Posted on 03/13/2018 2:03:10 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Our Western conception of the world is far too shallow. We don't reckon with the spiritual realities that mark the world in which we live. This is especially true when considering the existence and activity of demons. If C.S. Lewis was right, we may err in two ways: either to deny their existence or obsess over them in an unhealthy way. Many people in our culture err on the side of the former. We reduce reality to the things we can see and touch, and you won't meet many people who will claim to have seen and touched demons.
But demons are real. Satan and his kingdom of darkness is real. Christians actually struggle "against rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12) Christians actually do have an adversary who roams around like "a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8) It's high time we start taking the forces of darkness seriously.
But taking the forces of darkness seriously only raises tough questions. For example: what should we think about the Christian in relation to demons? More to the point: Can the Christian become demon-possessed?
Demonic Forces Exist in a Domain of Darkness
Part of the initial problem in answering this question is that our ideas about demons and demonic activity are often unbiblical. We tend to think of the world as a neutral place, in which people and demons coexist. In this conception of the world, a person is not under demonic influence until he is. But this is not how the world is depicted in Scripture. In the Scriptural view, this now-fallen world is far from neutral; it has a "god." (2 Corinthians 4:4) People are born into a hostile environment. They're born into a domain of darkness (Colossians 1:13), which is ruled by oppressive, demonic authorities.
If this is the case, then the way we think of demon-possession must change. Concentrated demonic influence over people isn't a crazy occurrence that goes against the grain of the world. "Possession" is simply an example of the demonic forces' chosen exercise of authority at any given moment. The people who live in the domain of darkness who are "demon possessed" and those who are not are, in a sense, in the exact same boat: both are equally unprotected from demon possession. In other words, any person who lives in the domain of darkness is "demon-possessable." Put simply, if we are an unbeliever, demons can get us. This can only happen with God's permission, of course, but the principle stands: the unbeliever has no Christ, no Savior, to protect them. They are vulnerable. How awful.
Christians Have Been Transferred Out of the Domain of Darkness
Praise God, the same is not true for the believer. To the question posed earlier, "Can demons possess the believer?" We have an emphatic answer: "No". Christians cannot be possessed by demons in the way described throughout the Scriptures. They cannot be dominated by demons because they no longer belong to the domain of darkness. If you are a Christian, the Father reached down into the domain of darkness, grabbed you by the scruff of your neck, picked you up, and gently placed you into the kingdom of his beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). The Gospel is the Triune God's rescue mission of his people who were trapped in the domain of darkness.
But this rescue mission isn't merely an extraction. It's not as if Jesus were planning to take his people to some sweet by-and-by, leaving Satan and his forces to ravage the rest of the earth to their hearts' content. The world, in bondage to sin and under the enemy-occupation of Satan, has been invaded by Christ. From the very beginning of Mark, we see Jesus, like the nation of Israel in the book of Numbers, driven by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days (Mark 1:12-13). And what does he do as soon as he emerges? The same thing Israel did when they emerged from their 40 years in the wilderness: he "invades Canaan." His announcement that the "kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:14-15) is both good news for those whom he came to rescue and recruit (Mark 1:16-20), and bad news for the demonic movers and shakers whose doors he came to kick down (Mark 1:21-28).
Here's the takeaway: our focus is not on figuring out tips and tools for exorcism. Our focus is on preaching the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, and the means by which the Spirit of God takes up residence in the believer.
The Gospel in Demonic Perspective
Jesus protects his people, in sum. We see this in John's Gospel. The Father sent the Son by the power of the Spirit to penetrate the satanic lines of defense and free his oppressed people (John 1:9-18). This he did by shedding his blood on the cross, thereby paying the penalty of their sin. This blood payment takes away Satan's power over the believer(Colossians 2:13-15; Romans 8:31-39). Christ also gives the church the gift of his Holy Spirit (John 7:39; 16:7), recruiting them to be a Spirit-empowered extension of that same mission (Matthew 28:18-20; John 17:18; 2 Corinthians 20:21). This is why we can be absolutely certain that Christians cannot become inhabited by demons. The Holy Spirit has taken up residency in them (Romans 8:9-11). There's no room for demons.
In Matthew 12:43-45, Jesus warns about the danger of seeing demonic exorcism as an end in itself. It's not; a demon can still overtake an unbeliever, even if an exorcism has happened. But what happens if the demon comes back to find that his previous home is now a Christian? What the demon now finds is not a house neatly prepared for him, but rather an impenetrable fortress, with divine weaponry pointed right at him. The Spirit indwells us. That's what every true Christian has become: a dwelling place uninhabitable for demons.
Jesus has not finally rid this world of demons. At present, we still wait for the final arrival of the kingdom and all of its promises (Hebrews 4:2). As believers, we feel the presence of this evil domain around us daily. In this sin-cursed world, demonic bullying still happens. As we wait, furthermore, we struggle not against flesh and blood, but the spiritual forces of darkness. Yet, we ought never to be overcome with fear. Demons cannot take us over. Satan cannot un-save us. Our spiritual warfare is ongoing, but we know how this story ends.
Samuel G. Parkison is a PhD student at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He lives in Kansas City with his wife (Shannon) and their two sons (Jonah and Henry), where Samuel serves as a Pastor of Teaching and Liturgy at Emmaus Church. You can follow Samuel on Twitter at @samuel_parkison
You can’t be filled with the Holy Spirit and also filled with an unholy spirit.
Anyone not filled with the Holy Spirit and who engages in activities that create pathways or entry’s for them can be oppressed or even possessed,
Also anyone who in any meaningful manner has ever impeded this activity is their enemy and will come under attack,
I’ve done many hundreds of these sessions over the years. There is no need to touch the person in any way as they are afraid of the Light. Usually they try to hide until they realize it does no good. Many are similar to the movie Exorcist, which I found quite accurate having only watched it recently for the first time.
Prayer is the only tool that is needed as we alone are helpless. Often, even words are not needed as the Holy Spirit says it all directly.
I’ve found five primary circumstances where attachment occurs:
1. When drunk
2. When on drugs
3. When under general anesthesia (thus it is very important to pray unceasingly for folks having surgery)
4. When experiencing severe depression
5. When experiencing great fear
Sessions should never be done in public as anyone viewing is an open escape route for the spirit to enter as an escape when being removed from its host.
I’ve been stung, meaning they moved into me and tried to kill me. We individually are powerless as our strength comes through our weakness. It was a lesson I needed to learn through experience in order to have no fear.
If you ever allow fear to enter you while doing this work, you lose as you lower yourself to the level of the spirit attachment and become weak. It is not ego confidence that makes one strong, but God’s perfect Love that casts out all fear.
The reason that Jesus and His disciples emphasized Love thy enemy is that the Love radiating from you is the spirit attachment’s worst fear. It gives them a feeling as though they are burning.
Radiating Love is like clear water running from a spring. As long as it is flowing out, no dirty water can flow inward.
Not all spirits are demonic, some are merely misguided. This is often the case when a child is aborted in the womb. I’ve removed many such child spirits years after the event and encountered multiple child attachments in women where multiple abortions occurred.
“Demonic Forces Exist in a Domain of Darkness”
Higher demonic forces have less fear of the Light, often being near the Light to fool us. They are great imitators of the Light.
Dark spirits do not radiate energy the way most humans do. Most souls radiate a warm vibrance that makes you smile. Dark spirits suck in energy and drain you rather than radiate.
Thus I must be careful when I am tired and worn down as I become more vulnerable, unless I immediately turn to prayer which invigorates me.
Except that every believer does have the Holy Spirit indwelling him so the house is not swept clean. it now has the presence of God in it.
However, through sin and unforgiveness, the believer can give the enemy a foothold to operate from so that he experiences demonic attack within.
https://www.sophiainstitute.com/products/item/exorcist-explains-the-demonic
Fr. Gabrielle says “yes”. He performed exorcisms for decades, so I tend to believe him.
I guess it also depends how one defines “a Christian”. If one believes one becomes a Christian at the moment of Baptism, then the answer is yes. If not, well I guess one’s mileage may vary (but I’m not going to go there, I’ll leave it to others who wish to virtually flog themselves debate that point ).
You are being deceived by the very spirits you claim you are casting out.
There are no other spirits and those you think are babies are demons impersonating them to you and you don't have the discernment to see the difference.
The many things you have claimed over the years show a great deal of demonic deception in your life.
Matthew 13 is very accurate as to what is happening on earth right now....
Tares among Wheat
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed [n]tares among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the [o]wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.
27 The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.
30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
The Tares Explained
36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
38 and the field is the world;
and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom;
and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil,
and the harvest is the end of the age;
and the reapers are angels.
40 So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.
41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,
42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
THE WEEDS ARE HERE RIGHT NOW.
“You are being deceived by the very spirits you claim you are casting out.”
Would satan cast out satan?
A house divided against itself will fall.
“one becomes a Christian at the moment of Baptism”
Baptism with water opens the soul so that a person is prepared for Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit cleans the House.
“The many things you have claimed over the years show a great deal of demonic deception in your life.”
First, it is not me, but done through me.
Second, it is not about me or what I can do, but to give glory and to validate our Father’s teachings through His Son Jesus.
I am a sinner and as such I stumble and fall. It is only by the Grace of God that I survive.
I’ll be gone for about two weeks (beginning next weekend) as I am heading to a Benedictine Monastery for a period of prayer and fasting. My Love for God and His Son Jesus keep my heart yearning to be nearer Him. He is the most important thing, and the reason for my life.
“Also anyone who in any meaningful manner has ever impeded this activity is their enemy and will come under attack”
Very true. And God is our only refuge of protection.
In the beginning I had a tinge of fear when first encountering a dark spirit. Now, I sincerely thank them for reminding me to pray. They bring a smile to my face and I laugh at them for the wonderful reminder they give me to keep our Father within me, and I within Him at all times.
Maybe. And Satan will fall so that verse does not apply.
But it would certainly make sense that the enemy would deceive a person into thinking they had been delivered and the demon lay low and work in other nefarious ways.
Jesus never denied that mighty works were done.
If Jesus never knew those people who cast out demons, then by what power did they *cast them out*?
“2 Corinthians 20:21). This is why we can be absolutely certain that Christians cannot become inhabited by demons. The Holy Spirit has taken up residency in them (Romans 8:9-11). There’s no room for demons.”
Many Christians are like the Pharisees who speak the words but they are empty. They call upon Jesus, but He does not know them.
They ask Jesus to save them, so He teaches them His Father’s Wisdom and they still do not hear the words.
Your words in red are excellent and true words.
As I recall from my memory, which is not as good as it used to be, Jesus said, Not everyone who casts out demons in My Name knows Me. Lessor dark spirits will fear and tremble merely by hearing the Name of Jesus, but stronger dark spirits can only be removed by prayer and fasting.
This was in response to the disciples asking why they could not remove some spirits.
Angels or demons, there is nothing else.
Spot on.
I also have seen a few posts which imply one isn’t saved til baptism. That’s also incorrect.
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