Can Satan Inject Thoughts Into Your Mind?

tonychanyt · Nov 23, 2024

1 Kings 22 gave a rare glimpse into a spiritual reality:

19 Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; 20 and the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’

The operative word is "entice". Who could somehow put ideas into Ahab's head?

And one said one thing, and another said another. 21 Then a spirit [S1] came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, ‘I will entice him.’

How?

22 And the LORD said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’

S1 could not directly inject a thought into Ahab's brain. But it could speak through Ahab's prophets. These prophets were more open to S1's spiritual influences.

And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’

God had the final authority. He permitted S1's action.

23 Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you.”

Can Satan inject thoughts into your mind?
God could do it, English Standard Version, 2 Chronicles 9:

23 all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.

When God allowed, the devil could do it, John 13:

2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,

I interpret the above as the devil putting the thought of betrayal into Judas' mind.
Acts 5:

3a Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?

For pseudo-believers and unbelievers, Satan has significant leverage over their minds. I think Satan can inject thoughts into unbelievers' minds. 2 Corinthians 4:

4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Even for believers, James 1:

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

If you have been born of the Spirit, Satan cannot just take control of your mind. You have to be enticed to it, 2 Corinthians 11:

3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:

16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

I don't think Satan can directly and arbitrarily inject thoughts into a believer's mind but he can influence it by tempting and enticing you and your mind with human/carnal desires.
Philippians 4:

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The cases between Judas and Peter are interesting. Jesus foretold his sufferings to the disciples in Matthew 16:

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
23Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

I think Satan can inject thoughts into unbelievers' minds as he did in Judas Iscariot. I don't think Satan can directly and arbitrarily inject thoughts into a believer's mind, but he can influence it by tempting Peter's mind with human desires. Peter immediately shut up while Judas went ahead to betray Jesus. That's the difference between injecting and tempting a thought into a person's mind.

Mark Quayle · Nov 23, 2024

tonychanyt said:
1 Kings 22 gave a rare glimpse into a spiritual reality:

The operative word is "entice". Who could somehow put ideas into Ahab's head?

How?

S1 could not directly inject a thought into Ahab's brain. But it could speak through Ahab's prophets. These prophets were more open to S1's spiritual influences.

God had the final authority. He permitted S1's action.

Can Satan inject thoughts into your mind?
God could do it, English Standard Version, 2 Chronicles 9:

When God allowed, the devil could do it, John 13:

I interpret the above as the devil putting the thought of betrayal into Judas' mind.
Acts 5:

For pseudo-believers and unbelievers, Satan has significant leverage over their minds. I think Satan can inject thoughts into unbelievers' minds. 2 Corinthians 4:

Even for believers, James 1:

If you have been born of the Spirit, Satan cannot just take control of your mind. You have to be enticed to it, 2 Corinthians 11:

1 Corinthians 2:

I don't think Satan can directly and arbitrarily inject thoughts into a believer's mind but he can influence it by tempting and enticing you and your mind with human/carnal desires.
Philippians 4:

The cases between Judas and Peter are interesting. Jesus foretold his sufferings to the disciples in Matthew 16:

I think Satan can inject thoughts into unbelievers' minds as he did in Judas Iscariot. I don't think Satan can directly and arbitrarily inject thoughts into a believer's mind, but he can influence it by tempting Peter's mind with human desires. Peter immediately shut up while Judas went ahead to betray Jesus. That's the difference between injecting and tempting a thought into a person's mind.

There is a lot not mentioned here to be brought to bear, and rightly so, for lack of scriptural warrant, or, that is, for lack of clear-to-us scriptural warrant. But there hints all over —for example, the identification of the devil with sin and the slavery to sin, and death. Scripture even says Christ "became sin" in our place, and I'm not so sure that's just a language difference. Scary stuff!

But on another note, and not to denigrate your point-of-view because mine is the same here, but in one sense, the ability of anyone (devil or otherwise) to 'inject thoughts into someone's mind' is ALWAYS dependent on God's doing. It is part of why I am certain that it is not just 'God allowing it', but by God's intent to accomplish his ends. And none of us deserve better.

Thanks for the post. As always, thought-provoking.

NBB · Nov 23, 2024

Is not about injecting or not, the 'impulse' of the enemy could be strong or weak etc, but is the person that needs to resist or disagree with those thoughts, or they could accept them. The more influence the enemy has over a person the easier i guess is to make them agree with the impulses.

tturt · Nov 24, 2024

--"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Neither give place to the devil." Eph 4:26-27

---"And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Gen 4:6-7.

--"Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" II Cor 2:11.

--"And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;" John 13:2

--"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?" Acts 5:1-3

--"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Jam 4:7

--"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen." Matt 6:13

--"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Eph 6:16

--"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" II Cor 10:5

JonasDaniels · Dec 14, 2024

Considering just how many revolting thoughts have entered my mind over the years, and how completely contrary some of them were even to the particular evil bent of my own fallen nature, I would conclude, most assuredly yes.

A better question might be, how does one deal with evil thoughts, whether from the devil or merely the dying screams of our sinful flesh.

This brother has some very helpful thoughts on this topic. Well worth a listen.

Can Satan Inject Thoughts Into Your Mind?

tonychanyt

24/7 Christian

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Mark Quayle

Monergist; and by reputation, Reformed Calvinist

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NBB

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tturt

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JonasDaniels

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Can Satan Inject Thoughts Into Your Mind?

tonychanyt

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Mark Quayle

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tturt

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