'Pastor, can Satan have his way with us, who are believers, whenever he chooses to do so?' This is a question asked by certain Christians in our day who seem to be troubled by what they consider to be satanic oppression. Satan, or the devil, is the Christian's great enemy because he is first and foremost the enemy of God. He is pictured for us as 'a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour' (1 Pet. 5:8) and also as 'an angel of light' (2 Cor. 11:14) whose intent is to deceive the people of God. He is referred to in Scripture as 'the accuser of the brethren' (Rev. 12:10). But does he have sovereign power over us? Satan, of course, would like us to think that he does; but that is not the case. John Calvin, writing in his Institutes, records that Satan can do nothing unless God wills and assents to it (see the Institutes, Book 1, Chap. 14, section 17).

C. H. Spurgeon says,

Satan has lost his throne in our nature, even as he lost his seat in heaven. Our Lord Jesus has destroyed the enemy's power over us. He may worry us, but he cannot claim us as his own. His bonds are no longer upon our spirits: the Son has made us free, and we are free indeed.Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith, July 29

This is borne out in the story of Job, where Satan had to receive permission from God before he could do anything to God's servant. The same is true in an incident recorded only in Luke's Gospel with reference to Simon Peter. On a notable occasion the Lord Jesus tells Peter, 'Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail' (Luke 22:31­-32).

Both of these examples teach that Satan cannot have his way with the people of God whenever or wherever he chooses. Both Job and Peter were regenerate men and therefore of the people of God. The same is not true with the unregenerate. Earlier in Luke 22, we are told that at the time when the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Jesus, 'Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot' (v. 3). Even here, Satan was working within God's own purpose and timetable. But we do not read that he needed to ask God's permission to enter the betrayer's heart. The unbeliever is under the control of 'the god of this age' and he has 'blinded the minds of all those who do not believe the gospel' (2 Cor. 4:3-4). Those who are unregenerate and unsaved have been 'taken captive by Satan at his will' (2 Tim. 2:26); he controls them and he can and does use them to do his will.

Can a Christian be possessed by the devil? That is not possible because our bodies are 'the temples of the Holy Spirit' who is in us (1 Cor. 6:19). Further, if Satan could possess and thereby control us, we would have to say that Jesus Christ is no longer able to keep us or prevent us from being plucked out of his hands. Such a possibility is unthinkable (John 10:28­-29). A believer may fall into grievous sin, as Peter did in denying his Lord, but his faith did not fail.

What is Satan's design for the people of God? Taking the incident concerning Simon Peter as our example we can say that he desires to 'sift' us like wheat. This expression in Luke 22:31 is unusual. The word 'sift' pictures for us the sifting of grain in a sieve (Amos 9:9). Here the grain, whether it be wheat or rice, is so thoroughly shaken that the chaff is blown away. Satan's motive in sifting us is to try to show that we who are the Lord's people are no better than chaff 'which the wind drives away' (Psa. 1:4). The disciples of Jesus were about to be sifted and their faith thoroughly shaken when their Lord whom they loved and followed for some three years was betrayed, arrested, falsely accused and then put to death by crucifixion. Simon Peter, in spite of all his self-confidence, would be tested in the courtyard of the high priest's house and he would fail. So too would the rest of the disciples who had also confidently stated that they would rather die with Jesus than betray him. In the event they all forsook him and fled.

In the early church, Satan used the Roman authorities to 'sift' the faith of the members. They would either have to confess that 'Caesar is lord' and live, or confess that 'Jesus is Lord' and die a cruel death. Throughout the world till the present day Satan continues to 'sift' the people of God. Some believers have suffered cruel torture and been made to languish for years in tiny, filthy prison cells. Others have been martyred, and still others have been persecuted by family and ostracised. In the United States, navy chaplains who are evangelicals have been passed over for promotions while non-evangelical chaplains have been promoted.

There are other believers who are seeking wisdom from God concerning the direction they ought to take about their immediate future. Though they have prayed much and fulfilled their responsibilities they seem to be left in the dark. The evil one has suggested to them that God really does not care about their lives and a sense of discouragement has begun to set in. I remember an older woman who within a year lost both her husband and her only son by death. What grief she endured only the Lord knew. How her confidence in God was tested and her faith sifted! Her daughter, who at the time was not a Christian, declared, 'There is no God'. But this older lady testified to all who were present at her son's funeral service, 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him' (Job 13:15).

What shall we say to such as these? Surely, that Satan has been permitted by God to 'sift' them for a little while. The evil one would by these siftings try to show that we follow Christ only so long as God blesses us and everything is going well with us (Job 1:10-11). But God would prove to Satan, as he did in the example of Job, that such is not the case. The Apostle Peter, writing to believers who were grieved by various trials, tells them that these have happened in order 'that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ' (1 Pet. 1:7).

At times, by allowing Satan to 'sift' the church by trial, God purifies his church, removing from our midst those whose profession of faith was superficial or fickle. God also uses the siftings of Satan to work out his purposes in the lives of his people. It is also helpful to remind a tried saint that however unbearable a particular trial might be, God will not permit a believer to be tested beyond his ability to bear it (1 Cor. 10:13).

In times of Satanic sifting, how can we be sure that a believer's faith will not fail? Jesus says to Peter, 'But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail' (Luke 22:32). Although the 'you' here is singular and refers to Peter, we know from such passages as John 17 that Jesus prayed for all his disciples asking the Father to keep them (John 17:11). The word rendered 'pray' could also be translated 'supplicate' or 'beseech'. The commentator, Norval Geldenhuys, comments:

While Satan thus acts as the cunning adversary, Jesus acts as the intercessor, the advocate of His disciples and especially of that particular one whom he had previously pointed out as the leader amongst them.Commentary on Luke, ad loc.

What exactly did Jesus pray for? He did not pray that Peter would be kept from being tested. He did not pray that Peter would be kept from denying him. Jesus prayed concerning this man that his faith might not be literally 'eclipsed'. Peter fell, but because of our Saviour's intercession his faith did not fail. There are some of God's people who have been severely tested and who have fallen, yet their faith has not failed.

I recall hearing the story of a minister who failed morally. A fellow-minister confronted the man and was told, 'It is none of your business.' This minister had of course to resign his church. He divorced his wife for another woman and went from bad to worse. He became addicted to alcohol and could not keep a job and finally he left his second wife as he sank deeper into the mire of sin. After about a decade, when all hope for his recovery seemed lost, God began to work in the man's heart. He was humbled and brought to confess his sin. He returned to the church which he had left. People were unsure for a while what to say to him. The church elders took him under their wing and made him accountable to them, placing him also under the care of a biblical counsellor. As increased evidence of the fruit of his repentance surfaced the elders decided that it was time to bring him back into the membership of the church. This former pastor fulfilled everything the elders and the counsellor required of him and the time came for him to reapply for membership. The elders told him that he had one more thing to do and that was to call at the home of the pastor of the church on a certain evening at a certain time.

As he came to the home, he was greeted by the pastor and escorted to the back yard where to his surprise he found all the church elders and their wives having an outdoor meal. It was in fact a roast, and what was being cooked was a fatted calf? Yes, the prodigal had returned home and the church welcomed him back. I repeat this story as I recall it, to show that even after a grievous fall this man's faith was not eclipsed. The only reason for this was that Jesus had prayed for him.

Every Christian is the subject of the Saviour's intercession. Although there is no excuse whatsoever for any believer's falling into sin, it is a comfort that the Christian will not be utterly cast away or lost. No one who has been given to the Son will be lost, but he will raise them up on the last day (John 6:39).