Can Christians be Possessed by Demons?
The movie “Come Out in Jesus Name” hit the America theaters back in March of 2023. Last time I checked, the approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes is 98%. Many people left comments that they were delivered from demons in the theater while watching it. One big question though, when discussed with many Christians in private, is “can Christians be possessed by demons?” This is what the Bible says about it…
ENGLISH - SALVATION OF SOULS
YTM
5/10/20264 min read
Matthew 8:16
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:(KJV)
And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: (ASV)
The context of Matthew 8:16 is, after Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, he stayed at Peter’s house. In that evening, many people came to Jesus, and He healed the sick and casted out the evil spirits out of many who possessed with the demons. King James Bible uses devil instead of demon.
The key word here is “possessed with”. The greek word is “Daimonizomai”, according to the Strong’s definition, this word means “to be exercised by a demon: -- have a (be vexed with, be possessed with) devil(-s)”. To make it easier to understand, “to be exercised by someone” means "to be enforced, used, deeply troubled or stressed by someone". While “to be vexed with somebody" means "to feel annoyed, frustrated, or irritated with someone". Thus, "be possessed with a demon" means be deeply troubled, stressed and frustrated by a demon. In another word, when we say someone has a demon, it's like someone has a cancer, or someone has a disease.
Clearly, this word “daimonizomai” does not mean ownership of such person by a demon. People has a wrong interpretation of the ownership because of the word “possessions of someone”. The meaning of this word clearly showed that this person is heavily influenced, compelled, even forced by demons with compromised will. For example, when an alcoholic can’t control the desire for another drink, although he/she knows it’s bad and does not want to drink it but can’t help with it. Most likely, there is demonic influence behind to enforce such compelling desire. Similarly, drugs, sex, and smoking addiction can fall into the same story.
With this in mind, we can confidently say, no, demons do not OWN Christians. Only Lord Jesus and God owns Christians. So Christians can be “possessed with” but not “owned by” demons. Some argued like this: the demon possessed accounts are all recorded in the four Gospel books. Theoretically, the “Christian church” had not been born yet until the Book of Acts. These people are all either believing or unbelieving Jews or Gentiles. Then how can a spirit-filled, born-again Christians “be possessed with, or be vexed with” demons? Are there examples in the New Testimony at the church time?
The first example is in Acts (5:3). Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? (ASV) If you think Ananias is not a born-again Christian, then you may need go back to read Acts chapter 4 verse 32-37. I wish the printed Bible text does not come with the separation of the chapters. Most people read chapter 4 then may stop there for awhile before moving to chapter 5. By that time, we may have forgot chapter 4 already. The matter of fact is that Ananias’s story follows Joseph(Barnabas)’s story closely. At that time, apostle Peter is the bishop (or elder) of the church, many of the members of the church were selling their lands and houses and gave to the church to help with those were in need. Clearly, Ananias is one of their church members who were following the same movement under the care of apostle Peter. Given the practice of “laying on hands” by the apostles (Peter and John in this case) which described in Acts Chapter 8:17 for the believers in Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit. It’s very hard for us to believe that Ananias had never received the Holy Spirit under apostle Peter’s watch. The only reasonable explanation is just as the Bible says: the Devil filled Ananias’ heart!
Then why the heart of a Christian, who has the Holy Spirit in him, can be filled by the Devil? The answer is in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verses 24-26: And the Lord’s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will.
The scripture clearly stated that such person opposes themselves, and fell into the “snare of the devil” and “been taken captive” by the devil. Why this is happening? Because, they appose the teachings of the “servant of the Lord” (verse 24) and against the truth (verse 25). In this case, devil does not OWN such Christians, but he kept them captive because they rejected truth. Many people thinks this paragraph was talking about how Timothy should teach the lost people. I disagree with this opinion, because the Bible says they may “recover themselves out of the snare of the devil". One does not need to “regain (recover) the ground”, if they never had it before. Please think about this…
In my experiences, I had church pastors told me how an elder of another church fell on the group and slid like a snake under the power of the Holy Spirit. I also eye witnessed manifestation of spirit of anger, and spirit of sexual lust in front of my eyes. In Ephesians 4:26-27, Apostle Paul teaches us “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” This is the simplest explanation that I can give. If we are angry and hold onto that anger for long-time, we are giving the opportunity (foothold) to the devil (please check on the post of “Slow to anger”). The foothold is a place or gained ground where devil has access in us. When we disobeyed the truth in certain area, the Holy Spirit is not the King in the area because of our ignorance or willful alliance with the dark kingdom. In that specific area of our lives, demons are running the show.
But we should submit to God and resist the devil and they should flee. The question is not can we Christians be possessed with demons, but in which area of my life that had not been filled with or possessed by the Holy Spirit yet. This is the Key question!
Father God, let your kingdom come! Come to each area of me! Lord Holy Spirit, please searches every area of my life and leads me into the repentance, so Jesus Christ can be the true Lord in that area of my life.
Amen!