Lucifer: Created, Fallen, Defeated

That’s a good question because it grows naturally out of what we learn from the book of Job. When students read Job 1 and 2, they see Satan appearing before God and receiving specific limitations regarding what he could and could not do. It is only natural to wonder if that same kind of interaction continues today.

Before we answer the question, let’s think about what the Bible actually reveals.

In Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-6, Satan appears before the Lord and is given clear boundaries. He could afflict Job, but only within limits established by God. Satan was not free to do whatever he pleased. The same principle appears in Luke 22:31 when Jesus told Peter:

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.”

Notice what that verse teaches. Satan was not operating independently. His activity remained subject to God’s authority.

Now here is where we need to be careful.

The Bible clearly shows Satan appearing before God in Job. The Bible clearly shows Satan seeking access to Peter in Luke 22. But does the Bible tell us whether Satan still appears before God in the same manner today?

No, it does not.

This is one of those places where students often want more information than Scripture provides. We know what happened in Job. We know what happened with Peter. What we do not know is whether those events describe ongoing activity in exactly the same way today.

Have you noticed the difference?

The question we can answer is: “Is Satan still under God’s authority?”

The question we cannot answer with certainty is: “How does that authority function behind the scenes today?”

Lewis Sperry Chafer frequently emphasized that Satan is not an independent ruler. He is a creature whose activities remain subject to God’s sovereign control. Whether or not we understand every detail of the spiritual realm, that truth never changes.

John Walvoord made a similar observation. The important lesson from Job is not the mechanics of the conversation between God and Satan. The important lesson is that Satan cannot act outside the boundaries God establishes.

That distinction is important because many Christians imagine one of two extremes. Some imagine Satan operating independently as though he were God’s equal. Others imagine Satan unable to do anything at all. The Bible teaches neither position.

Satan is active.

Satan is powerful.

Satan is dangerous.

But Satan is never beyond God’s authority.

Let me use an illustration I have often used in class. When my children were young, they were allowed to play in the yard. Within those boundaries they enjoyed a great deal of freedom. However, that freedom did not mean they could do whatever they wanted. They were not allowed to fight, call each other names, or throw rocks through the neighbor’s windows. The fact that I permitted them to be in the yard did not mean I approved of every action they might choose to take.

The same principle helps us understand Satan’s activity. God may permit Satan to operate within certain boundaries without approving of Satan’s evil intentions. Satan remains responsible for his actions, just as my children remained responsible for theirs.

So what conclusion should we draw?

The Bible does not tell us whether Satan still communicates with God in the same manner described in Job. Scripture is simply silent on that point. What the Bible does make abundantly clear is that Satan remains under God’s authority and cannot act beyond the limits God establishes.

One of the most important truths to remember is that our confidence does not rest in knowing every detail about the unseen world. Our confidence rests in knowing that God remains sovereign over it. The lesson of Job is not that Satan has access. The lesson of Job is that Satan has limits.

Key Scriptures: Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-6; Luke 22:31-32.