Demon Influence...

Demon Influence...

No one knows how many demons there are in the spiritual realm around the earth...but they are there none the less...loose, free to do the treacherous will of Satan until their final doom with their fiendish master.

Influence of human beings is clearly presented in Scripture. Although the subject is not prominently featured in the Old Testament, the New Testament abounds in references to demon influence and expellsion.


Just how is it possible for a spirit being to indwell and control a human being for evil purposes is not explained in the Word of God. Yet, of course, there is the antithetical truth that the child of God is both indwelt and directed by the Holy Spirit.

Belief in the possibility of demon influence is increased when we remember that the natural human being possesses a fallen nature. He is far from God. He is easily susceptible to Satanic error, and already is a member of the worldly kingdom of Satan; so in a sense, he is ruled by Satanic suggestion. It is not to far a step to believe that the body of the natural man can be indwelt by a member of the demonic host. This is not to suggest that all people who are not Christians are demon~controlled, but rather that there may be a thin line between the lost, depraved natural man and the demon~influenced soul.

In the New Testament times, demonstrations of demonic control were usually physical and violent (Matt. 9:32,33; 12:22-30; Mark 9:22; Luke 8:26-36). Demons were seen to bring about in men sickness, dumbness, deafness, deformity, insanity, and suicidal mania. The Lord did not explain how such affliction comes to be, but taught that such control is of Satan (Luke 11:14-26; 13:16).There is no reason to believe that demonic control is not possible today. In fact, there are documented instances of demonic influence (like that described in Scripture) and expellsion on every mission field.

Demon control seems to prevail in backward unevangelized lands.Nor is there reason to believe that demonic control cannot assume more enlightened aspects in this century. That is to say, while the goal of Satan is the same, to bring more and more of the world's population under his control, his method of using his demons could be, so to speak, on a higher plane.

Satan could dispatch his evil demons to indwell business leaders, college presidents, unbelieving theologians, and liberal ministers. Creating "Social gospels" of secular humanism, that lead no one to repentance at the cross of Christ for salvation. Making Christ just an "enlightened one" who was very good and someone who taught us how to live, not our Saviour.

"Demonized" people are not "Possessed". A person is not "owned" by a devil or a demon. Unfortunately this is an area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations of Scripture. The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament. The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize, which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence."

In the New Testament this verb occurs in the passive form: "to be demonized." In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils." Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.The problem with this form of words is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership. To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon. But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "subject to demonic influence."

Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance. It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence." It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by the devil".Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession.

Personally I believe that every born~again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him. It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.On the other hand, Christians can be subject to demonic influences. Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not yet come under the control of the Holy Spirit. It is these areas that may still be an open door to demonic influence.

Which explains how some seemly spiritual men of God can suddenly do unexpected acts of carnality, like I described at the beginning of this study on Satan. Be on guard and ever watchful with the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the Word of God and the shoes of the Good News...because your enemy goes to and fro like a lion, seeking whom he may deceive, the very wise if he may.