I have often heard some say "do not tell all your problems out loud because the devil can then tempt you with your weakness"
I have heard some reply to that by saying the devil can read your mind anyway so whats it matter?
So I ask, can the devil read your mind or does he only know what you verbally speak out loud?
can the devil read your mind?
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Richard Neal
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This is long but well worth the read!
Can the Devil Read Men's Minds?
By Reese Currie, Compass Distributors
We received a very interesting question from a reader on whether the devil can read men's minds. We don't like to give "theoretical" answers, and if an answer cannot be backed up directly by Scripture, we tend to remain completely silent on the issue.
In our initial writing on this, it seemed to us that Scripture did not give a direct answer to this question, and we gave an answer based on diligent logical deduction. However, in Bible study three years later, I came across a critical verse in 2 Chronicles that led me to immediately revise this article and declare as a certainty that the devil is not able to read men's minds.
What Does It Mean To Read A Mind?
In this article, I am presuming that the person asking the question was asking if the devil can retrieve information from one's mind without the individual specifically communicating that information.
Angels can be demonstrated from the Bible as being able to be communicate on a purely mental basis, coming to people in dreams, visions and so forth, but there is no example of an angel retrieving information from a human without that person's willing communication.
Who Can Know the Hearts of Men?
Two passages in Psalms point out that God can read minds. Psalm 139:23 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:" (KJV). (The NKJV translates this word "anxieties"; the actual Hebrew word means "cogitations".) Psalm 94:11 says, "The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile."
Jesus has demonstrated the ability to read minds; Matthew 9:3,4 says, "And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, 'This Man blasphemes!' But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts?'"
Now, people who believe Jesus is an angel would then have to ascribe mind reading abilities automatically to Satan as well, because Satan is also an angel, albeit a fallen one. People who have read my pages before know that I am a trinitarian, meaning I believe that God the Father (Jehovah), Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are three Persons that make up one God. Indeed, the Bible says in several places that only God knows the hearts of men, a trait Jesus demonstrated here; it never says that any angel knows the hearts of men.
In the King James Version, Acts 1:24 says, "And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;" (KJV)
This text is very well translated from the original Greek, though it is naturally pretty hard to read for the modern reader. The KJV speaks of the Lord "which" knows the hearts of all men, while modern versions (even the good ones like the NKJV) speak of the Lord "who" knows the hearts of all men, not necessarily excluding all other beings. The actual Greek word being translated is "kardiognostes", which means "knower of the hearts"; the Greek text really reads, "You, Lord, knower of the hearts of all", a very exclusive statement that says only God knows the hearts of all.
Again from the King James Version, Revelation 2:23 reads, "And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works." (KJV)
The Greek word "ho", translated "which" here, is a very specific word that could also be translated as "that". This would make the phrase, "I am He that searches the ... hearts", meaning only God can make such a search. If God can identify Himself as "He that searches the hearts", it is logical to believe that no one else has this unique capability.
The final witness that proves conclusively that only God can know the hearts of the sons of man is 2 Chronicles 6:30, which says, "then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men)". If the logical deductions in the original article left any doubt in one's mind, surely the new information leads us to the certain conclusion that only God can read men's minds.
The Devil Is An Imperfect Observer, Not A Mind-Reader
The nature of the devil is perhaps nowhere so clearly shown as it is in the first chapter of Job. When you consider this story, you will see that the devil had no idea what was in the heart, or the mind, of Job.
The story begins with the devil presenting himself before God and making an assertion of how Job would react in a given set of circumstances. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.' Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!' And the Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.' So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord." (Job 1:6-11)
God allowed the devil his experiment; Job lost his livestock, many servants, and even the lives of his children. How did Job react? "Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.' In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." (Job 1:20-22)
So, the devil certainly did not know what Job would do. He had not read Job's mind; he had simply made a guess based on his observations (his walking to and fro, and up and down in the earth) and he was wrong.
Conclusion
The devil inserts evil thoughts into the minds of all of us, including many faithful men found in the Bible; 1 Chronicles 21:1 says, "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." David obviously did not realize it was Satan that put the thought in his head, or he would not have complied. The devil is sort of a salesman for evil, with fairly keen but imperfect observational skills that enable him to be rather effective in selling evil deeds; nevertheless, he does not have perfect knowledge of the minds of men, and therefore must not be able to read their minds.
Can The Devil Read Men's Minds? Copyright © 1997, 2000 by Compass Distributors
Scripture quotations marked KJV taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible
All other Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
By Reese Currie, Compass Distributors
We received a very interesting question from a reader on whether the devil can read men's minds. We don't like to give "theoretical" answers, and if an answer cannot be backed up directly by Scripture, we tend to remain completely silent on the issue.
In our initial writing on this, it seemed to us that Scripture did not give a direct answer to this question, and we gave an answer based on diligent logical deduction. However, in Bible study three years later, I came across a critical verse in 2 Chronicles that led me to immediately revise this article and declare as a certainty that the devil is not able to read men's minds.
What Does It Mean To Read A Mind?
In this article, I am presuming that the person asking the question was asking if the devil can retrieve information from one's mind without the individual specifically communicating that information.
Angels can be demonstrated from the Bible as being able to be communicate on a purely mental basis, coming to people in dreams, visions and so forth, but there is no example of an angel retrieving information from a human without that person's willing communication.
Who Can Know the Hearts of Men?
Two passages in Psalms point out that God can read minds. Psalm 139:23 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:" (KJV). (The NKJV translates this word "anxieties"; the actual Hebrew word means "cogitations".) Psalm 94:11 says, "The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile."
Jesus has demonstrated the ability to read minds; Matthew 9:3,4 says, "And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, 'This Man blasphemes!' But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts?'"
Now, people who believe Jesus is an angel would then have to ascribe mind reading abilities automatically to Satan as well, because Satan is also an angel, albeit a fallen one. People who have read my pages before know that I am a trinitarian, meaning I believe that God the Father (Jehovah), Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are three Persons that make up one God. Indeed, the Bible says in several places that only God knows the hearts of men, a trait Jesus demonstrated here; it never says that any angel knows the hearts of men.
In the King James Version, Acts 1:24 says, "And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;" (KJV)
This text is very well translated from the original Greek, though it is naturally pretty hard to read for the modern reader. The KJV speaks of the Lord "which" knows the hearts of all men, while modern versions (even the good ones like the NKJV) speak of the Lord "who" knows the hearts of all men, not necessarily excluding all other beings. The actual Greek word being translated is "kardiognostes", which means "knower of the hearts"; the Greek text really reads, "You, Lord, knower of the hearts of all", a very exclusive statement that says only God knows the hearts of all.
Again from the King James Version, Revelation 2:23 reads, "And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works." (KJV)
The Greek word "ho", translated "which" here, is a very specific word that could also be translated as "that". This would make the phrase, "I am He that searches the ... hearts", meaning only God can make such a search. If God can identify Himself as "He that searches the hearts", it is logical to believe that no one else has this unique capability.
The final witness that proves conclusively that only God can know the hearts of the sons of man is 2 Chronicles 6:30, which says, "then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men)". If the logical deductions in the original article left any doubt in one's mind, surely the new information leads us to the certain conclusion that only God can read men's minds.
The Devil Is An Imperfect Observer, Not A Mind-Reader
The nature of the devil is perhaps nowhere so clearly shown as it is in the first chapter of Job. When you consider this story, you will see that the devil had no idea what was in the heart, or the mind, of Job.
The story begins with the devil presenting himself before God and making an assertion of how Job would react in a given set of circumstances. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.' Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!' And the Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.' So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord." (Job 1:6-11)
God allowed the devil his experiment; Job lost his livestock, many servants, and even the lives of his children. How did Job react? "Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.' In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." (Job 1:20-22)
So, the devil certainly did not know what Job would do. He had not read Job's mind; he had simply made a guess based on his observations (his walking to and fro, and up and down in the earth) and he was wrong.
Conclusion
The devil inserts evil thoughts into the minds of all of us, including many faithful men found in the Bible; 1 Chronicles 21:1 says, "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." David obviously did not realize it was Satan that put the thought in his head, or he would not have complied. The devil is sort of a salesman for evil, with fairly keen but imperfect observational skills that enable him to be rather effective in selling evil deeds; nevertheless, he does not have perfect knowledge of the minds of men, and therefore must not be able to read their minds.
Can The Devil Read Men's Minds? Copyright © 1997, 2000 by Compass Distributors
Scripture quotations marked KJV taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible
All other Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
Re: This is long but well worth the read!
Richard Neal wrote:
The devil inserts evil thoughts into the minds of all of us, including many faithful men found in the BibleThe devil is sort of a salesman for evil, with fairly keen but imperfect observational skills that enable him to be rather effective in selling evil deeds; nevertheless, he does not have perfect knowledge of the minds of men, and therefore must not be able to read their minds.
Great Article. Eve is a perfect example of his early human salesman abilities. Also imagine the fallen angels from heaven able to see and literally touch God.... but be fooled into taking his flawed side over their literal creator! A true amazing salesman indeed.
Ephesians 6:12 (New International Version)
12For 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.
Romans 12:2 (New International Version)
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
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