Satan can recognize what we are thinking in many ways that appear like he is “reading our mind”. The most obvious way is that he just observes our actions and reactions.  Our actions and reactions are an outward expression of our thoughts.  He can plant ‘seeds’ in our mind through things that we hear from friends, through the many forms of media (TV, Facebook, news, etc.) in a sermon in church, and the list goes on and on.  Once that seed is received or planted and is watered through those various mediums mentioned above, it grows in our mind/heart.  When we finally recognize the thought it has developed into, we think “…where did that come from?”  It appears that the devil just stuck it in there without our permission.  However, it was developed from a seed before we noticed it, because we did not reject it when the seed was first presented to us.

In nature a seed looks very different than the plant that grows out of it. So is the seed of that thought we are having that came into us unchecked. That is why we are told to check every thought with the word, whether it comes as a ‘seed’ or the ‘developed plant’. In 2 Corinthians 10:5:

We are to… Cast down imaginations (thoughts, words, ideas, etc.), and every  high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (the Word of our  Father), and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Satan cannot do anything to us without our consent and cooperation.  We often cooperate with him by not recognizing his ways and methods.  Words spoken are expressions of spiritual thoughts. The thoughts can be inspired by God or satan; (both are spiritual not physical). We are spiritual (spirit & soul) and physical (body). In this physical world, we express the spiritual part of us through our physical body. We use words, gestures, facial expressions, etc., all of which are physical expressions of spiritual thoughts and emotions. In Matthew 16, Peter expressed to Jesus two thoughts that “he” thought were good. The first one Jesus affirmed was from his Father (it agreed with the Word). The second Jesus recognized was from satan and he told us how he knew that in verse 23; “…for you (speaking to satan) savor not the things that be of God but the things that be of men…”

Jesus said we should be “…as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove…” Matthew 10:16. He was telling us that we can learn to discern the beguiling ways and methods of the serpent, no matter how or by whom they are being communicated to us. Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:3 that Eve was beguiled in her mind by the serpent, which in Revelation 12:9 & 20:2  states ”…that old serpent, called the devil and satan…”.  Satan spoke to her mind just like he spoke to Jesus’ mind when he was tempted in the wilderness, Luke 4:1-13. Satan still uses the same ways and methods on us, but we don’t have to be beguiled or deceived by them.

We are not cooperating with the devil just because we hear one of his thoughts. Jesus heard all the thoughts the devil was speaking to him when he was tempted in the wilderness and when Peter spoke, but he cast them down with the Word of his Father that he had written in his heart, Psalms 119:11.  It was that word he had written in his heart that enabled him to recognize that the thought he was hearing in his mind and those audible ones spoken to him were not his own or his Father’s. 

We can, through renewing our heart and minds to the word of God, discern every thought we hear in our mind, audible or not, and learn to cast down those not coming from God.

 Satan does speak to us spirit to spirit and God speaks to us spirit to spirit. We must learn to discern and recognize who is speaking to us. An easy way to do this is by recognizing whether the thought, idea or emotion coming to us agrees or disagrees with any or all of God’s word. This is what we are instructed to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5 and Proverbs 4:23. Does it agree with what God has accomplished for us in Christ or does it oppose that? Does the thought, idea or emotion bring peace, rest and security? Or does it produce anxiety, fear and uncertainty? Is it going to lead you to the flesh / carnal realm or to the Spirit of God, Romans 8:5-6 & Galatians 5:16-17?  

Luke 10:19 tells us we have power over all the power of the devil, the enemy. So, it does not matter whatever device he uses to try and get our cooperation, we have power to resist and not yield to him. By doing so, he will have no success against us. Remember, he needs us to yield to / cooperate with him for him to kill, steal and destroy in our life. That is why he is speaking to us and trying to get us to yield to him, Romans 6:16:

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his  servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of  obedience unto righteousness?

We do not have to yield to the devil! We just submit ourselves to God’s Word and ways and reject the words and ways of satan and he will flee from us, James 4:7 & 1 Peter 5:8-9;

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from  you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring  lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in  the faith…

In conclusion, what difference does it make if satan can ‘read our minds’ or ‘insert thoughts into our mind’? – It cannot affect us beyond our consent  in yielding to it.  It is the devil using these ideas to try and persuade us that he has some advantage over us, or that we should be fearful about certain thoughts. Don’t accept those ideas, they are from the devil not our Father.  Lets just keep our mind and heart stayed on our Father and His Word, Isaiah 26:3:

 Thou wilt keep them in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:  because they trust in thee.

We have been given the victory over satan! That is why he needs to persuade us to accept his way of thinking so he can work in our life. It is the very same method he used with Eve. We can reject the way Eve responded and choose the way Jesus responded.  

We do not have to be deceived for we are not ignorant of his devices, 2 Corinthians 2:11. The good news is that the Word and the spirit of our Father are with us continually leading and guiding us to truth, John 16:13 &14:26; the truth that sets us free, John 8:32! Let’s think on and meditate in that good news!  Philippians 4:8;

Finally, my friends, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are  honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,  whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

For more on this topic go to Understanding the Devices of the Enemy Series

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