recover
> themselves. They fall by the violence of the blows, but they get up
> again; they are wounded, but not mortally. In fine, they labour on
> through the whole course of their lives, so as ultimately to gain the
> victory, though they meet with occasional defeats. We know how David,
> through the just anger of God, was left for a time to Satan, and by his
> instigation numbered the people (2 Sam. 24:1); nor without cause does
> Paul hold out a hope of pardon in case any should have become ensnared
> by the wiles of the devil (2 Tim. 2:26). Accordingly, he elsewhere
> shows that the promise above quoted commences in this life where the
> struggle is carried on, and that it is completed after the struggle is
> ended. His words are, "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your
> feet shortly," (Rom. 16:20). In our Head, indeed, this victory was
> always perfect, because the prince of the world "had nothing" in him
> (John 14:30); but in us, who are his members, it is now partially
> obtained, and will be perfected when we shall have put off our mortal
> flesh, through which we are liable to infirmity, and shall have been
> filled with the energy of the Holy Spirit. In this way, when the
> kingdom of Christ is raised up and established, that of Satan falls, as
> our Lord himself expresses it, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from
> heaven," (Luke 10:18). By these words, he confirmed the report which
> the apostles gave of the efficacy of their preaching. In like manner he
> says, "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in
> peace. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome
> him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth
> his spoils," (Luke 11:21, 22). And to this end, Christ, by dying,
> overcame Satan, who had the power of death (Heb. 2:14), and triumphed
> over all his hosts that they might not injure the Church, which
> otherwise would suffer from them every moment. For (such being our
> weakness, and such his raging fury), how could we withstand his
> manifold and unintermitted assaults for any period, however short, if
> we did not trust to the victory of our leader? God, therefore, does not
> allow Satan to have dominion over the souls of believers, but only
> gives over to his sway the impious and unbelieving, whom he deigns not
> to number among his flock. For the devil is said to have undisputed
> possession of this world until he is dispossessed by Christ. In like
> manner, he is said to blind all who do not believe the Gospel, and to
> do his own work in the children of disobedience. And justly; for all
> the wicked are vessels of wrath, and, accordingly, to whom should they
> be subjected but to the minister of the divine vengeance? In fine, they
> are said to be of their father the devil. [117] For as believers are
> recognised to be the sons of God by bearing his image, so the wicked
> are properly regarded as the children of Satan, from having degenerated
> into his image.


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## Presbyterian Deacon

Calvin:

"Satan...can do nothing without God's will and consent." Institutes I:xiv.17

"Satan is the minister of the wrath of God, and His 'executioner', he is armed against us not merely in appearance, but by the orders of the Judge." Rom. 35.


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## Presbyterian Deacon

Okay, so Rich beat me to the punch!


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## Prufrock

Turretin: For as the devil is no more than the servant of God, the keeper of the prison, who has no power over sinners unless by the just judgment of God...


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## Confessor

The story of Job explains this perfectly. Satan has to _ask_ permission from God.

*Job 1:9-12* -- _"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD._

*Job 2:4-6* -- _"Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."

The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." _

This may not seem that significant because there are no explicit passages about Satan being used by God for God's purposes, but it is extremely significant nonetheless. The fact that Satan must ask God to wreak havoc demonstrates that Satan can do only what God allows him to do, and since God is all-good, God would never allow Satan to do anything that God did not want him to do, as that would be completely illogical. Thus, an instance of Satan asking God to do anything and God giving him permission sufficiently demonstrates that Satan is ultimately God's slave in all matters of his existence.


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## Confessor

Also, I am reading through Book V of the Psalms, and I noticed this verse.

*Psalm 109:6* -- _Appoint an evil man to oppose him; let an accuser stand at his right hand._

And what's even more interesting is that "an evil man" according to a footnote can refer to "the Evil One" and "let an accuser" to "let Satan." Either way, we here have evidence of God purposely _appointing_ evil men to bring about His holy purposes, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over evil. Even if not directly referring to Satan, this verse refers to the same concept and therefore would also refer to God's control of Satan.


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## toddpedlar

Perg - If you're able to get a copy of it, you might find Frederick Leahy's "Satan Cast Out", published by Banner of Truth, helpful. I think it's quite well done, and, while brief, covers much of the territory you're interested in. Here's a review from the back cover:

"Professor Frederick Leahy presents a lucid, biblical review of Christian teaching on such issues as the existence of angels - good and evil; the present position and strategy of Satan; the witness of Old and New Testaments to demonic activity; the demonic in church history; and the challenge of the demons to the church of Christ, especially on the mission field. While taking our 'adversary the devil' seriously, Leahy constantly emphasizes the victory of Christ over him, and the fact that, in the words of John Calvin, 'The whole of Satan's kingdom is subject to the authority of Christ.'"


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## CarlosOliveira

toddpedlar said:


> Perg - If you're able to get a copy of it, you might find Frederick Leahy's "Satan Cast Out", published by Banner of Truth, helpful. I think it's quite well done, and, while brief, covers much of the territory you're interested in.


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## Pergamum

toddpedlar said:


> Perg - If you're able to get a copy of it, you might find Frederick Leahy's "Satan Cast Out", published by Banner of Truth, helpful. I think it's quite well done, and, while brief, covers much of the territory you're interested in. Here's a review from the back cover:
> 
> "Professor Frederick Leahy presents a lucid, biblical review of Christian teaching on such issues as the existence of angels - good and evil; the present position and strategy of Satan; the witness of Old and New Testaments to demonic activity; the demonic in church history; and the challenge of the demons to the church of Christ, especially on the mission field. While taking our 'adversary the devil' seriously, Leahy constantly emphasizes the victory of Christ over him, and the fact that, in the words of John Calvin, 'The whole of Satan's kingdom is subject to the authority of Christ.'"



Thanks for the recommendation.....*and here is something that you all should know *- I just read this book 2 weeks ago when *I received it in the mail from a PB brother!* THANKS! It is one of the best books on spiritual warfare, next to Clinton Arnold's books and Robert Priest's articles.


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## Pergamum

Prufrock said:


> The only passage I can think of off the top of my head is from Turretin, 14.X.XI, although it is quite indirect...
> 
> Atque hinc patet, Cuinam satisfactio ista persolvi debuerit, An Diablo detinenti, ut cavillatur Socinus, An vero Deo supremo Judici? *Cum enim Diabolus hic sit tantum Minister Dei, et praefectus Carceris, qui nullam nisi ex Dei justo judicio potestatem habet in peccatores*, satisfactio ipsi praestari non debuit, sed Deo Judici, qui primario et principaliter nos detinebat.



What does this 14.X.XI refer to?

Does this refer to Turretin's Institutes of Elanctic Theology?


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## BobVigneault

One of my favorites and often overlooked is Luke 22:31-34:



> "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren." And he said, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." He said, "I tell you, Peter, the **** will not crow this day, until you three times deny that you know me."



The words of Jesus imply that Satan has requested of God to 'sift' the apostles. Sifting wheat is a good thing and the Holy Spirit's role in sifting us is to point out weakness and give us the power to strengthen what is weak.

Satan knows that there must be a tearing down process as well - a deconstruction. In His lust for power (he has very little since the cross) he requests of God to do the 'tearing down' part. We would expect God to say NO but he doesn't. Jesus instead prays and insures that their faith will be made strong and he will use the greatly fallen 'ape' to begin the process.

The difference between the apostles on the night of betrayal and the same men at pentecost is the deconstruction brought by Satan and the superintending by the Holy Spirit.

Satan is a pest who has the power to touch briefly with affliction. The Holy Spirit FILLS the believer and makes all things new.

As has been pointed out, Satan is God's agent of wrath, of discipline and of punishment but he is ALWAYS under the sovereign control of the Creator.


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