Is it God or the Devil?

How do you recognize whether it was God or the Devil, or the general Fall, that caused your misfortune? For example, if a person tripped and became injured, is this from the Devil, the Fall, or is God using this experience as instruction? When someone goes through a bad event/period, we hear all types of spiritual responses about the cause.

Hmm that’s a tough one. Some things seem to come out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s obvious that bad choices cause problems in our lives, but other times it’s a mystery, and we just may not know at the time why something is happening the way it is.

I don't think it's always important. What is important is that one is called according to God's purpose - then irrespective of who or what caused the misfortune, God will use it for good. A misfortune is an opportunity to re-evaluate one's life and ensure one is walking according to God's purpose - if this is true, God will use the situation for good.

That said - even if one is not walking according to God's purpose - if one uses the misfortune to realise this and repent - God has used it for good.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Sometimes when we’re seeking God and encounter “attacks” or crazy circumstances, I wonder if it’s more “turbulence” like the turbulent before breaking the sound barrier or like getting through the atmosphere.

The question of suffering is a tough one and i don't pretend to know it. Everyone has their own journey, with their own choices and their own experience.
What i do know is that when i had my own suffering, i couldn't let go of God because i felt like drowning.
I also reasoned that God sent me the suffering because i was being ungrateful for all the blessings and the abundance He has given me, but as @Moses_Young said, that was not very important to me.
What was important was to put God in the highest first, above family and everything else and thank Him for your blessings He has given you your whole life.

Any misfortune we have might not come from the devil although he would want a hand in it.

The devil is a leash and can only do so much until the last 7 years of the rule of people on earth which for the first three and one half years the New Age Christ is influenced by the devil, and then the devils are cast to earth where they deceive all people who do not love God to follow the New Age Christ, and the last three and one half years he is controlled by the devil.

Which when he is off his leash it is represented as the beast coming out of the bottomless pit, and in the millennial reign he is back in the bottomless pit back on a leash but completely instead of partially like now.

The devil inflicted Job physically which I do not believe Satan has power to do that but God allowed him to test Job.

He will try to deceive spiritually by tempting us with things that go against the goodness of God.

He could tempt us to do something dangerous because he wants us to be hurt.

I do not think the devil can read our thoughts like we cannot read radio, phone, and internet waves, but he sees our actions and what we engage in, or use an outside source to tempt us.

Satan did not tempt Eve by her mind but by him being an outside source for there was no other outside source to tempt them not even the forbidden tree for it would of never entered their mind to eat off the tree unless an outside source tempted them with an alternate reality other than what God gave them.

Because of the fall we can run in to hurt whether ourselves because sometimes we bumble, and fumble, and drop things, or whatever accident we cause being in the flesh, or someone else hurts us.

If we stub our toe it is not because of God for He would not cause something like that but it is by us not paying attention, or not believing there is a threat there.

He gave Paul a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble so if He did afflict us it would be so we become more Christlike, and humble, which the Son learned obedience by the things He suffered, but it would not come from Him but He would allow an affliction which a messenger of Satan gave Paul the affliction which God allowed it.

God is good and when He allowed nations to take down other nations because they were too cruel, and spreading their falsehood He allowed evil spirits to stir them up.

God is not hurting anyone physically for we are under grace, and the love that Jesus showed on earth that He did not hurt anyone, and did not verbally assault anyone, is the same love that applies now towards people.

God is good and the world will suffer because they do not have His protection, but a saint can suffer if they do dumb things physically, or by accident.

The devil tempted Jesus by setting Him up on a pinnacle of the temple and told Him to jump down for the angels will catch Him, which He said do not tempt the Lord thy God which do not put yourself in a dangerous position on purpose and then say God help me for He is not obligated to help you.

it could be just you

Romans 8:28

Neither, it was one's own clumsiness that caused the trip.
God does not temp us and the devil works in our thoughts not in our circumstances.

Brief in an active devil affecting physical thi gs in one's life, leads to superstitions and rituals intended to protect.
Only Jesus and the Spirit will give protection, amulets, charms, rituals etc are all a waste of time.

I think it is helpful to know if I am being attacked, or being punished/instructed. It will ease some anxieties. Either way, I agree we have to lean on God. It seems no one can tell if misfortune is caused by God or the devil.

It isn't just tripping, but can be other stuff like roof leak, losing/someone stealing your wallet, to more serious matters like chronic health issues.

Job 1:21b; 13:15a

I would be careful of the either or distinction. Here are some things to think about from GotQuestions; a site that does offer balanced answers for certain things.

Blaming God is a common response when life doesn’t go our way. Since God is supposedly in control of everything, the thinking goes, He could have stopped what happened. He could have changed the situation to benefit me; He could have averted the calamity. Since He did not, He is to blame.

To help avoid blaming God, we must first understand why heartache and pain are a part of our lives. Sin is at the root of every harsh and evil act. God did not design the human body or soul to live in a sinful world. We were created perfectly to dwell in a perfect world (Genesis 1—2). But the sin of Adam brought devastation and disaster into God’s perfect world. Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, droughts—ultimately, all natural disasters are here because of sin (Genesis 3:17–19). Our own sinful choices create a ripple effect that echoes throughout our lives. And the sin of others affects us as well. Earthly trouble is a reminder that sin has terrible consequences, so, before we blame God for a crisis, we must examine our own lives and be honest about choices that could have led to it.

I understand you are not saying you blame God, but when a person sees 2 opposing forces as responsible for what may happen in their life, then they may not take responsibility for whatever occurs. Sometimes events are really out of our hands and we did nothing to bring upon ourselves whatever it is we are having difficulty with. More often than not though, we can trace whatever it is back to our own involvement.

We need to remember what was set in motion when sin occurred in the garden and that God does not create puppets. Often enough we might suffer because of people and some of those might even call themself believers.

I would tend to think that most things are not the direct influence of the devil or God but are the result of our own choices or those around us.

However, God does know everything that occurs in our life and He is the One we should go to for help.

There is a verse in Psalms I particularly like.

Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah Psalm 62:8

We cannot hide anything from God and would we really want to?

Precious friend, there is this, that we do:


and this, God Does, For His Honor And Glory:

God's Grace Word for our infirmities!

Amen.

Good and bad things happen in life. It’s not always somebody behind it. It’s just life.

Living in a fallen world. The devil cannot be in more than one place at once. I doubt I’m important enough to be messing with me. However, my flesh is with me all the time.

Based on the movie War Room, the devil (more so the demons) are everywhere and you have to cleanse them out of the house. For example, if one is watching porn, there are actual demonic spiritual beings floating in the room, happy. I was told this.

Sometimes misfortune is not caused by God or the devil ... the misfortune can be traced all the way back to the sin of Adam and Eve when creation was brought under bondage:

Romans 8:

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope

21 Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.


Having said that ... God tells us we will face testing in our lives and God assures us that we are fully equipped to prevail in our times of testing ...

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


.