Does the enemy still need God’s permission in order to act? How can we know we’re under attack?
There are at least a couple of occasions in the Scriptures when the devil had to ask permission to carry out His activities. First, there is the opening narrative of Job, where the Lord gives Satan broad latitude to attack his servant (Job 1:9-12; 2:1-6). It’s clear there that Satan couldn’t go beyond the boundaries given to him by God. Second, there is the conversation on the night of the Lord’s arrest, when the Lord Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat…” (Luke 22:31). This indicates two things: (1) Satan is disrespectful; yet (2) he can’t just do whatever he wants.
Does the enemy still need God's permission to attack God's people? There is no reason to assume that things have changed. God’s nature has not changed. There is no indication in Scripture that the Lord has given blanket permission to the devil to do anything he wants. This truth should be a great comfort to us. Contrary to some cultural depictions, the devil is not God’s evil equal. Rather, he is God’s subordinate. This was true before the cross, and at the cross God provided for the devil's crushing and ultimate judgment (Gen 3:15; John 12:31; Rev 20:10).
Yet, this truth should not lead us to turn our backs to the enemy as if he is a non-entity. The NT does give us warnings about his desire and ability to harm us.
1 Peter 5:8 reads, Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Ephesians 6:10-18 is a long passage dedicated to the reality of our warfare against evil spiritual forces and the resources given to us to wage this war. In that passage, Paul warns about “the schemes of the devil” and “the flaming darts of the evil one.” So, we would have to say that the devil is still under the sovereign control of God, but that he is a dangerous foe whom we should take seriously.
Are there any tell-tale signs that we are under attack? The devil is no moron. He disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). Deception is his specialty (Gen 3:1-6; John 8:44; 2 Cor 11:3). He likely is not going to put out a billboard, making it obvious how he’s going after us. However, there are some indications in the NT about how the enemy works, which may serve as warning signs:
When one’s devotional life is flagging (2 Cor 11:3).
When one is bombarded with temptation (1 Chron 21:1; Matt 4:1-10; Acts 5:3; 1Cor 7:5; 1Tim 5:13-16).
When one’s gospel work is being hindered (Mark 8:33; 1Th 2:18).
When one struggles with ungodly anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness (2 Cor 2:11; Eph 4:26-27).
When one experiences relentless thoughts of accusation (Zec 3:1; Rev 12:10).
When one is assaulted with blasphemous thoughts (Job 1:9-11; 2:4-5).
When one is lured by idolatry (1 Cor 10:19-22; Rev 9:20).
These would be some of the more overt signs that he is involved, but again, he is subtle. We know from the Scriptures that he is something like a field marshal, orchestrating attacks coordinated with our other two enemies, the world and our own flesh. It would be hard to imagine the world and the flesh working against us in ways where the evil one is not involved at all.
What is the prescription? To resist him. (James 4:7; Eph 6:10-11). The Scriptures instruct us regarding two major offensive weapons in this fight: the sword of the Spirit and prayer (Eph 6:17-20). We can wield the first as Jesus and David did – memorizing it and using it in times of temptation (Matt 4:1-10; Psa 119:11). We can wield the second by praying against the enemy and his devices as he attacks the church and tries to prevent the spread of the gospel (Eph 6:18-20). Or we can combine the two by praying offensively – praying the Word against the evil one—passages like Psalms 3, 35, and 83.
Here is some wonderful news: when we resist the devil in the ways prescribed in the NT, he flees. He flees not because he is afraid of us, but because we stand in the power of the risen Christ who defeated him.
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