Ask the Pastor
By Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship,
Clarinda Herald Journal Publication Date : 10/04/2006
Can The Devil Read Minds?
Pastor Scott,
“Can the devil read our thoughts?”
As a pastor, I have
heard this curiosity voiced numerous times as people seek deeper understanding
in the nature of spiritual warfare. Mostly, the question arises because the
heart is concerned that thoughts have been broadcast for the enemy to intercept
and to wreak havoc in our lives.
I am reminded of some
of the WW2 stories I’ve read about the
Make no mistake--the
devil intends to destroys us (John 10:10), but greater is Christ within us than
the devil in the world (1 John 4:4).
Scripture affirms that
God “alone know the thoughts of the human heart” (1 Kings 8:37). Rest assured,
your transmissions between earth and heaven have been encrypted and reserved
for God alone to decipher.
However, conventional
wisdom says that, though the devil cannot read your mind, he can observe your
behavior, read your body language, and get a pretty good idea what you are
planning. He has been around for thousands of years and has gotten pretty good
about reading people, but he is NOT the infinite God!
In his novel, “The Screwtape Letters,” C. S. Lewis calls us to balance--being careful not to overstate the enemy’s reach, nor to underestimate his power.
As for your thought-life, Psalms 139:2-3 says God alone knows our thoughts. "You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways."
If we are more concerned
about how God perceives our thoughts, then I am sure we will have little to
worry over what the devil thinks.
--Pastor Scott (www.askpastorscott.com)