Angels can Influence the Mind
Angels possess the ability to influence the minds of men. The written word loaded with examples of angels doing this. It is possibly the most frequent way they interact with the human race. One way they do this, and this is probably the most famous way, is by approaching men in dreams. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says that a dream is “a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep.” Hence, an angel choosing to appear to someone in a dream is a testament to their incredible capability to influence the minds of humans.
Joseph, the father of Jesus, was visited by an angel in a dream. “[T]he angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 1:20). At the time of this angel’s appearance, Joseph’s wife Mary was supposed to be a virgin, but she was pregnant, so Joseph was understandably reluctant to believe that she became pregnant without having intercourse as it is unscientific and unnatural. Nevertheless, to comfort Joseph and tell him this was indeed the case, an angel appeared to him in a dream with the message that God miraculously made her conceive the baby. Somehow, this angel employed their powers to make their way into the images Joseph saw while he slept and conversed with him. How else could the angel do this but by influencing Joseph’s mind? Dreams occur in the mind, so Joseph’s mind had to be influenced in order for this to occur.
One more example demonstrating that angels can influence the mind is the story of Ananias and Sapphire found in the New Testament. This couple was to sell their land and bring all of the money they received to the apostle. However, the husband opted to keep some of the money for himself and the wife knew this. When they brought the money to the apostle Peter, he knew that the amount was short, so Peter asked Ananias, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost…?” (Acts 5:3). Peter’s question unambiguously discloses that the heart or mind of Ananias was under satanic influence, leading to him being dishonest in his dealings regarding the funds he should’ve given to the apostle. The desire and thoughts of Ananias and his wife were placed in their minds by the devil.
Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 7:5 husbands and wives are warned that Satan can “tempt” them for their incontinency. To tempt is to “entice or attempt to entice (someone) to do or acquire something that they find attractive but know to be wrong or not beneficial”, according to Oxford Languages. In the context of the devil tempting, it means entice to do evil. The only way Satan can do this is by influencing the mind, especially the faculty of it responsible for feelings and thoughts. He effects the mind in such a way that a feeling to do evil is experienced by the human. It was this that he did to Ananias and Sapphire, and they fell for it.
In the 1 Chronicles 21:11, the bible says, “Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel.” This provocation by the prince of darkness was another instance of a biblical story proving angels’ ability to influence the mind. The fallen angel, Satan, prompted David to do census of Israel out of pride. David was later reproved by God for not resisting this devil-induced urge. Again, the question must be asked how could Satan do this? The answer is the same. He has the ability to influence the mind.
Notably, while angels have the power to affect the thoughts of man, man ultimately decides what to do. This is crucial to note. Moreover, another crucial note is that both good angels and bad angels have these abilities. God’s angels will always work in the best interest of man while the bad angels will work against the interest of man. Many decisions are made daily and people have to reason things out before choosing. Many of the thoughts being reasoned out are often influenced by angelic forces.
Thankfully, the aid of God’s angels will be available to those who offer themselves to God and have a relationship with Him. They will influence God’s servants, filling their thoughts with wise ideas and truth, and prompting them to the right course of action. Will you consider giving God a chance in your life today so these beings can guide you daily?