Door of Hope Blog

Can Believers Be Demon-Possessed?

Let me begin by explaining that we have three enemies that we face: the world, which we overcome by the Love of the Father (I John 3:2), the flesh, which we overcome by walking in the spirit (Romans 8), Satan and his principalities, which we overcome through Jesus Christ who defeated the enemy on the cross. In John 10, Jesus said in relation to Lazarus being raised from the dead, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. And I know that you always hear me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that you have sent me.’ Now when he had said these things, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth, Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.’” John 11:40-44                   I Thessalonians 5:23 reads, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” When someone asked me the above question, Can believers be demon-possessed; my response is “No!” However, in the original language, the words “demon-possession” is only one word. Some have said that it would have been better to have translated it as being “demonized.” If we did, then you would define the above question as ‘Can believers be under the influence of one or more evil spirits?’

The answer to this question therefore hinges on how you define ‘possessed.’  We have a tendency to think that if we possess something we own it. With that understanding of the word, the question becomes, ‘Can a Christian become owned by the evil one?’ The answer: absolutely not! Every Christian has been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. I Peter 1:18-19 “We belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. And are seated with him in the heavenly places.” Paul writes in Ephesians 1:13-14, “You were sealed in him with the holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Regardless of what some of our critics say, we here at Door of Hope have never taught that believers can be demon-possessed. One of the main cornerstones of our message is that salvation is not just a mental assent to ‘doctrine,’ but rather it is a radical change of heart by an outside force – that being God’s life being placed inside the spirit of we as human beings. At that moment, an individual is justified as thought he never sinned and his name is written in the lamb’s book of life. Following the new birth there is a sanctification where God deals with sanctifying the spirit, soul, (mind, will, and emotions), and the body (flesh). We also believe as a foundation that at the time of new birth, we as believers are seated with Christ in heavenly places, sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. We also teach that no believer is in such bondage that they can’t exercise their ability to ‘submit therefore to God, and resist the devil,’ James 4:7. Our approach is to encourage believers to exercise their authority and responsibility as children of God to repent of sin, win the battle for their minds, and present their bodies to God, and resist the devil.

Even though Christ has secured our victory over our spiritual enemies (Colossians 2:15), please don’t conclude that Christians can’t have spiritual problems. Some believers seem to think they are immune to spiritual attack, but the Bible clearly teaches that Satan’s primary attack has always been on God’s people, hoping to destroy God’s plan. The Bible clearly teaches that temptation, accusation, and deception are constant possibilities for believers. The following passages describe the possible impact of evil forces on believers: (Genesis 3, I Samuel 16:14, I Chronicles 21:1, Job, Zachariah 3, Matthew 16:23, Acts 5:3, I Corinthians 5:5, 7:5, II Corinthians 11:1, 12:7, Ephesians 4:27, 6:10, I Thessalonians 2:18, I Timothy 1:20, 3:6, 4:1, 5:15, II Timothy 2:26, James 3:15, 4:4, I Peter 5:7-8, Revelation 2:10, 12:17.) The question that all of us need to look at, is where do our thoughts and emotions come from? Whose kingdom do they represent? Just as there is a holy spirit who is the revealer, likewise there are also evil spirits. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Both the Holy Spirit and evil spirits have access to each of us. The Holy Spirit comes to us in conviction asking us to deal with things in our lives so that we can have a closer relationship with God as our Father. Satan and his powers and principalities come to us with condemnation and temptation. We know that evil spirits have access to us because of temptation. James 1:13 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” Temptation only comes from the devil. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” WE are also commanded not to be ignorant of the wiles of the devil. So maybe we should be asking, ‘What are the powers and principalities of the devil that are referred to in Ephesians 6:12?’ In genesis, when you read the account of the lives of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, we learn that some of the most powerful, negative emotions from the enemy showed up in the behavior of their lives. Genesis shows us that lying, shame, guilt, doubt, condemnation, jealousy, fear, unforgiveness, resentment, anger, violence, murder, hatred, etc, came into this world with the sin of one man, (Adam). Romans 5:12. When you look at Ephesians 6:12 and how that we wrestle against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Could it be that the sins that entered this world with Satan are his powers and principalities? After all, with what do we wrestle? Isn’t it unbelief, doubt, rebellion, unforgiveness, anger, hatred, resentment, violence, murder, jealousy, envy, etc? These are the sins that entered into this world through Satan, and all of us continue to wrestle with them still today. (Acts 16:16, Mark 5:8, Mark 9:25, Luke 13:11-13, II Timothy 1:7) These are some of the many scriptural references to evil spirits that negatively influence our lives. These evil spirits are real beings, just as the Holy Spirit (though they are not equal in power because they are created beings and the Holy Spirit is God’s spirit.) These evil spirits brought sin into this world, and if we allow them dominion in our souls, then they will manifest their natures in our character and in our bodies. I John 4:1-6 instructs us, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby, know ye the spirits; every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit not that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come: even now already it is in the world. 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. They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, in the spirit of error;” In other words, in these verses God is instructing us to use spiritual discernment as to what is coming against us. He’s teaching us to grow up and be mature in him, and to test or discern all things.

How do we know the difference between the spirit of truth (Holy Spirit) and the spirit of error (Satan and his principalities and powers)? Galatians 5:22-26 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” We see that God’s nature is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, grace, and mercy. Galatians 5:19-21 tells us what the fruit of our nature of the flesh is, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of these which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

We know whom we are serving by what is coming out of our mouths and by what is in our thoughts. Matthew 12:34, “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

Whose nature do these negative emotions and behaviors line up with? Do they line up with God’s nature which is produced in us by the Holy Spirit, or do they line up with Satan’s nature? In other words, when we choose to sin we are in reality allowing the nature of Satan or one of his principalities or powers to manifest through us in the same manner that we allow the Holy Spirit to manifest through us in peace, joy, love, and forgiveness. Scripture commands us to ‘crucify’ or destroy the flesh (the old man, the old nature, or the nature of Adam). What then is “flesh” and how do we do this? We need to understand that as humans we have a body, soul, and spirit. Our body is the visible flesh and all its parts. We also need to understand that the word “flesh” is used two different ways in Scripture. Many people will say, “Well, that’s just my old flesh. I’ve got to get my flesh under control. I’m going to crucify the flesh.” Do they mean that they are going to kill themselves? Are they going to kill their body? Of course not.

To “crucify the flesh” has nothing to do with the physical body. It has to do with the “body of sin” (Romans 6:6). In Scripture the word flesh almost always refers to the body of sin, our old man, the old flesh, the nature of Adam, or the nature of Satan. The study of Satan, the body of sin, our old man, the old flesh, the nature of Adam, or the nature of Satan reveals that they all share the same characteristic.

I Thessalonians 5:23 says that we are to be sanctified wholly in our spirit, soul, and body. The Bible doesn’t call the body the “flesh,” it calls it the “body.” The word “flesh” almost always has a spiritual meaning. Romans 6:6 says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” We are to crucify our old man, the old nature, the flesh, the nature of Adam: thereby destroying the “body of sin,” that “we should not serve sin” (Satan, so that we will not serve Satan, but God.) This verse equates the “old man,” the body of sin” and “sin.” We are to “crucify” or destroy the “body of sin,” so that we will not “serve sin.” In his death, Jesus enabled us with the power of a new nature “the Holy Spirit” to crucify and destroy the works of the devil in our lives. The “body of sin” (Romans 6:6) is Satan and his principalities and powers which manifest in our lives through the old nature, the flesh or the nature of Adam, which we are to destroy, the “body  of Christ” is the church and is made up of all believers (I Corinthians 12:27). In Romans 7:15-18, “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Paul is examining why sometimes he does what he hates. In verse 17, he says that it is not he that sinneth, but the sin that dwelleth in him. That is a very interesting statement. He explains in verse 18 that in his flesh “dwelleth” no good thing. Paul separated himself from the flesh. He knew that the “flesh” was not really a part of his new nature in Christ. He accepted responsibility for his sins, but taught that we are to crucify the flesh or old nature. Paul also says in Romans 7:23-25, “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Our deliver from this body of death is Jesus Christ himself. Jesus came to heal the broken-hearted and to set free those who are captive. (Isaiah 61:1-3, Luke 4:18-19)

Christian maturity is becoming more and more Christ-like, it is to become holy as God is holy, it is to purge ourselves from all iniquity, it is to become vessels of honor fit for his service. This life is a preparation, preparing ourselves to be his kings and priests for all eternity.

A further study of the word sin in Romans 7 and 8 you will see that sin is referred to as a noun (person, place, and thing) and not just an action. As individuals who have our own free will, when we choose to sin we open the door for Satan and his principalities to manifest their nature through us. Remember, Satan is a created being and the only authority that he has over us is that which we allow. If you know Jesus as Lord and Saviour, then he has given you all authority and power over the devil and his devices and schemes. Through the name of Jesus all things are possible. Nothing is impossible, even victory over sin and Satan and his principalities. Through Christ there is victory. Through Christ broken hearts are healed. This is why the new covenant is better than the old covenant. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we can have victory over Satan and his principalities, and sin. (Mark 9:23, 10:27, 13:46) It is also important to remember that we are the temple of the Lord. I Corinthians 3:16 says, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?” We become the temple of the Lord when we become born again and then his spirit dwells in us. It is his spirit that gives us the power and authority to crucify the old nature or the nature of Satan that is still in us. This is a process called sanctification. As believers, God dwells and owns our spirit. But the process of sanctification is worked out in our soul which consists of our mind, will, and emotions. It is of this area of our existence that we fight against Satan. It is in this part of us (soul) that Satan tempts, entices, and desires to control believers and non believers. As we cleanse ourselves of all the sin and iniquity, we gain victory and destroy the works of the devil, and thereby glorify God. II Corinthians 10:5 reads, “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;”

Some believers are snared by the theological trap that claims “I’m born again, Jesus paid the price, it’s finished, and I don’t need to worry about the devil. All my past, present, and future sins have been automatically forgiven.“ If so, why then are they still oppressed, depressed, have all types of evil that operates in their lives? Why do they constantly repeat the same old habits or lies, even when they know the truth?

As believers we have the power and ability to defeat our enemy, which was made possible through Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross. Under the new covenant we have the Holy Spirit who lives in us. But the work of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection must be appropriated in our lives each day. We must forgive others or else God does not forgive us (Matthew 16:14-15). If we confess our sins, he will forgive us. (I John 1:9) What happens if we don’t forgive others, or do not confess our sins? We must become doers of his word and not hearers only (Romans 2:13, James 1:23-25).

Being “born again” doesn’t make us immune to evil. It means we have the power to overcome the enemy. Jesus died for sin as the ultimate sacrifice, and rose again to give us the power to defeat Satan. (I John 2:14, 4:4). This is why the new covenant is better than the old. We now can have the power to overcome the works of the enemy in our lives on a daily basis.

While the cross brought forgiveness, the power of the Christian faith comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In this way, we have all three members of the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – living in and through us. Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14:9) This should be true in our lives. We should be manifesting the nature of God as Jesus did, so that people see God’s nature in our actions, hear him in our speech, and understand him in our attitudes. This can happen only through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us. The Holy Spirit has been sent to convict us of our sins and to guide and lead us into all truth, thereby helping us to see the lies of the enemy in our lives.

Remember there is no sin, death, sickness, sorrow, or suffering before Adam and Eve sinned, but according to Revelation there will be no suffering, death, tears or sorrow in the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21:4).

A true Biblical worldview presents all of creation locked in a spiritual conflict that extends from Genesis to Revelation. As believers, we are aligned with God against the “god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4). WE have been transferred from the “kingdom of darkness” to the “kingdom of his beloved son” (Colossians 1:13). In this battle for the heavenly places, the church is God’s method for extending his kingdom and as such is Satan’s prime target (Ephesians 1:3, 20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12). The book of Ephesians teaches us that as believers we already have everything we need to experience spiritual resources through faith and obedience in the power of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual defeat is still a real possibility for believers who still live like unbelievers (Ephesians 4:17-32).

We are also clearly taught that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, Paul brings out that it is our responsibility to put on the armor of God, to stand firm, and to resist the powers of evil (Ephesians 6:10-18). Peter calls the devil your adversary, and warns believers of his intention to devour them (I Peter 5:7-8). We are also told to submit to God and resist the devil and that he will flee from us (James 4:7). What happens to believers if they don’t obey God’s word and choose to resist the devil? All these passages would bring out consequences for believers who ignore Satan, pretend he doesn’t exist, or fail to stand firm in their faith. If Satan can get you to believe a lie, he can control your life. After all, Jesus said that Satan is the father of lies (??). So in answering this question, many will try to focus the discussion of Satan’s influence on believers on the issue of the location of Satan and his principalities and powers – whether they are internal or external – and by this have needlessly polarized the church. Conservative Christians have disagreed for years about what demons can do to believers and whether this control can extend to what we normally think of as internal functions such as thinking, feeling, etc. We could quote authors, cite references, and debate the passages, but we at Door of Hope do not believe deciding the location is the critical issue.

The Corinthian believers were warned about receiving other spirits beside the Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 11:3-4), even though Paul called them temples of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). The indwelling of the Holy Spirit does not automatically keep sin and evil out of our mortal bodies (Romans 6-8). As the temple of God was violated in the Old Testament, Paul teaches that sin can reign in the mortal bodies of those who use their bodies as instruments of unrighteousness (Romans 6:12-16). That is why he urges us to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), as the prerequisite for the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).

We believe that rather than focusing on the location (internal or external), the critical issue is how to help a person who has been made alive in Christ but has grave clothes wrapped around them, just as Lazarus did when he came forth from the grave. All of us, at one time, were dead in our spirit, until God quickened us until we became born again and were made alive, just as Lazarus was raised from the dead. And all of us have grave clothes that need to be unraveled from our individual lives. To find freedom from spiritual bondage, or however you wish to describe it, the believer must assume personal responsibility to believe the truth of his or her identity in Christ, submit to God by repenting of sin, and put on the spiritual armor and resist the devil. Regardless of where principalities and powers of darkness are located, it is trusting God’s truth, and his truth alone that sets people free (John 8:31-32). II Timothy 2:24-26 reads, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” We here at Door of Hope use II Timothy as a model, encouraging believers to exercise their responsibility, to recognize sin, and repent of the sin so that they can come to their senses and know the truth, and deliver themselves from the snare of the enemy, having been taken captive by him to do his will. We encourage believers to exercise their responsibility, to submit to God, resist the devil (James 4).