Can Satan alter your free will? If not, how would he tempt someone to do something?

Question

The only ways I can think of are:

1) personal thought alteration
2) social interaction
3) alteration of your physical environment

If he can't alter your free will then he can't do the first two because he also wouldn't be able to alter the free will of others. The only possible way is if he met you on Earth and personally speaks to you.

The other possibility is alteration of the physical environment. Can he move objects on Earth? Does he have to manifest as a human and physcially carry them or can he cause them to move on their own? If he has to manifest as a human, doesn't that limit his influence since he has limited time to operate?

And what's he doing leaving Hell anyway? I thought he was sent there, in which case his only influence is telekinesis and we never see that.

What gives?

Answer 1

Yes, absolutely the devil can alter your free will.That is his sole purpose is to deceive us into doing and believing something other than God. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places". Ephesians 6:11-12.

Answer 2

Satan is an ingrained fear in felines´ subconscious and human racial memory in akashik record, there was a methane formed figure from Azkakorp, in Medusa universe, who called himself the mesmerizer or sataner in polizon (navy language, part arab and szechuan). This "man" had a tail and his skin was furrowed and redish, like the cherokee, but deeper.
He did some apalling things beyond evil and comprehension to most moral and nature, but very proper at the time considering their natural enemies (gardeners) were fearful of earth activities. Imagine earthlings some 1259327 years ago talking about fears, floods, despise and disdain for death, they were brave as now, so they took their ordeal very wisely. There were two wars then, one in Sodom, the other in Guatemala, which were lost by the gardeners and the cambodjan. In gomarreh, Sodom Satan and his fellow comanders lost their lives.
Nowadays it is common to see a horned figure at night, or dream with the devil, but it is a mere reminder we are doing proper things and we are not becoming that exactly.
Nobody can alter your free will but it is possible to help the suspicious mind into a peril helping the imagination into action. It is like avoiding becoming drowned by eating a snowcone under water, it will keep the temperature colder long enough. This is hampering the imagination, not necesarily hipnosis, this being another method, but not very safe for recipient.
The angel called Satan would not convince you or make you do something but help you avoid that which harms you to become appalled later at your lack of faith or commitment. This is actually possible.

Answer 3

No. Satan can't alter your free will. (Free will is a farce...but that is for another discussion)

You mentioned areas you thought Satan can tempt us...
1) personal thought alteration
2) social interaction
3) alteration of your physical environment

Satan is limited in his abilities. Most of our problems or sin temptations come from inside us because it is our hearts that have a problem. People struggle with many different sins and each person has different stuggles. The problem isn't Satan...it is us. We have the problem and we all need salvation from ourselves. We are our own worst enemy.

Answer 4

First off, thanks for changing the avatar, buddy. That hippo mouth guy gives me the willies.

To answer the question: If you believe he exists, I'll bet that you believe that he can alter the way you think, at least, which would be altering your free will, which would be negating free will in the first place. That'd be quite the conundrum, if I was a believer.

Answer 5

Satan influences us in a variety of ways. You have to remember that he is entirely a spiritual being, not physical. The way he tempts us to get us to do something directly opposed to God's will for us, to get us to do evil instead of good. Primarily he accomplished this in the fall of Adam and Eve. By getting them to eat the fruit, all humanity fell. Our human nature is weakened - our reason is darkened and our will is downward bent.

Satan can remain in hell and tempt us. He can suggest things to us mentally. He can introduce thoughts into our mind that we have to choose either to reject or accept. He can manipulate things in the world to the extent that God allows him to do so (see Job where Satan was given permission by God to do certain things to Job physically and around him).

There are many ways Satan, a spiritual fallen angel, can impact us to follow him instead of Christ. He wants us to join his rebellion against God which ultimately leads to destruction and eternal separation from God. What is ultimately best for us is to listen to God Who loves us and wants what is best for us. God too calls us in His ways, as opposed to Satan's way of evil.

Answer 6

LoL outstanding points! You are one of the most creative and intelligent people on Y!A, thank you for your continued witty questions that show the truth of the falsity of theism. You are a great man, Richard Dawkins would be proud!

Answer 7

What I don't get is how Christians can see questions like this, not answer them (because they know there is no good answer) and then keep on trucking with their beliefs, never stopping to think, "Hey, this doesn't make sense at all."

Thanks for changing the avatar. :o)

Answer 8

that is why we human beings have freewill in the first place. To play the role of SATAN, CANDYMAN,PINHEAD,PREDATOR, and last but surly not least, the one and only with three parts holy: {FATHERSONIMROD} Comprende-amigo???

Answer 9

Thinking that anything could ever change the Will of God "IS" Satan.

Answer 10

Not me. I'm wearing my Tin Foil Hat.