Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Satan is powerful, but not omnipotent.

The two passages of Scripture that come immediately to my mind in that regard are:

God placing limits on the extent to which Satan could afflict Job (Job 1:8-12; Job 2:3-6); and 

Paul's statement to the Corinthian church that God would not allow them to be tempted beyond what they would be able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13), which implies that God (being omniscient) knows the "limits" of each indvidual Christian with regard to temptation, affliction, or testing.

June 22 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

Let's define 'omnipotent.' What does it mean? To be omnipotent is to have all the power. 'All' doesn't leave room for anything else to exist. The omnipotent one has all the power and delegates some of it to whomever he chooses. (Jesus 'sent the twelve apostles out and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases' (Lk 9:1)). 

It's the same with the One who is life. Jesus made the statement, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6). He means he's the only way, the only truth, and the only source of life.

There's only one 'Most High.' There's only one 'one and only.' 

Jesus made this statement: "I am the light of the world" (Jn 8:12). He's not A LIGHT, he's THE LIGHT, meaning there's no light except from him. He said, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you " (Jn 12:35). There's only one Light.

Jesus said this: "I am the bread of life" (Jn 6:48). Bread is food, which is the sustainer of life. Jesus is the sustainer of life. There's only one and he's it.

There's only room for one Sovereign.

I said all of this to say this: Satan, like Pontius Pilate, would have no authority except it is granted from God (Jn 18:11). No, he isn't omnipotent! How could he be and it's forecast that he'll be chained down in the abyss for one thousand years? (Rev 20:1,2) After the thousand years he'll be released for a short time (vs 3).

No one imprisons an omnipotent one. And notice this: John said he "saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him..." 

He didn't say he saw a group of angels, he saw only one and he was able to subdue him. From the sound of that I don't think Satan is the strongest angel; I think we can forget even wondering about him being omnipotent.

No one imprisons an omnipotent one; Jesus said, "No one takes my life, I lay it down on my own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father" (Jn 10:18) 

We can see the difference in the two circumstances. Satan will be released for a short time. Jesus got up from being dead under his own power and authority, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He is the only omnipotent One.

November 12 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report