Can Satan read our thoughts?

[Guest]

What do you think?
I bet most christians will say no because satan and his demons are not allmighty. But since when do you have to be allmighty to read minds? Today we even have the possibility to show which parts of the brain are working when a person thinks of something. Why should demons not be able to read our minds? And also have you never had a situation where you thought about something and then somebody had to think of the very same thing at the same time? Like telepathy? I have experienced this a few times. Once I was thinking about an old friend and then all of a sudden my father asked me wether I have heard anything from him since he moved away. It was totally strange. I have not talked to my father about this friend in years and then all of a sudden he asks me this question while I have been thinking about him a few seconds before, isn't this a huge coincidence? If telepathy is really possible then why should demons not also be able to read our minds?
And the biggest problem is actually that if demons cannot read our minds they also don't know what we are thinking about, this means all they can do is throw in random thoughts like "God hates you" "you're a loser" and so on. But what sense does this make? Does it ever happen to you that you're thinking about what to wear or what to eat and then all of a sudden you get a thought like "God hates you"? This never happens to me. But what happens to me is that when I am thinking about something I might get a negative thought as a direct reply to what I thought before.
As if I was having a conversation with somebody else. But if demons cannot read my thoughts then they also can impossibly reply to what I was thinking. Do you know what I'm getting at?
And this would mean that all these negative thoughts are my own!
Or do you sometimes get blasphemous thoughts when you're thinking about God and wonder where these thoughts come from. If demons cannot read our minds then all these thoughts are our own thoughts. Not a very pleasant thought...

[Guest]

These are very good questions. Personally, I don't feel it necessary to distinguish whether or not an evil though comes from my own mind or from a demon. The solution to both would be the same and that's to "bring every thought into captivity to Christ." Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit so we can never blame demons for decisions we make. However, I do believe God has given satan/demons the ability to suggest things to our minds. The only possible reason for God to even keep satan around is to act as our tester. But while satan tries to use this limited power to get us to sin, God uses this same tester to bring us into spiritual maturity by resisting and passing the test. What satan means for evil, God means for good.

[Guest]

Hi JC,
when you say God uses Satan as our tester then this sounds like Satan serves God and only carries out what God wants him to do and this would make God look pretty bad because this means that whatever Satan does is actually what God tells him to do but instead of doing it himself he uses Satan to carry it out.
Actually there are christians, but I don't even know if these people really can be called christians, which believe that Satan and God are either the same or that Satan serves God and only does what God wants. But this would mean that Satan isn't even a bad guy but rather has this scapegoat image.
I think this is totally twisted and cannot possibly be. If God used Satan to carry out what he wants to do then this would be like using Satan as a scapegoat and this way God can still be only good while he uses Satan at the same time to camouflage his other deeds which wouldn't fit to his image. This would be totally sick.

[Guest]

Hi beaver-- i am not sure if you listened to Steve's series on spiritual warfare, but i recommend it. he will likely challenge what you currently believe about satan and demons.. in fact about everything i hear steve speak about challenges what i have always believed, which to me is a good thing because i may have been believing wrongly about some things.

i agree with you that it would certainly seem that demons/satan can read our thoughts because he is so expert at knowing how to "get us." if they dont read our thoughts, then it would seem they are excellent observers of us individually, and also experts at understanding human nature. i would recommend "the screwtape letters" by CS lewis for some insight in this regard.

--TK

[Guest]

Well, being challenged can be good and bad.
Usually I rather tend to stick with what I heard first or what's mainstream.
I would have problems believing in special stuff simply because it would be too risky for me. When you stick to what mainstream christianity teaches then you at least belong to the masses and the chances that you're wrong is smaller.

[Guest]

Hi Beaver, I find the idea that bad thoughts come from my own heart less threatening than that demons can read my mind. Actually I guess I agree with JC, that it doesn't really matter, just that we bring every thought into captivity to Christ.

I also find your philosophy of going along with the masses interesting because I'm just the opposite. I don't seem to be able to trust the mainstream to get everything right, but then I live in California and look who we elected for our governor. I like to be challenged, but it's not like I have to latch onto every new idea I hear.

[Guest]

Usually I rather tend to stick with what I heard first or what's mainstream.
I would have problems believing in special stuff simply because it would be too risky for me. When you stick to what mainstream christianity teaches then you at least belong to the masses and the chances that you're wrong is smaller.

That's the method that Roman Catholics rely on and though i respect sincere Catholics i think they are wrong on a lot of issues. If their hierarchy is wrong then they are all wrong.

[Guest]

Well but aren't we all this way?
I think that no matter what you learn first this becomes your foundation and people need a foundation for safety and stability. If you first were taught that being slain by the spirit is biblical for example and then somebody else tells you it's not biblical you will most likely stick to what you were taught first and you will especially stick to it if this is the mainstream opinion.
I would really be too scared to step into something wrong because it's a) new and b) not mainstream.
There is underground stuff out there which might even be right but I wouldn't trust in it, such as for example the distinguishing between salvation of the soul and salvation of the spirit. Some christians say that you can be a christian and live like hell and still be saved and the loss which you suffer is only the salvation of the soul but you still get to heaven.
Or it's the same with the OSAS debate. Even if OSAS was right would you dare relying on it? Would you not be scared of having a bad awakening? Since christians argue about so many things and the bible isn't very clear because otherwise there would be no diversity of opinions it's really difficult to trust into theologies which are not mainstream.
These different opinions are simply annoying. Some say you simply have to believe, others say you need faith + works. And somehow everybody has good arguments and bible verses to support his view but not everybody can be right.

[Guest]

Beaver,

We are Christians if we follow Jesus. The requirement to be a Christian is not to agree on all the same doctrines. Perhaps this is why you are expressing such frustration. Let me give you an example. In the 16th century, Nicolaus Copernicus went against the mainstream and taught a heliocentric galaxy. In fact, he was the only one doing it and was heavily criticized. Now everyone knows Copernicus was right.

During the middle ages, the vast majority of "Christians" felt that anyone who disagreed with the Pope was worthy to be put to death. If you spoke out and called this practice murder then you would've been killed yourself. But guess what.... you would've been following Jesus.

Actually, Jesus put it this way.... "Take the narrow path." Christianity is not about which doctrines you follow... it's about who you follow. Jesus is a real person, not a collage of theological ideas. It's ok to debate theology, and even edifying, but when you start to think of Christ as a set of ideas rather than a living being, it's a dangerous road. Unity doesn't mean we all agree on everything, it means we're following the same Lord. Since human beings are all at different levels of understanding and knowledge it only makes sense that disagreements will occur. But you will do well to remember that the path that Jesus spoke of is not the mainstream, even in the church.

[Guest]

I think,

That once a thought is formed it streams from our minds. Before that only

God or we could know it. This view doesn't seem to do any violence to

the relevant scripture ( sorry can't find it ) that states that , only God

or us can Know our mind.


I've come to this view, after ( sadly ) beginning to hear voices that can

"read " my thoughts.

Bud