In Acts 10:38 Peter gives a very brief, yet descriptive summary of the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus was anointed with power and with the Holy Ghost.
He used this power to do good, not evil. This is one of the main characteristics of God and is one of the easiest ways to discern what is from God and what is from the devil. God is a good God and the devil is a bad devil. If it's bad, it's from the devil. If it's good, it's from God, John 10:10.
Tragedy can come from three sources: God, Satan, and natural law. God has used nature to bring judgment. But, the New Testament believer is exempt from this punitive judgment of God since Jesus bore it for him.
Satan is the source of much of the calamity that people blame God. Many problems arise because people violate the natural laws that God put into motion. If a person drives recklessly and kills himself, it's not God or the devil that killed him. He violated natural law and paid the price.
It is incorrect to believe that God controls everything and therefore always has some redemptive design in tragedies. This type of thinking will lead us to ignore the devil, thereby giving him a freehand to destroy our lives. It will also cause us not to use wisdom concerning natural laws, because we will think that nothing can happen unless God wills it. We must remember that God is a good God.
