The Bible, God's inspired Words, says much about demons. This won't be an
exhaustive study of the subject, but I'd just like to teach a few practical
doctrines concerning demons (i.e., fallen angels). We read in Matthew
12:43-45 . . .
“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
This is a truly amazing passage of Scripture. Why do demons walk in “dry places”? It's because that's where humans live. It is evident from these Scriptures that there are more demons than victims, for the Bible says this demon had a difficult time finding a body to possess. Thus, we see the vulnerability of those who open themselves up to demonic possession. There are demons waiting in line to move into the body of those who are unsaved and vulnerable.
One of the most common avenues of demon-possession is alcohol and drug abuse. In fact, the Old Testament Hebrew word for “sorcerer” is the same root word from which we get the modern term “pharmacy.” Demons, drugs and alcohol are synonymous, just ask any woman who's ever been addicted to heroine or cocaine, who prostitutes herself out for $1,000 per night, to support her drug addiction habit. Only they can testify as to the demonic powers they witness before their eyes, and the power of Satan over their life. The answer is not rehabilitation, reformation, nor education; but regeneration through faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.”
Carefully notice in Matthew 12:44-45 what the Bible teaches concerning demonic possession, the futility of rehabilitation and enslavement to sin... “Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” We see several Biblical truths presented here:
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First, an unsaved person who is ignorant of the Scriptures and worldly is vulnerable to Satan.
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The Bible says the demon came back to the struggling addict and found his soul EMPTY. The Holy Spirit of God lives within the body of the believer, and so it is not empty. The first step to overcoming addiction and demon-possession is to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as one's Savior from the curse and stronghold of sin.
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The Bible says the demon came back to the struggling addict and found his soul SWEPT. This is education, reformation and rehabilitation, which cannot substitute regeneration (being born-again). The Word of God is the Sword by which we can defeat Satan in our lives (Ephesians 6:17). The Word of God is the Seed by which we are born-again (1st Peter 1:23).
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The Bible says the demon came back to the struggling addict and found his soul GARNISHED. The demon comes back and finds his former dwelling place decorated and ready to move in. This is worldliness. The person whose soul loves the sinful world is a demon's delight.
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Second, the demon brings additional spirits with him that are more wicked than himself. Thus:
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Some demons are more wicked than others.
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Evidently the first demon was upset that he was evicted, which is the addict trying to clean up their life, and now the demon wants to reclaim his territory with a vengeance. By bringing more demons, it will be much harder to break the addiction, which is exactly what the Bible teaches... “and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” This is addiction to sin, enslavement and bondage. 2nd Peter 2:19b, “For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”
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Demons often return to their former victims.
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It is important to understand that once a person has had demons in their life, those demons will target that person and keep coming back until that soul is delivered by the transforming power of the Gospel and obedience to the Word of God.
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The Bible teaches in Matthew 12:43 that demons get frustrated, “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.” The Bible does not mean physical rest for demons from labor; but rather, the contentment that a demon finds from having a home, a human body, to dwell in. Just as every person desires to have “a place to call home,” so it is with demons. A demon without a human body to dwell in is like a bird without a nest or a fox without a hole. It is very interesting, and evil, that the author of The Golden Compass, portrays children in the movie as being sick because they've lost their demon. The word demon is mentioned over 50-times throughout this children's movie. It is utterly evil.
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Many books have been written concerning demons and the Bible. As believers, we shouldn't fear demons; but rather, God who reigns supreme over the universe. Satan is a defeated being and his days are numbered. However, the unsaved are greatly at risk of demon-possession...
Acts 19:14-16, “And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Notice that the young men ended up naked and wounded. Nudity, insanity, masochism, sadism and transgendered tendencies are all inherent to demonism. We hear of many young people these days self-mutilating themselves, piercing various different body parts (including their genitals), receiving tattoos from head-to-toe and scaring of the body as a form of so-called art (called “scarification”). It is demonic in nature.
What Michael Jackson did to himself is nothing less than demonic. Michael Jackson was and is idolized by his fans as a singing god. Not surprisingly, Jackson's music is highly favored amongst gay, lesbian, transgendered and bisexuals worldwide. Jackson's life and career went from being that of a popular young black entertainer to a nightmarish freak show. Lisa Marie Presley stated on MySpace after Jackson's death that during their marriage Michael saw “awful vampires and leeches” around her. I am not trying to be unkind in any way, truly, but Satan wants to destroy all of us. Jesus even told Peter, one of His Apostles, that "Satan hath desired to have you . . . that he may sift you as wheat" (Luke 22:31). Saved or unsaved, Satan wants to have you and destroy your life!
A common denominator between the occult, witchcraft (whether Celtic or Wiccan) and Satanism are sexual sins and nudity. When Peter was fishing naked and then saw Jesus, he immediately grabbed his fisherman's coat and jumped into the sea (John 21:7). Jesus is the cure for nudity. Luke 8:35, “Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.” Amen! Even those possessed of demons come into their right mind when they trustingly sit at the feet of Jesus their Savior. No demonic power on earth can prevent the salvation of a soul or the mending of a broken man when childlike faith is present in Jesus Christ.
1st John 4:4 teaches, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” That Scripture is only true concerning the saved believer, whose sins have been taken away by the precious blood of Jesus. Although a born-again Christian cannot be demon-possessed so-to-speak, they CAN BE demon influenced. A demon cannot reside in the temple of the Holy Spirit (which is the body of the believer according to 1st Corinthians 3:17). However, Christians who dabble in Rock 'N' Roll, fornication, pornography and alcoholic beverages are opening themselves up to demonic influences.
It is disturbing that many Christians are naive concerning the demonic influences that some of the Devil's children openly admit. Take Carlos Santana for example, who admits having his own personal demonic god, Metatron. Here is a disturbing excerpt from Rolling Stone magazine...
"Metatron is an angel. Santana has been in regular contact with him since 1994. Carlos will sit here facing the wall, the candles lit. He has a yellow legal pad at one side, ready for the communications that will come. 'It's kind of like a fax machine,' he says."
SOURCE: Cover Story: The Epic Life of Carlos Santana: Santana : Rolling Stone (March 16, 2000)
By his own words, Santana admits to having communications with a demon named Metatron. Demons don't usually make people jump into fires or run nude down the street. Most often, demonic influences lead people into sin, which destroys the person's life. In some cases, demons can cause a person like Hitler to murder millions of innocent people. Hitler was deeply involved in the occult. Certainly, there is a demonic spirit behind the abortion industry, who sell the parts of aborted babies for a profit. In fact, elite women are paying thousands of dollars for beauty treatments made from aborted foetuses. Aborted foetuses from girls and young women are being exported from Ukraine for use in illegal beauty treatments costing thousands of pounds. That is Satan at work.
It was demonic possession which influenced Herod to murder thousands of babies in an attempt to kill the Lord Jesus Christ. Our society today is saturated with demonic influences. When Peter tried to prevent Jesus from going to the cross, Jesus called him Satan.
Satan is a beautiful liar (John 8:44; 2nd Corinthians 11:13-14). 1st Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” Many churchgoers today have departed from the Christian faith—because of corrupted Bibles, covetous ministers who teach lies and a false gospel which only asks sinners to “follow Christ.” Well, Judas was a follower of Christ and still went to Hell. The Bible teaches that we are all dirty, rotten sinners and need to have our sins taken away by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Following Christ is not the gospel. The Gospel is that we are guilty sinners, deserving of hellfire; but God in His love sent Jesus to pay our sin debt (who died, was buried and rose again), so that we could have our sins forgiven through faith alone in Jesus Christ.
1st John 5:19 and 4:4, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness ... Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He [Jesus Christ] that is in you, than he [Satan] that is in the world.”
