How Powerful Is The Devil?

This question was submitted to me via Facebook and I did not change the wording. So here it is...

Q1. Just how powerful is the devil? I know the story of Job (I think) where God loves him so much that he allows the devil to ruin his life in a game to see if he would lose his faith. He doesn't. Aside from God's very questionable behavior, just how powerful is the devil?

A1. Not powerful but crafty. Here is why. Before Jesus went to the cross Adam and Eve had given all the authority they had been given by God to the Satan. When Jesus died he wiped out the judgment that the judge and jury had made against us. The bailiff (devil) now had no power to enforce the law and the keys to the prison cell were taken from him. Not only do we walk out of court completely declared innocent by the blood of Jesus but we get handed the keys to set others free. We also get handed a badge that restores the authority we have on the earth.

Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:14-15

Now Jesus did have to get back we what we lost through sin and disobedience in the garden. One of the things we lost in the garden was our authority. Here is the devil reminding Jesus of that.

And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
Luke 4:6

In my study to answer this question I noticed that Jesus had declared gaining his authority back after he had overcome the same temptations that Adam and Eve had succumbed to in the garden in the wilderness. Here Jesus displays his authority over every devil.

Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” Luke 4:36

Jesus gave over this same kind of authority to us whenever we use His name. It is kind of like when the police say, "Stop LAPD." They are referencing whose authority they are acting in. We just say stop in the name of "Jesus"!

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:17-19

Here is where Jesus give us the keys that were once held by Satan

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Because Jesus wiped out the judgment of the law against us death and the grave also lost its power over us!

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 1 Corinthians 15:54-56

Q2. Is he like God? Omnipotent, omnipresent and etc?

A2. No Satan is not like God at all. He is a fallen angel. Angels are not omnipotent, omnipresent or anything like that. Satan was a musical cherub (winged angel) created and appointed by God.

You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your covering:
The sardius, topaz, and diamond,
Beryl, onyx, and jasper,
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.
The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes
Was prepared for you on the day you were created.

14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,
Till iniquity was found in you. Ezekiel 28:13-15 Read 28:13-19

Satan fell from heaven because of pride and wanting to be exalted above God. He was brought down to hell. In the end people will gaze upon him and say, "Is this the thing that was causing so much trouble?" My version

“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.

16 “Those who see you will gaze at you,
And consider you, saying:
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,
17 Who made the world as a wilderness
And destroyed its cities,
Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’ Isaiah 14:12-17

As you can see from the below scripture angels don't know everything. Not even when Jesus will return. Therefore, they are not all-knowing and that includes Satan.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Matthew 24:36

The scripture declares that if the rulers of this age or the kingdom of darkness knew that crucifying Christ would be their demise they probably wouldn't have killed Him. This is also proof that the devil does not know everything.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7-9

Jesus was made higher than angels because He created them and given a place in heaven next to God.

In these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 1:2-4

The angels are to worship Jesus.Their purpose is to minister to us because we have become heirs of salvation through Jesus' sacrifice.

“Let all the angels of God worship Him.” And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire." Hebrews 1:6-7

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? Hebrews 1:14

Satan must obey! Jesus was able to defeat Him with God's Word! See how the angels came to minister to Jesus after the battle.

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. Matthew 4:10-11

Satan is not all-powerful. As you pointed out he had to ask God for permission to touch Job. There are other examples of this.

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. Luke 22:31

As you can see Satan had to ask permission to test Peter. We belong to Jesus the only way the devil can have access to our lives is if we give it to him just like Adam did. 

If you find this article helpful or would like to donate to our ministry please do so on our home page by visiting our website:
Jaziz Gutierrez
http://www.JazizGutierrez.com
Facebook: School Of Impartation and Living