Can the Devil read minds?

As in all battlefields, the spiritual one depends on certain large factors. Terrain is everything. Some elements, rivers for example, can be turned or temporarily dammed. Mountains however, cannot be moved and the good general has to adapt his strategy to the mountain. Looming large in spiritual warfare is the Holy Spirit. This creates two major divisions.

The first one – the one that we are the most familiar with, is the division between the condition of the redeemed and the unredeemed. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and acknowledge His rightful position as our sovereign Lord, His atoning work on the cross is imputed to us. This makes it possible for the Holy Spirit to enter our spirits and take them as His own personal possession. Either His domain is not limited to our spirits, or our spirits and bodies are so intertwined that it makes no difference, because the Bible says that our entire bodies become His temple.

· 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Jesus clearly indicated His total dominance of all things demonic during His earthly ministry and He gave us a clue as to the role of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of Luke.

• Luke 11:14-28 And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons." 16 Others, to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 But He knew their thoughts and said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. 22 But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters. 24 When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' 25 And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first." 27 While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed." 28 But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."

Note: Some points that we can infer from the passage are the following:

1. Jesus can easily overpower any demonic force. (v.14)
2. Satan (Beelzebul) is the ruler of an entire kingdom of demons. All these were at one time angels – a point I’ll deal with later. (v.15)
3. Satan’s kingdom is, in fact, united in its purpose. Otherwise it would not have lasted this long. (v.18)
4. The Holy Spirit is not the only one who considers human bodies His habitation. Satan (and his minions) also considers us his houses – their possessions. (vv. 21-22)
5. Jesus can tear us from the Devil’s clutches because He is stronger. (v. 22)
6. Demonic forces continuously seek a “house”. Here Jesus describes “waterless places” where the demon can find no rest. Since there are billions of us, the vast majority of which are without protection from demonic forces and apparently thousands of demons can possess a single person – there must be an unimaginable number of these demons all around us all of them seeking entrance! (vv. 24-26)
7. Having the demons cast out was not enough however. Something needed to replace them or they would return with reinforcements. (vv.23, 26)
8. The only true protection is to:
• Actively decide to join Christ and gather others to Him
• Hear the word of God and observe it.

So being freed of demonic influence is insufficient as a long-term solution. We must have something to inhabit our bodies so that the hordes of demons around us cannot find rest in us. And that something will inhabit us if we will choose to side with Christ, recruit others to His side, read the Word and apply it to our lives.

There is another great division that must be considered – again predicated on the presence of the Holy Spirit. That second division is between the way things worked before Christ made the long-term presence in our lives possible and the way they work now. We get our first intimation of the full ramifications of demonic influence in human lives in the very first book of the Bible.

• Genesis 6:1-7 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."

Though some very good men differ from me, I believe that the “sons of God” in this passage refers to fallen angels. I believe this first of all because the only other place in Scripture that the same phrase is used clearly refers to angelic beings.

• Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.

Note: I further believe they were demons because their possession of human women produced “nephilim” – giant mutants who are universally described in both biblical and extrabiblical literature as supernaturally strong and unrelentingly evil.

I want you to notice a few points. First, there weren’t nearly as many humans in existence at this point in time yet the number of demons is (as far as we know) fixed. Therefore, humans were overwhelmed by the sheer number of their enemy and the fact that they had themselves just recently fallen and were unused to spiritual warfare.

Secondly, this almost universal possession led to the human condition being described as having every intent of their hearts only evil continually. A clear indication of the demonic ability to influence the thought processed of the unredeemed.

Third, their state was so sorry and pitiable that God’s only recourse was to put them all down. Apparently being drowned is better than living in such a condition.

King Saul, after he fell away from obeying the Lord, was also oppressed by a spirit.

• 1 Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.

Notice how the spirit was unable to enter Saul until the Spirit of the Lord left the king? Did you notice too what the mental result was? Saul experienced terror. Apparently possession is a gradual and insidious process. At first we may be able to resist. When David would play spiritual music on the harp, this would enable Saul to resist the demon causing it to leave.

• 1 Samuel 16:23 So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

However, because Saul was not replacing the demon with the Spirit of the Lord, he would be re-inhabited with progressively deleterious effects. His memory began to wane.

• 1 Samuel 17:58 Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

He became progressively more paranoid.

· 1 Samuel 18:8-9 Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?" 9 Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.

As his condition worsened, he totally lost control, exhibited deep depression and murderous rages. At this point, his mental condition was so eroded that he was no longer able to resist the demonic influence, even with the outside help of spiritual music. He was truly lost to God but it was because of his own decisions to disobey God and follow his own way.

• 1 Samuel 18:10-12 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand. 11 Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice. 12 Now Saul was afraid of David, for the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.

Being the focal point of Saul’s paranoid envyings, David could not help but be a first hand witness of the tremendous dangers inherent in losing the Spirit of the Lord! Perhaps that is what drove his heart-felt cry when he was repenting of his adultery, murder and lying.

• Psalm 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

We know therefore that evil spirits and the Devil, all being fallen angels, can inhabit human bodies and influence human souls to the point where even the spirit is lost. However, they can only do this in the absence of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, when the Spirit would come upon a person, inhabit them for a time and leave, humanity was particularly vulnerable to this kind of attack. But God sent His Son to take our sins upon Himself. The Giver of good gifts sent the Holy Spirit, not for a temporary period, but to permanently inhabit those who accept His generosity. By the way, that is why the false doctrine that is promulgated by some who teach that our salvation can be lost is so desperately pernicious and must be actively opposed by all who appreciate what God has done for them.

We know then, that the Devil can put evil into the hearts and minds of the unsaved. Consider Judas Iscariot, for instance - he made Judas think of betraying Jesus.

• John 13:2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him

However, he clearly was not one of God’s children, in spite of his temporary status as one of the twelve.

• John 17:12 "While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

James tells us that our own lusts are fully sufficient to draw us into sin.

· James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

He then proceeds to outline the solution to this dilemma as involving receiving God’s perfect gift which comes from heaven.

· James 1:16-18 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

Note: And just as his half brother, our Master did in Luke 11, the apostle goes on to specify that:

1. We must not be deceived – therefore this is a matter of discernment and will. (v.16)
2. This involves receiving God’s gift. (v.17)
3. This involves the word of truth. (v.18)
4. We must not be hearers only but “doers” of the word. (vv. 22-23)

There is one interesting fact that keeps coming up in this long, sorry and sordid tale of human interaction with demons. In every instance, the temptation to allow them entrance has come through verbal, external sources. Adam and Eve were spoken to by a demonically possessed serpent.

• Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Note: If the Devil were able to read their thoughts and thus also be able to speak to them telepathically, why resort to this method?

When the Devil tempted Christ, there is absolutely no indication that this was done on a spiritual or telepathic level. The Devil, in a physical form, presented himself to Christ, equally incarnate and tempted the Son of God by projecting sound waves through the air which resonated on the Christ’s tympanic membrane.

• Matthew 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."

And once again, we see that the true source of protection from this onslaught was an infilling of and obedience to the Holy Spirit accompanied by a strict adherence to the Scriptures.

• Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
• Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"

Note: The Master is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3

We also get to see the other side of this military interplay – the good guys who are fighting the barbarous demonic hordes.

• Mark 1:13 And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

Every time, the apostles cast out demons, it involved speaking out loud, dealing on a verbal/physical level. They were talking to the demons in real space/time, not in a trance on some transcendent spiritual plane.

So can the Devil or his forces read thoughts? I would say – no. If they could do this telepathic trick so surreptitiously that we would think that their implanted thought was our own, what could we do against such a tactic? We would be completely powerless against it – and the biblical record clearly indicates that even a person who is not possessed by the Holy Spirit can, at first, present a degree of resistance (i.e. the case of king Saul).

This is supported again by James who urges us to put up at least a modicum of resistance against our adversary.

• James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Obviously, the only way to truly resist the Devil is to turn toward God. Contrapositionally to resist God’s call is to turn toward the Devil. That is why Jesus said there is no middle ground. You are either for Him or against Him.

• Matthew 12:30 He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Another factor to take into consideration is Lucifer’s angelic beginnings. If Satan can read our thoughts, other angels should be able to do the same. But apart from theophanies we see not one instance of an angel exhibiting such a talent. In fact Paul seems to propose the exact opposite.

• 1 Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

Note: This would seem to indicate that only our own spirit and omniscient God are capable of knowing our thoughts. Satan appeals to our sensuous spirits by presenting us with temptations in various forms and thus putting ideas into our heads. But this is no different that someone presenting themselves without appropriate dress, implanting the possibility of sex in our minds. Nor is it different from someone like Adolph Hitler speaking to large crowds implanting with every passionate word the idea that we are somehow superior to our fellow man or someone like Martin Luther King Jr. just as passionately calling us to serve our fellow man and treat him as our equal. “Putting ideas in our heads” is a very different thing from reading our minds.

This is also supported by the case history of Job. God knew Job’s mind (because God is omniscient), but Satan knew only what he saw of Job and what he believed Job’s response would be to trouble. Satan evidently believed that if he could abuse Job, Job’s faith would crumble.

• Job 1:11 “But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face."

· Job 2:4-5 Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face."

He clearly didn’t know Job’s mind and God did.

• Job 2:10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Scriptures solely ascribe omniscience to God.

• Psalm 139:4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all.

· Mark 2:6-8 But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, "Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?

Omniscience is never ascribed to Satan in either the Old or the New Testaments. In fact the Scriptures clearly teach otherwise.

• 2 Chronicles 6:30 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men
• 1 Kings 8:39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men

· 1 Chronicles 28:9 As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

· Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

So God alone knows our hearts. But the Devil has had a long time to study the human animal. He knows us better than any human psychologist could ever hope to. He knows our character. He travels the earth, studying us.

· Job 1:7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

He does this in the hopes of finding victims. He is actively trying to figure out our defenses and develop ways to overcome them.

· 1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

He knows our weakness. He knows how best to bait us. But he cannot draw out of our hearts something that is not already there.

· Proverbs 23:7a For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

· Mark 7:21-23 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

• James 1:1-3 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

The Bible teaches that we are responsible for our thoughts. It teaches accountability. This is why we must put up some resistance. We cannot just sit around and wait for God to zap us. While grace is free it still must be appropriated. While salvation is instantaneous, sanctification is not.

• James 1:4-7 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? 6 But He gives a greater grace Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

· 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Note: We are told that we have the ability to “take captive every thought” we have and actively, willfully place it under the authority of Christ. That seems to me to indicate a degree of autonomy, of free will and self-responsibility.

We are further instructed to take certain steps in order to be able to not only survive the Devil’s onslaughts but to actually push forward with an aggressive offense.

· Ephesians 6:11-17 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Note: The Devil does throw “flaming arrows” but with the Holy Spirit’s presence, and our faith-driven obedience to the Word, we will not only extinguish them but advance, sword in hand.

Can the Devil or his minions read our minds or implant thoughts? Clearly he cannot do this to Christians. He may have the ability to do so with the unredeemed but even they have the option of turning to God, thus shutting Satan down.

But to turn this doctrine into a timid, weak-willed and fearful thing is a travesty. We should not, as some do, use this doctrine as a basis for not praying out loud for fear of the Devil. Every biblical saint prayed out loud. David cried out loud. Elijah cried out to God. Daniel prayed openly before his window. Paul never taught us to pray quietly, timidly. When he prayed, he prayed out loud wherever he was, without caring whether the Devil or anyone else for that matter heard him.

Our Master prayed out loud and called on us to imitate Him in His prayer life. In fact, it is specifically because our Lord was also tempted just like us yet without sin, and because He thus understands us that we are to pray boldly!

· Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We ARE to be careful about the words that come out of our mouths. But it is not out of fear of the Devil but out of consideration for the Holy Spirit!

· Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

To do anything less than to pray boldly, ceaselessly, joyfully and gratefully would be to deny the sufficiency of Christ and insult the Holy Spirit.

· 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit;