Can Satan manipulate our thoughts?

I Agree, But Would Add...

... that if Satan can create situations and environments around us in order to tempt us, is this not a form of manipulation of ones mind?

I believe Satan can definitely manipulate the mind of people... based upon the Biblical fact that there are demon possessed people, and possession can only take place with in the mind, soul and heart of the possessed person.

Great question "runaway". and I've looked at all the posts [both pages] and agree with your bottom-of-page-two note. There were tons of good replies.

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

 

I seldom comment on this type of discussion-- online or in person-- and I'm not sure even as I begin just what I am going to say. But I have recently been reading and watching videos about the history of witchcraft, its perceptions and consequences, so bringing up how the devil does what he does spurs interest.

While we know from scripture that he can disguise himself as something good [an "angel of light"], and that at least sometimes he can, with God's allowance, cause disasters, many Christians IMO tend to think they know all about him and how he works. And considering how knowing you have him all figured out has often led to such horrible consequences, we should never go near that.

While I can't know if it's true, I remember once an evangelist in his sermon told about when he was young [teenager, I think] he and a friend used to spy on an Assembly of God church. They saw their wild ecstatics, and one man always stayed seated at a pew in the back (they watched through an open door in warm/hot weather), then after a few moments of the wild stuff, he suddenly got up and ran to the front on the backs of the pews. They were amused by all this until on night when they were watching, a bunch of men brought out a screaming woman and began to beat her ferociously, talking about "beating the devil out of her." If true, this is a modern example of the 'witch craze' period of the 15th through17th centuries. They have the devil all figured out, and know they are doing 'God's will' in a physical battle against him. And like the literal witch-hunting times, it's really quite clear that the evil was done by those who claimed authority in the name of God.

So can Satan manipulate thoughts of working against him? I don't know if Jesus' words about 'Satan can't cast out Satan' apply to this or not. Regardless, it's man's nature to be carnal, and the devil is not needed for that. But like others, I think he can work within our environment to influence us for evil. In that sense he would be more like a pornographer than a mind-reader; more like an advertising executive than a two-face confidante.

 

But a Christian can't be demon possessed, and I think the OP is talking about Christians. At least that is how I understood it.

 

not christians,, the title of this thread says 'our' meaning chrisitans., not the unsaved, chrisitans can not be possessed by satan.

 

Mark 8:31-33 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.


Satan surely influenced Peter's mind causing him to rebuke the Lord.

 

I think that Satan can spot your weakness and make use of them both temperarily and permanently. Some people may thus be under his control without their own awareness, such his horde of false prophets and messengers. They are more like people with a damaged brain but without the self-awareness.

Satan and his angels can cast direct influence to our minds, more or less like speaking to our sub-consciousness through hypnosis, such that we will tend to follow our fleshly desire to do things.

The evil spirits under his and his angels' command can also attack people by entering them temperarily or even more permanently (demon-possess).

And I think the bottom line is that he can't read peopel's minds directly and he can't make a decision for them. All he can do is influencing all he can by the various means he can get hold of.

 

The first thing that comes to mind is James writing that we are tempted of our own, then satan entices (sp) us. Satan would have to have some degree of influnce in our minds to do so. Quick answer would be that yes he can, but only as far as God permits.

We can never be tempted beyond our ability to withstand.

 

If Satan cannot put thoughts in our minds, then why does Paul tell us to put on the whole armor of God? What are Satan's fiery darts?

Putting thoughts in our mind does not mean things suggested above. It does not mean a Christian can be possessed, neither does it mean that Satan can read our minds, but place thoughts there, sure he can.

 

Where do evil thoughts come from?

 

Satan can suggest, but he cannot force. We do see in the temptation of Jesus that he made suggestions to Jesus. Satan is very clever and attacks our weaknesses. In Jesus's case, he knew the Lord had fasted for 40 days and was very hungry, and so tempted him to turn stones into bread.

With Eve Satan suggested that if Eve ate of the fruit she would become wise like God. This appeals to our nature, we all like to believe we are smart and wise, it appeals to the pride especially.

When the scriptures say that Satan takes away the word sown in the unbelievers heart, I interpret this to mean the love of sin. Many people hear the gospel and understand it, but realize that if they accept Christ they are going to be told to give up sin. So, Satan reminds them of the sin they love so much.

The person may think, "If I accept Christ I will have to give up drinking, I love drinking" or "If I accept Christ I will have to give up chasing girls. I am young and having the time of my life, I don't want to give that up."

So, Satan reminds them of the sin they love. In the case of the young rich ruler, Jesus promised if he would give up his wealth and possessions and come follow him, he would have treasure in heaven. Well, it is pretty easy to imagine what went through this young man's head. He was wealthy and enjoyed a life of pleasure, but he was also a ruler and enjoyed power and much esteem from others. You can bet he thought on this for a moment. But the decision to walk away from Jesus was his own, we can't blame the devil like the old Flip Wilson comedy bit "the Devil made me do it!"

Flip Wilson had a lot of insight when he came up with this, many people blame the Devil when they do wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SLifea3NHQ

 

The "Devil made me do it" might have got laughs for Flip Wilson, but we have to allow it to happen. Bad things happen to good people but a lot of times the good people were not where they belonged.

Satan has been doing his work for millenniums, there is nothing we can throw at him or a way we can resist him that he has not seen many times before. That is why I would suggest that we Christians should "Keep our eyes upon Jesus". That is the one thing Satan has not figured a way around, in fact, the scripture says that Satan will flee.

James 4:7 (NKJV) 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.