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NASB | Luke 4:33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 4:33 There was a man in the synagogue who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud and terrible voice, |
Bible Question:
Friends and fellows, Is it possible for a believer to be possessed by a demon? In Christ Jesus, charis |
Bible Answer: Dear Randy, I’m just curious, but, as a Lay Minister in Japan, do you really struggle with this question or are you just interested in starting another thread for the fun of it to see what people think? The Quick answer to this is - Absolutely Not. Why? The answer to this has everything to do with a correct understanding of Systematic Theology, specifically, the subject of Soteriology, the study of the person and work of Christ in Salvation. If your question were true, that believers can in fact be possessed, we would also have to accept the fact that believers can loose their salvation, and this subject deals with the whole subject of eternal security. This is another can of theological worms, a subject that is sorely misunderstood and that plagues many dear believers until they understand, but has the same answer as your question does. Lewis Sperry Chafer once wrote that at the moment of salvation, there are at least 33 marvelous works wrought instantaneously, simultaneously, and eternally by the Love and Grace of God. These works are based and grounded solely on the merit of Christ whether or not we know it, or understand the depths of what He has done for us. This is one of the reasons why Paul prayed in Eph. 1:17-23 that the believers might UNDERSTAND the depths of what God had done for them, and in understanding, it would transform their lives. Just because God has done all this for us and has adopted us into His family (Gal. 4:5-7), it does not preclude us from living as orphans even though we are in fact the children of the King of Kings! Eph. 1:2,3 says, "Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who HATH (PAST TENSE) blessed us with ALL spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:". Another one of my mentors and teachers (Lance Latham) that understood the depths of the Grace of God once said, "The great triumph of God in our life is when that life doesn’t have to serve Him to go to Heaven, and can’t serve Him enough to get blessings, but discovers that they have everything in Christ when they got saved; then the things they have become real in their life!" Getting back to the subject of demon possessed believers. The answer is NO, a truly saved believer cannot ever be possessed by a demon. Why? Because at the moment of salvation one of the 33 works God does is to place us into the body of Christ (Spiritual Baptism, not water baptism) and gives us the indwelling Holy Spirit that takes up permanent residence in us UNTIL "the day of redemption", Eph. 4:30 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God (by sin), whereby ye are sealed (with the Holy Spirit) unto the day of redemption." SEE – 1 Cor. 3:16, 6:19,20; 2 Cor. 6:14-16. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is NOT a subsequent work to salvation (something to be sought after), this already took place at the very moment of salvation, as a work of God. The Holy Spirit is NOT a thing or a substance (of which we get 1/2 or 2/3, but a person of the trinity. When we are saved, we were "Baptized" (a PAST tense verb in the Greek) (1 Cor. 12:12,13; Acts 11:16; Mark 16:16; Eph. 4:5; Gal. 3:27) or placed INTO the body of Christ AND given ALL of the person of the Holy Spirit to indwells us from the point of salvation until we go to Heaven (Jn. 14:21,26; 15:26) as a seal, down-payment, earnest or guarantee of our salvation (Eph. 1:13,14; 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5). A saved person already HAS (past tense) the Spirit indwelling them, a unsaved person does not, this is WHY the indwelling is not a subsequent transaction, but it occurs once and for all at the point of salvation and lasts UNTIL our redemption, when we go to be with Christ. The indwelling Holy Spirit IS a declaration and proof of God's OWNERSHIP of us (which He bought with His Blood) and is the irrevocable title deed to our Salvation and promised delivery to Heaven. Rom. 8:9, "…. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." This verse is basically saying that to NOT have the indwelling Holy Spirit is to NOT be saved. This is not meant to be crude but - it's kind of like being pregnant, either you are, or you aren't. Either you have all of the Holy Spirit indwelling you or you don't, either you are saved or you aren't. Having the indwelling Holy Spirit IS the indicator of a true believer. The believer IS indwelt by the Holy Spirit from the second they believe until they go to be with Christ and nothing can change this, and no demon can possess a body indwelt with the Holy Spirit. Sorry for the length of this note! I hope it helps. |