Is Satan able to do good things???

Satan has NO good in him at all. He is a thief and a liar. Dont ever forget that, the truth IS NOT IN him and never will be

As far as I know there is nothing in Scripture that even implies Satan cannot do good things. The idea is as childish as believing a police officer must always tell the truth and that all any criminal need do is then ask if someone is a police officer to be able to engage in illegal activities without fear that the other party is a police officer.

Now parts of Scripture imply that the ultimate end that Satan seeks is evil, but that is a far different thing.

This is what Jesus said about the Devil:

"He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44 NABRE)

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Satan is an accuser (Revelation 12:10), a tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), and a deceiver (Genesis 3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:3). His very name means “adversary” or “one who opposes.” Another of his titles, the devil, means “slanderer.”

Even though he was cast out of heaven, he still seeks to elevate his throne above God. He counterfeits all that God does, hoping to gain the worship of the world and encourage opposition to God's kingdom. Satan is the ultimate source behind every false cult and world religion. Satan will do anything and everything in his power to oppose God and those who follow God. However, Satan’s destiny is sealed—an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).

Chris457 said:

I have OCD, and earlier today, (and yesterday) the devil somehow wandered into my mind, and started telling me these lies that, he made good things happen.

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Welcome to the site! There's actually a whole board dedicated to OCD discussion and support. I would recommend copying your post there if you want to make sure that the members who have the most knowledge and experience with that topic see your question: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Chris457 said:

First off, just wanted to say that I created an account just to ask this question, cause it seems google wont really help. And I wasted about 15 minutes trying to find the post button. So PLEASE help me cause due to this question I am insanely tempted right now and its stressing me out cause I don't want to love or serve the devil at all.. (Also, 13 year olds to young for this site, What?)

I have OCD, and earlier today, (and yesterday) the devil somehow wandered into my mind, and started telling me these lies that, he made good things happen. Lets say for example (this didn't really happen btw) I was at a hot dog stand. I bought I hot dog for around a buck. The devil came into my mind when I didn't want him to. Then, as the guy at the stand gave me the Hot Dog, he dropped it. Then he gave me 2 EXTRA hot dogs and a Coca-Cola for FREE. And lets say this exact same thing happened (with the devil in my mind) around, once yesterday and about FOUR times today. No catch. Nothing different. The EXACT SAME scenario. And I even thought about GOD once today, and something bad happened. So lets go back to the hot dog stand. But this time its not so different. This time, as the guy gave me the hot dog, I thought about god. And when he dropped the hot dog, it stained my expensive Jordans, AND the guy purposely threw ANOTHER HOT DOG on them JUST FOR FUN. (Again, this didnt really happen btw, its just an example lol) So, is this all a coincidence and just another lie from the devil, or can the devil actually do good things? I hope not, cause like I said, this is giving me LOTS of temptation probably due to my OCD. (and plz tell the truth and dont just tell me a lie) I want to worship and spend eternity with God. Please help me figure this out.

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The devil is the father of lies. He's lying to you my friend. 2 extra hotdogs might have been great but the guy at the stand lost out on money doing that. Anything that elevates one person while taking away from another person is not good in my book.

Let us presume, for the sake of discussion, that it is a demon that is doing this, or the devil himself - he will do as many things as are necessary to draw you away from God, or to draw you to a place where you will do wrong so that God will punish you. (Which He does do, in this life time)

Pay attention to the coincidences and you'll notice they usually are materialistic things, or ones that promote selfishness or some wrong thing you may want or have a weakness to.

The Devil often tempts me using coincidences as well, sometimes in extremely subtle ways - it happened even yesterday. Be a man and say no, and pray to God to save you from his tricks, and protect you.

Another thing is - like someone else said, these good things often are only good for you. They're good in a very unspiritual, fleshly way.

PM me, man. I was around your age when the Devil led me astray, and it led to years of suffering. I may be able to be of some help to you

Chris457 said:

First off, just wanted to say that I created an account just to ask this question, cause it seems google wont really help. And I wasted about 15 minutes trying to find the post button. So PLEASE help me cause due to this question I am insanely tempted right now and its stressing me out cause I don't want to love or serve the devil at all.. (Also, 13 year olds to young for this site, What?)

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Of course Satan is able to do good thing.
However, satan has a unchanging goal: destroy the best creation of God. In other words, satan wants to destroy human.

So, if satan can do some good things to make a person leave God, he would certainly more than happy to do that.

Arthra said:

Is Satan able to do good things?

"Satan" for us Baha'is is more the lower nature of human beings rather than an ontological being that is say at war with God.

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So satan is a class of human.
Are murderers and robbers all in the class of satan?

Fine. If so, what is the name for the nature of human being who is one level higher than satan?

Chris457 said:

First off, just wanted to say that I created an account just to ask this question, cause it seems google wont really help. And I wasted about 15 minutes trying to find the post button. So PLEASE help me cause due to this question I am insanely tempted right now and its stressing me out cause I don't want to love or serve the devil at all.. (Also, 13 year olds to young for this site, What?)

I have OCD, and earlier today, (and yesterday) the devil somehow wandered into my mind, and started telling me these lies that, he made good things happen. Lets say for example (this didn't really happen btw) I was at a hot dog stand. I bought I hot dog for around a buck. The devil came into my mind when I didn't want him to. Then, as the guy at the stand gave me the Hot Dog, he dropped it. Then he gave me 2 EXTRA hot dogs and a Coca-Cola for FREE. And lets say this exact same thing happened (with the devil in my mind) around, once yesterday and about FOUR times today. No catch. Nothing different. The EXACT SAME scenario. And I even thought about GOD once today, and something bad happened. So lets go back to the hot dog stand. But this time its not so different. This time, as the guy gave me the hot dog, I thought about god. And when he dropped the hot dog, it stained my expensive Jordans, AND the guy purposely threw ANOTHER HOT DOG on them JUST FOR FUN. (Again, this didnt really happen btw, its just an example lol) So, is this all a coincidence and just another lie from the devil, or can the devil actually do good things? I hope not, cause like I said, this is giving me LOTS of temptation probably due to my OCD. (and plz tell the truth and dont just tell me a lie) I want to worship and spend eternity with God. Please help me figure this out.

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Satan can only come to somebody's mind when person is not born again/sealed with Holy Spirit ( 1 John 4:4).
Satan can't do good things , he can manipulate you and seduce you to sin tho .Satan is not equal in any way to Jesus/God , many film show you the battle of good and evil , when actually Satan was defeated by Christ while he died on cross . In Revelation when God want to bound Satan for 1000 years , it took only angel to bind him , God didn't even need to bind him himself he just told angel to do it and he will do it . Have a read from top to bottom . If he is really bothering you he will try to stop you, if it's not him maybe it's your dirty mind tho , either way have a read.

1 John 5:13
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
rom 3: 10,23
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
rom 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rev 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
acts 16:30-31
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
2cor 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him
1 cor 15:1-4
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Gal 3:26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1: 18-19
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Ephesians 1:13
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
1 Corinthians 6:15
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Chris457 said:

I bought I hot dog for around a buck. The devil came into my mind when I didn't want him to. Then, as the guy at the stand gave me the Hot Dog, he dropped it. Then he gave me 2 EXTRA hot dogs and a Coca-Cola for FREE.

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Circumstances are only one factor in determining the will of God. Sometimes He shows signs by them. But there are other considerations that are more normative. God's will is always consistent with His word, the Bible.

Giving credit to the devil for a good thing is never His will. As has been mentioned, the devil is the father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning. There is no good in him at all, and following him to any extent is not a good thing.

The devil can counterfeit good things. The Bible says he can come as an angel of light. Therefore, it continues, we must test the spirits, for not all are from God, and we should be aware of his schemes.

You are going to have to dig deeper than simply whether you get a free hot dog while thinking of the devil. You will have to learn what God is like - His goodness, His kindness, His mercy, His justice. And at some point you are going to have to renounce the evil one and make the decision to follow God. Studying the Bible and other related resources, and sincere and simple faith-based prayer are good ways to start.

Also, just thinking things, especially random or intrusive thoughts, does not make things happen. Thinking they do gives you the illusion of too much power over others. It is both inaccurate and an unhealthy thing to do.

I'm not sure this is the right forum for that question, since religions other than Christianity will offer quite a different perspective on the matter.

As far as I'm concerned, Satan as we know him today is a "retcon", and the fall of angels a late re-interpretation of Biblical verses that didn't even address such a topic. Judaism knows no concept of "fallen" angels, for example, and considers this a dualist concept that entered Judaism by means of its contact with Zoroastrianism during the exile.

Jane_the_Bane said:

As far as I'm concerned, Satan as we know him today is a "retcon", and the fall of angels a late re-interpretation of Biblical verses that didn't even address such a topic. Judaism knows no concept of "fallen" angels, for example, and considers this a dualist concept that entered Judaism by means of its contact with Zoroastrianism during the exile.

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It seems better to me to imagine Christianity and Judaism as siblings that both evolved from Second Temple Judaism. The Essenes and the Book of Enoch were legitimate Jews at the time of Jesus, and they originated the idea of fallen angels. Probably the idea goes back to the earliest more polytheistic Jews, and the retcon was to reinterpet the "sons of God" to be human judges (or whatever modern Judaism says). Of course I'm not claiming to be an expert - that is just my thought.

EDIT: I don't know if Judaism at the time of Jesus equated "Satan" with "the devil" or not. "Belial" was the name the Essenes used for "the devil". ( Belial - Wikipedia )

I personally don't believe there is a Satan so I guess I would have to answer that he can't do good things or bad things.

He might have accidentally done a good thing here or there..

He's very sorry about it.. but even angels make mistakes every once in a while.

awitch said:

I personally don't believe there is a Satan so I guess I would have to answer that he can't do good things or bad things.

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Just an afterthought. If we assume he does exist, and we assume God is omniscient and omnipotent, then technically, everything happens because of God's will. And if we assume God is good, then everything Satan does must also be good because that was God's directive the whole time.

There is a difference between "good" and "beneficial to me". Say you get free stuff because of a clumsy hot dog vendor. You're happy with free food, but from his perspective, he lost money and was very embarrassed. So it wasn't a good thing, it was an unfair thing that broke in your favor. "Good" is not a matter of taking from others to benefit yourself.

The enemy will never cause something truly and perfectly good to happen.