The question was about a comment in class last Sunday. We were discussing some things and I mentioned that Satan doesn't have power over our minds. We are more like the temple than we think. Satan has no power on the Temple grounds. He cannot come there. Likewise, when we are doing things that are right and keep our minds on the Lord's errand, we cannot be influenced or controlled by Satan.
President James E. Faust said, ". . . However, we need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan’s power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm, he will retreat. The Apostle James counseled: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”27 He cannot know our thoughts unless we speak them. And Nephi states that the devil “hath no power over the hearts” of righteous people.28 We have heard comedians and others justify or explain their misdeeds by saying, “The devil made me do it.” I do not really think the devil can make us do anything. Certainly he can tempt and he can deceive, but he has no authority over us that we do not give him.
The power to resist Satan may be stronger than we realize. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him. The moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.”29
He also stated, “Wicked spirits have their bounds, limits, and laws by which they are governed.”30 So Satan and his angels are not all-powerful."(James E. Faust, January 2007)
It's interesting how much power we really have. It seems like many of us don't realize the strength within us. When we are under the influence of good things and have been listening to good music of all kinds, reading our scriptures, keeping a prayer in our heart, serving others and fasting on occasion, we find ourselves in a place where we can discern good from evil easily. You might have found this to be true for yourself and maybe even wondered why others you know don't see the evil around like you do. Well, we're all in a different place in our abilities.
I found these scriptures that might help in understanding how important it is to keep a clear and righteous mind. What is very interesting is how important the mind is in all of this.
Serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, 1 Chr. 28: 9. Love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, Matt. 22: 37. To be carnally minded is death; to be spiritually minded is life eternal, 2 Ne. 9: 39. The voice of the Lord came into my mind, Enos 1: 10. The word had a more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, Alma 31: 5. I will tell you in your mind, D&C 8: 2. Study it out in your mind, D&C 9: 8. Let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds, D&C 43: 34. Your minds in times past have been darkened, D&C 84: 54. Retire to thy bed early, arise early that your bodies and minds may be invigorated, D&C 88: 124. Satan knew not the mind of God, Moses 4: 6. The Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, Moses 7: 18.
The thing that jumps out at me is that the mind is a central concern for our Father in Heaven.
We can communicate through our minds with Him. We don't even have to open our mouths. We can ponder on the things in our lives without disturbance all in our minds. What a great gift and protection.
So when we hear good people around us and at church talking about the importance of good music, good movies, good computer games, good books, good anything that has influence in our lives over our minds, we might take a stronger notice to the truth of these points. We are the ones with the agency to choose. It's evident that we choose our level of progress and the level of blessings and protections. We chose what interferes with the good in our minds.
We are the ones with the power over evil, over Satan. It's the battle we can win every day.
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