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Can a Christian Have a Demon? |
When
I first became involved in exorcisms, I assumed that a Christian
was immune from the torment of demons. I based that assumption
on the influence of other Christian leaders who convinced me
of this. I had perfected the logic explaining my position: "The
Holy Spirit and an evil spirit can't dwell in the same vessel."
"Light and darkness cannot co-exist." "Those who cast demons
out of Christians are making excuses for sin problems." I had
given messages to large audiences, boldly declaring that the
very idea of a Christian having a demon was heresy. I insisted
that Christians claiming to have demons were making excuses
for problems of carnality or personal lack of discipline; they
were avoiding the tough part of growing in grace and maturing
in a deeper understanding of Scripture.
When I began searching the Word of God more
diligently about the matter of demons influencing Christians,
I discovered that the issue wasn't as conclusive as I had thought.
Gradually I understood that my error was based on a narrow understanding
of demonic phenomena, and a predetermined reading of Scripture.
In my honest moments of contemplation, I realized that those
pastors and Bible teachers who had repeatedly reinforced the
"Christians can't have a demon" outlook had very little practical
experience with the phenomenon. I concluded that, while doctrine
is not based on experience, the lack of experiential testimony
about such a crucial area of spiritual deliverance was a glaring
weakness.
As I began to discuss the subject with others,
I learned that theological sentiments are often based on extreme
examples. Almost everyone opposed to the idea of Christians
having a demon could relate one or more horrific stories about
exorcism sessions in which Christians were encouraged to think
of their spiritual failures as having a demonic root. They were
then told to vomit up demons of everything from morning sickness
to nasal congestion-seriously! I had witnessed some of these
deliverance sessions. Highly manipulative evangelists preyed
on distraught and gullible people who were looking for a quick
solution to their spiritual and physical misery. I have since
learned the simple truth that when you belong to God, what Satan
cannot invade is your spirit. The moment a person is born into
the kingdom of God by faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9), the spirit
is eternally reborn and belongs to God. Jesus declared in John
10:28 that no one has the power to "snatch" us out of God's
hand. However, man is a tripartite being (1 Thessalonians 5:23),
and there are aspects of the human condition that Satan can
afflict. While he is prohibited from touching the spirit of
God's saints, nothing prevents him from tormenting the body
and soul-if the disobedient conduct of a Christian allows him
to do so.
Much confusion about this issue exists because of the use of
the word possession. The term doesn't appear in the original
Greek language of the New Testament. Bible scholars say those
who translated the King James edition added this word in order
to classify varying degrees of demonic control. More correctly,
the word translated "possession" should simply be rendered "demonized,"
that is, under the influence of a demon. Attempting to be verbally
precise about such a supernatural phenomenon is pointless. You
can't take something enshrouded in a mystical context and reduce
it to a paradigm of human language. That's why we must cautiously
use terms associated with demons.
By possession I mean that the spirit is internalized
and claims certain legal rights to invade the person's body.
Demonic "possession" never means a Christian's regenerated spirit
has been invaded or that the demon owns the human being. It
means that his or her soul or body is influenced by a demon.
The demon can manifest through the host's faculties-that is,
see with the eyes, speak through the vocal cords, and even subject
the person to a trance state of mental oblivion. Deliverance
comes when the demon inside is cast outside.
What about those instances in which a demon
manifests in a Christian? In most cases the demon entered before
the believer's conversion to Christianity, and the evil spirit
continued to control some part of the person's life because
the specific occult sin was never renounced. The demon claims
squatter's rights.
The metaphor of what happens when territory
is conquered in a war applies here. Even though the conflict
may be officially ended, enemy snipers refuse to surrender,
so they must be hunted down. Their right to remain may be technically
voided since the territory is under new control, but that doesn't
mean they leave automatically or give up easily. An offense
must be mounted to enforce the terms of victory. The exorcist
must diligently pursue every avenue of deliverance to be certain
that every demonic influence has been conquered.
CAN
DEMONS PHYSICALLY AFFLICT A CHRISTIAN?
To answer the question of whether a Christian
can be physically afflicted, we must first explore the means
by which demons influence Christians. Do Christians sin? Of
course! First John 1:8-9 says we do. We cannot continue to abide
in sin because of the indwelling nature of Christ. Note, however,
that in Ephesians 4:23 Christians are admonished to "be renewed
in the spirit of your mind." If the mind of the Christian needs
renewal, then it stands to reason that when our minds are not
renewed, they may be, to some degree, under the control of the
ungodly forces.
"Present your bodies a living sacrifice," we read in Romans
12:1. This means our bodies may not be completely sacrificed
to God, and could therefore be influenced by Satan. The lack
of spirituality in the life of a Christian doesn't necessarily
mean he or she is possessed. But it does mean that some part
of the Christian's nature is open to evil forces.
In Luke 13:16, Christ cast a demon out of a 'daughter of Abraham'.
It's true she wasn't living under the covenant of grace this
side of the cross, but as an Old Testament devotee to God, she
was spiritually protected by the best that God could offer that
side of Calvary. Yet a spirit of physical infirmity demonized
her. In fact, the first demon that Jesus cast out came from
an apparently devout Jew in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Christ's
first exorcism was in a church! The man in Luke 4:33-35 was
certainly "possessed" because the demon spoke through his body.
Christ told the unclean spirit to "come out of him" (Verse 35).
CAN SATAN CONTROL A CHRISTIAN'S THOUGHTS AND WORDS?
Let me explain how Satan can also control
the thoughts and speech of a Christian. In Matthew, chapter
16, Jesus had just concluded His explanation to His disciples
on the true nature of His earthly mission-that He must suffer
and die (verse 21). Peter immediately spoke up in an effort
to dissuade Christ from going to the cross: "Far be it from
You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" (verse 22). The response
of Christ was abrupt and stern. "Get behind Me, Satan!" Jesus
said to Peter (verse 23). I'm not suggesting that Peter was
demon possessed. I am proposing that Peter, while standing in
the presence of Christ, was sufficiently influenced that he
literally spoke the words Satan wanted him to say. Even more
astounding is the fact that earlier in verse 16 of that chapter,
Peter had given the confessional statement of faith on which
Christ said He would build His church!
In Acts chapter 5, Ananias and Sapphira, members
of the early church, lied to the apostle Peter. They had sold
some possessions to give to the church, and then had second
thoughts and conspired to keep back a portion for themselves.
When Peter asked them what amount they had received for the
sale, Ananias and Sapphira lied. What was the source of that
lie? The apostle Peter said, "Satan filled your heart to lie
to the Holy Spirit" (verse 3). In judgment, God struck them
dead. If we accept the assumption that Ananias and Sapphira
experienced the new birth in Christ, then how can we explain
away the fact that their hearts were filled by Satan to such
an extent that they were capable of committing a sin worthy
of such abrupt and severe divine judgment?
Satan can, in some instances, take over a
Christian's mind and speak through his lips. Demons are in certain
instances able to place Christians in a trance state so that
the unclean spirit controls psychomotor functions and conscious
mental processes. I have dealt with scores of cases with people
who were undeniably followers of Christ and yet demons spoke
through them and even violently attacked me. It is disingenuous
to suggest that they somehow lost their salvation long enough
to let a demon in and then thereafter resumed their Christian
walk. If Satan can control our speech when we are disobedient
and fill our hearts with evil when we are rebellious, he may
be able to do a lot more to Christians than we would like to
admit. What scriptural lessons can we learn from this startling
information?
A Christian can be born again and have spiritual
victory over the original Adamic sin that eternally separates
mankind from God and still have besetting sins (Hebrews 12:1).
Uncontrolled thoughts, resentment, anger, and bitterness are
some examples. Salvation must not be confused with sanctification.
The Holy Spirit's continuing work of grace is a progressive
act of God's desire to draw us closer to Him. Those who, yet
saved, resist this scriptural plea (1 Thessalonians 4:3) may
find they have harbored demonic pockets of activity from their
pre-conversion lives. This message needs a greater emphasis
in our churches so that we may set free any of our brothers
and sisters in Christ who are suffering the "hangover" of Satan's
influence from their former lives of sin.
As kindly as I can say it, those who underestimate
what Christians can suffer at the hand of Satan are doing a
disservice to the body of Christ. They are consigning sincere
Christians to a life of continued demonic influence and causing
needless suffering in the lives of those whom the Lord wants
to set free. Let no one misunderstand me. A Christian cannot
be demonized if by "possession" you mean "ownership." The child
of God is owned by the Lord. But I will testify that a Christian
can be severely influenced by demons and even be inhabited by
them. I will also do all that I can in Jesus' name to see that
those who are "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ" (Romans
8:17) will experience the hope of freedom from demonic bondage.
Written
by Bob Larson
For more information, contact
us or come to our meetings every Tuesday at 7:00 PM at Ignited Church in Lakeland, FL. |
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