CAN A CHRISTIAN HAVE DEMONS?
The question everyone asks is “Can a Christian have demons within their body and soul or influencing them?” The answer is absolutely YES, but most Christians cannot comprehend that and think this is heresy. At the Bible School we learn that a Christian cannot have demons, but as I started to serve the Lord in a local Church I realized that this theology ignores the reality and it is inaccurate. I saw many people influenced by demons in local churches. I’m not speaking of demonic possessions here, that is another subject. When a person comes to Christ the Holy Spirit will help the person to be free from demonic influences, however there are many Christians that open doors to the devil and demons will come into their life. Jesus was speaking to some Pharisees and they where offended with him.
John 8:33,36
33 They answered him, We are Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how is it that you say, You shall be made free?
36 If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
We need to know that the will of God is that we will be free from any demonic activity. Jesus Christ is the only way that someone can be free indeed.
A. SYMPTOMS OF DEMONIC ACTIVITY IN CHRISTIANS
There is a good test a born again Christian can use to determine if there is a possibility demons are within or attached. If you are struggling with certain things like: Anger, lust, pornography, fears, rage, depression, hurts, unforgiveness, grief, guilt, bitterness, hate/hatred, nightmares, etc.
1. This list goes and you have done everything you know to crucify the flesh but you never get the victory, and then look for demons behind the problem(s) preventing you from getting the victory.
2. You probably are saying, “I have prayed to God for deliverance and victory, other people have prayed for me, I go to church regularly, and I am accountable to a pastor, yet the problem(s) never end(s).” If you have done all of that and have tried to crucify the flesh daily, the root may be demonic and I would go to someone who can deal with this activity to determine if it is demonic including generation spirits and curses. You have very little to lose if it is not demonic. If it is demonic, you must first get rid of all of your pride, doubt and disbelief about Christians not having problems with demons.
3. Just simply say to yourself that you don’t know if there are demon spirits within you or influencing you, but if there are, you want them out. No one can deliver you if you do not believe they can be there. All we want a person to do is say, “I don’t know if there are any demons in me but if there are I want them out.” Then we can work with the person. To get demons out, all of the legal right that keeps them there must be broken including dealing with unforgiveness from the heart and not the head, generational curses must be broken, the occult and witchcraft must be dealt with if present, and the person must renounce and repent of any practice of sin such as lustful activities. The person must want to be set free and agree to stay committed to a church, pastor and prayer warrior friend to stay set free.
B. GENERATIONAL PROBLEMS
1. One way to examine yourself for demonic oppression is to compare your problems with the areas in your parents, uncles, aunts, and grandparents, that you know they never got the victory over. You will discover you are basically struggling with the same or some of the same problems.
Galatians 3:13
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:
2. The Curse of the Law in Deuteronomy still applies today. The Curse of the Law did not go away after Jesus came. We have to deal with this God’s way by repenting of the sins and iniquities of our fathers at least ten generations back, then put them under the blood of Jesus according to Galatians 3:13. You may have already done that but you still have the same problems.
3. Just breaking the curses does not get any demons out that are involved. You just destroyed the right of the demons to be there but they are still there. That is why all of your crying out to God for deliverance has done nothing to get you set free. Jesus has done all for you He is going to do. He will not deliver you simply because you pray. He died on the cross for your sins, took upon Himself all of your sicknesses and diseases and He became a curse of the law for you.
Mark 16:15
15 And he said to them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…
4. Then in Mark 16 Jesus said that signs and wonders would follow those that believe. I am a believer. He said, IN MY NAME you will take authority over demons and cast them out. In other words, He said you are not to ask Him to cast demons out of you. He did all He is going to do by putting Satan under His feet and making a show of him in the heavenlies. He commanded us to take authority over demons and cast them out. This is where the real problem is with Christians. They have been asking Jesus to do what He said we are to do so no wonder we aren’t delivered and set free.
C. THE THEOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Everyone wants to know where the Bible says that a Christian can have demons. There is no scripture that expressly says a Christian can have demons nor is there scripture that expressly declares that a Christian cannot have demons.
Luke 13:11-16 (AMP)
Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, and there was a woman there who for eighteen years had had an infirmity caused by a spirit (a demon of sickness). She was bent completely forward and utterly unable to straighten herself up or to look upward. And when Jesus saw her, He called [her to Him] and said to her, Woman, you are released from your infirmity! Then He laid [His] hands on her, and instantly she was made straight, and she recognized and thanked and praised God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd....But the Lord replied to him, saying, You playactors (hypocrites)! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it out to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?
The important point of this scripture is that this woman was a daughter of Abraham and the New Testament usage of this term refers to a believer by faith and she was in the synagogue listening to Jesus and obviously was a believer in Jesus.
Another scripture for reference is Mark 7:24-30 (AMP)
And Jesus arose and went away from there to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He went into a house and did not want anyone to know [that He was there]; but it was not possible for Him to be hidden [from public notice]. Instead, at once, a woman whose little daughter had (was under the control of) an unclean spirit heard about Him and came and flung herself down at His feet. Now the woman was a Greek (Gentile), a Syrophenician by nationality. And she kept begging Him to drive the demon out of her little daughter. And He said to her, First let the children be fed, for it is not becoming or proper or right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the [little house] dogs. But she answered Him, Yes, Lord, yet even the small pups under the table eat the little children’s scraps of food. And He said to her, Because of this saying, you may go your way; the demons are gone out of your daughter [permanently]. And she went home and found the child thrown on the couch, and the demon departed.
This scripture indicates that demons are no respecter of persons. They can attack and enter little children as well as adults, either through inheritance or their own actions. There are several other interesting things in this scripture. First the woman was a believer but not of Abrahamic origin. She had faith that Jesus could speak the words and deliverance would be done. She placed herself unconditionally under the lordship of Jesus. Jesus wanted her to know that deliverance was the children’s bread. In other words it is for believers and for a unique covenant people who are in a proper relationship with God. Jesus granted her request on the basis of her covenant rights as a believer to intercede in authority for her child.
D. HOW CAN YOU RESIST THE DEVIL?
James 4:7-8
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.
Many Christians like to quote what James 4:7-8 says about the devil. They often quote the phrase, Resist the devil and he will flee from you. That sounds good but there is more to that scripture. The verse actually says (AMP),
James 4:7-8 (AMP)
So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you. Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].
Satan and his demons will not flee from us unless we do all this scripture tells us to do.
1. We must first submit ourselves to God
2. Then repent and cleanse our hands and purify our hearts
3. Then bind the strongman and use the authority Jesus gave us.
Most Christians are still waiting on God to make the devil and his demons flee from us. Jesus said, In my Name, YOU will take authority over demons and drive them out.
E. THE GREATEST LIE OF THE ENEMY TO CHRISTIANS
Some people want to say that because they are a Christian that demons cannot attack them. Consider the following. There is a war going on but most Christians are not aware of the enemy because they do not physically see the enemy. The apostle Paul knew about this war with Satan and his demons and he challenged us in 2 Timothy 2:4 to fight a good fight. In order to fight the battle we have to have our armor or weapons.
Ephesians 6:11-13 (AMP)
Put on God’s whole armor [which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere, Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
1. We must learn to recognize our adversary AND know the strategies and methods of the enemy. Then we must know how to use our weapons provided by God and how to fight. Jesus Christ defeated the enemy and his demons but they have not yet been chained.
2. Even though Satan is defeated, he is allowed to roam and attack us as we allow him to operate. Christians need to be aware of the different ways the devil traps the believer. Satan and his demons wound and disable us to prevent us from doing God’s will.
3. 1 Peter 5:8 says our enemy is the devil who is our adversary. The Bible calls Satan our adversary, destroyer, deceiver, tempter, dragon, serpent, and slanderer. Satan is not just an influence against us but he is like a person with a specific identity and purpose.
Jesus did not deal with demons as mental attitudes or fixations or psychological conditions, but as if they were actual entities. Demons Jesus cast out had all three characteristics of a person:
1. They have emotion
2. They can think
3. And they have a will. (Note the Gadarene demoniac listed in Mark 5:2-18.)
F. BE AWARE OF THE FIGHT
Before you can fight spiritual warfare you first have to believe and know that there is an enemy attacking you.
1 Peter 5:8 (AMP)
Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.
This is a strong warning that our enemy is very powerful and we must be on guard to protect ourselves from this enemy.
1 Peter 5:9 (AMP)
Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset - rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.
This verse tells us to take some action, because if we ignore Satan and his demons, they will not go away all by themselves. But you say that you don’t believe you are under an attack. Then why did Paul warn all Christians in Ephesians.
Ephesians 4:27 (AMP)
Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].
The scripture would not give us a warning against something that we cannot be in danger of doing. The truth is we can give the devil certain areas of our lives and we do it all the time. When we give place to the devil, the devil takes that place. Satan uses one or more of his demons to do it for him.
The following is a list of 20 possible manifestations of such demonic activity:
1. Unnatural fear such as fear of being alone, dark, water, drowning, failure, being rejected, or people/places.
2. Deep depression that cannot be shaken.
3. Confusion or inability to think straight..
4. Restlessness, sleeplessness, or cannot relax.
5. Unexpected thoughts of lust/profanity
6. Unusual tiredness, sleepiness or weakness.
7. Out of control rage, and anger and temper tantrums.
8. Cannot stop talking and rambling around.
9. Sudden urges to commit suicide or kill someone or something.
10. Schizophrenia or split personality.
11. Migraine headaches, recurring headaches, heart palpitations or other pain that comes and goes with no physical problem diagnosed.
12. Urging to read or see pornography, smoke, take drugs or drink or look at violence and bloodshed.
13. Unexplained or unreasonable rebellion against authority.
14. Urge toward sexual perversion and unnatural sexual acts if married.
15. Cannot forgive other people.
16. Cannot stop lying.
17. Ability to see future events or discern personal things about other people. Depression may follow afterward.
18. Any other strong urge to do things that you cannot control and is unnatural.
19. Physical problems like cancer, diabetes, tumors or high blood pressure just like experienced by a direct ancestor.
20. Cannot stop crying or inability to quit grieving over someone or something.
G. NOT EVERY PROBLEM IS DEMONIC
1. This is not to say that every problem on that list is demonic activity, but if the person has tried to crucify the flesh daily and done all they can to get victory, but keeps failing, then it is time to look for roots of demonic activity.
2. We cannot blame the lusts of the flesh on the works of the devil. Deal with the lusts of the flesh first and then if there is no victory then conduct deliverance. Don’t get caught in the trap of telling yourself you just don’t have enough faith. That is usually not the problem but it occasionally is a concern.
The next step for us is to use the weapons of our warfare which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and use the authority given to us by Jesus in Luke 10:19 and Mark 16:17.
F. DEFEAT THOSE DEMONS IN JESUS NAME!
Mark 16:15
15 And he said to them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…
Some people say that there are old manuscripts that don’t contain Mark 16. So let’s see some other Scriptures.
Luke 10:19 Jesus said to the seventy people he sent out,
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.
These seventy people returned totally amazed that even the demons were subject to them through the name of Jesus. Jesus confirmed in Luke 10:19 that believers in Him had the rightful authority over demon spirits. Those seventy people discovered that the demons would only obey them when they took authority over them in the name of Jesus.
Luke 10:17 says,
even the demons are subject unto us through thy name.
Acts 16:18 says, Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit,
I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!
Even though Satan and his kingdom has been defeated by Jesus, Satan is not dead. He is allowed to roam this earth and attempt to attack people. It is our responsibility to take back what Satan has stolen. He does not give up easily but Jesus has given us the tools to get the victory. We are to use the name of Jesus as our authority and then we have to command the demons to come out and leave.
We are God’s instruments and God will not do it for us. God only works through us as we do what He has instructed, then the Holy Spirit and God’s angels will work in the person to bring about the deliverance sought after
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