Alao, rebbe akiva didn’t say it was impossible, rather “chas veshalom”
It would indeed be a calamity.
The type of calamity which gedolei yisroel for generations said will happen before bias hamoshiach. Rav nachman knew this gemara very well, And the, the rizhuner, and many others said nissim will happen which will test our emunah. We will have to hold on by our fingertips, they said.
So to recap:
Rebbe Akiva is a machlokes tannaim, and rebbe yochanan paskens not like him
Rebbe Akiva was talking about a Navi, not the soton.
Rebbe Akiva never said it wouldn’t happen before bias hamoshiach, or that it was impossible, rather he said chas veshalom.
No one’s taking away the importance of thanking Hashem – you need to thank Hashem for non nisim too, or for yeshuos you get even if they’re tests. That’s part of the test.
The issue is using that to legitimize actual avodah zara, which is what the pasuk is warning us about.