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I read the article ... I must say that the stories coming out of the charismatic movement get more sensational every month.

I remember talking to one of these deceived brothers about deliverence ministry and I asked a simple question. "Where did you get all this information about the names of demons, and what they look like, and what they do?" He said that he gets the information from people who are possessed. I asked "Where do they get it from?" He said, "at that stage of the deliverence its the demons who are talking through the man." I followed up with "dont you know that Satan is the father of lies and any information that you get from demons in a possessed person would be a lie?" And he promptly said "I make them tell the truth in Jesus name." My jaw dropped on the floor; you cant continue a theological conversation anymore at this point.

The simple fact is that Satan is a very powerful angelic being; perhaps the 2nd most powerful person in the created order. Only a warped theology could imagine a mere human in direct confronation with Satan. If you look at the 3 passages in the epistles that discuss the topic of how we confront Satan in the Church age (Eph 6:10-14, 1 Peter 5:6-11, James 4:6-7) there is a common theme: WE are to submit to God, WE are to resist the devil, and God does the battling for us. It is even more clear in the Greek ... the common word translated "stand, resist, resist" is the same root word ... and the passive voice in the Ephesians passage makes it clear that God is the one who is performing the action of "making strong."

I have seen what power theology does to the thinking of well-meaning believers; it changes their entire personality. They no longer focus on the savior of the world but are constantly studying demonology, exorcism, demonic influence, organization ... these people pour their entire lives into this. Attend one of their conferences and you will see what I mean. This "power of God at the fingertips of man" is unbiblical garbage.

Thank you. My own posts on the topic are sometimes reactionary because i still get calls from many of these nuts who think they are "Christians" and almost literally busted a gusset over the last call... this line of fake theology talked about in this thread somehow produces the meanest most prideful and useless religion imaginable.

Scary that these people are walking around amongst us. But the way you can tell is how they pray and deal with this issue of "principalities".. Oh and also you can tell by the lack of moral Christian character and love in their lives.

But yeah, I've had to confront someone who said they got the names of demons from a demonized person before... incidentally... all of these people... even the demonized ones... thought they were "Christian".

Loved what you wrote here and I totally concur: "... I have seen what power theology does to the thinking of well-meaning believers; it changes their entire personality. They no longer focus on the savior of the world but are constantly studying demonology, exorcism, demonic influence, organization ... these people pour their entire lives into this. Attend one of their conferences and you will see what I mean. This "power of God at the fingertips of man" is unbiblical garbage.

"Where did you get all this information about the names of demons, and what they look like, and what they do?"

I know a man (a professor, retired pastor, PhD in medicine, counselor) who has been involved with several "deliverances." I place the term in quotes not to doubt them, but to clarify that most people call them exorcisms. I am a former Catholic and current evangelical Protestant - and, to be honest, I think the current Protestant church uses the other term because it does not want to use the same term the Catholics use.

Anyway......

We cannot know how demons look, or be sure of their names, as you said - you are wrong on your last characterization. We certainly can see at least part of "what they do" first hand, and that is indisputable. They destroy, hurt, blaspheme, hate, and enact every type of cruelty on their victims that they can. I have seen some manifestations of demonic influence when in contact with people I knew very closely, although not all of them listed here. Certain behaviors and traits are also common to possession (voices, unearthly screams, languages the victim does not know, super human strength, knowledge of the future, knowledge of secret sins in the those present in the room, etc).

Only a warped theology could imagine a mere human in direct confronation with Satan.

I understand your caution and practical carefulness with this statement, and I cannot fault you for it. I think it is perfectly correct to have a very healthy fear for Satan and all evil. Christ, however, is very powerful. Us mere humans (Paul said) will judge angels. We are weak, but in our weakness, God is strong.

When properly prepared, we are incredible instruments of Christ's power (note that I didn't say our power, but His).

"And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."

Luke 10:18

Who did that? Well, ultimately, we both know God did that. But, what happened? These dirty, mostly uneducated, sinful men from Galilee caused Satan to fall like lightening from heaven with Christ's authority behind them.

Other demons, Christ warned, could be driven out with prayer and fasting.

I don't go around taking on Satan, or do I? Doesn't scripture tell me:

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

James 4:7

Wait. Satan flees, from me?

Yes.

I think you don't really appreciate the full power of Christ.