03550
DEMONS
INTRODUCTION:
Satan the father of the lie has fostered a lie that is the lie that
won't lie down until he lies down in the lake of fire and that lie is this;
Satan is a lie. Many religions today do not believe in Satan. Indeed, some
of our mainline denominational ministers deny the reality of hell and Satan.
THEOSOPHY: "There is no personal devil. That which is mystically called
the devil is the negation and opposite of God. The devil is not to be confounded
with Satan, though they are sometimes spoken of in Scripture as if they
were identical. In such cases Scripture presents the popular belief." (Taken
from: "SATAN IS NO MYTH"; Sanders, J. Oswald; Copyright 1965, Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago; Moody Press. Used by permission. p 75-76)
Theosophy is a movement that was started by Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
in 1875. It contains reincarnation, and is somewhat similar to Hinduism
and Buddhism.
UNITY SCHOOL OF CHRISTIANITY: "There is no personal devil." (Taken from:
"SATAN IS NO MYTH"; Sanders, J. Oswald; Copyright 1965, Moody Bible Institute
of Chicago; Moody Press. Used by permission. p 75-76) Unity was founded
by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in 1889. Their headquarters is in Lee's
Summit, Missouri. They believe in positive thinking and feel that prayer
and thought can lead to health and prosperity.
SPIRITISM: "There is no devil and no evil spirits. All spirit people
of wisdom know that there is no fearful devil. All spirits in the other
world are nothing else but the souls of those who have lived here." (Taken
from: "SATAN IS NO MYTH"; Sanders, J. Oswald; Copyright 1965, Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago; Moody Press. Used by permission. p 75-76)
Such blind people, these must be, to avoid and overlook such a large
number of Scriptures. I have a series of sermons and studies on Satan and
have not dealt with the subject in great detail. All of this Scripture
that has been presented in previous studies on Satan must be over looked
if you are to believe Satan doesn't exist.
Even within our mainline denominations there are many that will not
accept a literal hell and Devil. God is a God of love, so how could he
create a place like hell, or let a being like Satan roam the earth. Most
feel that information about hell and Satan are figurative and not literal,
thus allowing them to assign some generic, less gruesome interpretation
to the references.
We will be dealing primarily with demons in this section; so let's see
what demons are like.
DEMONS
Scofield has a note page 1003, of his reference Bible concerning demons.
If you have this available, take time to read through it. He assumes that
the creatures mentioned in II Pet. 2:4; Jude six are not part of the created
angelic host. If these creatures are not the fallen angels, then you must
believe that there is a created host of demonic creatures. The fact that
the demons Christ dealt with did not want to be bound, would indicate that
they were the same as the creatures Peter and Jude referred to. (Lu 8:31
"And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the
deep.") One is left to wonder from the terminology if the demons are out
only at the good pleasure of God for His own purposes. The fact that the
fallen angels are in bounds in the abyss would move one to observe that
the demons must be fallen angels.
If they are fallen angels then it would also follow that the fallen
angels are enjoying their freedom, only in that they are limiting themselves
to that which is allowed.
Demons are spirits: Mt. 12:43,45 Mentions unclean spirits. A part of
the spirit world - angelic host if you see the whole. They are, it would
seem, fallen angels. They are spirit beings but the term spirit is used
of the Holy Spirit as well as man's spirit - both saved and lost, so this
is little help in knowing what the demons are. They are similar in nature
to the Spirit and man in that they are immaterial and nonphysical.
Demons vary in wickedness: Mt. 12:45 "Then goeth he, and taketh with
himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself" This shouldn't surprise
us. Man, in the spiritual realm, varies in wickedness. We have in our race
riots the people that are killing, looting, and burning, while people of
their own neighborhood are helping the police. We observe also in murder
cases the person that murders, and then there are those that kill, and
mutilate.
Demons are Satan's emissaries: Mt. 12:26-27 "And if Satan cast out Satan,
he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if
I, by Beelzebub, cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore,
they shall be your judges." The Jewish leadership believed in demons, partly
because of the nature of demon possession in their time, but there must
have been some knowledge of it from other sources. What a research project.
How did the Jew of Christ's time know of Satan and demons? Send me a copy
if you make such a study.
Demons are numerous: Mk. 5:9 "My name is Legion; for we are many." Legion
in the Roman army meant three to six thousand soldiers. In this case there
were "about two thousand" swine that ran into the sea. The term can also
indicate "many". (legion is the Greek "legeon" (Strong's number 3003) always
translated legion and only appears four times in the New Testament.
Needless to say, there are more than enough of them around to allow
the Devil to do the work that he desires to do. He is not limited in work
to do, nor helpers to do it.
Demons can enter and control man and beast: This point is shown in one
passage where the Lord cast demons out of a man and they requested to enter
into swine. (Mk. 5:2-5; Mk. 5:11-13; see also Acts 8:6-7; Acts 16:16-18)
Mr. White, a missionary to China for 25 years, tells of over three hundred
cases of demon possession with which he himself was connected. He details
the conversation with demons.
"Who are You? The reply came in the Maori tongue: Offspring of the serpent.
There proved to be nine demons and they gave their names as they came out.
The last was an English speaking demon though the woman herself could not
speak English. It resisted, begged to be allowed to go into a child present
in the room threatening to injure the patient's body if compelled to come
out. At last it meekly said "Yes, I will come out.' The woman was thrown
bodily off her seat into the middle of the room. This woman then lived
a normal life for many years."
The majority of fundamentalists believe that demons cannot indwell a
believer. Merril Unger and Charles Ryrie are the only current writers that
I have run across that would disagree with this. Unger writes strictly
from an experience level, and Ryrie is illogical in his presentation if
you think seriously at all about what he presents.
Demons seek embodiment: They not only seek it but may well require it
for any peace of existence. Scofield mentions that they seek embodiment,
and indicates that he believes that they are powerless if not (p 1003).
I think I would make it even more than this - it seems to me that they
are in misery when outside of a body.
Mt. 12:43-44 "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh
through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none." There seems to be
something undesirable in their existence.
Mk. 5:7-12 vs. 7 "I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not." This
was in the context of being cast out.
Lu. 8:31 "And they besought him that he would not command them to go
out into the deep." This would indicate that they had the possibility of
being cast into the pit with the rest.
Other references that you might want to study in relation to
possession: Mt.4:24; Mt.8:16,28,33; Mt.9:32; Mt.12:22; Mk. 5:15-16;
Ac.8:7; Ac. 16:16.
Christ seemingly had power over their geographical location:
Mk 5:10 "And he besought him much that he would not send them away out
of the country." It is evident that the Lord controlled their destination.
The question that might arise is whether Christ had this control because
of His being God, or if all believers can control the destination of demons.
I suspect personally that it was the Lord's deity that was in play.
Demons are unclean, sullen, violent and malicious: They are not beings
that one should desire to have for friends. They cause trouble and suffering
for those that have a relationship to them. Mt. 8:28; Mt. 9:33; Mt. 10:1;
Mt. 12:43; Mk. 1:23; Mk. 5:3-5; Mk. 9:17,20; Lu. 6:18; Lu. 9:39.
Demons recognized Christ as God: The demons are wiser and more knowledgeable
than the lost of the generations since Christ walked the earth. They knew
who He was. Mt. 8:31-32; Mk. 1:23-24; Ac. 19:11-20; also Ja. 2:19.
Demons are powerful: Ac 19:11-20 shows that the demons have power over
the lost even in the outward physical realm. Their power is great enough
to overpower men.
It is also interesting that there is never an attack of this sort recorded
in scripture toward a believer. Indeed, in all of the reading I have done
I have not found any case of it in the personal stories that have been
related.
Demons fear being out of a body: They seem to know they will be tormented,
indeed it would seem that they could have been cast into the abyss by the
Lord. Mt 8:29 "And, behold, they cried out, saying, what have we to do
with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come here to torment us before
the time? The time is to be understood as the day of judgment of the demons.
Lu 8:31 "And they besought him that he would not command them to go out
into the deep." "Deep" would indicate the pit.
Demons affect people physically: They can cause mental and physical
problems for those that they indwell. Mt. 12::22; Mt. 17:15-18; Lu. 13:16.
Demons may find manifestation in asceticism/forbidding to marry etc.:
I Tim. 4:1-3 speaks to the fact that forbidding to marry is a doctrine
of the devils.
Demons can influence by causing departure from the faith in the believer:
This is done via the false doctrine and teaching that is brought forth
upon the world. The believer listens to, and accepts this false teaching
and is drawn away from the truth I Tim. 4:1.
Demons are in conflict with spiritual Christians: "For we wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places." Eph. 6:12
We find that I Tim. 4:1-3 mentions some will be drawn away by "seducing
spirits, and doctrines of demons,"
A CHRISTIANS RESOURCES ARE:
Prayer and fasting: Mt. 17:21 "Howbeit, this kind goeth not out except
by prayer and fasting."
The whole armor of God: Eph. 6:13ff
Exorcism in the name of Jesus Christ: Ac. 16:18 Paul cast the demon
out of the maid that had disturbed the work of Paul.
There are some theologians that believe the demons will rise from the
abyss in the end time and quote Re. 9:1-11,20 which describes the locust
from the bottomless pit. This may indeed be the demons that have been bound,
even though the text does not state this. What a thought. Even more demons
to assist in the work of the Devil.
OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING DEMONS:
By observation we can see that the demon activity has vastly decreased
after the cross. Indeed, after the book of Acts there is little mention
of evil spirits or demons. We might also observe that there is no record
of strong demon activity before the Gospel accounts either.
These two observations would lead one to think that the demon activity
of the Bible may have been directly linked to the fact that Christ was
here on earth preparing to reconcile man to His Father.
Note might be taken in the New Testament, that nowhere are Christians
told to cast out demons, nor are they given specific power over the demons.
Matt. 28:18ff and Acts 1:8 would indicate that we have all the power that
is needed for the life we are to live in this age. If we ever come up against
demons I believe it is evident that if we need power we have it. We have
the victory over the demons, in that Christ has died on the cross and they
are subject to the judgment that is upon them.
They have no power over the Christian that I can see, indeed the opposite
is strongly indicated. The worst that they can do for the Christian is
to hinder his ministry, or oppress them. Oppression usually comes when
the believer is not walking with God however at times he oppresses those
that are really doing a good work for the Lord.
The main spiritual battles are not waged with demon possessed people
but with the temptations that we lay upon ourselves by responding to the
environment that God allows us to enter into. The people we are with etc.
The devil will make those situations as neat and innocent as possible yet
our lusts can carry us into great sin. This is not to say that we might
not one day come up against demon possession!
OPPRESSION: I would like to talk for a few moments about the oppression
of believers. Oppression is the pushing down or burdening of a person by
some power or authority. Dictators oppress their people.
Oppression can be illustrated by a car. If you are a car and you are
a believer, then the Holy Spirit is the one controlling you. He is the
driver. At times the devil finds you and puts you in the middle of a demolition
derby. The Holy Spirit is within, and the devil, nor the demons can ever
get in, but they can really bounce you around with the other cars in the
derby.
We are the temple of God II Cor. 6:16 so we cannot be possessed by an
evil spirit.
Someone has said, "The devil loves to fish in troubled waters." Let
him find a floundering or slipping Christian and he will be at work quickly.
A loose living Christian is a prime candidate for oppression.
I would like to give you some examples of oppression that I have seen
in recent years. One is a young girl in high school that was given the
lead in the school play entitled "Rosemary's Baby." The play was a story
of a girl having a baby by the devil.
Her parents and the girl were all "Christians" but they thought little
about the part. As the girl progressed through the practice etc. she starting
becoming depressed. As time went on the depression deepened very quickly
and she ultimately tried to commit suicide. Oppression is not to be toyed
with. It is serious business for the lax believer.
I once heard an account from a missionary in South America that had
reached a tribe with the Gospel, and some had been saved. The missionary
lived a little distance away. One night an empty hut became alive with
voices and activities. The Indians could see no one in the hut, but things
came flying out the door and vile swearing was to be heard. The Indians
called the missionary and he came. They all sat around the hut singing
hymns and praying. Soon all was quiet and nothing more ever happened.
One further account and I will move on. This account is not unlike many
I've heard and read about. It indicates that the Devil has power to oppress
even Christians that are walking with the Lord closely. The oppression
is great as you will see.
A young Christian who went home one night after visiting friends, was
bothered by a spiritual situation he and his friends were in. He had a
surprise confrontation with the devil that evening.
He set about to pray that God would send two people burdened for the
same thing, to pray with him. As he started to pray a sudden fear came
over him. He had the feeling that if he asked for the men something would
happen. He hesitated for a long time then began to pray - again the fear
came. He asked God's help in this and finally asked God for the two men
and as he finished the fear began to intensify. He continued asking God's
help and soon the fear went away and he fell asleep.
As you can see Satan didn't want these three to pray, as he knew it
meant problems for him. The story doesn't end here with the devil in defeat,
as he tries once again. The man awoke later that evening shaking and crying
in fear. In fear of what? Nothing. He could see in the room, there was
nothing there. He got out of bed and turned the lights on and sat at his
desk still shaking and crying. He knew now it was the devil and he wanted
to pick up his Bible, but as he tried the fear intensified. He tried several
times. Finally he began to pray, again asking that God would step in, and
very soon after, the terror passed. This was Satan's second try to stop
the prayer group. The following evening the man received the answer to
his prayer. Two friends had been talking about the same thing and the following
day they met for prayer.
Demons can be dealt with in the same way you deal with Satan. If they
begin to bother you, get on your knees and pray - claim the victory that
the blood of Christ provided.
As I have mentioned, don't go looking for them, but if they show up,
don't run. Stand your ground and seek the help of the one that can put
them running, God.
Remember that song we sang as kids. One door and only one and yet the
sides are two. I'm on the inside on which side are you? If you are on the
inside of the door of salvation then you cannot be possessed. If you are
on the outside then beware.
SOME MISCELLANEOUS TEXTS FOR FUTURE STUDY:
Demons are spirits: Mat. 8:16
Demons are intelligent: Mat. 8:29; Lu. 4:41; Mk. 3:11
Demons are unclean: Mat. 10:1; Mk. 3:11; Acts 8:7
Demons have no fellowship with Christ: Mk. 5:7
Demons can cause blindness: Mat. 12:22
Demons can cause illness: Lu. 13:11-17; Mat. 9:33
Demons can cause insanity: Lu. 8:26-36
Demons can control the mind: Lu. 8:35
Demons can control speech: Mat. 8:29
Demons can cause dumbness: Mat. 12:22
Demons can control at any age: Mk. 9:21
Demons can carry out God's plan: I Sam. 16:14; Rev. 9:1ff; 16:1ff
Demons are many: Mk. 5:9
Demons are a kingdom: Mat. 12:26
Demons are vicious: Acts 19:11-20; Mat. 8:28
Demons are wicked: Mat. 12:45
Demons can cause suicidal tendencies: Mk. 9:22
Demons have supernatural strength: Lu. 8:29
Demons need a body to indwell: Mat. 12:43
Demons believe in Christ: Lu. 8:28
They are, they can do, and they may be many things, but they are no-match
for the Lord and Savior that we have as a personal friend and helper. Trust
in Him and they will not sidetrack you.