The New Testament's Demons Are As Real As It Gets.

[JAG 5000]

The New Testament's Demons Are As Real As It Gets.

By JAG

August 31, 2021

They are bodiless spirits of fallen angels. They strongly desire to get back inside a body ~ and the bodies of pigs will do just fine.

How can we be certain they are bodiless spirits? Because if they had bodies of their own, they wouldn't be begging to be allowed to use the bodies of pigs. "The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs." {Luke 8:32) (same in Mark 5:9-13}

Once upon a time I was puzzled reading about demons ~ in the New Testament I mean. They also made me just a wee bit uneasy. Are demons really real? The Bible is the inspired inerrant word of God, I never doubted that, but we're living in modern times and there has to be some other explanation. Wrong. Demons are as real as dogs, dolphins, and daffodils, and here is what I think happened:

There was war in heaven. We know that. We've read about it in Rev. 12:7-9.

In that war . . .

Michael and his good angles killed the physical bodies of Satan and his evil angels and sent their bodiless spirits hurling down to earth ~ where they now, apparently crave above all else, to get back inside a body and they'll even beg to be allowed to enter hogs if its that or nothing.

Let's take a minute and read Rev. 12:7-9 together:

"Then war broke out in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled to the earth ~ that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."

So there was War in Heaven . . .

And this is what Jesus said about that war:

"I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven." {Luke 10:18}

In Rev. 12:9 the Apostle John said the same thing like this:

"Satan "was hurled down . . . He was hurled to the earth."

Jesus' disciples said to Him: "even the demons submit to us in Your name" {Luke 10:17}. Upon hearing that Jesus immediately came back with "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." {Luke 10:18}

So?

So there is a direct connection between demons on the earth and that War in Heaven where Satan was kicked out and hurled like lightning to the earth.

Moreover . . .

Demons, now spirits without bodies, hate their present condition. They need to occupy bodies so they can meaningfully interact with their surroundings. They find living without a body to be extremely unpleasant.

And even pigs will do . . .

Again, "the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs" {Luke 8:32}

And they actually did that.

Jesus gave them permission and then "they went into the pigs." {Luke 8:33}.

Being inside a body keeps them out of the Unpleasant Void. When they are not occupying a body, they are in a place they don't want to be. They call it The Abyss. "They begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. {Luke 8:31} (The NIV capitalizes the word Abyss.) They're smart enough to avoid The Abyss, if they can.

The New Testament's demons are persons with intelligence that can carry on a conversation. They did exactly that with Jesus in Luke 8:26-33.

And they know how important the Lord Jesus is:

"A demon-possessed man . . . [shouted] what do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" {Luke 8:27-28}

And demons can feel pain and they want to avoid it. One demon said to Jesus, "I beg You don't torture me." {Luke 8:28}.

The New Testament's demons know that Pain is in their future.

"What do You want with us, Son of God? [the demons] shouted. Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?" {Matthew 8:29}.

Here is a comforting thought . . .

God protects His people from demons:

Christians cannot be possessed by demons. We have the Holy Spirit living within us {1 Cor. 6:19}. and He protects us from the Evil One. The power of The Cross, the Resurrection, and the Exaltation {Jesus now being seated at the right hand of Almighty God} has secured eternal redemption for we who believe in the Lord Jesus as our Savior. Thank You Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit for loving us, for saving us, and for protecting us from the Evil Ugly One.

Demons are sentient beings {able to perceive and feel things}. They are self aware. "I beg you not to torture ME", said one demon. {Luke 8:28}.

More than one demon spirit can occupy the same human body. "What is your name?", asked Jesus. "Legion", he replied because many demons had gone into [the man]." {Luke 8:30}

So what can we conclude from all this?

(1) Demons are looking for susceptible people to occupy. They need a body. (2) Being fallen angels, they're no more mysterious than angels. We don't find angels to be hugely mysterious. We understand a lot about who they are and what they do. Demons are the spirits of fallen angels who followed their leader Satan in rebellion against God and like Satan, were kicked out of heaven and hurled bodiless to the earth where they began searching for humans susceptible to being demon possessed. Their bodies were killed during the War in Heaven and they don't like being in that condition. They crave bodies so they can escape The Abyss and remain on earth interacting with the much more enjoyable aspects of human life.

How about now? Do demons occupy humans today, 21st century?

I think they do.

Why is it hard to believe that Charles Manson was demon possessed? Nine murders in four locations. Cult leader of the Manson Family who had mesmerizing control over approximately 100 followers. You ever looked into the eyes {pictures} of Charles Manson? Spooky. Scary stuff.

How about Jeffery Dahmer the Milwaukee Cannibal? A serial killer, sex offender, and murderer who dismembered 17 men and boys and ate some of them. Dahmer was also into Necrophilia {sex with dead people . . . with corpses}

So?

So why is it difficult to believe that Jeffery Dahmer was demon possessed?

And what about the "Rev." Jim Jones and what happened in Jonestown in Guyana? 918 people drank cyanide-laced Kool Aid and laid down to die under the captivating control of demonic Evil "Rev." Jim. You ever read "Our Father Who Art In Hell: The Life And Death Of Jim Jones"? Don't. It's not pretty.

Why is it difficult to believe that Jim Jones was demon possessed.

And how about the world's criminally "insane" murderers, torturers, and rapists ~ locked away in maximum security cells. How many of them could be occupied by the spirits of Satan's fallen angels?

And why wouldn't they be?

[]

Epilogue.

It was noised abroad that some Christians actually put the personal blame on Charles Manson, Jeffery Dahmer, and Jim Jones for what they did and had the nerve to label it as sin against the God of the Bible.

"Listen", said Sly Sigh-Chiatrist, "we don't like the Bible, or the God of the Bible, or the concept of personal sin."

"That's exactly right, we surely do not", replied Cunning Sigh-Chologist, "so let's invent some pseudo-intellectual gobbledygook medical-sounding terminology to befuddle the easily-befuddled masses."

"That's a splendid idea", cooed Sly Sigh-Chiatrist, "how 'bout 'borderline personality disorder' and 'psychotic disorder' and here's a really good one 'schizotypal personality disorder'. Will these get the job done?"

"Yes, I think they will", replied Cunning Sigh-Chologist, "and let's add 'psychosis' and 'schizophrenia' to the list. The masses will swallow our science-sounding bafflegab hook, line, and sinker. Gullibility flows strong and thick 21st century."

"I love it", smirked Sly Sigh-Chiatrist, "and then the masses will have to come to us and give us their money for our therapy treatments and our pills."

"Exactly", grinned Cunning Sigh-Chologist, "and at the same time we can get rid of the outdated notions of God and personal sin."

"Okay then", smiled Sly Sigh-Chiatrist, "let's do it."

And so they did.

[][]

Agree?

Disagree?

Thoughts?

``

[nevergore]

Does this mean my bacon is possessed?

Don’t care, I’m still eating my bacon!!!!!

[FatherofFive]

Jesus gave them permission and then "they went into the pigs." {Luke 8:33}.

Deviled ham!

[Seruzawa]

Most of the White House people are possessed.

[21twelve]

I know a guy that I trust fully. He was in Saudi Arabia years ago working with the government. He also did Christian Bible studies, etc.

This Saudi woman he was talking with really wanted to be a Christian but she said it was like something inside of her wouldn’t let her. I can’t recall if he discerned that there was a “demon” inside her or not.

But he prayed with her that she would let go of those thoughts, etc. She finally answered “I believe in Jesus Christ” or something.

Her indoor house cat, it had never left the apartment her entire life - right at that moment ran across the room and jumped out the 2nd story window - never to be seen again!

[Scrambler Bob]

California to have a pork and bacon shortage, starting Jan 1, 2022.

[dynachrome]

The thing pretending to be a woman, who raped his 80 year old demented mother comes to mind.

[cuban leaf]

In all seriousness, this is a must read:
https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwiJvOPbidzyAhU-i1oFHTtwAgYYABAHGgJ2dQ&ae=2&sig=AOD64_2Q-W0vUwH4xkNUQNRb8PDvkg2zMA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjO9NjbidzyAhWVSTABHYDLBP0Q9aACegQIARBA&adurl=

“Supernatural” It is the “reader’s digest” verson of Heiser’s “Unseen Realm”. The latter is rife with footnotes and there is even a companion web site.

Bottom line: The “gods” in the old testament are real and exist, and very much a part of the history recorded in the OT and part of the reason for God’s plan.

This gets you started on the whole thing: https://faithlife.com/michael-heiser

[antidemoncrat]

“The New Testament’s Demons Are As Real As It Gets”

That’s why I call Democrats Demoncrats. Why? 60 million slaughtered babies in the US since Roe vs Wade.

[larrytown]

Where is there biblical support for the idea posited here that demons had physical bodies? Angels too, for that matter.

[aimhigh]

Some of the latest research connects schizophrenia to leaks in the outer layer of the brain. 30% of people with 22q11 Deletion syndrome become schizophrenic by age 20. I believe in demons, but it is a mistake to blame too many things on demons.

[Safrguns]

NOT of fallen angels...

Of Human/angelic HYBRIDS from Genesis 6.

Goliath was one of these. His disembodied spirit is a demon.

Fallen angels have no desire to possess human bodies.

[Nea Wood]

Heaven is the wonderful, perfect place we all want to go to, right? So why was there a war there? Why were some residents of Heaven so unhappy, they started a war? What if there’s another war once we get there? We have to believe in God by faith, but the beings in Heaven KNOW there’s a God. They see Him, talk to Him. Yet some still rebelled. Some started a war.

Guess I’ll never understand all this, not in this world, anyway.

[Safrguns]

>>> Where is there biblical support for the idea posited here that demons had physical bodies? Angels too, for that matter.

Genesis 6.

Angels are inter-dimensional beings. They can transform at will in a variety of forms. They do not need human bodies to possess, nor would they want to.

Demons are disembodied spirits of the giants. (offspring of angels and human women) They CAN possess those who ALLOW IT.

Those who are born again believers who have given their life to Jesus have the Holy Spirit indwelling them, so they CANNOT be possessed.

[Sirius Lee]

Where is there biblical support for the idea posited here that demons had physical bodies? Angels too, for that matter.

Jacob wrestled the latter. Whether physical or not, it must have sure seemed physical.

[larrytown]

Indeed angels are shown to have the ability to temporarily show a physical form of some sort, when their particular ‘mission’ requires it - such as the three that visited Lot before Sodom is destroyed. A benefit of being a messenger of God.

Demons, being outside the grace of God, are apparently incapable of this and must ‘possess’ existing bodies that are not in-dwelled with the Holy Spirit.

However, even this doesn’t suggest that angels (fallen or otherwise) naturally possess or possessed their own physical bodies - unless someone has biblical reference to that.

[time4good]

Read the story of Lot. The men of Sodom and Gomorrah were so wicked in their perversion that it says they actually wanted to have sex with the two angels God sent to rescue Lot. So extreme was this that Lot actually offered his two daughters for the men of the town to gang-rape them. The two angels pulled Lot inside and struck the men with blindness.

A very raw story - but so was Sodom and Gomorrah and their judgement.

[sauropod]

Review later.

[larrytown]

Two for Lot , my bad. Was reading about the visitation to Abraham and Sarah, which was three, and that was stuck in the cranium :-)

[JAG 5000]

Thanks for the comments.
It’ll all work out for the best.
We will get many of our answers when we get to heaven , , ,
meanwhile we have Deut. 29:29.
Jot Deut 29:29 down on an index card and put
it somewhere near by.
It’s comforting to the soul.

Best Regards.
JAG