Page updated 28 September 2018

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What does the BIBLE say about Demons

What is a demon

The very mention of the word demon conjures images of gargoylish creatures of the night - complete with fangs, claws, and back hunched by the weight of depravity. Many victims of possessions claim they can see such creatures. Whereas our "normal" eyes cannot behold the spirit world, those who give themselves to the occult can somehow see beyond this veil or else have demon-induced visions.

On some occasions when demons have appeared during an exorcism, the victim has described the spirit as incredibly beautiful. This reminds us of Paul's warning in 2 Corinthians 11:14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.2 Corinthians 11 verse 14:

But this visible manifestation of a demon says nothing about the actual nature of these fallen angels. Both secular and religious histories are filled with references to demons. The ancients, who were untouched by the Jewish scriptures, held demons in superstitious esteem. The Greeks believed demons were the spirits of departed wicked men.

Demons and Diseases

I have dealt with demons of all sorts of illnesses and addictions, from cerebral palsy to schizophrenia and from heroin addiction to compulsive masturbation. This is not to say that such maladies or urges are always the result of a demon. I am not suggesting that anyone afflicted by a physical or emotional weakness is controlled by evil spirits.

My counseling experiences have taught me that demons both exploit physical abnormalities and encourage aberrational behavior. For example, a demon may have known a person was genetically predisposed to alcohol addiction. The demon tempted the person to over indulge in alcohol and then capitalized on the resulting dependency by displaying its functions through the disease's symptoms. Eventually, the distinction between the disease and the demon becomes blurred until both manifest simultaneously.

In the case of physical infirmity, the demon may mimic the ailments of a disease by afflicting psycho motor and neuro-sensory functions, or exacerbate the disorder's symptoms until the demon's influence is barely distinguishable from the primary illness. For example, a demon of anorexia would intensify his victim's abhorrent self-image to the point that food avoidance would be virtually a simultaneous demonic and psychological manifestation.

The discerning counselor who encounters a demon manipulating the realm of mental, emotional, or physiological disorders must carefully discern between the source of natural and supernatural factors afflicting the victim. Sometimes, attempted. The victim of anorexia may first need intravenous demon's ability to use his victim's weakness. The alcoholic physical strength so the demon no longer can enmesh his function with the features of his victim's disease.

Every disease is not a demon, but any disease may be exploited or imitated by a demon. Proper medical advice, spiritual insight, and conscientious care for the victim's conditions will direct the exorcist to the right path for restarting total spiritual and physical well-being.

How Do Demons Steal From Their Victims?

When Jesus said that Satan steals, you might conclude this refers to individual acts of theft and vandalism. It may, but Satan has other ways of stealing. He steals virginity by sexual temptation, and he steals hope by leaving crushed dreams. Satan purloins the ability to know right from wrong and ravages faith in God and His Word.

The worst damage a demon does is often unseen, as in the case where a demon robs a person of his self-esteem. I have dealt with demonized people who have been encouraged to commit abhorrent acts while under a spirit's control. A Sunday school teacher went on drunken binges. A young single woman engaged in promiscuous sex with anonymous men. A housewife took dangerous doses of street drugs.

I once dealt with a demonized young man who came out of a trance state to discover that his body had been used in perverted sex acts by those in a satanic cult. Even though he wasn't directly responsible for these repugnant deeds, he still felt the shame. This resulted in a severe loss of self-respect.

The devil's destruction is complete when the ability to see the world through God's eyes is gone. Moral conscience evaporates and pleasure is taken in corruption. Satan's theft is fully achieved when relationships with loved ones are stolen and the victim of demon possession is isolated to suffer alone, often to contemplate suicide.

Can Someone Have A Demon Without Knowing?

This may be one of the most fundamental questions asked about deliverance. The answer is YES. In fact, when people calmly ask me if they have a demon, their inquiry is usually an indication that they do not. While demons may feel obligated to challenge me while I am praying with a person, they will not normally advertise their presence if they are not threatened.

Some who are possessed do know that they have demons because they have seen them. These people usually have come out of a background in the occult where specific demons were summoned and appeared upon invocation. Others may know they have demons because they hear voices in their heads. Certain individuals can actually hear conversations between demons. Other persons lose time because of demons having put them in a trance, and they wonder if such oblivion is the result of an evil spirit presence. (Hearing voices and losing time can also be a symptom of dissociative disorder.)

Generally, the person who has a demon knows he has serious spiritual problems that have defied all of his efforts to rectify. He may even have wondered if the root of his difficulties might be demonic. Most have never given serious consideration to the thought they are possessed.