There are two things a Christian should not do in regards to demon possession:
1) Not think that demon possession is real and attribute it to a mental disorder or a mental illness
2) Spending too much time studying demonic possession experiences
Demonic activity is not confined to the a few thousand years ago in the Bible. It’s also happening now.
Clinical psychiatry today attempts to explain demon possession as some form of dissociative disorders, traumatic experiences, mental distress.
While for non Christian religions, the concept of spirit possession is commonplace – there are many beliefs in spirit possession in the Asian religions, African diaspora religions, as well as afro-Brazilian folk religions. However, contradictory to the Christian belief, all spirit possession are of bad spirits, and there is no benign spirit.
What is demon possession?
A demon-possessed person is controlled by unclean spirits/demons/devils inside them. A Christian may think that it is not possible for a Christian to be demon possessed. But that is not true, our souls and human spirit may be saved, but our bodies are not.
How To Be Demon-Possessed
The Bible tells us of some instances of evil spirit possession. We can then find out when demon possession is likely to happen.
Mark 5:8-15: “For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.”
An unclean spirit starts working when the person sins.
Lying spirit
1 Kings 22:6: “Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.”
1 Kings 22:19-23: “And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.”
Evil spirit
Judges 9:23-24: “Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.”
Perverse spirit
Isaiah 19:14: “The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.”
Slothful spirit
Romans 11:8: “(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.”
When one’s conscience is seared with a hot iron, one can easily become demon-possessed.
1 Timothy 4:1-2: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”
Fighting Against Devils
Man’s real battle is a spiritual battle.
Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Man’s battle is not a physical battle. During their spiritual battle, the Bible advises them to cast down every bad thought/vain imagination. All sins begin with a thought.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
One fights the devil by resistance.
James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
One should not give any place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:27: “Neither give place to the devil.”
Casting Out Demons
In the instances of spirit possession, Christians are commanded to do the following:
- Plead the blood of Jesus Christ
They overcame the devil with blood.Revelation 12:9: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Revelation 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”Whenever people confess their sins and ask God for forgiveness, they also ask God for His blood to cleanse away their sins.
1 John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
- Reference the full name of the Lord Jesus Christ
Luke 10:17: “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.”
- Fast and pray
Fasting crucifies the flesh.Mark 9:29: “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”
Marks Of Demon Possession
If one does not listen to God’s doctrine, then they are listening to the devil’s doctrine. There is only one doctrine outside of God’s doctrine.
Here are the marks of demon possession:
1 Timothy 4:1: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
Magic (any “innocent” magic contains some kind of spirit)
Acts 16:16: “And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:”
Superpowers. Martial arts and self-defense are okay, but if one starts to meditate and ask some spirit to come inside them, that’s dangerous.
Mark 5:2-4: “And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.”
Public Nudity
Luke 8:27: “And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.”
Self-inflicted Harm
Mark 5:5: “And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.”
Making Loud Noises
Luke 9:39: “And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.”
1 Corinthians 14:23: “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?”
1 Corinthians 14:27: “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.”
1 Corinthians 14:33: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”
Mental Anguish
Luke 8:35: “Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.”
All sins/demon possessions start in the mind.
Demon-Possessed Christian
A demon is inside a man.
Mark 5:8: “For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.”
Mark 5:12: “And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.”
Satan was inside a saved Christian’s heart.
Acts 4:32: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”
Acts 5:1-3: “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?”
Paul is telling saved Christians not to give a place to the devil to live inside of them. If Paul doesn’t believe in demon possession, then why would he say that?
Ephesians 4:27: “Neither give place to the devil.”
Satan was inside a chief Christian, Peter.
Matthew 16:23: “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”
A saved church member’s body was turned over to Satan because he slept with his father’s wife.
1 Corinthians 5:1: “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.”
1 Corinthians 5:5: “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
1 Corinthians 5:11: “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”
Two Christians renounced their faith and as a result, they were turned over to Satan.
1 Timothy 1:19-20: “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”
The Holy Spirit is in man’s spiritual nature. He is not a part of their fleshly nature. The fleshly nature is unholy, sinful, corruptible; therefore, the Holy Spirit is not a part of their fleshly nature. The Holy Spirit made a spiritual circumcision inside of them where He is not a part of the fleshly nature. When the Holy Spirit is inside their spiritual nature, He puts a boundary line where devils cannot cross to get their souls. Their soul is secure and safe but not their body.
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