The Devil

The Devil sounds quite scary. Sure, the image of him that culture has created is a bit silly and hard to take seriously, but the devil of the Bible is evil and destructive. Anyone in their right mind would be afraid of him. However, I noticed some Bible verses that really caught my attention:

Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to our face."
"The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Job 1:8-12

The first part I have bolded here seems to imply that Satan can't touch the man. Because the Lord has blessed the man and because of his obedience, he's outside of Satan's reach. Then the second part shows that Satan needs permission from God in order to do anything! The Lord is still in control over Satan and everything that happens in Heaven and Earth. I've also noticed a line in James.

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7

Satan sounds like someone that WE would flee from! But it seems that because of the Lord we have some power over Satan. He flees from us when we resist him. Thank God for his providence.