DEMONISM

The study of demonism takes you into a very dark and disturbing place. It is where the occult lives and thrives on uninformed and weak Christians who are just playing church and know a few Christian verses but never really dig into any serious Bible study are more vulnerable than those who are well grounded in Scripture. [1]

The extremely elusive task of demons is to distort and corrupt the Word of God with a relentless onslaught of lies and errors.

Satan is at the helm and controls and directs these demons.

Ephesians 6:11-18 goes on to tell believers to put on the "whole armor of God"

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” NLT

Nowhere are the words or expression “demon possession” mentioned in the Bible. Supposedly, it began with the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in the first century A.D.  and passed into ecclesiastical language. 1

Demon possession is a situation in which, at some time, one or more evil spirits or demons dwell in the human being’s body and take total control of their prey.

There is no question that our fight against the forces of evil is real. We know Satan is our enemy. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."  Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)

We realize that demon possession exists and that we are involved in a spiritual conflict between good and evil. So, can a Christian be demon-possessed? I think it depends on how one defines possession. A born-again Christian is not totally possessed, but they have allowed a demon to enter or gain access to a place secretly. This is known as being demonized, not demon possession. So, the question to be answered is: can the demon claim ownership and full control and entire occupation of a born-again Christian, and the answer by most scholars and theologians is NO! The Holy Spirit cannot cohabitate with evil demons.

Let’s clarify the difference between a born-again Christian who is living to the best of their ability to be more Christ-like daily and admits they are a sinner, repents of their sins, and has put their faith totally in Jesus Christ for their eternity and salvation. Once this is done, they can be a true child of the Highest God. Their names are put in the Lamb's Book of Life and sealed, and a person who just professes to be a Christian but lives a life just like the world, a person who just goes to church and says some church talk or quotes an occasional Bible verse so they can be noticed and identified as a Christian, is a prime target for demons.

A true born-again Christian cannot be demon-possessed because of the Holy Spirit's dwelling in you and will never share space in your heart with a demon because the Spirit is Holy! ***

However, I believe that a demon can influence your thoughts by stopping by, planting a seed of doubt about your faith in Christ or some immoral thought, and leaving. Just like a thief. A thief does not take up residence in your home; he just steals and leaves.

There are some crucial mental and sensitive moments that cannot be understood psychologically or emotionally.  I’m referring to spiritual forces that can attack both non-believers and believers in the same way. Current culture tends to slough it off or just rationalize it, but demonism is not laughable or fake. It is a significant and critical issue.

People have been ignoring it, manipulating it, and spinning the truth about demonism. They have been provoking a strong reaction of human inquisitiveness, crude eroticism, and all kinds of warm approval schemes. They have even made it into a lucrative stage show. And the devil applauds it. The devil is real!

 In his book, ”Demons In The World Today”, Dr. Merrill F. Unger states that:

“Certainly, there is no excuse for the church to surrender its charismatic power to heal and deliver from satanic oppression. In the very measure that it does, it advertises its spiritual bankruptcy and makes itself a weak institution that no longer commands the respect of the spiritually needy masses. No wonder multitudes are seeking spiritual reality in Oriental religions, non-Christian faiths, and occult-oriented perversions of Christianity. Christian faith is so devitalized by apostasy and so contaminated with men’s opinions and a defective presentation of Jesus Christ that it is becoming a hollow shell, powerless to affect men’s lives”.

 For a long time, Christians have been engaged in a flippant way of dealing with the subject of demonism by way of their chicanery and daunting behavior. Many Christians either diminish demons as ancient myths, or they excessively preoccupy their minds with toxic practices. Make no mistake, demons are real spiritual beings with personalities and intelligence, and they have a specific agenda.

Our current culture gravitates toward spiritual warfare as either complete absurdity or selling and sensationalism. Demons work mercilessly at trying to disrupt your relationship with Almighty God. They also despise the Trinity and the Christian faith. These evil spirits consistently reveal their irreverence and rejection of the truth.

We need to be brave and courageous as we stand up to the enemy's evil and dark forces.

To withstand the wiles of the adversary, the devil, we need to be very knowledgeable about his schemes. Coaches in professional sports spend copious hours watching film of their opponents to study their methods, strategies, and maneuvers of other teams. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance of the enemy is not bliss. It gives him and his demons the upper hand and can rob you of the confidence needed to resist him.

Let us remember that this spiritual war is an invisible war. We need fortitude and resilience by relying on and depending on the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer and trusting His power.

 When the military goes into battle, they are fully furnished and well-resourced. Substandard knowledge of the devil is a recipe for disaster and inevitable loss.

In Ephesians 6:11-17, the Apostle Paul strongly encourages us to put on the full armor of God.

Paul also forthrightly warns us, “not to give the devil an opportunity.” Ephesians 4:27 NIV: " Do not give the devil an opportunity. " and “Do not give the devil a foothold” NKJV

Satan already knows he has lost the war, but that doesn't stop him from using his favorite scheme: deception. He can use diversion to hide the truth and to throw you off your Christian walk with God. These tactics may seem to be frightening, remarkable, and unnerving, but remember you are the winner and he is the loser. Stay strong!

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Footnotes: The demons of this dark world are volatile, devious, and exceptionally astute. The Bible tells us how to take action against these demons: to oppose and expel them.

We, Christians, need to be tactful when we discuss the issue of demonism and use prayer for guidance. Time and again, dissension and hostility fuel unnecessary disputes that serve no purpose other than to give the demon the edge.

When you suspect that someone has a demonic problem, it would be wise to report it to your church and leave the rest to your Pastor or other trained professionals.

Dr. Merrill Unger initially believed that a born-again Christian could not be demon-possessed. However, he later changed his view. He concluded that while a believer cannot be totally "possessed" or owned by Satan, they can still be "demonized" or heavily influenced by evil spirits in their body and soul. ***

• Alfred Edershiem, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.