Sections 37-42 in The Life of St. Antony and 1 Kings and 2 Samuel in the Bible represent the power of God because of his response to both prayer and sin.
In The Life of St. Anthony, passages 37-42 discuss the faith that men must have in God and shall not be esteemed for casting out demons for themselves, rather they shall acknowledge that it is a favor from God who granted it. In many of Anthony’s stories about his encounters with demons, he says that they often came to him in disguises however, “you might learn not to faint in discipline, nor to fear the devil nor the delusions of the demons.” Following the example of Anthony, prayer and holding steadfast to the love of God seemed the most successful way of ridding the demons. Basically, putting you faith in God to rid yourself of the evil that is persisting. Similar to in 1 Kings chapter 17, Elijah goes and stays with a widow where he discovers that she is preparing a final meal for her and her son before they die of starvation. Upon God’s request, Elijah pleads with the widow to allow him to have the last meal and that then their food will never run out. She allows this and their food does not run out. The widow learns that Elijah was right, however, her son still dies. Elijah pleads and prays for God to restore the window’s son’s soul and so he does, restoring the widow’s faith in Elijah and that he is a man of God and speaks the truth. This passage in 1 Kings reminds me of the passage in The Life of Antony because it represents the power of prayer and the extent of God’s answers. The widow witnesses God’s power and is then a believer of Elijah’s truth. Both Anthony and the widow put their faith in God and their prayers, and they were answered.
Another passage from the Bible that reminds me of the sections from The Life of Antony, is in 2 Samuel chapters 11-12 where David sins against God by having an affair, getting the woman pregnant, and then intentionally having the woman’s husband murdered in battle. As punishment for David’s sins, God makes David’s house forever at war and gives his son a disease in which he dies from. This section again reminds me of the extent of God’s power and the punishment that can ensue if you sin against him.