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Possession and Oppression
People who believe that a Christian can be demon-possessed often confuse oppression with possession. Let us understand these terms.
To be possessed with a demon means to be indwelt by a demon and thus internally being completely controlled by him. To be oppressed by a demon means to face external assaults from the enemy. To be possessed is to be restrained from the inside. To be oppressed is to be afflicted from the outside.
Biblically, a believer cannot be possessed by a demon, but he can be oppressed by the enemy. Peter says, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1 Pet. 5:8-9).
James also writes, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7).
Both the above Scriptures speak about facing the assault of the enemy from the outside, which is an oppression, and hence taking the step of faith in God to resist him.
Remember, a demon-possessed person cannot resist the enemy, for he is completely internally controlled by him. Someone has to cast out the demon from him. He cannot cast out a demon within him by himself.
The fact that a believer having the privilege and authority to resist the enemy proves that he cannot be demon-possessed. He can only be oppressed by the devil which he can resist in Jesus name by submitting himself to God.
The devil may tempt a believer to sin, emotionally disturb him, physically afflict him and deceive him but he cannot possess him. That right belongs only to God who purchased him by the blood of Christ.
Sinful Nature and Demon-possession
Some also claim that if a Christian is committing sins, such as sexual sin or manifesting fury or the like, it is because of evil spirits that indwells them. They say there is an evil spirit of lust or an evil spirit of anger within them which causes Christians to commit such sins. However, such terminology is unfound in the Scripture.
When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he didn’t write, “It has been reported to me that there is an evil spirit of quarrelling among you.” He wrote, “For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you” (1 Cor. 1:11). He didn’t write, “It is reported to me that there is an evil spirit of sexual immorality among you”. He wrote, “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you” (1 Cor. 5:1).
When sin is manifested in a believer, it is not because of a demon within but because of the sinful nature which still exists and which should be continuously crucified by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
When a person becomes a born-again Christian, he doesn’t instantaneously become perfect or sinless in his moral conduct. There would be a battle within him which the Scripture reveals as the war between the sinful nature and the Spirit.
And it is by yielding to the work of the Spirit and crucifying the desires of the sinful nature that he would be conformed more and more to the likeness of Christ Jesus. This is called sanctification. To know more about this, read carefully Romans 8:1-14 and Galatians 5:13-26.
The devil does not possess believers. Instead, he tempts them, particularly in the areas in which they are weak, so that they would commit sin against God. The enemy cannot be blamed though, for a believer has the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to resist his temptations.
Therefore, if a Christian sins, it is not because of some evil spirit of such and such living within him, causing him to commit sins. There is not a single evidence of such belief in the Holy Scripture. If a Christian sins, it is because of the choice he makes to yield to the passions of the sinful nature rather than to the Spirit. And it is to crucify those sinful passions that the Scripture says, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:13).
My Experience
Before I close, I want to share my experience. When I became a new Christian, I grew up in a church were people believed Christians can be demon-possessed. One day, I got a fear that there may be a demon within me. I lived in this anxiety for a couple of days. O, it was a painful experience!
I remember casting out demon from myself by myself in Jesus name. Sometimes I went to some Christian workers asking them to pray over me so that they may discern the demon if there was and cast him out from me. I could not share my inner struggle with anyone, fearing what others would think about me.
After much wrestling in my mind, one day, I attended a prayer meeting where an itinerant preacher after his preaching was praying for people. I stood in the line and was heading with a hope that some deliverance would happen to me. I didn’t express to him anything except to pray for me. Then he laid his hand over me and prayed, “Lord, thank you for filling him with the Holy Spirit.”
Those words immediately relieved me from the fear that I had a demon within me. I realized that I am indwelt by God’s Spirit, not by a demon.
At the same time, I got to listen to spiritual warfare lectures in my Bible College given by my first mentor in Christ, Dr. David R. Willis. My faith got strengthened when I listened to him refuting the doctrine that Christians can be demon-possessed with sound biblical arguments.
I praise God for opening my eyes to see the glory of being a child of God in Christ Jesus.
Final Words
Finally, to say that Christians can be demon-possessed is a heretical teaching which is not based on the teaching of God’s word. It is simply based on the experiences of people who simply appeared to be Christians and were demon possessed.
A born-again Christian, a genuine believer of Christ, cannot be demon-possessed. He or she is, in fact, God’s possession (Eph. 1:14). If a person is demon-possessed, he is either not a Christian at all or appears to be a Christian for a while until the temptations and tribulations in this world proves that his faith is not genuine (just at it is described in the parable of the sower in Mark 4:1-20).
May I leave you to ponder over these great words of affirmation from 1 John 4:4:
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Also from 1 John 5:18:
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
And, if you are a born-again Christian, may I remind you—God is in you and the devil is in the world and in Christ “you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:13-14). “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20). Amen.
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Enquiries:
cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) messageforourage@gmail.com
Agree with your message above dear brother. But u should also make it clear to dispel a myth of "once saved is ever saved concept". After being saved, and Spirit and water baptized, one has to march towards perfection of Christ till the last breath. Some after having all the said experiences slowly falter back to their previous sinful life. After born again, one cannot falter back to sins e.g drinking, Fornication or adulterous relationship. Sins would slowly eat into the hedge that a christian has by divine provision. Once the hedge breaks, the serpent bites says wise Solomon. Sin brings in a legal ground for satan to come back seven fold times. In the oppression times, the believer has to let the Lord do the battle and shud build an overcoming life and proclaim like Paul. SO if oppression is not overcome by the blood of JESUS, in the name of JESUS and by the word of God, it can possibly lead to Demon's posession..!!! God can protect as long as you let him protect you...!!!
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