I agree that Satan does not want this person to become closer to Christ. God allows choice, and Satan also works within the parameters of human choice, but he is certainly capable of putting the thought in that young man's mind of messing with a particular person's vehicle. After all, if you are committing a crime, you are in Satan's territory. He certainly doesn't want your friend turning to Christ, so he will put every distraction in the way. Ultimately, you can tell your friend the truth, but it is his choice how he responds to this bad thing and how he responds to Christ.

Also, major kudos to your neighbor for doing a citizen's arrest! If more people did things like that, we might have less crime!

I have personally experienced the most obvious Satanic attacks on missions trips. I was in one city in California that felt so oppressed it was like you could sense it in the air. We had an outdoor service that was attended by five or less people, and it was like something invisible was pushing other people away. We spent most of the next day praying, and the next night we had a service that was attended by hundreds and had a huge altar response. I believe Satanic attack is real, but God's power is incomparably greater.

I think is good to see things that happen in terms of spiritual warfare.  However, we also need to remember that Satan attacks those who are not seeking God, too - they are in his bondage, and he delights in making their lives miserable.  We also need to remember that NOTHING Satan does is outside of God's control, and any attack we suffer is allowed by the hand of God.  Ephesians, Colosians, Hebrews, and many other places that talk about the supremacy of Christ make that very clear - Satan only has the power to attack us as far as he is allowed to.  What the person who tends therefore to blame everything on God needs to understand is that when God allows us to be attacked, it is to drive us into His arms, where He stands waiting to receive us, to hold us, to defend us and comfort us.  Did God not allow us to be attacked, we would never know His tenderness, never fully experience His love.

This happens all the time to me and to other Christians I know.  Though I would hesitate to call everything that goes wrong a spiritual attack, when several things go wrong all at once, it's likely.  I tend to think about it in terms of being persecuted for His sake... it means that the demons are threatened by us getting closer to God, so they redouble the attack against us.  The important thing is to hold true through it and know that it will pass. 

It does seem that Satan attacks us when we are moving forward in our faith or when we first believe in Christ. But we must remember that God is in control. Satan must have his permission to act. Many times it is to grow our faith and to teach us, that these things happen. I hold on to the knowledge that God uses for good all things in regards to his saints. I am sorry about your neighbor and I hope you help him hold fast.

@MorningGloria@xanga - Right on the money!

hm.

I was really upset about something a few weeks ago. I was staying at my Grandmother's house, and I decided to pray the rosary really late at night, the light was on in my room, and all the windows and my door were closed. About half-way through, this huge black moth came out of no-where, and was flying around the room, and makeing noises as it threw itself against the ceilieng. I was startled, but not scared. Usually I would have captured a bug and brought it outside, but it occured to me that this could be the devil, trying to distract me, So I continued. Within a minute or two, the black moth had disapeared.  

I wonder, are you implying that the Devil possessed these people?  Because short of doing that, the people themselves vandalized your neighbor's car, not Satan.  Not everything is a matter of powers and spirits.  Quite simply, people do stupid things all the time, and they were a fine example of stupidity.

very interesting. I aggree with most of what is said,but:

i dont believe the boy who damaged the car was 'possessed'. I myself have egged cars and such a while back, but i have also done many good things to/for people as most here would have also.

I believe that it was a type of coincidence but the devil had some kind of involvement through indirect actions.

i must say that it really does make so much sence to think of the closer we get to God, the angrier the devil gets. i feel that my small input here might have just angered the devil- which makes me happy.