Demons and Christians

Can Christians be possessed or just oppressed?  What is the difference between the two?  How can Satan attack Christians?  How can he not? 

These are all things I have been thinking about a lot lately. 

From a friend:

"I spent hours counseling a so-called "prophet" who was in the New Apostolic Reformation. I spent many hours talking to him over the phone. In the three hours that he spoke to me in our first conversation, he revealed that he was "plagued" and possessed by demons. He even started saying things like "they know that I'm talking to you, and they're getting angry." I treated him the same way I would an unsaved person; I preached the Gospel to him. I suggested that he may not actually be the prophet he claimed to be. I attempted to say so lovingly, but he would have none of it."

Yes I have seen this on Facebook, people giving themselves the title of Apostle.  There cannot be modern day apostles.  The only apostles were the disciples and Paul and that's IT.  No one today can be an apostle.  So their theology on that is off. 

In regards to this man being possessed, I have seen this in real life.  A very charismatic person I knew seemed to be greatly under the influence of demons.  He was in a deliverance ministry and I got a word of knowledge about him, which I do believe that is a spiritual gift, that said for him in trying to cast demons out of people ,he didn't know what he was doing, and so became plagued by them himself. 

This is my fear in the charismatic movement and the praying in tongues phenomenon.  How do people know that the spirit they are opening themselves up to is really the Holy Spirit?  And why is it that most who pray in tongues seem to be on the broad path that leads to destruction rather than on the narrow path? 

One lady in a charismatic church while supposedly exorcising a demon from someone actually put a demon on that person.  How strange isn't it? 

We need to be careful of these things for sure.  There are people out there who are highly under the influence of Satan, even in the church.  Be on your guard and be wise.  Satan can appear as an angel of light.

"My own sister's house was filled with demons and she was terrified. She called me at 3:00AM one morning weeping; both her and her two sons were terrified. My sister was a professing Christian. I explained to her that demons would never want to be so close to one that was filled with the Holy Spirit, and so I suggested that she never understood the Gospel rightly, while at the same time reiterating the fact that God is the same one that allows demons to bother somebody for a definite reason: namely, to call them back to Himself."

Yes I have heard this many times about 3am.  Watch the movie the Exorcism of Emily Rose and you will notice that in the movie.  There is much more demonic activity in general at 3am.  Something in the movie I just thought of, the girl speaks in tongues when the demon is speaking out of her.  Interesting. 

This explains why demons do not seem to come around me much.  I hear them in my head at times trying to scare me, but I have never seen one or had any crazy experiences.  They do not want to be around someone filled with the Holy Spirit, as I believe I already am, regardless of the fact that I don't pray in tongues. :)  I have several other gifts of the Spirit to confirm this fact in my own mind, such as teaching, maybe prophecy but in the milder sense, exhortation etc.  :)  

This is interesting hearing that God may allow someone to be bothered by demons for a time to bring them back to himself.  I could see that.  God allows suffering in our lives to cause us to run back to him, to get our attention.  Him allowing demons to bother us would certainly get our attention and make us run to him more.  Thankfully he has never had to do this with me because he has always had my full attention, my whole life really. :)  So that is good. :)

Except in the case of the death I experienced a year ago.  I may have been putting that guy on a pedestal and idolizing him.  Therefore it's possible God took him away from me because God is a jealous God and he will not allow anything to take his place.  So we need to be careful of idolizing those that we love and are in a relationship with.

"As such, I preached the Gospel to her at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Upon getting off of the phone, she prayed a very personal prayer and never saw the demons again -- ever since, she has been a changed person, and even a born-again Christian. So do know that I have had experience in such matters, even in "casting out" demons (though, admittedly, I do not boast in such things)."

Yes there are countless Christians in the church who think they are saved but are not.  The Pharisees whole-heartedly thought they were saved but were as far from it as they could have been.  I have seen many that seem to have a faith of the mind but not a faith of the heart.  A faith of the mind does not save us; God wants our heart.  If your heart is not in love with Jesus, you need to check yourself.  You should be somewhat madly in love with Jesus and God etc.  God should be something you think about a lot.  You should want to spend time with him.  If it is not and you don't and you couldn't really care less about God etc, check yourself.  

"The truth is, these big "evidences" of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit are not evidences of salvation at all.  The fruit of the Spirit is not tongues, but "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law," (Galatians 5:22-23). "

lol that was a very good point and a very plain way to say it.  Tongues can be a spiritual gift, but it is not the evidence of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" as some would say.  When you are born again, you are baptized into the Holy Spirit.  If you do not have the Holy Spirit, then you are not saved.  It is as simple as that.  But if you have evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life and a spiritual gift of some sort, you can know that you are saved.  There is far too much of an emphasis on tongues.  When Paul was converted and the scales fell from his eyes, he did not instantly pray in tongues.  Look it up.  It isn't there.  Never in Acts is Paul recorded as doing anything in tongues.  So that is interesting.  "Come now let us reason together." :) 

"I would beware of doctrines of demons that attribute something to the Holy Spirit that is not of the Holy Spirit; in this case, the "gift of tongues." Don't get me wrong; there is a legitimate gift of tongues -- but to emphasize that one must speak in them as an evidence of salvation is heresy."

Yes it is heresy to push the idea that speaking in tongues is evidence of salvation or any part of salvation. 

Salvation comes simply when you "confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved."  THAT'S IT.  Nothing else is needed.  Then you should show that you are saved by the fruit in your life.  Your fruit does not save you, but it does show that you are saved.  "You shall know them by their fruit" Jesus said.

As I was thinking about this whole thing last night, about the woman praying in tongues for the last three years but then this possession, the phrase "doctrines of demons" kept popping in my head. 

The facts are, people in other religions pray in tongues too; Hindus, Buddists etc.  It is not just Christians who are able to pray in tongues.  Satan can imitate this spiritual gift easily.

Look at what happened with the magicians in Egypt in Exodus.  Moses did miracles, and the magicians were able to do EXACTLY the same miracles but with what power?  With the power of Satan, with black magic.  So just because someone seems to do something spectacular, that does not necessarily mean it is from God.  Test the spirits.  Satan can do miracles to.  Satan can do amazing things too.  Don't believe everything amazing you see to be from God.  "Satan masquerades as an angel of light."  Meaning he can parade about looking like a Christian.  Think of Benny Hinn.  I think he is the embodiment of this verse. 

"What you heard about was not oppression, but possession. I would make absolutely no mistake about it; if I didn't know better, I would say that your friend came under the power of suggestion for 3 years whereby she began speaking in gibberish, not legitimate tongues. She needs to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She must understand the work of Christ, the propitiating atonement of Christ, the resurrection of Christ (and likewise, the justification we have because of the resurrection)."  Amen.

Yes it seems that it was possession.  A demon cannot talk out of someone unless they are completely and totally possessed.  Oppression is being plagued with thoughts etc.  It is hearing Satan talking to you and tempting you.  That is a much more mild thing than a demon actually talking through you.  That is for sure possession.  I know that Christians can be oppressed, but by no means can a real Christian be full on possessed.  "The evil one cannot touch him."  "What can light have in common with darkness." 

A comment from another friend:

"No doubt, the demonic is real. I can't understand any believer questioning it, for it is explained clearly in the Bible. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spirits and principalities.

I absolutely in no way believe a born again Christian can be possessed. It is impossible. Usually, when a person is subjected to possession, at some point, the door to the demonic had been opened."

The question I have about this is can certain forms of tongues speaking open a door to the demonic?  People do not know what they are saying or praying, so how can they know if it really is God speaking through them or a demon?  That is my major concern about it. 

 "My concern is with the American culture being so open and enthralled by the demonic to the point of elevating and celebrating it. Take heed to what fascinates you.

Be fascinated by the power and mercy of the Master and Creator of the Universe, and, by His LOVE. Perfect love casts out fear. "Fear NOT, for I have overcome the world." Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. For nothing can separate you from the love of God."

Amen!  Be careful what fascinate you.  Satan can present himself and demonic things as quite fascinating indeed.  "Satan does not come dressed in a red cape; he comes as everything you've ever wanted." Yep.

Another friend's comment:

"I would go back to the yardstick Jesus gives us: "You will know them by their fruit." A fig tree cannot produce apples and an apple tree cannot produce pineapples.  Satan often counterfeits spirits.  Remember in 2nd Chronicles, an angel proposed to God to go and be a "lying spirit" in the mouth of the prophets.

Also many religious people are not following God's Holy Spirit, but another spirit. Jesus told the Pharisees, the "religious" people of his day, "You are of your father the devil."

(Yes that is a very good point.)

Two other points, God tells us to test the spirits to know if they are from God (do this by comparing it against the Word). If it doesn't line up with God's character, nature, and Word in the Bible, it isn't of God.

Last point, there are a lot of people who will tell you they believe in Jesus but they have followed a man-made, made-up Jesus. They have been given false doctrine and lies and don't know it because they are ignorant of God's Word. Read the scriptures and the real Jesus will be revealed to you."

Amen! I agree with everything she said! 

 So be on your guard about these things.  Be "as wise as serpents but as innocent as doves" as Jesus commands us to be.  "Love the lord your God with your whole mind."  Amen. :)

May God protect you and watch over you and keep the evil one away from you at all times.  In Jesus name, Amen!