How much influence does Satan have on your life? Does he, for example, have the power to know your thoughts? We read in the gospels about Jesus' knowing people's thoughts, can Satan do this too? Why does your mind "wander and go astray" when you pray? How is it that you can maintain your concentration when reading the newspaper or a secular book but grow drowsy as soon as you start reading your Bible? At the heart of these various questions are two concerns about the human thought process, the first of which is...
I. Who Knows Your Thoughts?
II. Who Controls Your Thoughts?
Can the devil manipulate your mind? He can do so only if you allow it. You should not, however, concentrate all your efforts on combating his machinations. While Satan's opposition is real, he is not the only foe you face. There may be other, perhaps less dramatic forces hindering your attempts to read scripture or pray.
What to remember: Give Satan his due, but do not give him more than he is due. Do not ascribe every difficulty to his efforts. Few of us warrant that kind of attention from the dark realm, and we are quite capable of shooting ourselves in the spiritual foot, as it were.11 Whatever the cause of your difficulties in study or prayer, God has given you the means to overcome them. All you need do is apply what He has provided.
I. Who Knows Your Thoughts?
A. The biblical authors often say that God knows man's thoughts?2
1 Kgs 8:39b [= 2 Chr 6:30b] You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men,
1 Chr 28:9b ...the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts.
1 John 3:20b God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
B. The biblical authors never say that Satan knows man's thoughts.
1. Angels, including Satan and his minions, do have greater knowledge than man.
2 Sam 14:20b [Joab said to David:] My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God—he knows everything that happens in the land.
Luke 4:34c [A demon said to Jesus:] "1 know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
2. Their knowledge may include prescience, but it does not extend to omniscience.
a. They may know something about the future.
Acts 16:16a Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.
b. They do not know everything about the future.
Matt 8:29 "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"
God knows your thoughts, but there is no indication that Satan (or his associates) can read your mind. Nevertheless, Satan can probably read your actions and discern from them what you may be thinking.3 The second question, which may be a more relevant concern, is...Matt 24:36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
II. Who Controls Your Thoughts?
A. Satan attempts to influence man's thinking by deceptive ploys.4
1. He clouds the minds of unbelievers.5
Matt 13:19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
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 of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2. He seduces the minds of believers.6
1 Tim 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
Despite Satan's greater abilities (greater than yours), you are not helpless against him, and NT writers list various ways...2 Tim 2:25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
B. You can protect your thinking against Satan's ploys.
1. You must use the armament God has provided.7
These seven aspects of the believer's armament all relate in some way to his mind—to what he thinks or to how he thinks—and they counteract the assaults Satan mounts against the mind:Eph 6:10 ...be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
- Truthfulness and righteousness are ethical qualities that shape your thinking and contrast the falsity and impiety Satan advocates.
- Peace is a serenity of mind that enables action despite the paralyzing chaos Satan fosters.
- Faith is unwavering confidence in God that neutralizes whatever attack Satan mounts.
- Salvation is the assurance of a future with God despite the doubts Satan raises.
- Scripture contains divine instructions that cut through the deceptive temptations Satan offers.8
- Prayer is a communications link that is secure against any interference Satan attempts.9
2. You must limit your exposure to demonic influence.
a. Avoid improper activities.10
1 Cor 10:20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.
b. Avoid improper associations.
2 Cor 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
3. You must maintain your guard in all circumstances.
a. Avoid pride in good times.
Jms 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
b. Avoid despair in bad times.
1 Pet 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
4. You must approach new ideas critically.
a. Examine everything.
1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
b. Expose error.
Satan may attempt to influence your thoughts, but God has given you the means to protect yourself against those efforts. Nevertheless, the measures God provides are not automatic; you must apply them.2 Cor 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Can the devil manipulate your mind? He can do so only if you allow it. You should not, however, concentrate all your efforts on combating his machinations. While Satan's opposition is real, he is not the only foe you face. There may be other, perhaps less dramatic forces hindering your attempts to read scripture or pray.
- Your mind may wander because you are battling fatigue or boredom.
- Your mind may wander because you are battling your sinful nature.
What to remember: Give Satan his due, but do not give him more than he is due. Do not ascribe every difficulty to his efforts. Few of us warrant that kind of attention from the dark realm, and we are quite capable of shooting ourselves in the spiritual foot, as it were.11 Whatever the cause of your difficulties in study or prayer, God has given you the means to overcome them. All you need do is apply what He has provided.
For the Endnotes, see the pdf here.
I've heard people say that if you feel under satanic attack, you must rebuke the devil out loud, since he can't read your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThere are two questions in my mind about that. First, are we ever commanded to rebuke the devil? Jude said that even the archangel Michael dared not rebuke Satan.
And second, can demons sense our resistance even if we don't speak out loud? In my experience, I have felt an attack lift when I just concentrated on the blood of Jesus.
Linda Harris
It may might be something other than demons sensing your resistance - they may be receiving opposition from a more powerful force than you.
ReplyDelete