Dealing with Demons

(Introduction)

The concept of the spirit world is something many of us have heard about, whether through sermons or personal study of scripture.

It refers to an unseen, yet very real realm that goes beyond our physical senses.

In this realm, both good and evil spiritual beings, forces, and realities are at work, influencing human lives and the world around us.

This includes beings like God, angels, and the Holy Spirit, as well as Satan and his demons.

As Christians, we need to be mindful of this world.

In light of this, we will begin a series on demons and how to be victorious over them through the power we have in Christ Jesus.

What are Demons?

Demons are fallen angels—evil spiritual beings who follow Satan.

Before their defection, they were holy angels who faithfully served and worshiped God, but under Lucifer’s leadership, they chose to turn against Him.

This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

Revelation 12:9

Their rebellion marked the moment when sin overtook their holy nature.

Whatever Satan told these angels must have been so convincing that they began to view the glory of God as a lie.

Since darkness cannot exist with light, and sin cannot coexist with holiness, these angels were cast out of Heaven.

There was a war, and they were ultimately defeated.

Demons are now enemies of God’s plan.

And since God’s plan comes through faith in Christ for salvation, demons seem to prioritize destroying that faith.

They work to prevent unbelievers from knowing the Truth and try to sway believers to turn away from Christ.

The Nature of Demons

Demons are powerful beings with intelligence and the ability to influence, deceive, inhabit, and manipulate people.

Their main goal is to promote evil, destruction, and confusion.

Demons can also affect a person’s physical or mental state.

A clear example of this is found in Mark 9:25-27, where Jesus casts out a spirit that made a young boy both deaf and mute.

This shows how spiritual forces can manifest in the physical world.

And in many cases of demon possession, there are symptoms such as nakedness, mental distress, self-harm, speech impairment, blindness, or madness.

However, it’s important to note that not every physical or mental illness is caused by demons.

While demons have the power to cause such conditions, the Bible offers a variety of explanations for the causes of disability.

(See John 9:1-3, Exodus 4:11, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Leviticus 21:17-23).

Also, if we come across something that seems evil but isn’t clearly explained in the Bible, it doesn’t mean it is not demonic either.

Rather, it means we should seek God’s guidance and remain alert in prayer.

Mark 5:1-13 provides further evidence of the extent of demonic influence.

A man possessed by demons identifies himself as Legion, which refers to the thousands of demons inhabiting him.

These evil spirits had drastically altered the man’s emotional, mental, and psychological state, and he was known as a madman.

He lived among the tombs, a place of death and despair, because he was no longer able to live among regular people due to his disturbed mind.

Additionally, the story of Legion reveals another important truth: demons can possess not only humans but animals as well.

When Jesus cast out the demons, they begged to be sent into a herd of pigs, which He permitted.

Thus, demons can control any living creature.

Demons also empower idol worship, magic, and occult practices, and real spiritual evil is at work in these.

Furthermore, demons seek to deceive Christians through false teachers.

Paul warns us about this, when he explains that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

The closer false teachings resemble Christian truth, the easier it becomes for believers to be misled.

In fact, Satan even used Scripture when he tempted Jesus, showing how crafty and deceptive he and his demons can be.

Do Demons Appear in Physical Form?

The Bible provides no instance where demons appear in physical form.

This is because they are limited by God in what they can do on Earth, so their interference is restrained and does not become as overwhelming as they would desire.

However, in the book of Revelation, we are warned that during the Great Tribulation period, some demons will be released by God as a part of his divine judgment on the earth for its evil and disobedience.

This suggests that, in certain circumstances, demons may manifest in a physical form, and God may allow them to take on a more tangible presence.

Do Demons Fear God?

Yes! All demons and even the devil himself fear God.

Demons also recognize the authority of Jesus and tremble at His name, acknowledging Him as the Son of God.

Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!

James 2:19

Therefore, Satan cannot act outside of what God allows.

One clearest example is in the story of Job.

When Satan wanted to attack Job he had to ask for permission from God first.

This shows us the limits of Satan and his demons’ power.

They cannot tempt or harm those who believe in God without first getting His permission.

Because of this, if we are in Christ, we can find peace in realizing that any demonic attack allowed in our lives is ultimately for our good and sanctification.

So, knowing this, how can we recognize when there’s demonic activity around us, our loved ones, or in the world?

Do we have authority over demons, and if so, how much authority do we have?

How should we respond to demonic activity?

We’ll explore all of these questions in our upcoming articles, breaking it down step by step.

Stay blessed. Shalom!