Can Satan hear our thoughts?

[Josh]

Can Satan hear our thoughts?

What do you think?

[stevekimes]

I don't know. I know he can put thoughts in my head, to tempt me to a certain way. But a neurologist can do that by stimulating certain parts of the brain without being able to read my thoughts. So I don't have a clue.

[Lady J]

(Sorry, Josh, if I started this thread in the wrong place.)

I've heard people say that the enemy (Satan/demons) can't read our minds but then people say he can influence our thoughts with lies or discouragement (or negative things like that). Can both of these be true at the same time?

[Josh]

Good question.

No problem about where you put it.

I think there is a similar thread somewhere- if I find it i'll join them together.

[Josh]

Apr 5, 2011 8:25:20 GMT -8 Lady J said:

(Sorry, Josh, if I started this thread in the wrong place.)

I've heard people say that the enemy (Satan/demons) can't read our minds but then people say he can influence our thoughts with lies or discouragement (or negative things like that). Can both of these be true at the same time?

I don't think we can absolutely know about what he hears. But I think it's fairly plain in Scripture that he can tempt us.

As to what he hears, I think it's silly to think that the only way Satan can know what we're thinking is when we say things out loud, though. That encourages all sorts of weird views on watching what we're saying, etc...

Maybe demons can read some of our thoughts but not all. Maybe demons are aware of tells we give off that we have no clue about but can't read our minds.

If any case, I don't think we need to worry about "loose lips sinking ships" in the spiritual realm. God is able to protect us if we are walking in the light no matter what we're saying.

[Lady J]

My interest in this is less about what we say going out, and more about the thoughts coming in. Does the enemy really have authority to "implant" thoughts in our brains? Maybe he does, or maybe they are just our own thoughts. I'm not saying one way or the other--I'm just asking.

[Josh]

There's not a lot to go on Scripture-wise either way.

I mean, one could ask whether Satan's temptation of Jesus in the desert was verbal or "in his head".

Then there's this verse in Acts 5, which could be construed to imply that Satan has access to our thought-life:

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

I think the main origin of most temptation is, of course, our own thoughts, as in:

James 1:14

but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

so I think the enemy usually just fans our own natural temptations into flame. But I think in some cases the enemy does suggest novel ideas. For instance, what about the slave girl that followed Paul and "knew" things she shouldn't have known naturally? Somehow the evil spirit communicated those things to her.

[christopher]

I think it's a little less detectable than mere thoughts, it's more of a spiritual "moving" (if you will) or and urge to do or say something IMO. I think there may be more scripture than we may first think there is. Consider these passages:

1 Chron 21:121:1 Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.

1 Kings 22:20-23
20 And the LORD said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.' 22 "The LORD said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, 'You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.'
NKJV

1 Sam 16:14
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.
NKJV

Matt 16:21-23
21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
NKJV

Luke 9:51-56
51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"

55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village.
NKJV

Also, something about anger and unforgiveness give "place" to the devil (Eph 4, Matt 18).

I think the spiritual conduit for the enemy is through our emotions which are, in some measure, a product of our perspective. That's why the enemy is so tricksy, we can hardly discern it because it feels like it's coming only from us.

Prov 25:28
28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.
NKJV

[Josh]

Our minds are no less a conduit, however:

2 Cor. 4:4

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Cor. 11:3

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Thus the need to have our whole self protected:

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.