Can the saved be possessed by demons?

This is another topic under the series, “understanding the new birth”, which I started two weeks ago. If you missed the two topics already discussed which looked into the possibility of the saved inheriting a curse or plague from biological parents, do go back to read on the home page.

The purpose of this series is to produce a healthy Christian. You can never live a healthy Christian life with wrong beliefs. The devil feeds on wrong beliefs to torment believers and makes the peace which God has written of in the scripture become only a head knowledge; the only solution to this is living on God’s word.

The topic I am considering this week is if a Christian can be possessed by demons. This directly seeks to know if demons can take abode in the body of a genuine believer who has experienced the new birth. I have heard people talk about this and make recommendations for “genuine Christians” to go for deliverance from some evil spirit dwelling inside of them which needs to be cast out, perhaps, because such a believer is going through some dark moments.

Demons have been described by different expositor as fellow falling angels alongside the devil and whichever way, we know very well from the scriptures that they are spirits that do not represent the person of Jesus for He constantly cast them out of people they possessed (Matt 8:31). They are known to be spirits that look for human bodies to take dominion in order to have expression; this was the case of the man from Gadara who had legions of the spirits at work in him (Luke 8:26). So, what the demons look for is a container.  

Obviously, at the moment you gave your life to Christ, you publicly declared Jesus as the Lord over your life. The Holy Spirit is then made available to you. The work of the Holy Spirit inside of you is to tutor you into your inheritance in Christ: those things which your soul would have loved to do, the Spirit makes the mind of God open to your soul and your body carries it out. The implication of this is that the Spirit of God now dwells in your body; you become God’s temple. And, you become God’s temple because you accepted the gift of salvation offered by Christ, it is only at renouncing this gift of salvation you may seize to be His temple.

This is quite very simple to understand from the scriptures.

“Haven’t you learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you, and that he lives within you? 1 Cor 6:19  

As I have explained earlier, demons are looking for bodies to occupy, would it then be possible for demons to have a room in a house where the Spirit of God dwells?

The scriptures made us to understand that Jesus was angry at the way some men handled His temple. They were trading in the temple, turning it into a business centre, so much so that there was no difference between a market place and the “house of God”. The house became possessed by strangers. Jesus became furious at seeing this. Without any reserve, He whipped everyone out and declared that His temple was meant to be a house of prayer. Jesus was radical about a temple made with human hands as a signal to showing how much more He will care for the temple He is establishing by His blood which is you. Do you remember Jesus prophesied how a physical place of worship would no longer be the deal but those who worship Him in Spirit? (John 4:21) This is Jesus talking about the institution of individual life as His own house.

That radical move of Jesus made us know that since the place was regarded as God’s temple, it was His responsibility. So also, since you became His temple (saved), you are His responsibility. Now, what demon is strong enough to take guard from Him?

It is a clear misunderstanding to subject yourself to the belief that a spirit has possessed you after you have genuinely experienced Christ. It only suggest that Christ’s sacrifice is not sufficient. If you have been a “church fan” and have gone for deliverance for quite a number of time or you know someone in this situation, what is needed is to preach the gospel to such(accepting what Christ has done on the cross and believing in this victory), which is the height of deliverance a man needs to be free.

 “And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For you are God’s temple, the home of the living God, and God has said of you “I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people” 2Cor 6:16

Immediately you came to the place of believing in Jesus, you have authority to cast out demons from unbelievers with the sole aim of ministering the gospel to them. If you need demons cast out of you, you have not come to be in Jesus. A person possessed by demons cannot cast out demons from another.

“And those who BELIEVE shall use my authority to cast out demons, and they shall speak new language” Mark 16:17

Isn’t that clear enough?

Has someone told you there are demons possessing you? Just make this confession believing:

“I am the temple of God, I carry His Spirit, and I am the expression of His grace and love. The devil and his cohorts tremble at this mystery. How much of His presence I have and fullness of His glory! In Him I live and dwell. I have power and authority. Am too filled with Him to be possessed by demons”

Friend, if demons can still possess the SAVED, then, Christ is not yet above principalities and powers.

Enjoy your week.

Be Innovated

Olufemi Ibitoye