This great evil. Where does it come from? How'd it steal into the world? What seed, what root did it grow from? Who's doin' this? Who's killin' us? Robbing us of life and light. Mockin' us with the sight of what we might've known. Does our ruin benefit the earth? Does it help the grass to grow, the sun to shine?
- Private Witt in 'The Thin Red Line'
'Why does God allow evil to exist?' This is a question asked by believers and non-believers alike. Scriptures make it clear that Satan, 'the accuser' in Hebrew, exists and that this fallen angel stands opposed to God. Satan has made it his duty to thwart God's plans and attack humanity - God's most precious creation. Satan's work of evil can be seen around us - in popular culture and everyday news. His work can be seen in atrocities by mankind - i.e. the holocaust, racism, terrorist killings, etc. People with less awareness celebrate his mockery and those with selfish ambitions use his ways to inflict harm on others.
To the believer, Satan is a constant cause for discouragement, depression and bitterness. The simplest things such as happiness and solidarity are broken by anger and gossip. Satan makes his most desperate attempts on the believer, continually attacking him/her. As a result, the believer starts questioning God's ways and finally denies the Creator.
Why does God allow Satan to attack us?
God never intended Satan to attack us. It is humanity who allowed Satan to come into our lives. When Adam and Eve broke God's commandment they paved the way for Satan to tempt us into doing evil.
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In a real sense, it is humanity's fault for opening the door to satanic attack. Therefore, we cannot blame God that we are vulnerable to satanic attack. In fact, when Satan attacked Job through the loss of his family, wealth, and health, he didn't blame God. Notice Job 1:21-22, "And he (Job) said: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." (Source: http://www.gotquestions.org/God-allow-Satan-attack.html)
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If this is so, then we are doomed?
Not at all! God saw that mankind could not make it on its own. God's ways are superior to our's. He
uses the ways of Satan against Satan. Job was a righteous man and God was glad in him. God boasted of Job to Satan. Satan said, 'take away all that he has and he will curse you'. Notice Satan's subtlety here in challenging God, he thinks he
cannot lose. God accepts Satan's challenge and takes away all of Job's possessions, striking him with intense loss and sorrow. But Job doesn't curse God and as a reward God bestows him with far more possessions and happiness than he had before.
God later penetrates into his own creation as Christ Jesus. Jesus is to be the salvation for mankind and a bridge between Creator and creation. Satan is horrified at God's plan and attacks Jesus immediately. First Satan tries to tempt Jesus into abandoning his plan, this ends in utter failure. Then Satan uses the Sanhedrin and Roman governance to crucify Jesus, this seemingly succeeds. But God uses Satan's own plan against him, the crucifixion turns into resurrection!
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As believers experience the attacks of Satan, they can take to heart the truth of Romans 8:28, "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God..." Therefore, the assumption is that we will experience "good" things and "bad" things, but "all" of these things can be made to be "good" as God works them out. So even the attacks of Satan can be considered "good" as God uses them in our lives to conform us to Christ, His Son (see Romans 8:29). Attacks from Satan, along with all other tribulations will cause believers to love God more, resist Satan more, practice patience, resist temptation, and grow stronger in our faith in many other ways. Praise God for His abundant protection from Satan most of the time, as well as be thankful for God's plan to make the occasional attacks of Satan "work together for good" for you! (Source: http://www.gotquestions.org/God-allow-Satan-attack.html)
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Evil does exist. However, evil has no dominion over God. Rather, it is God, revealed in the mighty person of Jesus Christ, who has power over evil. God has proven numerous times that evil does not have the final say.
...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 NIV)
Remember the words of Christ Jesus when you think evil has surrounded you and there is no way out.
"Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." (Matthew 14:27 NASB)
