Can the devil hear thoughts?

[Deleted User]

Can the devil ever read your weak points from your mind and use it as a target? Can 'it' even make you think certain thoughts? I am confused with this because the lord can hear everything we say mentally, and verbally right? So does the devil have the same power?

Zoxsasi

As far as I know, the devil can only put things in your head, but he can't read your mind.

That's why Saint John Chrysostom says "You cannot stop the birds flying above your head, but you can stop them from landing and building a nest there".

This is what the devil does. There are many things he tempts us with, but being tempted is not a sin. Christ was also tempted. But entering a discussion with satan, contemplating the temptation, entertaining the idea in your head is a sin.

That's how he works.

I doubt he can read the most intimate chapters of your heart.

peterfarrington

I think that as we grow closer to God and our heart becomes more and more the temple of the Lord it becomes unbearable for Satan and his demons who can only assault us from without.

If our heart is not becoming pure, and if we have not made an altar in our heart then there is space for a more internal influence over us.

Indeed as we are united with Christ we find that we instinctively act in accordance with the will of God. And if we are united with Satan then increasingly we do not need to be tempted because we instinctively choose sin.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts preserves us from harm but we must direct all our energy towards acquiring the Holy Spirit and making the Spirit welcome.