God's Sovereign (during bad times)

Satan sought to kill Christ in the slaughter of the babies by Herod but God had Mary & Joseph moved elsewhere. Satan tried to stop Christ from growing up. If he could kill that baby while He was still a baby, Christ could never proclaim his Messiahship. Satan tried to have Peter try to keep Jesus from the cross but God determined that Jesus is to die on the Cross. In Matthew 16, Peter says, “Lord, don’t you do that! Don’t go to the cross!” and Jesus knew the source and said, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Satan knew the power of the Cross and the Death Penalty by the Government which was established by God. "The authorities that exist have been established by God" (see Romans 13). How did God know that the Roman Government will use the "Cross" for their death penalty? Finally, Satan used Judas and the Jewish leaders to kill Jesus. Satan was hoping that the Jewish people would STONE Jesus to death based on the Jewish Law and Custom. But the Jewish leaders were smart enough not to take the law into their hands and asked the Roman Government to crucify Christ. Another good example is Pharaoh. Satan have been using Pharaoh to persecute Jewish people for years. In Exodus 9:16 "But I (God) have raised you (Pharaoh) up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." Paul confirmed this in Romans 9:17 "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: 'I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.' " God will take advantage of Satan's evil desires and motives to accomplish His will. The Bible clearly teaches that God knows beforehand what we will need and He will provide beforehand according to His will. God is absolutely powerful, that God is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, that God is immutable, never changes, that God is all wise, perfectly just, holy, righteous. God is ruling all things to work together for our good and His purpose. Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 10:29: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.