Demons exist. They are alive and well. They can be cast out but they cannot die. To say demons should die, with the expectation that they cease from existing is very UN-scriptural and cheer was of time and efforts. In order to understand how demons can affect mankind, we need to the difference between the spirit, soul and body of man. And we need to understand the difference between oppression, obsession and possession.
1. WHO IS A MAN
Man is a spirit being, he has a soul (mind: well, intellect and emotion), and he lives in a body. (I Thess. 5:23, Heb 4:12)
At salvation, the inward man, the spirit becomes a new creature; but the body and the mind still a new creature; but the body and the mind still remains the same.
The difference between the three spirit, soul and body can be appreciated by understanding that:
· with the spirit, the spiritual realm is contacted
· with the soul/mind the intellectual and emotional realm is contracted
· with the body, the physical realm is contacted.
The Soul
1. After salvation, the soul, the mind can be renewed, saved, purified through the truth of God’s word. Jam. 1:21, I Pet. 1:22.
2. it is the renewal of the mind that ultimately transforms us i.e. our actions. Rom. 12:1-2 Please note that all the above scriptures were directed to born-again Christians
The Body
As believers there are very important roles we have to play as far as our bodies are concerned. Since it is with this body – the five physical senses – (touch, taste smell, see, ear) that the physical world is contacted we cannot allow our body to do whatever it wants to do or else the devil will gain a foothold. (Eph. 5:27)
What To Do With Our Bodies
1. Present it as a living sacrifice to God. Rom. 12:1
2. Crucify or mortify the deeds of the body, (Col. 3:5).
3. Keep the body under subjection to your spirit man through adequate discipline (I Cor. 9:27).
3. DEGREE OF DEMONIZATION
a. Oppression
Satanic influence, that tends to punish the victim. Oppression is in levels and it could affect the body or the mind. Sicknesses affecting the body are a form of oppression; though not all sicknesses are manifestation of satanic attack we must know that God is not the author sicknesses.
Fear is also a form of oppression. The devil can oppress anyone but as Christians we must stand against it and resist it. (Matt. 18:18, Lk. 10:19, Phil. 2:9-11, James 4:7). Forced satanic attachments like spirit husband/wife are forms of oppression too.
b. Obsession (Lk. 22:3; John 13:2 NIV).
This is what happens when evil spirits literally begins to push someone around, with little ability to resist.
As a Christian, if you yield yourself to Satan and give him a place, he will exercise control over you. Anger, mental imbalance, sexual perversion, suicidal tendencies are all manifestations of demonic obsession.
c. Possession
Total possession means giving over: spirit, soul and body to an evil spirit. To possess means to own. Bearing in mind this specific definition, an active, spirit filled Christian cannot be possessed. But if he sleeps in the spirit, backslide even momentarily; throw away his confession/profession anything can happen. (Matt. 5;2, 16,18)
Is Deliverance Prayer necessary for Christians?
1. Yes, if the Christian is being influenced or attacked by unclean spirits.
2. If he is just coming into the fold and has had unclean contacts resulting into demonic problems before.
3. Not all Christians needed deliverance, as some will have us believe. When did Jesus conduct deliverance for all the disciples?
4. If he was a Christian, who slept off in the spirit and the evil seeds were sown.
That somebody is being prayed over for deliverance does not mean that he his fully possessed by unclean spirit.
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