Bible Question:
Demons. Jesus dealt with Demons. Some say there are no more now in our church age. I say yes the demons are active and present to day. I have never, not once heard a sermon on "demons" in my 60 years as a Christ follower. Why are demons not brought out in sermons and how to make them leave? I an totally convinced by Scripture followers of Christ can only be oppressed, not possessed by Demons. So in what ways do Demons oppress Christians? can you give examples where you think someone was openly possessed by a demon. Clearly they could not be a Christian, so who would you think of? I would say Hitler would be one. |
Bible Answer: Coming from a Full Gospel background we believe demons do exist and that believers can and must cast them out should they manifest in another (unbeliever). But this must be done carefully and with full consideration of consequences. Matthew 12:43-45 is but one example of a possible consequence. As I said earlier I do not believe a Christian can be demon possessed but they can be oppressed and Ephesians 6 gives us proper remedy for that. Demon possession of a nonbeliever must be carefully dealt with. As we see in the Matthew 8 account and from Matt 12 account we see demon when cast out will look for a place to move to. If someone casts a demon out of an unsaved person that demon will try to get back in or go into another unsaved person nearby. I have seen over enthusiastic preachers in church services trying to cast out demons with no thought of where that demon if it did come out would go to. They never considered the unsaved in the audience; they just wanted to demonstrate THEIR ability to rule over demons. That was total nonsense and I’m sure the demons and Satan laughed. Before anyone messes with a demon they must make sure their house is in order, their prayer life will sustain them, that they have humbled themselves in fasting to the point they know that they know this is what the Lord their God would have them do. Demons are defeated and the blood of Jesus is the Passover Blood on the lintels of our lives. We do not need to fear them but we should not ignore them but I am not one to preach about them as I feel this gives them more press than they should have. |