Can a christian have a devil or demon?


433 thoughts on “Can a christian have a devil or demon?

  1. Can someone call themselves a christian and worship the devil?

    Calling yourself a Californian, does not a californian make.

    I believe we have stretched the meaning of definition of Christians.

    The scripture said, “THEY WERE Called Christians…” They did not call themselves christians.

    Sadly, many today claim a designation that their lives, language, lifestyle or values could not be found guilty of such a charge.

    1. Of course some believe if you BELIEVE ONCE… you are always justified forever.

      However, we know better.

      1 Corinthians 6:9
      Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

      Faith is a continuation, enduring, pressing.

    2. Jerome Herrick Weymouth Swaggart tried to take the “message of the cross” from Watchman Nee and use as an excuse for his sin.
      You see the deal was Swaggart had sinned. THREE times in as many years…
      So after crying and saying he was sorry how was he now going to get people to believe him? Enter the “message of the cross.”
      Swaggart claimed a NEW revelation that nobody had since the days of the Apostle Paul. This new found message of the cross would allow him to say that he never “backslid” and that God was getting him ready to receive “message of the cross.”
      With this new found message of the cross you can sin all you want to and still go to Heaven. Just as Donnie said… commit adultery and don’t repent… no problem you still get to go to Heaven. For them the same would have been true for brother Swaggart.
      It is nothing more than the ole time Baptist “once saved always saved.” It is the same thing churches across the land are preaching when they say that the running a red light is the same as committing adultery. we all do it – they say. For the modern church there is no sin that will take you to Hell.
      And for Swaggart there is NO Death penalty sin. No Sin can keep you out of Heaven they tell us… only the sin of rejecting Jesus. So according to them commit adultery all you want – just don’t reject Jesus!
      Hogwash!

    3. You Swaggert haters are the same ones who run down every Pentecostal preacher from Azusa St. to now. So when you haters start your hating. I write you off. Your just like those tankers who think the water in the baptismal tank washes away your sins.!!!

    4. Jerome Herrick Weymouth I don’t hate Swaggart – I watch him on TV often. Just like I do others. AND by the way you are NOT Christian by the Grace of God! You are Christian because you accepted Jesus as your Saviour and Lord! Now that option was available to you because of God’s grace, BUT you had to DO SOMETHING to receive it.

  2. The Bible says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If you love the World, the love of the father is not in you.”

    Oh, but can that scripture be true? Does it really mean that you got to REALLY NOT love the World?

    IT can’t mean that, “Because we believe we are saved by faith alone.”

    Throw away the whole Bible, New Testament epistles that speak to the many things one must do to be accepted, obedient, godly and faithful…

    As long as you profess with your mouth, you can be anything, say anything do anything, wear anything go anywhere….

    Do you believe in Jesus?

    NO problem.

    We believe we are saved by faith alone.

  3. Scott Phillips These are major questions on delivery ministry today. I will repost what Paul L. King to help with some answers

    ILLOGICAL SYLLOGISTIC REASONING

    Major Premise: Every Christian is indwelt by
    the Holy Spirit

    Minor Premise: The Holy Spirit cannot dwell
    with demons.

    Conclusion: Christians cannot have demons.

    Major Premise: Every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

    Minor Premise: The Holy Spirit cannot dwell with sin.

    Conclusion: Christians cannot sin

    Evidence of Demon Involvement:

    • Had a spirit of sickness (weakness—Gr.—asthenia)—v. 11
    • Was bound by Satan—v. 16
    • Was proclaimed freed—v. 12, 16

     But Not Full Demonic Control:

    • Daimonion not used
    • The spirit is not called an “unclean” or “evil” spirit
    • It is called a healing—v. 14, distinguished from casting out demons
    • Jesus laid hands on her—v. 13—which He did not do in exorcisms
    • There was no violent manifestation or conversation with a demon
    • Jesus does not say, “Come out,” or “Be gone”

     Observations:

    • A person may “have a spirit” without the spirit indwelling and needing to be cast out.
    • A person may “have a spirit” that needs to be cast out.
    • Thus, there are differing levels of “having a spirit” and differing deliverance methodologies for differing levels of demonic involvement.

  4. What fellowship hath Christ with Devils?

    Can christians be oppressed, harrassed, under attack of the Devil?

    What is the line between opression and possession?

    I know from experience one can be under a heavy attack of the enemy. For a long time.

    I have known people who for a season felt like they were losing their minds.

    My general feel is, sometimes you have to outlast the enemy in the struggle.

    1. First of all, a Christian cannot be possessed (I.e., owned) by a demon. Oppression can usually be dealt with through binding and loosing without casting out, although severe oppression may require it. If it is at the level of an obsession/compulsion, it probably needs casting out (but not all OCD people have demons to be cast out. The final level of demonic control needs casting out.

    1. The first time that I encountered a person openly manifesting a demonic presence was in a church service in a small COG in Indiana. I was 20 years old at the time and had never seen such a thing before. I didn’t know what to do except hold on to the teenage girl and pray while she was hissing like a snake and threatening to kill me. I knew the girl to be a Christian. God had mercy on us and the girl was set free that night!

    2. Her church did not have a baptistry and I do not know if she had been baptized. I did see her praying at the altar. Her life and school performance greatly improved after being set free. My life was changed that night as well.

    3. Certainly, if we see clear demonic manifestation, we cast it out. The problem is that some people are claiming something is demonic when it is not or is at a level of influence in which casting out is not the issue and is not of benefit. As Derek Prince once said, “You can’t cast out the flesh and you can’t crucify a demon.” Discernment is needed to know which is which.

  5. Is dementia of the devil?
    Do certain Christians get old timers?

    What did King Nebuchadnezzar have when his mind went from him, could it of been a form of Dementia?
    Someone that has old timers you might find outside eating grass

    1. William DeArteaga, I agree. Most dementia is the effects of a body and mind in a state of dying and shut down. My father had dementia for 2 years before he passed away last June. But his dementia itself was not demonically caused, although sometimes it was demonically aggravated. Singing hymns was effective for my father .

    2. Paul L. King Very interesting. I noticed in my years of nursing home ministry that people with dementia came alive when we sang some old hymn, such as “The Old Rugged Cross’

    3. William
      If we as Christians could learn how to bring the authority given to us by Christ we would see more people delivered.
      The hymns brought forth life.
      We as Christians have to learn to give people life.

    4. I have been involved in deliverance ministry since 1971 when as a youth pastor my C&MA pastor mentored me in it. I have sat under the teachings of many deliverance ministries through the years–Derek Prince, Don Basham, Lester Sumrall, John Wimber, Francis MacNutt, Oral Roberts, Randy Clark, missiologist Ed Murphy, Neil T. Anderson, among others, and in my own C&MA denomination Dr. Keith Bailey and Dr. K Neill Foster (with whom I co-authored a book on Binding and Loosing). I did my first doctoral dissertation on spiritual warfare pioneer & missionary John MacMillan, who wrote the original book The Authority of the Believer, from which Kenneth Hagin and others got their teaching. Through the decades I have seen (and done) the good, the bad, and the ugly in deliverance. So much unsound teaching and practice in both ditches, so much balance, wisdom and discernment is needed. Early on I got hold of the book “Pigs in the Parlor” by Frank and Ida Mae Hammond, which basically says all mental illness is demonic, and has very elaborate teaching and diagrams, etc. I swallowed the whole teaching “whole hog” (bad pun intended). My mother was paranoid schizophrenic, so I tried to cast demons out of her using Hammond’s method. It was a disaster! No demons manifested. If my mother was not paranoid before, she was after I got done with her. And it sure did not help our relationship. I came to realize that there were no demons to cast out of my mother. She had a chemical imbalance, and there was some history of mental illness in her side of the family so some generational bondage to be freed from, but no demons to cast out. I also realized that demons would take advantage of her physical and emotional weakness and vulnerability, so at times I was able to bind demons harassing her and to loose her effectively for periods of time (sometimes she would go 3-4 years without an episode or medication), but no demons to cast out. She was a believer and loved Jesus, and prayed me back from a period of rebellion as a teenager.

    5. Paul can we assume since the disorder was in the family roots somewhere,, could it not be a generational curse.
      Even a chemical imbalance can be considered from the enemy of our soul.
      Because sin is what brought sicknesses and diseases into this world.

      My sister had the book Pigs in the Parlor.
      I didn’t care for the book.
      Dementia along with Alzheimer’s is definitely not of God.
      And they are losing their mental state of mind.
      We are not the healer, Christ is. We are just an extension of his hand.

    6. Melvin Shomo Yes, I agree. I prefer not to use the term “generational curse” often, because some things can be generational, but not a curse from the iniquities of the forefathers per se, but more the results of of the general bondage of sinfulness of humankind (Romans 8:19-22). I prefer to use terms like “generational bondage” or “generational vulnerability,” or A.B. Simpson’s terminology of “hereditary cloud” long before the current language was used. I frequently command chemical imbalances of the body to come back into balance and proper alignment–all deficiencies to be brought up to normal, all excesses to be brought down to normal.

    7. With mentally handicapped persons, I don’t necessarily think that a generational curse is at work, although it certainly could be in some cases, but more for other reasons. At the same time, while their minds may be handicapped, their spirits are not. I have led worship services in homes for the mentally handicapped, and many of them in their own child-like way love Jesus. They love to sing the old hymns. The Holy Spirit and their human spirit commune, bypassing the mind. In the church I pastor, there is a man in his 30s, but with the mentality of a child, but he really loves Jesus, watches the news, and asks our church to pray for the weekly tragedies. He is big, much bigger than me, and he gives me a big bear hug after service and lifts me off my feet.

    8. Others overcome their physical and mental disabilities and receive a great degree of healing even if not total. A good friend of mine was born with cerebral palsy. He has somewhat slurred speech and is confined to a wheel chair. He was not supposed to live to be 2 years old, and if he did, he was supposed to be a vegetable. He survived and not only completed elementary school, and high school but also college, grad school, and recently a doctorate, and has presented papers at the Society for Pentecostal Studies academic conference. And he is married. Some word of faith people said he didn’t have enough faith for healing. I tell you, he is a man of faith and courage! Some people look at the cup half empty; he looks at it half full. The fact is, from the way he was and was predicted to be the rest of his life, he is 80% healed!

    9. Paul L. King there is a group that I have joined on here called Heart of Miracles Reign in Life.
      They are actually talking about this on there, and they seem to agree with you.
      You might want to check this group out.

      Nice talking with you Sir

    10. I wasn’t thinking of Dementia about Nebuchadnezzar when I said what I said about him. I thought you was asking about demon Possession. What he had , I believe was given to him from the Lord. I don’t know what you would call that. For a certain time I believe it came on him because of rebellion and unbelief. It could hav been some kind of possession. But when his time was up. He came back to his right mind.

    11. Paul L. King thank God. If it’s who it is that I’m thinking about. I don’t believe the devil had on part in it. He parents could have smoked or something like that. But I wouldn’t dare say that either. Only the Lord Knows things like that. There was a question ask in the Bible. This man or his parents or him. Jesus said neither. But that they could see the Glory. I don’t think that’s our call to say who is the cause.The Bible says it rains on the Just and the unjust. This man I’m talking about. I believe is s great man of God.

    12. I believe Nebuchadnezzar was taken over by demons because of his rebellion.
      But even when our minds go from us we can think normal within.
      When Nebuchadnezzar came to himself he than acknowledged the God of Israel.

      And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

    1. I would say no. The Bible said an evil spirit from the Lord came upon him. Until little David played the Harp. And it would drive the evil spirit away. That’s what we need in our world and our Churches. Is get to playing some good old gospel song. And singing some good old or new Spirit Filled gospel singing and drive the Of devil out of our services. And then see us give all of us to God, and see souls saved and filled with the Sweet Holy Ghost.

  6. Some things are of sin…let’s go to slaves and masters…Paul said ” to whom you submit to… you become its slave… Whether sin or righteousness…I see a lot of men and women that are bound in sinful lifestyles…a stronghold upon a mind. Which has to be pulled down. Remember that we are to loose, undo, and break every yoke. Sometimes it’s a demonic manifestation or times it just plan old rebellion.

    1. This happened to Paul Radar, pastor of Moody Church, who became President of the Alliance after A.B. Simpson passed away. A man came down the aisle barking like a dog. He immediately cast the demon out and when on with his sermon.

    2. I believe that I would do exactly what Paul has mentioned here.

      There is a video on YouTube where a person enters the church with a gun to shoot the Pastor.
      The Pastor rebukes him in the name of Jesus.
      I believe that the video is legit

    3. yap Paul L. King been there – indian chiefs coming to service all high from lodge all high charging the pulpit It was either that or put few of them in the hospital Joseph D. Absher knows

    1. Troy Day you won’t respond or follow me in my exegesis – watch:

      Have we established a very important vital interpreting principle that we MUST go to the original language & not the modern translations:
      Have we established that the word replenish simply means “to fill?”

      If we have, let’s go to verse 2.

    2. Robert Franzen What? “Have we established a very important vital interpreting principle that we MUST go to the original language & not the modern translations.” Why even have a modern translation when we have you to tell us?

    1. Soussi Soussi there are demons. I’ve witnessed people who were demon possessed. Satan (devil) is as real as you are and is in many forms. He mostly represents himself as pleasures that are sinful.

    2. They is not a possessed person! A mentally ill/disturbed person suffering mental issues. I deal with them on a daily basis. In the past, they had no neuroscience! So they attributed the brain chemical imbalance to demons! They couldn’t see the microbes in the past! No microscopes! They had to blame evil .. now, we know. Knowledge is power. See reality. Don’t create ur own and get disconnected from society.

  7. “oppressed/possessed” is not in the Bible – demonized is – AND it refers to people who were under covenant with GOD

    1. Kenneth W Phelps
      Before the fall Adam.and Eve didn’t know what we call sin…until Satan.came on the scene…and initiated the sin syndrome…and death.
      People try to come up with whacky ideas of ” flesh”…flesh….to explain the demonic…but is that ” sound doctrine”?

    2. Disobediance to GOD We Have A Warring Nature In Side Us The Old Man Which Is Sin And he Is Always Being Tempted Some Times We Give In for we are unable to give him up but we do learn to say no for JESUS Was Tempted And He Said No to Sin so We should do Also But We Are Weak of fleash but thank GOD For GRACE

    3. Kenneth W Phelps
      Brother Kenneth Jesus nature was a sinless nature, a godly nature and logically it is impossible for God to sin whether in body or out of body for God cannot sin.
      I see an incident of temptation of Jesus just once, and until He was crucified He had no sin and didn’t commit any sin because of divine nature : He had no ” old man nature” in Him , He no warring nature in Him….to kind of ” drive him” or propel.him to ” sin”
      My point is this…Jesus did not have any demon in Him, His nature wouldn’t house any but as long as one has the ” sin nature” demonic oppression , captivity is imminent…There is more to temptation than our ” flesh” or” old man”
      There are billions of people in the world who have not heard or accepted the gospel of Jesus and yet know that to kill, steal or destroy is sinful and, even without grace, have known how to NOT TO SIN…

  8. Isara Mo after reading your position is unclear. What do you believe about believers having demons and being delivered?

    1. Troy Day My position is very clear: all Christians need deliverance…ALL
      When you see people who are born again(saved) and yet are in great oppression it won’t help much preaching to them…they all need their demons cast out…
      Fallacious teachings that Christians can’t have a demon is very detrimental to believers.
      I had a attended a An Evangelical Church of a pastor friend for three or four years.When I first arrived there I wanted to know their doctrinal stand on deliverance…and he (a person with 2 degrees in theology) bluntly told me that their denomination didn’t believe that ” a believer” could have demons..I told him his church was not the kind of church I needed to worship but he allowed me to hold to my “skewed doctrines” and minister in their church..
      Well guess what, believers had so many demons….and if I look back at the instances of ” deliverance” made, the more I become angry at people like Troy who condone a palliative gospel….that once you get saved your malaria parasites depart….
      I have ministered almost in ” Pentecostal churches” and I have not found one where there was no demon…
      I have not set my foot in a Catholic Church or a Lutheran Church or Seventh Adventist….the lot with ” sound doctrine” but if demons are found in Pentecostal churches what about “these”….
      Troy that is my position: is it unclear?

    2. all Christians need deliverance still does not answer my question YOU actually just made things more complicated 🙂

    1. Every where where LXX and NT speaks about Jewish believers who were under covenant with GOD and were still demonized

    2. Revelation 2:20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

    3. Your first mistake is how you look at the New testament. it is written to the professing or visible Church. There are believers in there and also unbelievers. That verse doesn’t say they r demonized but they lack a biblical standard to judge by.

    4. Really? What mistake – I just cited Rev 2:20 It plainly calls a believer in the church Jezebel – deal with that

    5. Heb. 3-5 brings up that we have the same situation in the OT visible Jewish community as in the NT visible church. Mixed bag…believers and those who profess to believe but really don’t. That’s why the admonition in that context to take the full step and beleieve

  9. The purpose of the Bible is not to inform us about all that ever was or ever will be; otherwise we would have a multi-volume Bible larger than the largest of encyclopaedias. The purpose of the Bible is to tell us what G-d has provided for us in this life. So the Bible tells us almost nothing about the pre-Adamic period and very little about the post-millennial time period. It may be acceptable for people to speculate about these matters, as long as it is understood to be merely speculation and not to be considered truth. However, such speculation is never profitable to our faith or our ability to obey the purposes of G-d in our lives. Genesis 1.2 contains a very important statement. “And darkness was on the face of the deep”. G-d had existed from eternity prior to this point and what we read about in Genesis chapter one was not His first work. But Genesis chapter one tells us nothing about the eternal pre-existent works of G-d. We cannot say that G-d existed eternally but never did anything until the moment that He created the heavens and the earth. G-d is not a G-d of eternal passivity. To put it more bluntly, G-d has existed for untold billions of years and He did not spend all of prehistory doing nothing, but we are not told what He did do. We are told that darkness was on the face of the deep, but darkness is not a substance; it is not something, darkness is in fact the lack of something. Darkness is the lack of light. Darkness actually has no power (although Christians often think that darkness is a rival power to light). Conversely, light is a substance and is powerful in its own right. This is true Biblically and scientifically. As an example: if the ionosphere were to be covered with some form of a thick blanket so as to exclude any light from reaching the earth, and if all light sources on the earth were extinguished, then we could say that a “darkness covered the earth”. If you then were to go to the end of the fishing pier at the beach and light a single candle, the light from that candle would be visible all the way to the horizon. Only an obstructed view of the end of the fishing pier would limit the visibility of the light. The light of one candle has more power than all the darkness, because darkness is not a substance, but the lack of light. The very fact that Genesis chapter one says that darkness covered the earth means that something was acting as a blanket over the earth at that time. It could be safely said that G-d had not existed in darkness prior to that moment, because where G-d is there is light. Yet the Bible tells us almost nothing about this time period, even though that time period is much longer than the time period that stretches from the creation of Adam until the end of this age. Now we have an interesting fact. What we think of as the supernatural world existed prior to Genesis one, but we are not told when G-d created this supernatural world, nor are we told when He created the world we live in now. In Genesis 1.1 the heavens and the earth are portrayed as being pre-existent; then at some point in His eternal existence G-d covered the earth with a blanket and darkness fell on the surface of the earth. Starting from Genesis the chronology of the Bible seems to trace a period of about 6,000 years. But we know that the earth is much older than 6,000 years and that the light we see coming from the stars has been travelling to us for at least tens of thousands of years. So these elements were not created six thousand years ago. But because the creation of the earth and the creation of the other heavenly bodies are not relevant to our salvation, the Bible does not comment on their history. We can speculate that the evil spirits are the disembodied spirits of beings from a pre-Adamic time period. But we can only speculate about that. The theological assumption is that at some point before the creation of Adam the angel Lucifer rebelled against G-d and took with him 1/3 of the seraphim and these spirits from the pre-Adamic creation. Then in Genesis 1.2 we find the words tohu v bohu, 11 which indicate that a judgement came upon this pre-Adamic race; after which G-d started a new creation with Adam. But spirits exist eternally. In fact a spirit could be likened to an algebraic mathematical ray. A ray has a starting point, which is the time when it is created, but it has no end point. This is in contrast to G-d, who in algebraic mathematical terms is a line. In algebraic terms a line has neither a starting point nor an ending point. A line continues forever in the past and forever in the future. Since these rebellious (i.e. evil) spirits of a pre-Adamic creation are deathless, they have continued to exist into our time period, seeking physical bodies to inhabit. The reason they seek to occupy bodies is because these beings are very limited in their completely spiritual state. Creation is incomplete without a physical state. We tend to think of the physical world negatively, and the spiritual realm as being more important. But in fact the Bible tells us that in the future G-d will live forever with us in the physical realm, after He has created the new heaven and the new earth. 1

  10. You area exactly right Rico Hero

    can a Christian be bewitched.?
    Gal 3:1-3…
    Jezebel and witchcraft.. worked on the Galatians

    yap – I have pointed to this before many many times BTW time we start praying against the queen of the sea

    1. Troy generally I just believe what scripture teaches and there is no example anywhere in scripture of a believer being possessed. That teaching comes out of a sensationalized teaching on spiritual warfare that is unbiblical and dangerous. And honestly not sure how to label myself denominationally. Grew up and ordained with the church of God, currently attend a baptist church, previously pastored a baptist church but have held many ministry positions in Pentecostal churches. There are worse things than being bapticostal I suppose.

    2. Jimmy Pearson thats what I was asking about your statement above I dont want to misunderstand if before commenting You said

      “no example anywhere in scripture of a believer being possessed.”

      do you exclude by this statement of Biblical exclusiveness ALL OT believers like Soul and others and then in the NT Jewish ppl who Jesus delivered from possession and same the apostles of Jesus in the NT churches and Mark who said Jesus commanded us to preach and cast demons out?

    3. I have no problem with the fact that people can be possessed. I think whether or not king Saul In the Old Testament was a believer is debatable I also think you could debate whether he was possessed or just tormented by an evil spirit.

      The Jews who came to Jesus to have demons exorcised became believers but certainly wouldn’t have been beforehand.

    4. Jimmy Pearson how were they NOT believers if they were Jew believing in GOD and worshiping in the temple?

    5. ive met lots of people that attend service every Sunday and aren’t saved haven’t you. Safe to assume human nature hasn’t changed. Just because someone is a practicing Jew didn’t mean they were redeemed. The Pharisees we’re practicing Jews

  11. These are major questions on delivery ministry today. I will repost what Paul L. King to help with some answers

    ILLOGICAL SYLLOGISTIC REASONING

    Major Premise: Every Christian is indwelt by
    the Holy Spirit

    Minor Premise: The Holy Spirit cannot dwell
    with demons.

    Conclusion: Christians cannot have demons.

    Major Premise: Every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

    Minor Premise: The Holy Spirit cannot dwell with sin.

    Conclusion: Christians cannot sin

    Evidence of Demon Involvement:

    • Had a spirit of sickness (weakness—Gr.—asthenia)—v. 11
    • Was bound by Satan—v. 16
    • Was proclaimed freed—v. 12, 16

     But Not Full Demonic Control:

    • Daimonion not used
    • The spirit is not called an “unclean” or “evil” spirit
    • It is called a healing—v. 14, distinguished from casting out demons
    • Jesus laid hands on her—v. 13—which He did not do in exorcisms
    • There was no violent manifestation or conversation with a demon
    • Jesus does not say, “Come out,” or “Be gone”

     Observations:

    • A person may “have a spirit” without the spirit indwelling and needing to be cast out.
    • A person may “have a spirit” that needs to be cast out.
    • Thus, there are differing levels of “having a spirit” and differing deliverance methodologies for differing levels of demonic involvement.

    1. as Steve Losee stated none of this is in the BIBLE The word used demonized makes NO difference between possession or oppression Its just demonized

    2. the difference is in English. “Possession” means “ownership”. Demons don’t own people, and especially not Christians. And redefining words for “religious” purposes doesn’t count.

  12. Steve Losee it is a basic English way of saying demonized What other word would you think of for addressing this?

    1. Steve Losee actually NO the phrase used for Peters mother in law who had a fever has nothing to do with demonized

  13. Demonized is the BIBLICAL term It cannot be too broad if GOD himself used it for these cases Isara Mo Emmett Smith the problem with demonized is when english speaking folk start putting their broad understanding in the very clear Greek word demonized

  14. Steve Losee What is the Biblical basis for demons being limited to operating through fear? – you may actually have a point there Pls explain what do you mean by fear – and operating through it. Fear from what – darkness, situation, sickness, other people, other demonized folk? In church and organized religion we see a lot of fear from

    false higher authority

    meaning religious fear imputed by people in office who do not actually hold spiritual authority I dont mean through apostolic anointing operating through people in office but folks in office who have lost it and simply keep in faking it to show face

    Jezebel operated this way – remember? Fear from higher political authority who lacked holiness and spiritual power How real is this Jezebel spirit in the church today? You tell us what you meant here http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/hebrew-scriptures-to-determine-understanding-of-demons/

  15. Biblical truths make it abundantly clear that Christians cannot be demon possessed. There is a distinct difference between being possessed by a demon and being oppressed or influenced by a demon. Demon possession involves a demon having direct/complete control over the thoughts and/or actions of a person. Demon oppression or influence involves a demon or demons attacking a person spiritually and/or encouraging him/her into sinful behavior.

    1. Jolene Sherman uhm sure OK what if that person has backslidden committed sin run away from GOD?

    2. Jolene Sherman did I said that or you are just avoiding the question? What about the Biblical term demonized used for ppl in the NT who were under covenant ? That example of covenant theology is way too hard to avoid

    3. Jolene Sherman OK avoiding the question again 🙂 Just say you dont know and move on Its OK!

    4. Troy Day the answer is real Christians wouldn’t become “unborn again “.

      They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
      I John 2:19 NKJV

    5. Juandre Fourie real Christians – non real Christians Seems OK to say it but where it is in the BIBLE?

    6. Troy Day if you are trying to say how do you know someone’s a real Christian, you cannot 100% know someone else’s heart BUT you can see by their fruits. Repentance, faith, baptism etc if they do have a saving faith.

      Also the verse below answers it. If they say they were a Christian and all of a sudden deny their faith that means they were never a Christian to begin with. They just kept it as a tradition.

      They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
      I John 2:19 NKJV

    7. Troy Day actually you’re avoiding the question…you started with an argument, you need proof to back your argument and you have no verse that says, Christian’s can be possessed. Your argument is weak….and btw causing division is a BIG no no

    8. I believe a backslider doesnt have a solid foundation in his faith like the seed in the rocky ground. The Spirit of God was received only for a while, not enough conviction thus the seed did not grow. A Christian is a follower of Christ that he may be opressed by demon, he is not possessed by it because he’s deeply rooted in faith

  16. Biblical truths make it abundantly clear that Christians cannot be demon possessed

    really now 🙂 please point to us where exactly

    do KEEP in mind the term possessed is not in the Greek

    GNT uses one term only – demonized

    Now tell us where it is abundantly clear in the BIBLE that…

    1. De’Anna Sepulvado the NT plainly says Jewish people under covenant with GOD were demonized Then we arrive to the Book of Revelation where we read about church folk demonized – How did you miss all that being so plain?

    2. De’Anna Sepulvado oh SO you believe in dual covenant theology Got ya – moving along => Read Revelation

    3. De’Anna Sepulvado you never answered my question Avoiding the issue gets you no where Obviously you just dont know

    4. Roman’s 8:9-11

      But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, pif so be that qthe Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not qthe Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but rthe Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of shim that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,the that raised up Christ from the dead ushall also quicken your mortal bodies ||xby his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

      1 Corin. 3:16
      Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, andthat the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

      2 Corinthians 5:17
      Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

      AND

      1 John 4:4
      Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

      ☝️ that verse says God dwells within Christian’s and is greater than all worldly things…demons and sin are worldly things.

      God specifies that once saved we are not our own…we are His temple.
      Demons cannot coexist with God.

    5. Troy Day

      “Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it. ” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, SATAN ENTERED HIM. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.””
      ‭‭John‬ ‭13:26-27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

  17. No. If one is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they cannot be simultaneously indwelt by demonism. Light and darkness cannot coexist.

    “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 (NASB)

    1. Troy Day If one is truly born again by the Spirit, they will not fall away/backslide because they are secure in our Lord forever and the Holy Spirit is able to make them secure and walk them through the process of sanctification…Jesus has made this promise and the Holy Spirit has secured said promise in Scripture. Backsliding is a manifestation of Messiah’s parable concerning the Sower and the Seed (Matthew 13).

  18. Jolene Sherman De’Anna Sepulvado lets simplify this clear theological question – have you ever encountered a demonized person in yalls churches?

    1. Troy Day you are speaking of 1 Corin. 5:5
      to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

      Paul ordered the church of Corinth to deliver a believer over to Satan.
      There is no evidence that the person whom Paul delivered over to Satan became demon-possessed.

    1. Troy Day, i wasnt in a place to post all this earlier.

      “43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” – Matthew 12:43-45

      If believers could be possessed then why cast out one to let 7 others come? If we cast out in Jesus’ name and the person accept Him as their Lord and Savior then their house is occupied. No demon(s) can come possess. They can let the enemy influence them but not possess them.

      Can believers let the enemy influence them absolutely, but if they are born again God lives in them and the enemy cannot live in them.

      Possession and influence/oppression are two different things. Believers can allow the enemy to influence/oppress them but when God has us nothing can possess us because we have become His temple. Just as He was in the Holy of Holies in the temple of the Old testament when the Holy Spirit came He dwells in believers.

      We can rest in God and His word that He has us because He is in us. We fight against temptation and influence of the enemy over our lives but we can have peace that He abides in us and us in Him. 1 John 4:13

  19. I believe so. If Satan himself could march into God’s throne room (Job 1 & 2), what makes a Christian think he/she is more sacrosanct than that?

  20. You can be under the influence of a demon in the same way you can be under the influence of alcohol but they can’t take ownership there is always an aspect of free will remaining or in the worst cases a choice of free will that allowed it in

  21. No, being indwelt by the Holy Spirit prevents one from being “possessed” however a Christian can be oppressed as a result of their actions.

    “When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
    — Luke 11:24-26

    By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
    — 1 John 4:2-4

    1. Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
      — 1 Corinthians 3:16

      I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
      — 1 Corinthians 5:5

      You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
      “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
      Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;
      For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
      And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
      It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
      — Hebrews 12:4-8

    1. Troy Day I did I’m headed to prayer at the moment maybe later I will say most people say you can’t be Possessed but can be oppressed because they have been taught this if we believe something then we should be able to give an account to why we believe it Stephan give an account on why he believed what he did before he was stoned

  22. Yes, they can. I got delivered from a demon in 2009. I had been a Christian for 6 years. I also do a lot of deliverance ministry and only do deliverance on Christians.

    1. Rafe Ronning agreed. Personally I have only seen demons in Christians. I draw it down to the devil going all out to stop God’s plan for them. Just my experience though

    2. James Pedreschi To cast demons out of a non-Christian would be foolish. If they don’t have the Holy Spirit to lead them and they have no value for the things of God they will be right back in it.

    3. James Pedreschi yes. The early Christians did deliverance when people were converted so people would be clean going into a Christian life. Modern-day Christianity we have kicked deliverance ministry out of church so many people are converted and filled with demons.

    4. De’Anna Sepulvado The Bible says that people can have a demon. This can be Christians and non-Christians alike. The Greek word translated “possession” simply means to have a demon.

    5. De’Anna Sepulvado The Bible does not unequivocally say a Christian can have a demon or a Christian cannot have a demon. So you can try to prove your point on both sides. At salvation your spirit is instantly made new but your body and your soul are not. Ex. People can have cancer in their body which many times is a spirit of infirmity. People can also have a spirit of fear which is in their mind or emotions (soul)

    6. Yes the Bible gives examples of only Non-Believers being possessed, not once does it say anything about a believer….your argument is void…and any smart Christian would compare everything to Gods Word.

    7. De’Anna Sepulvado a cafetería believer can be possessed but a true believer following gods rules cannot. I was a believer but didn’t practice my religion and got possession leading to exorcism

    8. Carol Shockett the Holy Spirit is in a persons spirit. Demons dwell in body or soul. Question for you, a spirit of infirmity could be in a persons body creating a sickness correct?

    9. Carol Shockett Yes it means The Holy Spirit lives in a person not in a brick-and-mortar temple. That was the transition from the Old Testament believer to the New Testament believer

    10. Rafe Ronning Acts 8:17-24
      Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” 24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

      A true believer would not try to buy the apostles’ unique power to bestow the Holy Spirit.

      He curses Simon indicating he will perish (v. 20).

      He says Simon does not have any part in “this matter” (v. 21).

      He says Simon’s heart is not right with God (v. 21).

      He tells Simon to repent of his wickedness to be forgiven (v. 22).

      He says Simon is poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity (v. 23).

      After this event, the Bible never again refers to Simon the Sorcerer. Contrary to apocryphal and Gnostic texts that seek to glorify his role as sorcerer and his previous satanic abilities….they say that Simon was repentant. But he was an antichrist and continued his sorcery, even founding Gnosticism itself. The greed of Simon is recalled in the modern word simony, “using religion as a means of profit.”

      Jesus talks about those who come professing His name that are not true Christian’s in the book of Matthew. He actually warms of those who profess His name, they are sheep in wolves clothing.

      There is no proof that Simon was a believer who recieved true salvation. None.
      I just searched for it.

    11. Jessica Zoretich when I say believer, I am speaking of a Christian, a TRUE believer in Christ..a person who has been saved through the righteous blood of Jesus Christ and has the Holy Spirit indwelling in them.

      There are many who believe but are not saved…the demons believe and know Jesus exists.

  23. By saying that a demon can possess a Christian is saying that a demon is equal to God in power or greater…A demon is of the world…the Bible says that GREATER is HE that is in you. ?

    You are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)

    1. anger, if it becomes a habit, can demonize our soul/body; but we dont have the authority to invite a demon to possess our spirit, as we are controlled by Holy Spirit Who lives inside a believer continuously and eternally.

    2. Jj Pinoyjedi

      Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.
      — Ephesians 4:26-27

      I do not see where you get that a believer can be possessed in that passage…

  24. Definitely no. Temple of the Holy Spirit. None the less we are to proactively to still put on the full armor of God (take action) to stand against the devil’s schemes.

  25. Those that profess to be Christian and have been possessed were never saved to begin with.

    Those who have trusted Christ have been delivered from the possibility of demonic possession. Paul wrote.

    Ephesians 2:2
    in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.

    The believers do not live any more under their authority.

    Colossians 1:13-14
    He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

    Believers have nothing in common with darkness or Satan. The Holy Spirit, and a demonic spirit, cannot co-exist in the same person.

    2 Corin. 6:15
    And what agreement has Christ with Belial? or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

    The Bible teaches that those who have trusted Christ are permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

    Ephesians 1:13-14
    In Him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in Him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of His glory.

    The Bible says that such evil powers cannot separate the believer from the love of God.

    Roman’s 8:38;39
    For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    Specially mentioned are the angels and principalities – angelic orders. Not even they can separate the believer from the love of God. All of these things would make demon-possession an impossibility for the believer.

    The Scripture does not teach that a Christian can be possessed by a demon. The believer is “in Christ,”- one of His. Every example in the Bible of a person being demon-possessed concerns an unbeliever – there are no examples of believers being possessed.

    We are to compare everything we hear and see to Gods Word and NOWHERE do you find a believer being possessed in Gods Holy Word.

  26. No, there is zero Scriptural evidence for this. In the Gospels we see the exact opposite, demons being cast out and the Holy Spirit being given to Christians. A kingdom divided cannot stand.

    1. Justin Andrusk The difference between what we see in the Bible and what we see today is that demons were driven out as they were initiated to God in the gospels and in the book of Acts. Today we do not drive demons out. For example, look at acts eight when Philip went down to Samaria. He proclaimed the gospel, cast out demons, healed the sick. When is the last time you saw an evangelism meeting like that?

  27. The teaching that a Christian cannot have a demon is probably one of the most deceptive teachings in the body of Christ right now. Countless Christians throughout history have been delivered from demons. What do you do with all that evidence?

    1. Anecdotes don’t make evidence. And the thing about “evidence” of demonic possession is that it’s hard to come by. I’ve heard the exorcism tapes for Annalise Michaels and seen some videos and I believe they’re real (especially with Annalise’s physical transformation and death) BUT Hollywood does the same thing all the time.

    2. Dillon Thomas I will tell you my deliverance testimony. I was heavily addicted to pornography and a woman prayed for me. A demon spoke through me in a different voice and then they came out with a guttural scream as I rolled on the floor as they left. Just like in account in Mark 1. After the spirits left I was completely set free from pornography.

    3. Dillon Thomas in my opinion deliverance ministry has been relegated to the lunatic fringe. If you go to Africa, deliverance is quite normal compared to the West. It’s more of a worldview issue in my opinion. The west looks at everything through scientific lens and psychology for answers.

    4. Dillon Thomas also, Hollywood has grossly distorted what demons do. I think there’s an agenda behind it as well. It will either make people so afraid they will tell themselves demons aren’t real or they will get fascinated and seek after them. Both are not good

  28. De’Anna Sepulvado There’s no proof that he didn’t either. It says he believed land was baptized. You have to take it at face value. How would we know if anyone’s a believer who claimed to believe and be baptized then?

  29. Rafe Ronning 1 John 4:4
    Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

    By saying a Christian can be possessed is saying that a demon is equal in power to our Holy Sovereign God…no demon can dwell where the Holy Spirit does.

  30. De’Anna Sepulvado demons aren’t definitely not equal to God in power. It’s not that we have the Holy Spirit but does He have all of us. Demons do get into people’s bodies and need to be driven out. The countless Christians who claim deliverance are either not Christians or demons didn’t come out of them. Which one is it?

  31. De’Anna Sepulvado i’m just trying to challenge your thinking a little bit because you have the same stance the majority of the body of Christ has. I’m not being critical of you but the devil is very smart and has tricked Christians into thinking they can’t have a demon which is why so many Christians have battles with mental health issues, addictions, suicide, etc

  32. I’m gonna challenge you with this one. Let’s say there was a heavily demonized unsaved person. (Involved in witchcraft, drugs,, prostitution, anger, murder, etc) would that person need to be delivered from demons in your opinion?

    1. NealandBrook Hall explain acts 5:27-32 the holy spirit will not dwell in an unsubmitted vessel because 2 spirits cannot occupy the same telling if you are not submitted to God you are not submitted to Christ that’s why we are told to walk after the Spirit and we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh walking after the Spirit is waking in obedience to the teachings of Christ that’s how we are led of the sprit through obedience to God’s word disobedience is how unclean spirits enter by fulfilling the lust of our carnal nature

    2. Anthony Gilbert I believe u are incorrect. There are Always times in which we walk by the spirit and at times when we choose not to. That doesn’t mean Gods spirit isn’t in u anymore or has left you and therefore you are subject to demon possession. There are countless scriptures that show it’s impossible for a christian to become possessed.

    3. NealandBrook Hall an unsubmitted christian an be demonpossed because they are not obeying God’s teaching read Matt 28:20 there are many people who call themselves followers of Christ in talk but their lifestyle says different there is a big difference between saying you’re a Christian and being one your life is evidence/fruit not your words

    4. Anthony Gilbert absolutely not. Impossible. So anytime u have sinned means u have an unclean spirit in you. That’s insane thinking because that’s exactly what u are saying. Gods spirit is an imperishable seed that lives in you. He is faithful when you are faithless. Where lightness is darkness cannot be.

    5. Anthony Gilbert ok…… do I sense cognitive dissonance with the quick assertion their and quick flight from the conversation. Yes God does dwell in the midst of sin. Do you not sin? Have u not sinned to today or this week or this year? We have daily choices to walk in spirit or walk in flesh. We have consequences but he will never leave us. It’s an imperishable seed that never leaves. That’s what makes it imperishable

  33. Rafe Ronning Yep, but only salvation is capable of doing that, nowhere does Jesus tell us we are to cast out demons in the latter part of the NT…He tells us to take up our armor and to resist the devil.

  34. Rafe Ronning I would share the truth of the gospel according to Gods Word and leave it at that…unless she has questions. Jesus never said to do anything more or less. We plant the seed and let Jesus do His Work.

    1. Daniel P Campbell I agree but so many people are fighting over semantics. Christians can have demons in their bodies and need deliverance. I work for a ministry dealing with drug addiction/alcoholism. Most of these people need deliverance from unclean spirits in their bodies that are causing the addiction and they are all Christians.

    2. Daniel P Campbell drugs can bring in spirit of addiction or spirit of pharmakei (sorcery/witchcraft) unclean spirits create the temptation to use drugs internally

    3. Daniel P Campbell correct. They are just physical substances but they open up the Spirit world. Especially methamphetamine. It’s interesting that the Greek word Pharmakei means “sorcerywitchcraft” is translated drugs in English. This is where we get pharmacy, pharmacist. Etc

  35. Rafe Ronning I don’t deny that spiritual warfare does not exist,

    “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

    And we shouldn’t overemphasize the power of demons. Many human ailments are simply caused by living in a fallen world, and there are many instances in Luke’s gospel of people being healed of diseases with no mention of a demonic cause.

    Again, if a person is possessed then they cannot be a Christian. A Christian knows that Jesus still heals and will rely upon Jesus always.

  36. Charles White You can read any version, it talks about a woman who had a spirit of infirmity. She was unable to stand up straight until Jesus delivered her from the spirit.

  37. De’Anna Sepulvado If someone has demons in them and we just pray for them to get saved ( believe in Jesus in faith) do the demons automatically leave that person?

  38. So, as I said above, I know anecdotes don’t make evidence BUT I’ve experienced some things that make me question the whether no is the correct answer.

    Daniel McAdams, would love to have you add to this.

  39. Rafe Ronning True Children of God can be tempted by the devil…but are not under their control. A True Christian is always given a way out of that temptation…through reading Gods Word, prayer, etc…but demons never have enough control over a believer that they cannot make a decision to be free from it. That is called sin…Christian’s still sin, we are not perfect.

  40. De’Anna Sepulvado alright, we finally agree. that’s what I’ve been saying all along. That’s the job of demons to drive people into certain types of sins. People will need deliverance from demons who are influencing/driving them

  41. yes each one has a demon assigned to him and an angel assigned for him

    . all people are creation of God and hence his son through Adam and Eve. Since God Gave angels to guard his believers ( Christians and non Christians but believers like Abraham in the Old Testament)

    Satan the god o this wold has assigned a demon to each especially to believers of God. ,

    1. Jr, this is some of the most unbiblical idea I have seen. Please go to your studies and read the bible again. Please reach out to me. I will help you with Bible Methodology. I love you but this is not Christ honoring and even sinful

    2. Tony Ajhar it isn’t biblical, nowhere does the Bible say we have an angel and or a demon assigned to us…but there are angels that help protect and even give messages ?

    3. Tony Ajhar We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 1 Cor 4:8

      Hebrews 1:14 14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

      Daniel 12 1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.

    4. show me in the bible that a demon is “assigned”

      The bible does not say that.
      Yes they roam around seeking whom they may devour. Yes demons can possess and unbeliever but do not speak lies and add to the bible.

      Hebrews 1:14
      These are good angels that minister to the elect believers

      1 Cor
      He is writing to the corinthians
      and Paul, is saying that he feels as if God has put him him on display for the universe and angels because of persecution. Not that God does.

      Again nowhere in this passage either

      Daniel 12:

      This is end times and it speaks that Michael stands “watch” over the nation of Israel.

      Nowhere in the bible does it say Satan assigns demons.

      It is a sin to add to the Words of God.

      Just read the bible. First thing we are taught in Bible Study

      1. What does it say. What do you actually see in the text

  42. Rafe Ronning Matthew 10:7-8 does not say out of Christians…and Jesus never entertained such things, He said get out and they left…Jesus tells us to refrain from such things for a reason…and as I stated before in the latter parts of the NT, we nolonger see anything to do with casting or delivering people from demons. These acts were done only by His disciples at that time.

    The book of Ephesians gives clear instructions on how we are to have victory in our lives in the battle against the forces of evil.
    The first step is placing our faith in Christ.
    We are then to choose, again by God’s grace, to put off ungodly habits and to put on godly habits.
    This does not involve casting out demons, but rather renewing our minds.

    The role of casting out demons was replaced, for the most part, with evangelism and discipleship through the Word of God. Since the methods of spiritual warfare in the New Testament do not involve casting out demons, it makes sense that it is through exposing the individual to the truth of the Word of God and the name of Jesus Christ.

    If we were meant to cast out demons, we would not need the armor of God..He would not tell us to refrain from evil…Gods Word does not contradict itself. Even Michael the Arch Angel did not approach Satan…so why would we? You may think you are ridding those people of demons but without true salvation, you have done nothing but make it worse, you expelled nothing, you just simply ticked it off.

    Matthew 12:43-45
    When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
    44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
    45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

  43. De’Anna Sepulvado whoa, now you lost me. Read Acts 8. Philip shows how ministry should look. Paul also cast out demons. Jesus 2 main ministries were healing the sick and casting out demons. These are to be part of the Great Commission. Mark 16:17 also states “ these signs will follow those that believe, in my name they will cast out demons”

  44. Rafe Ronning How did I lose you…I am stating that a True Christian cannot be possessed by a demon…that is the argument, correct? And if you try to cast demons out of an unbeliever, you are only making it worse for them.

    1. Jr Montejar – If you believe in a doctrine of a demon, you also believe in the demon from which that doctrine comes. And if you believe in a demon, how can it not have a place to dwell in you?

    2. Mark Lloyd did I say the demon dwell in a Christian? Dwelling means possessed. Demons can tempt you, obsessed you. It depends on your lifestyle. NOt all Christians are perfect.Demons focus on your weakness.

      Many Christians still smoke, drinks, take marijuana, buy lotto, etc

    3. Jr Montejar – You receive the Spirit of God by putting faith in Jesus and his words. What kind of spirit do you receive when you put faith in demons and their words?

  45. Absolutely NOT! No one who is born of GOD will continue to sin, because GOD’S seeds remains in HIM; HE CANNOT GO ON IN SINNING because he has been born of GOD. This how we know who the children of GOD are and who the children of the devil are: 1 John 3:9,10

    It means that true believers do not make a practice of sinning, nor do they become indifferent to GOD’S moral law. All believers still sin, but they are working to gain victory over sin.
    GOD’S seed’s remains in him, means that true believer do not make a practice of sinning because GOD’S new life has been born into them.

  46. The Bible is not clear, but I find three major hints in Scripture that demon possession is not possible today.

    First, there is no indication that demon possession occurred before the ministry of Jesus and His Apostles. We have no references to it in the Old Testament. And the first we hear of this is in the Gospels during the ministry of Jesus. The last we hear of it is during the ministry of the Apostles. (There is no indication in the Book of Revelation of demon possession in the coming Tribulation period either.) This suggests that demon possession was something God allowed for a short time in order to demonstrate the power and authority of the Lord Jesus and of His Apostles.

    Second, there is no instruction in the epistles on how to cast out demons. If demon possession is a problem during the Church Age, then believers need to be able to cast out demons. To do so we must know how. That there is no such instruction suggests this isn’t a problem now. (In addition, the sign gifts have ceased and casting out demons was associated with signs and wonders.)

    Third, what is sometimes called demon possession today does not match up with the accounts we find in Scripture. We don’t find people, for example, who break the strongest of chains, as the possessed man of Gadara did (Mark 5:3-4; Luke 8:29). What we see today can be explained as psychiatric disorders.

    It seems clear that spiritual oppression, whether caused by demons or fallen angels, does occur today. But possession by demons is not indicated by anything in Scripture or in experience.

    1. RichardAnna Boyce Yes, Deliverance (casting out of demons) is a NT ministry not seen in the OT. It’s actually what made Jesus famous. Mark 1 shows this. The Epistles do not mention deliverance much because it is assumed they were delivered from demons in their initiation to God Matthew 10:7-8.

      I would disagree with you that the sign gifts have ceased as they are evident all over the world.

      Lastly, there are legitimate mental health issues but a lot of them are demonization. A lot of serious mental illness is occult and witchcraft generational curses. Secular Psychology basically has no room for demons due to its naturalistic worldview and approach. My wife is a mental health therapist and would attest to that.

    2. Rafe Ronning i agree with you that unbelievers can be demonized and delivered today, as i have experienced that ministry being a missionary in Philippines. But apart from practical experience of believers, the Bible seems to suggest that the sign gifts have ceased.

    3. Rafe Ronning 1 Corinthians 13:8-12
      13:8-10. Love never fails because it outlasts that which is temporal. Prophecies, which are messages from God, will fail. The verb will fail (katargerœ) is a future passive, meaning that prophecies will be done away with. Tongues, on the other hand, will cease. The verb (from pauœ) is in the middle voice and means “automatically cease of themselves.” On the other hand, the gift of knowledge will vanish away. Paul uses the same Greek verb that he used previously with prophecies. Thus prophecy and knowledge will be done away with. Tongues will cease to exist on their own. These gifts of knowledge and prophesy produce partial results—in part. They possessed a limited capacity. However, when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part (knowledge and prophecy) will be done away (from katargeœ, “caused to stop working”). The perfect (teleion, “mature, whole, complete”) could refer to the completion of the New Testament Canon. James compares God’s Word to “the perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25). However, neither Paul nor the Corinthians were “canon conscience.” Also the conditions described in 1 Cor 13:12 do not explain the conditions of a completed canon. They favor the coming of the Lord. Based on what is said in 12:11, some have suggested that perfect is describing the maturity of the Church. Similarity between 13:10-11 and Eph 4:13-14 is pointed out. However, the maturity of the Church does not come close to the condition Paul is describing in 1 Cor 13:12. The perfect probably refers the Lord’s return for the Church. A major weakness of this view is that Greek word for perfect (teleion) is never used for the Second Coming. Also the word is neuter and Christ is a person. However, the coming of Christ is an event, and even though the word is not used for the coming of Christ, parallel passages such as 1 John 2:28 strongly suggest support for this view.

      13:11-12. The Corinthians are compared to children in that they spoke as a child, understood as a child and thought as a child. Children preoccupy themselves with items of temporary worth. Similarly the Corinthians preoccupied themselves with temporary gifts that will either be done away with by God Himself (such as prophecy and knowledge) or will pass away by themselves, such as tongues before God does away with prophecy and knowledge. So when they become a man—when that which is perfect has come—the Corinthians will put away childish things. The gifts will no longer be needed when the Lord comes. Believers see in a mirror dimly now, but then at the Lord’s return, they will have face to face encounter with Him. The very best mirror, which in those days was made of metal and gave only a blurred and imperfect picture, will be nothing compared to a full encounter with the Lord face to face (1 John 2:28). Now the believer may know (ginoskœ) in part. However, he will some day stand in God’s presence and he shall know fully as God fully knows him. The believer, although limited by his finiteness, can know fully to the full extent his limited finiteness allows him to know.

  47. Yes, according to Galatians 5:19-21. Devil is a fallen angel and real ( Jesus himself was tempted by the devil, Satan Luke 4:13) but he cannot read our mind but Lord alone can do ( I John 5:18, 4:4). Satan is pictured as having to ask permission to inflict God’s servant Job. He can do nothing without God’s permission. Christians are to use at all the times the armour of God’s word, reading the Bible and following Jesus’ teachings. Peace be with you.

  48. Even after salvation, an individual may still be oppressed by haunting spirits of his or her past. The only way to get rid of them is to first recognize that they are still hanging around, and then bring them captive to the obedience of Christ.

    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;
    (2 Corinthians 10:5)

    We did not invite the demonic in and we, as humans, cannot call the demonic out. All demonic issues must be managed and controlled by the Holy Spirit, who assumed full authority when Christ returned to heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father, until all of His enemies are made His footstool.

    (A Psalm of David.) The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
    Psalms 110:1

    12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

    13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
    Hebrews 10: 12,13

  49. You are the temple of God, and demons can’t live there at same time as Holy Spirit.

    1 Corinthians 3:16
    Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

    1 Corinthians 6:19
    Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

  50. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as a pledge or a guarantee

    2 Corinthians 1:22
    who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge

    Ephesians 1:13
    In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

  51. Rafe Ronning Mark 9:14-29

    Peter, James, and John were given authority by Jesus to cast out demons…and within these verses it says, they could not. And Jesus makes it clear, it is through lack of faith…afterwards they are not told to go back out and finish the job. Jesus does it.

    I think that was the last time casting out demons was mentioned in the NT…in which Gids Word describes someone in the act.

    Which tells me, unless you have greater faith then Peter, James, or John…then we are not to mess with such things.

    You can do what you want but you are going against Gods Word and you are telling people lies. What people like you are called is a False Prophet…nowhere on scripture does it say a Christian can be possessed.

  52. My question to this post is how many people have had a demon cast out of them and how many have cast demons out of others? I would like people to share their experiences

  53. De’Anna Sepulvado The gospels and the book of acts are historical accounts. The principal to be gained from them is that Jesus cast out demons and heals the sick and gives power and authority to do the same to his disciples. (Acts 1:8) We are to go into the world to proclaim the gospel with these signs following. This is the ministry of the New Testament believer which will continue until the return of the Lord. Again, nowhere does it say that a Christian can’t have a demon and nowhere does it say that they can. The principal to be gained here is people (believers and unbelievers) can have a demon that needs to be cast out. Jesus and his disciples went throughout the villages proclaiming the kingdom of God, casting out demons, and healing the sick. That was their mentorship program. We will probably go around in circles all evening regarding this matter. I will have to agree to disagree with you but I have had a good time in discussions with you.

  54. Jesus said that when a demon goes out of an anthropos, it wanders in arid-waste places. And it then says to itself that it should go back to its house–the one from whom it went out. And when it goes back, if it finds that one scholasticized (at leisure), then it goes and finds seven other demons, and then goes back in that anthropos. — If a demon is driven out of one who believes in Jesus, and then finds that believer not actively doing the good works Jesus commands to be done, but living scholasticized, then that demon, and seven others, will go into that believer. So, not only is a believer able to have a demon, a believer is able to have eight demons for each that was driven out.

  55. De’Anna Sepulvado
    I would get rid of the word possessed. It is a poor translation. Greek word “daimonizomai” means to be under the power of or to have a demon. The English word possession means to own or be in control. Demons do not own us and do not have full control of us. People can be under the influence or power of a demon and not be owned or totally controlled. Demon possession is very misleading because of the association people make with the word. Hope that helps my friend

    1. Jolene Sherman

      “Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it. ” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, SATAN ENTERED HIM. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.””
      ‭‭John‬ ‭13:26-27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

    2. JoSe VaZqUeZ Not once is there a case where a “Christian” (note the word) is possessed in the Bible. It is always non-believers or non-Christians. Second God says in 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

      To say a Christian can be possessed, would be calling God a liar and saying that demons have equal power to God.

      Is that what you are saying?

    3. De’Anna Sepulvado

      We must remember, first of all, that God’s Word is our only reliable source of truth about Satan and demons.

      Princeton theologian and scholar Dr. Charles Hodge rightly warned:

      No amount of learning, no superiority of talent, nor even the pretension to inspiration, can justify a departure from the . . . truths taught by men to whose inspiration God has borne witness. All teachers must be brought to this standard; and even if an angel from heaven should teach anything contrary to the Scriptures, he should be regarded as anathema, Gal. 1:8. It is a matter of constant gratitude that we have such a standard whereby to try the spirits whether they be of God (Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972], p. 395).

      What does God’s Word, the touchstone of truth, say? Can demons inhabit or spatially indwell a true believer? Can they walk through an open door and become a squatter? Proponents of today’s spiritual warfare movement say yes, but they base their answer on subjective experience, not on God’s Word. The Bible makes it clear that such a claim has no justifiable basis.

      There is no clear example in the Bible where a demon ever inhabited or invaded a true believer. Never in the New Testament epistles are believers warned about the possibility of being inhabited by demons. Neither do we see anyone rebuking, binding, or casting demons out of a true believer. The epistles never instruct believers to cast out demons, whether from a believer or unbeliever. Christ and the apostles were the only ones who cast out demons, and in every instance the demon-possessed people were unbelievers.

      The collective teaching of Scripture is that demons can never spatially indwell a true believer. A clear implication of 2 Corinthians 6, for example, is that the indwelling Holy Spirit could never cohabit with demons:

      What harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (vv. 15–16).

      In Colossians 1:13, Paul says God “delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” Salvation brings true deliverance and protection from Satan. In Romans 8:37, Paul says we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:57, he says God gives us the victory. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, he says God always leads us in triumph. In 1 John 2:13, John says we have overcome the evil one. And, in 4:4, he says the indwelling Holy Spirit is greater than Satan. How could anyone affirm those glorious truths, yet believe demons can indwell genuine believers?

    4. Jolene Sherman David who lived before Judas’s time had the Holy Spirit. Where does that doctrine of the Holy Spirit it yet here come from? Who would cause repentance in the old testament believers then? I am asking to learn

    5. Brian Ron’d Amanyire

      We must remember, first of all, that God’s Word is our only reliable source of truth about Satan and demons.

      Princeton theologian and scholar Dr. Charles Hodge rightly warned:

      No amount of learning, no superiority of talent, nor even the pretension to inspiration, can justify a departure from the . . . truths taught by men to whose inspiration God has borne witness. All teachers must be brought to this standard; and even if an angel from heaven should teach anything contrary to the Scriptures, he should be regarded as anathema, Gal. 1:8. It is a matter of constant gratitude that we have such a standard whereby to try the spirits whether they be of God (Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972], p. 395).

      What does God’s Word, the touchstone of truth, say? Can demons inhabit or spatially indwell a true believer? Can they walk through an open door and become a squatter? Proponents of today’s spiritual warfare movement say yes, but they base their answer on subjective experience, not on God’s Word. The Bible makes it clear that such a claim has no justifiable basis.

      There is no clear example in the Bible where a demon ever inhabited or invaded a true believer. Never in the New Testament epistles are believers warned about the possibility of being inhabited by demons. Neither do we see anyone rebuking, binding, or casting demons out of a true believer. The epistles never instruct believers to cast out demons, whether from a believer or unbeliever. Christ and the apostles were the only ones who cast out demons, and in every instance the demon-possessed people were unbelievers.

      The collective teaching of Scripture is that demons can never spatially indwell a true believer. A clear implication of 2 Corinthians 6, for example, is that the indwelling Holy Spirit could never cohabit with demons:

      What harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (vv. 15–16).

      In Colossians 1:13, Paul says God “delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” Salvation brings true deliverance and protection from Satan. In Romans 8:37, Paul says we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:57, he says God gives us the victory. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, he says God always leads us in triumph. In 1 John 2:13, John says we have overcome the evil one. And, in 4:4, he says the indwelling Holy Spirit is greater than Satan. How could anyone affirm those glorious truths, yet believe demons can indwell genuine believers?

    6. JoSe VaZqUeZ my emphasis wasn’t on demon possession because i believe that where the Holy Spirit is, there’s no place for demons but rather on the Holy Spirit not being here. Does that lead us to the conclusion that before Pentecost the Holy Spirit wasn’t doing any work on the believers of then?

    7. Brian Ron’d Amanyire if you will notice, in the OT the Spirit of the Lord was either with them or upon them. Not living within them. That came at Pentecost

  56. No!!! Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world! We as Christians can be surppressed, and even oppressed spiritually if we are neglecting our walk with Christ buy not staying rooted and grounded in the word and prayer! But we can never be possessed!

  57. Your asking for Christians possessed in the bible at the birth of Christianity? Where does It say they can’t.

    Christians can be influenced by demons we have seen it multiple tims and somebody here has already said they were personally. Case closed.

    1. Troy Day Nope, why would I listen to anyone who believes the bible is fallable?? Thats part of these folks doctrine. So to me, they have nothing believable to offer.

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