Is the devil as powerful as Jesus?

on Jul 26, 2025

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: Is the devil as powerful as Jesus? Is it Satan that makes us sin and do the things we don’t really want to do? If so, we can’t help ourselves since we are not as powerful as the devil, right? – T.C.

A: Someone may say, “The devil made me do it!” But the truth is that Satan, the devil, can’t make us do anything. He may attack us, and he may present temptations, but Christians are not his prisoners of war. We don’t have to live in defeat, unable to stop sinning. As we grow in Christ, we can live with more victory over sin.

The only way to victory, though, is by walking with Jesus, the Savior and Master of our lives. When temptation comes, we have the power of His Holy Spirit. The closer we are to Jesus, the further we are from Satan. The Bible tells us to resist the devil, and he will flee. We have the great blessing of drawing near to the Lord (see James 4:7-8).

The story is told of the little girl on a trip with her father, who was piloting the plane. The flight attendant woke her with instructions to put her seatbelt on because of a storm that came up over the Atlantic. The girl saw the lightning flashing around the plane and said, “Is my daddy at the controls?” The attendant smiled and said, “Yes, your father is in the cockpit.” The young girl smiled, closed her eyes, and went back to sleep.

God wants to be at the controls of our lives, but He gives us the freedom to be in control if we wish – but at great risk. God knows everything about us. He loves us, and He knows what is best for us. If we will let Him have the controls, He will see us safely through according to the will of the Father in Heaven.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)