Answering an age old question on Christians and demons

The age old question is and has been “Can Christians have demons?” My answer is “Yes they can.” Christians are not immune to Satan’s attacks or being influenced by demons. My understanding is Christians are their number one victims; they want to snatch every Christian out of the hands of God and destroy their lives. They want the same for non-Christians but non Christians are not a threat to them. All in all they want to take down who ever they can. Now to tell a long time Christian who is established in their walk with God that Christians can have demons will argue the point until yours or their face turns blue. Before I continue I want to bring in a scripture that is always quoted by the Christens to prove their point. First I believe if you’re going to use scripture make sure you are not taking it out of its contexts. When you do take the “text” out of the “context” all you have left is a “con” I believe allot of cons quote this scripture without knowing the true text.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NIV

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

As you read that scripture I have high lighted some facts about this scripture. Their argument is, “Christians can not have demons because Light and Darkness CAN NOT MIX.” Light being God and Darkness being Satan. Or once saved it is immediate deliverance, which it could be but unlikely, God could deliver a person on first onset, but I have not yet come across that since my ministry of deliverance started. It has always been a fighting battle to get a person set free. Why? Because there has to be a renewing of the mind in the persons life that has been deceived. They have been told lies that God didn’t love them, God is no good, You will never get us out of your life, I will kill you, so on and so on. So until they get the truth planted in their head and heart that God does love them and forgive them, the lies become a blockage.

Now for the scripture, if you noticed way at the start of the scripture you will see the verse one says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” right here is the start of taking it out of context. As I said before, they will argue that Light and darkness CAN NOT CO-EXIST. This scripture is talking about relationships. I do not see one time of it speaking about demons. What does light have in common with darkness? They have nothing in common. Can they co-exist with each other? Yes they can. You see marriages where one is a Christian and the other is not. I have been in one of those relationship and let me tell you we might have been married but when it came to God we were separated, didn’t have the freedom to talk about how good God was and such. You also see business where one owner is a Christian and the other is not. So can they co-exist, YES! But what do they have in common? Nothing. What a miserable life not being able to share the good things about God to either your spouse or co-worker. The argument for light and darkness not being able to mix is a “con”. If you notice this is not stating facts about demon possession but is asking question about relationships, as you can see there are question marks at the end of each question. Lets take a look at the word “Fellowship” and see what exactly Paul is talking about.

I found this on line and would like to share it from another webpage By Jon W. Quinn From Expository Files 11.7; July 2004.

Paul's Five Synonyms

"Therefore, do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light." (Ephesians 5:7,8).

In our text, Paul uses five synonyms as he talks about the matter which helps us to understand what fellowship is.

a). Partnership (6:14). What partnership does righteousness have with lawlessness. The understood answer is "none!". The child of God must not engage in lawlessness, whether by himself or in partnership with another who will take him in that direction and exercise that kind of control over him (Romans (6:13,19).

b). Fellowship (6:14). What fellowship does light have with darkness? "None!". The two do not mix. We must not involve ourselves in a relationship that will darken our light! (Ephesians 5:5-12; John 3:19-21).

c). Harmony (6:15). What harmony exists between Christ and Belial? "None!". Christ and Satan are as opposed as can be. You'll never find the two harmonizing together.

d). In Common (6:15). What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? "Nothing!". Spiritually speaking, they have different everythings. Purpose, goal, hope, lord, standard, and finally, eternal destiny.

e). Agreement (6:16). What agreement does the temple of God have with idols? "None!". Idolatry, in whatever form, is a horrible insult unto God. Believers are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19,20). We must not be a part of a partnership that would require us to erect an idol in our heart.

Again, not stating fact, but posing questions and backing with scripture.

So what does it mean when God said “17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.” Does it mean that I now have to divorce my spouse or quit my job? No, here is the prayer that Jesus was praying over his disciples.

John 17:15-21,

15“I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18“As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19“For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

20“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

How do we come out of the world? Because separating darkness “evil” from our lives has become even more difficult since our homes are used to bringing in what the Lord has forbid into our own living rooms if we are not on guard. One of the most difficult challenges in our lives is to be in the world but not of the world. We Christians must bring a positive out look into the world, yes we are in the world but we spiritually are not of the world.

So separate yourself by being Christ like “Light.” While we are living in the world “darkness” be a positive person towards God and his kingdom.

So the old question is still being asked, “Can a Christian have demons?” I had been asked that question numerous times over and over again. And at the beginning of my ministry I had no answer to give but only “Yes” that did not make a good argument it kind of left me looking a fool. So I did what I always did when I had no answer, I turned to God and asked “Who is deliverance for God.” He quickly gave me an answer. These are the scriptures he gave me.

John 14:6 (NIV)

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

And that we are being drawn in by the Holy Spirit.

John 16:5-8

5 "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

Now as a deliverance minister I know that we have free will, so an unsaved possessed person has the right to be possessed if he wishes. He made that choice when he invited them in. If he is not being convicted of his life by the Holy Spirit then I as the minister can not set him free. And if they so happened to leave because Jesus does the deliverance, and if that person at that point does not accept Christ in his life then I have done some great damage to him. Those demons that have left will bring back more demons (26"Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself,) and reside. So doing a deliverance on someone who is not being lead by the Holy Spirit and if they do not want to make a change in life will do great damage to him. So deliverance is not for him.

Luke 11: 24-26, 24

"When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' 25"And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26"Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first."

So then God who is deliverance for? His answer “For the Christians” Here we see the scripture that says “17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.” We have to recognize the darkness we have in our life and then separate from it, turn from it, repent from it. We are no longer of the world “darkness.” Okay so while we were of the world we had done things that may have opened doors for the demonic, gave them access into our lives. The more we yielded to them the more they gained ground of our life, and then we realize we are possessed. Now the Holy Spirit has come to convict the sinner to turn their life over to God. Lets say a witch with many demons in side her wants to accept Christ into her life so that person accepts Christ, does that make this person a Christian at that point full of demons and all? Or does God with holds his gift of salvation until the demons are gone and the house is swept clean? I believe she is a Christian as soon as he asks God for forgiveness with demons and all. So yes she is a Christian and now she needs to be delivered from the demons. God does not hold his gift from anyone. He loved us while yet we were in our sins, and that gift was already applied to our sins. Then in turn we needed to accept Christ (the gift) for our salvation.

For the instant deliverance part, I again have not seen instant deliverance when receiving Christ into their life. Demons are not going to be willing to give up their host that has opened the doors for them to enter in to. You ask “then how can God and Satan live in one body?” Remember it is usually only for a time, your spirit is saved, your soul (mind thoughts and emotions) is being transformed and your body or flesh will be redeemed later. Instant deliverance is in your spirit. When accepting Christ demons have to leave your spirit.

Ps 51:10,

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Then we have the battle over the soul and flesh.

Now flesh is part of everyone Christians and non Christians alike. Again how can you say salvation is instant deliverance when you as a godly person have trouble with pornography, anger, lying or gluttony? OUCH!! You say those are only my flesh, well yeah it is, that is also the part where demons influence us to sin. But as for possession that is where they live. So every time you fall for your flesh you are giving in to a demon. The more you give in to your flesh the more grounds you are giving to the demons thus is where oppression turns into possession, even for Christian people if they are not on guard of Satan’s tricks. You are not out of Satan’s eyesight just because you are a Christian; yes you are protected by Jesus blood. But my word says,

1 Peter 5:8,

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

That’s including you and me. So remember this whole scripture,

1Peter 5:7-9,

7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

And then my favorite scripture is

Is 54:16-17

16“Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals And brings out a weapon for its work; And I have created the destroyer to ruin. 17“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.

Remember, the battle isn’t over but the victory has been won.

Stay a servant or become a servant of God if your not one already.

Carrieg