Page updated 18 Dec 2015
Page Suggestions: Bible Facts, Hell is Real, Satan, Spiritual Warfare
What does the BIBLE say about Demons
Can a Christian Have a Demon
Page 2
The following passages of Scripture are some instances of demonization of believers of God, Jews and Christians, from the New Testament after Pentecost. There are also many pre-Pentecost and Old Testament references to demonization of believers, notably the stories of
Job (Job 1:8-9
(verse 8) And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
(verse 9) Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?Job 1 verses 8-9,
Job 2:3, 7(verse 3) And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
(verse 7) So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.Job 2 verses 3, 7);
Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-16(verse 14) But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
(verse 15) And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
(verse 16) Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man, [who is] a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.1 Samuel 16 verses 14-16,
1 Samuel 18:10And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and [there was] a javelin in Saul's hand.1 Samuel 18 verse 10,
1 Samuel 19:9And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with [his] hand.1 Samuel 19 verse 9);
the Caananite woman's child (Matthew 15:22-28(verse 22) And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
(verse 23) But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
(verse 24) But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(verse 25) Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
(verse 26) But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to dogs.
(verse 27) And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
(verse 28) Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.Matthew 15 verses 22-28);
Jesus rebuking Peter (Matthew 16:22-23(verse 22) Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
(verse 23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.Matthew 16:22-23 );
a man with a demon in a synagogue (Mark 1:23And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out.Mark 1 verse 23);
James and John being told "you know not what spirit you are of" (Luke 9:52-56(verse 52) And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
(verse 53) And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
(verse 54) And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
(verse 55) But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
(verse 56) For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save [them]. And they went to another village.Luke 9 verses 52-56);
a "daughter of Abraham" with a "spirit of infirmity" (Luke 13:11-16(verse 11) And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up [herself].
(verse 12) And when Jesus saw her, he called [her to him], and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
(verse 13) And he laid [his] hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
(verse 14) And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
(verse 15) The Lord then answered him, and said, [Thou] hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or [his] ass from the stall, and lead [him] away to watering?
(verse 16) And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?Luke 13:11-16 );
and Judas being demonized by Satan (John 6:70-71(verse 70) Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
(verse 71) He spake of Judas Iscariot [the son] of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.John 6verses70-71 ,
John 13:27And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.John 13:27 ).
We believe that these are all pertinent examples that bear on this discussion as we believe that the Bible is a continuous revelation of how God works with man and what the will of God is for man.
But for the purpose of this study, because of the new covenant that we live under today, and because some do not accept that the lessons we are taught from the OT and NT before the Holy Spirit was given to all who believe the gospel message are truly relevant for us today, we will stick to post-Pentecost passages of Scripture. This list is not exhaustive.
Scriptures
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back [part] of the price, his wife also being privy [to it], and brought a certain part, and laid [it] at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried [him] out, and buried [him]. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband [are] at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying [her] forth, buried [her] by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. Acts 5:1-11
An example of two Christians whose hearts were filled with Satan.
But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and [in] the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. Acts 8:9-24
Simon, a believer, needed deliverance from the occult. He had believed in Christ but still had the heart of an occult sorcerer. He was still a captive to sin even after he had believed and been baptized.
It is reported commonly [that there is] fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, [concerning] him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Corinthians 5:1-5
These verses speak of a believer filled with a spirit of lust and as a result, delivered over to Satan for the destruction of his sinful nature and hopefully the salvation of his spirit. This shows that God even uses Satan to bring about a turning from sin in a sinful believer. He used Satan to test a faithful man like Job. Satan is God's
devil. He cannot do anything to Christians apart from the will of God. God uses Satan when other methods of getting our attention have not worked. This is what I believe is going on in the "counterfeit" revivals today. God has allowed Satan to bring a delusion on believers. This may be their last chance. They may turn to Jesus Christ for salvation from fleshly sins, such as being drawn away into hedonism by false signs and wonders, or they may ultimately reject God. It is their choice.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 1 Corinthians 10:12-14
Just because God makes a way out of temptation does not mean that professing Christians will take it. Therefore we are urged to flee from idolatry because we cannot serve two masters. This shows that professing Christians can turn back and serve the god of this world, just as they turned and served Christ. It also proves that Christians can fall away if they place their faith in idolatry rather than God.