Cynthia N.

Mobley

DOES SATAN HAVE THE ABILITY TO READ MINDS?

This essay was created to offer biblical evidence refuting the popular belief that Satan has knowledge of
our thoughts, the omniscient ability to have knowledge of our innermost motivations and desires.

In Ezekiel chapter 28, the Prince of Tyrus is used in simile to describe what happened to Satan. It states:
“Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said , I am God, I sit in the seat
of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thin heart as the
heart of God:” In this chapter, God clearly acknowledges the gifts and talents he bestowed upon Lucifer:
“great wisdom”, “wiser than Daniel”, “perfect in beauty”, ”the anointed cherub that covereth”, you
were on the mount of God”, “the chief of angels”, … Moreover, God continually makes reference to, “I
have set thee-not set thyself” (Proverbs 8:16, Romans 13:1) speaks clearly to His omniscient powers.
Hence, to assign Satan Godly powers is a gross mistake. “All spiritual pride is of the devil. Those who
indulge therein must expect to perish.” (Biblos.com)

Next, Mathew 2:16 is further proof f Satan’s inability to read minds: “Then Herod, when he saw that he
had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in
Bethlehem and all its vicinity from two years old and younger, according to the time which he had
determined from the maji.” Would not Satan have discerned Jesus’ location from Mary and Joseph if he
had the ability to read minds?

Moreover, Job 1:10-11 offers additional proof of Satan’s inability to read minds. Satan stated to God:
“But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face”. Had Satan
been able to read minds, he would not have incorrectly predicted Job’s turning away from God.

Although Satan cannot read our minds, he is an expert in human behavior. When we open our mouths
and speak, he and other demons hear our words which reveal what is really in our hearts. In Christ,
which does not apply to those who are not members of the Church of Christ, we have authority over the
powers of darkness, and Satan cannot read our minds unless we speak it out of our mouths. This topic’s
relevance addresses the extreme importance of knowing scripture as a means to resist the devil as Jesus
did while he fasted in the wilderness (Mathew 4:1-11).

Sources: King James Bible, Biblos.com, David Chislom,PhD