Can Satan or his angels read our thoughts?
The Bible tells us clearly that God knows our thoughts:
“Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” Psalm 44:21
“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Matthew 6:6
“For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” Psalm 139:4
“‘It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.’” Isaiah 65:24
But is God the only one who knows our thoughts? In King Solomon’s inspired prayer to God, he confirms to us that only God can know our thoughts:
“Then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men).” 1 Kings 8:39
Job, Daniel, and Peter are each examples of this. When Satan brought his accusations before God in the book of Job, he did not know Job’s heart. He could only judge him by his external behavior. And because Satan assumed Job was like other men, he could not see what God saw inside Job’s heart:
“So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!’” Job 1:9–11
Satan was mistaken about Job’s character, because he did not have access to what was inside his mind.
Another example comes from the book of Daniel. God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream, which the king could not subsequently remember. So he demanded his pagan wise men to both reveal what he had dreamed, and interpret the dream for him. If Satan could peer inside Nebuchadnezzar’s mind, he could have revealed the hidden details to the Babylonian magicians. But Satan does not have that power. Instead, God revealed to Daniel what the king had seen in his dream, because God alone knows our thoughts:
“The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, ‘There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.’” Daniel 2:10–11
And finally, Jesus tells Peter that He has given permission for Satan to test him through temptation and trial:
“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.’” Luke 22:31
The only power Satan has is permitted by God. Satan did not have unhindered access to Peter, either physically or mentally.
What’s more, Satan and his rebellious angels are limited in time and space. They do not have free range to be in all places at once. Notice what Satan says to God when He questioned him:
“And the Lord said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.’” Job 1:7
Satan must go back and forth on the Earth. He only knows what he can witness and experience, since he cannot be in all places at once. This limitation means that he must rely on the same things you and I rely on to know and understand someone: personal observation.
Satan will experience this limitation in its totality during the 1,000 years after Jesus returns, since he will be bound to this Earth without a way to escape—and without anyone to tempt, deceive, or hurt:
“He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished ….” Revelation 20:2–3
Since Satan cannot read our thoughts, this means that the battlefield of the Great Controversy is our mind. His great goal is to influence our thoughts.
Even though some people allow Satan or his angels to control their bodies, he cannot control their thoughts. He can only influence us, and for those who are open to Satan’s influence, it is as if their minds are under his complete control. Our actions and words demonstrate our thoughts, both to people and to angels. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he …” Proverbs 23:7. This is why it is important to guard our actions; because through them, we let evil angels know our weaknesses and how to tempt us with even greater strength and skill.
We don’t need to be at the mercy of the enemy of our lives, because God is with us. God has informed us of the way Satan works, how he tempts us to let our thoughts turn after things of the world (1 Thessalonians 3:5). Satan influences us through our senses—what we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. When we are aware of the way he tries to influence our minds, we can resist his temptations by God’s power: “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:11.
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23