What Powers Do Demons Have

Bible Question:

Exodus 7:x-22 states that Moses and Aaron performed miracles. Aaron's rod turned into a snake and the Nile River turned into blood. The Bible says Pharaoh'south magicians did the same with their enchantments. I always thought that God could create and that Satan cannot create. There are many Scriptures that speak of God as creator. But does Scripture country that Satan can create life from a rod, and blood from water? Does Satan accept the ability to create? What power does Satan take?

Bible Answer:

The Bible states that Satan is an affections who is a deceiver. He deceives the world about God and himself. His first deed of deception was in the Garden of Eden when he lied virtually God and successfully deceived Eve about God's holy graphic symbol (Genesis 3:1-5; 2 Corinthians 11:3).

What Power Does Satan Have?

Satan deceives people about himself. He wants people to be ignorant of his being considering and then he tin can be more effective. Unsuspecting people are more vulnerable. Satan is not our friend. Satan or Lucifer is a proud, evil creature who seeks his own glory (Isaiah xiv:12-15; Ezekiel 28:13-16) and wants people to be ignorant of the schemes he uses against united states of america and to be ignorant of his power.

Therefore, God has warned us in ii Corinthians 2:xi to not be ignorant of Satan'southward schemes.

. . . and so that no advantage would be taken of united states of america past Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. two Corinthians 2:xi (NASB)

Merely many Christians and most non-Christians are ignorant of Satan's schemes or power. He is a powerful creature whose schemes are rooted in deception. Therefore, this article seeks to provide important data about Satan answering the question, what power does Satan accept?

Satan's Power — As Revealed In Exodus 7-8

The commencement major instance of Satan's nifty power is found in Exodus 7:10-12. In this historical event, Pharaoh's magicians imitated a miracle performed past Aaron with his staff.

So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did but as the LORD had allowable; and Aaron threw his staff down earlier Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a ophidian. And so Pharaoh besides called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Arab republic of egypt, did the same with their secret arts. For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. Only Aaron'south staff swallowed up their staffs. Exodus seven:10-12 (NASB)

Here we are told Aaron caused his staff to become a snake. Information technology was not "Moses' snake staff," as some merits. Aaron's staff became a snake. Also, when all of the staffs of pharaoh'southward magicians became snakes, they were not "pharaoh's serpents."That is, Pharaoh'due south magicians were able to brand all their staffs become snakes, imitating what Aaron did with his staff.

Now how did Pharaoh's magicians do this? The answer is revealed in the definition of the Hebrew word "magician," which is hartom. The Hebrew give-and-take refers to "some variety of occultist."[1] The word is likewise divers as "one possessed of occult noesis, diviner, astrologer, sorcerer."[two] Since occultists are empowered by Satan, this means that Satan was the power backside the magicians who acquired their staffs to become snakes. God acquired Aaron's staff to become a snake.

Another second example of Satan's ability is found in Exodus 7:twenty-23 when Aaron lifted upwardly his staff and struck the Nile River and it became blood. The Egyptian magicians imitated the miracle also. That is, Satan imitated the miracle.

A third case occurs in Exodus viii:6-seven when Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt and frogs came out of the Nile River and covered the land of Egypt. Again, the Egyptian magicians imitated the miracle. That is, Satan imitated the miracle.

A fourth case occurs in Exodus 8:xvi-xix and reveals that Satan does non accept the same powers God possesses.

And then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the grit of the earth, that it may become gnats through all the country of Egypt.'" They did then; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and struck the grit of the world, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the world became gnats through all the land of Egypt. The magicians tried with their surreptitious arts to bring forth gnats, but they could non; so there were gnats on man and fauna. And so the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's middle was hardened, and he did non listen to them, as the LORD had said. Exodus eight:sixteen-xix (NASB)

This passage reveals that Satan's power is limited. Satan is able to imitate God's power in only a limited sense. Exodus 7-8 reveals that Satan has great power, but he is non as powerful as God.

Satan's Power — As Revealed In Task 1-2

Job i reveals that Satan has other meaning powers. In Job 1:nine-11, God and Satan had a word about Job. Satan wanted permission to afflict Job and in verse 12 God gave him permission. Satan could not touch Task and afflict him without first getting permission from God.

And then the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your mitt on him." So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD. Chore 1:12 (NASB)

Then Job i:14-15 reveals that Satan had the ability to motivate the Sabeans to set on and kill Task's servants.

. . . a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding abreast them, and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone take escaped to tell you." Chore 1:fourteen-15 (NASB)

Job 1:16 indicates that Satan was able to cause fire to burn up Chore's sheep and servants.

"While he was yet speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God cruel from heaven and burned upwardly the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone take escaped to tell you." Job i:16 (NASB)

Job 1:17 states that the Chaldeans raided Job's camels and killed his servants. Job 1:18 says that Job'southward daughters and sons were killed by a current of air.

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a groovy current of air came from beyond the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you." Task 1:18-19 (NASB)

Later in Chore ii:5, God gives Satan permission to agonize his body, just God tells Satan that he cannot kill Chore. Then Job 2:7-8 states that Satan caused Chore to have boils all over his body.

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Task with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting amidst the ashes. Job two:7-8 (NASB)

This is a powerful passage since it teaches usa that Satan was able to influence a nation to attack and kill, crusade fire to fall down from heaven and burn upwardly and destroy, control the weather, and cause disease. Merely the passage also reveals that God limits Satan's power. God had to remove a protective "hedge" around Job before Satan could do annihilation to Chore. God would non let Satan to kill Job. That is, Satan has power but his ability is limited past God. We could say that Satan has no power or ability, except that which is permitted by God.

Satan's Power — As Revealed in the Gospels

In the gospels Satan's demons are able to brand people to become extremely fierce (Matthew 8:28) and to possess people and animals (Matthew eight:28-34). They tin can make people mute (Matthew 9:32-33), blind (Matthew 12:22), to non "be in their right mind" (Marker five:15), crusade actual harm (Luke 4:35), and convulsions (Luke 9:42).

In brusque, Satan and his army of evil angels have the ability to cause great bodily illness and damage in different ways.

Satan'south Ability — As Revealed in 2 Thess 2:ix

ii Thessalonians 2:9 is an important passage since it conspicuously states that Satan will empower the antichrist with signs and fake wonders.

And so that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord volition slay with the breath of His oral fissure and bring to an finish by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, considering they did not receive the love of the truth and then as to be saved. ii Thessalonians 2:8-x (NASB)

His power and wonders will be then convincing that not-Christians will believe in him and follow him. While we are not told what kind of signs and wonders he volition brandish, information technology is clear from Exodus 7-viii, Job 1-2 and the gospels that he volition accept boggling powers.

What Ability Does Satan Have?

It is articulate from Exodus 7-8 that Satan has smashing power. He can announced to cause wood to go snakes, turn h2o into wine, and bring forth frogs – simply merely when immune to do so by God. But he cannot create gnats (Exodus viii:16-19). It is obvious that Satan does not have unlimited power. His powers are limited since he is non God.

Job ane-ii teaches u.s. that Satan can crusade nations to assault, kill people, make fire fall from heaven and destroy, control the atmospheric condition, and make people ill. God allowed Satan to impale Job'due south children just Satan was non immune to impale Chore. In the gospels Satan's demons could possess people and animals and crusade a wide diverseness of illnesses. In two Thessalonians 2:9, we are told that God will give Satan great liberty to perform signs and simulated wonders.

Revelation 13:1-10 describes the antichrist during the time to come tribulation. Revelation 13:7 states that God will permit him to make war confronting the saints and defeat them.

Information technology was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. Revelation 13:7 (NASB)

But discover again that God controls what Satan tin do with his power.

Conclusion

In summary, what power does Satan have? Satan has keen power, just how he uses his ability is controlled by God. Satan'due south power is not greater than the ability of God. It is foolish for Christians to think they tin can control him. In that location are three of import points for Christians to remember.

The beginning is, some Christians remember that they can command Satan by using the phrase, "In Jesus' name" or "I bind you in Jesus' proper noun" and so control Satan. Just in Jude 9 we are told that only false teachers recall they can control Satan by rebuking him. Michael the archangel dared non to rebuke Satan, but instead called on God to rebuke him.

Second, every Christian must remember that the disciples complained in Marker 9:28-29 that they could not cast out a demon. Jesus told them that some demons can only be cast out past prayer.

When He came into the business firm, His disciples began questioning Him privately, "Why could nosotros not drive it out?" And He said to them, "This kind cannot come out by annihilation but prayer." Marking 9:28-29 (NASB)

That is, the near powerful way to cast out a demon is by prayer.

Third, we must remember that God has given united states the armor of God as our primary defense force against Satan. In Ephesians 6:13-fourteen tells Christians that our defence is 1 of resisting Satan. He flees when nosotros stand firm and resist him. Nosotros are non chosen to attack him.

Therefore, accept upwards the total armor of God, so that yous will be able to resist in the evil twenty-four hours, and having done everything, to stand business firm. Stand firm therefore . . . Ephesians 6:xiii-xiv (NASB)

Satan flees when we resist him and stand firm against him. For a two-part study on the Armor of God, visit the written report in the book of Ephesians and detect the "Armor of God, part 1" and "Armor of God, part 2." Y'all can likewise search for the "Schemes of Satan, role i" and "Schemes of Satan, part two" on this website and discover Satan'south Schemes.

References:

1. Robert Alden, "738 חרט," ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason 50. Archer Jr., and Bruce Thousand. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 323.
2. Francis Brown, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs, Enhanced Dark-brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977), 355.