2—Fallen Angels and Demons

This volume is second in the series on Satan, Fallen Angels, and Demons. Satan's angels may be classed into two groups. One of these includes those angels which at present are at liberty in the heavenlies and who are assisting Satan in his war against the hosts of God. The other group are those whose freedom has been taken away from them and who have been placed under "chains of darkness . . . to await the day of judgment" (Jude 6; II Peter 2:4-5).

This book discusses the question of when and how some of the angels have been bound and their activities curtailed. It also notes that some of the angels in chains will be released during the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

There is also another class of fallen spirit beings that the Bible speaks of as demons or devils. Demons seek human habitation which indicates they have been disembodied. The book discusses the matter of their origin, and the strong possibility that they came from the pre-Adamic world. (Gen. 1:28; Isaiah 24:1; and Jeremiah 4:23-26).

The subject of the various orders of demons is taken up. The Bible speaks of many kinds of evil spirits—blind spirits, deaf spirits, deceiving spirits, seducing spirits, jealous spirits, insane spirits, familiar spirits and other.

This volume takes note of some of the habits and activities of these fallen spirits.

The lessons include the study of the Scriptural method of casting out evil spirits. They show that dominion over these spirits is possible through Christ's victory at Calvary (John 12:31; 16:11). They note the place that prayer and fasting holds in the casting out of the more powerful demons.

A differentiation is shown between demon oppression, obsession, and possession. Believers need not be under the power of Satan in any way. Satan can never take actual possession of a true believer although because some do not recognize their true place in Christ, they are at times under the oppression of evil spirits. The last chapter in the book answers many questions that people ask concerning the activities of evil spirits.

SATAN, FALLEN ANGELS AND DEMONS SERIES

VOLUME 2

Satan, Fallen Angels and Demons

by Gordon Lindsay

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Fallen Angels and Demons

Chapter 2 Orders of Demons

Chapter 3 The Casting Out of Devils

Chapter 4 Demon Oppression, Obsession and Possession

CHAPTER 1

Fallen Angels and Demons

In the previous lessons we have given our main attention to Satan as the principal character and leader of the forces of evil. We have observed that under him are a vast number of fallen angels through which he influences and controls the destinies of nations. We have also referred from time to time to the existence of lesser emissaries, spoken of in the Scriptures as demons, or evil spirits. Concerning these two orders of demons and fallen angels, we shall now speak more particularly.

FALLEN ANGELS WHO ARE "IN CHAINS OF DARKNESS”

"Satan's angels apparently fall into two groups. One of these includes those angels which at present are at liberty in the heavenlies and who are assisting Satan in his war against the hosts of God. The other group is those whose freedom has been taken from them, and who have been placed under "chains of darkness," to await the day of judgment.

"And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 6).

This means that certain of the fallen angels no longer are at liberty but have been imprisoned in the outer darkness. Having loved darkness rather than light they have been given opportunity to taste of the everlasting darkness. The Apostle Peter also speaks of these angels, declaring that they have been cast down to "hell" to await judgment.

"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly .. " (II Peter 2:4-5).

The word "hell" in this isolated case is neither translated from "hades" (the abode of the dead) nor from "gehenna" a term used for the lake of fire. The word "hell" in this instance is translated from the Greek word, "tartarus." Tartarus evidently is a prison house for fallen angels.

Now the question arises, why are certain of the fallen angels at liberty, while others are bound "in chains of darkness" and denied their freedom?

There are two possible answers to this question. Since the Apostle Peter mentions together in one sentence, the Judgment of the Flood and the chaining of these angels, it is believed by some that the two events have a connection.

These Bible scholars believe that Gen. 6:4, refers to the angels that "left their first estate" and who, cohabitating with "the daughters of men," produced a race of giants on the earth. That as punishment, these angels were taken and placed under chains of darkness. All this is an interesting possibility, although open to some serious objections, such as the statement of Jesus that angels do not marry. (Matt. 22:30).

Yet the fact remains that some fallen angels are bound while others have retained their liberty. How do we account for this? In seeking the answer to this question we must bear in mind that the Scriptures teach that there has been age-long warfare in the heavenlies. From time to time certain principalities are defeated and overthrown. For example "the prince of Persia" was defeated by the angel Michael. After this evil prince was shorn of his power and his kingdom brought to an end, was he left free to continue his activities, or was he made a prisoner? While it is true that Satan has some kind of legal claim on the earth for a limited period, it also appears that his domain is gradually being overthrown. Many of his kingdoms have already fallen. Upon the defeat of these kingdoms is it not possible that prisoners have been taken? One thing is certain, fallen angels have been taken and imprisoned, although the time they were apprehended is not definitely proven.

But if certain fallen angels have been bound and their activities curtailed, it also appears true that at least some of them will be loosed for a little while during the closing days of the Great Tribulation when the judgments of God are in the earth.

"Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates, And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men." (Rev. 9:14-15).

Moreover, it appears that at the same time a great army of demons will also be loosed from the bottomless pit.

"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth .. and their faces were as the faces of men." (Rev. 9:1-3,7).

The time of the activities of these evil powers however is very short, being limited to five months (verse 10) after which undoubtedly, they will be returned to the bottomless pit. (Rev. 20:1-3). But this brings us to the subject of demons, one which we shall now consider.

DEMONS

Demons are a class of fallen spirit beings of which the Bible takes frequent notice. These are variously called, evil spirits, demons or devils. Although they are spirit beings, they are distinctly of a different order than either Satan or the fallen angels.

With a possible exception such as Satan's entering into Judas, we do not have record of fallen angels inhabiting human bodies. The fallen angels apparently have a spiritual body of some kind and do not have need of embodiment. Their sphere of activity is in the heavenlies rather than upon earth—although it is true that they will be forced out of the heavenlies during the Great Tribulation. (Rev. 12:12).

Demons on the other hand eagerly seek human habitation. All evidence points to the fact that they are disembodied spirits, and therefore their desire for embodiment. Although demons are subordinate to the fallen angels, their activities are in harmony with the objectives and purposes of Satan. They play an important role in the devil's program.

THE ORIGIN OF DEMONS

Where have demons come from? This is a question that has often been raised, and it is more easily asked than answered. While it is evident that the demons are not to be included among the fallen angels which were cast out of heaven at the time of Satan's rebellion, it nevertheless seems probable that their fall is in some way associated with this rebellion.

There is a widely held belief among Bible scholars, that demons had their origin in a pre-Adamite world. There is some evidence to support such a conclusion. We shall take brief note of this evidence and permit the student to draw his own conclusion.

When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden He gave them the command to multiply and replenish the earth. Gen. 1:28. This is the same command that He gave Noah after the Flood. Gen. 9:1.

Since "replenish" means to "refill", the inference in both cases is that the earth had been previously inhabited before its population was depleted. This was certainly true in respect to the Flood. But was there people before the time of Adam, living on the earth, and did God send a judgment upon this race? Isa. 24:1 and Jeremiah 4:23-26, indicate that there was such a judgment—one of even greater scope than in the time of the Flood. In fact, we are told that as a result of the judgment there was "no man" left on the earth, and "the earth was without form and void" (Gen. 1:2)—the very condition the earth was in before the Adam creation.

"Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof." (Isa. 24:1).

"I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger." (Jeremiah 4:23-26).

Was there a previous Eden before the Eden of Adam and Eve? Did Lucifer, son of the morning have access to it?

Did Satan's fall affect the earth, and were there cataclysmic earth changes resulting from a divine judgment at that time? Geologic evidence of the so-called Ice Age bears witness to the fact that there apparently was some kind of catastrophe which rendered the world uninhabitable. If Satan extended his rebellion to the inhabitants of the pre-Adamite earth, then it would be a simple matter to account for the existence of demons.

Whatever the truth is in this matter, the undeniable fact is that vast numbers of demons do exist, and they eagerly seek embodiment in human beings. Although the Bible is scanty in its account of the origin of demons, we are given considerable information concerning their present habits and activities. In Luke 11:24-26, the Lord makes a most interesting statement concerning the eagerness of demons to inhabit the human body, and what demons do in the event they are ejected from their habitation.

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth he, and taketh to him 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." (Luke 11:24-26).

From this statement of the Lord we see that a demon has rest only when he finds habitation in a body. Once he takes possession of a person, he will remain there, until forcibly ejected (Luke 11:17-22) or until the person's death.

He will not willingly leave on his own accord.

Notwithstanding a demon must respect the power of the name of Jesus. Christ in the Great Commission said, "In my name ye shall cast out devils." (Mark 16:17). He also spoke of this power He gave his disciples over demons, when the Seventy returned, rejoicing because the demons had fled at their command.

"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:17-20).

Referring again to the words of Jesus in Luke 11:24, we see that when a demon is cast out, he is unable to find rest of any kind. He therefore will seek entrance into another human body. This he may find difficult to do for reasons explained in the next lesson. It then occurs to the evil spirit that perhaps he may re-enter the body of the person from whence he was cast out. In the case mentioned by Christ, the demon returns and finds the "house swept and garnished." Upon this discovery he takes to him seven more spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in

"and the last state of that man is worse than the first." The obvious lesson is: Demons have no right to dwell in the individual who professes the name of Christ. However, if the person is disobedient, self-willed and intent upon his own course, and permits his life to continue empty of the things of God, the demon then has a right to return and take possession of the person.

THE LEGION OF DEMONS

Further information on the habits of demons is revealed in the story of the maniac of Gadara. In this case the man is possessed of a legion of devils—perhaps several thousand. (Mark 5:9). This shows that the laws which govern a physical body are not the same as those which govern a spirit. In the natural two objects cannot occupy the same space. In the spirit world as many as several thousand demons may occupy the same person.

CHAPTER 2

Orders of Demons

As human beings vary greatly in their talents and abilities, so there is notable variation in the capacities of evil spirits to do evil. Some demons may be cast out readily. Others are so stubborn and tenacious that they can be cast out only by prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:29). The Bible speaks of many kinds of evil spirits. There are blind spirits, deaf spirits, deceiving spirits, seducing spirits, jealous spirits, insane spirits, epileptic spirits, familiar spirits, and others. In this lesson we shall take note of some of the habits of and methods employed by these various orders of evil creatures.

DEAF SPIRITS

Demons are able to take possession of certain organs of the body, by oppressing or settling on various nerve centers of the body. Thus, the auditory nerves, the optic nerves, the throat nerves, the nervous system of the spine, are all regions of attack.

When a deaf spirit settles on the auditory nerve of the ear, the latter becomes paralyzed and ceases to function.

Sometimes the spirit controls the auditory nerves of both ears and the person goes completely deaf. On occasion the evil spirit may paralyze not only the nerves of the ears, but also those of the throat so that the person is not only unable to hear, but also unable to speak. This, however, is not true in the majority of cases of the deaf, who are mute only because they cannot hear. These people often can be taught to speak, although because they cannot hear, their words are usually in a dull monotone.

The case of a man who was both deaf and had an impediment in his speech is mentioned in Mark 7:32: "And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him." Jesus took him aside from the multitude and healed him, and he was both able to hear and speak (verses 32-34).

How do demons take possession of the auditory nerves? These nerves ordinarily, when in a healthy condition, resist the intrusion of an evil spirit. Sickness or an accident can weaken this natural resistance, making it possible for a demon to find entrance.

BLIND SPIRITS

It seems strange to some people that demons can cause blindness. A prominent minister once challenged us as to the possibility that a demon could make a person blind. In answer we simply asked him to turn to Matthew 12:22 and read the verse, quoted below:

"Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb; and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw."

He read this verse and was astonished, having never before caught the significance of it. There are cases in which a blind spirit resides on the optic nerve, paralyzing it and making it impossible for the person to see. Usually, no amount of surgery can help the person who is thus afflicted. Of course, there are many diseases of the eye which are not caused by blind spirits. The eye is a very complex organ and it may be injured or caused to lose its sight, through a number of causes.

INFIRM SPIRITS

Infirm spirits control the body in various ways. One is by settling on the spinal cord, often resulting in the person's being twisted or bowed over, sometimes in a grotesque manner. Luke 13:11 tells of a woman who had an infirm spirit, who was "bowed together and could in no wise lift herself up."

It is interesting to note that Jesus said that this woman was a daughter of Abraham. When the Lord spoke in this way, He indicated that the person or persons were Abraham's children, not only by natural seed but by faith.

(John 8:39). In other words, she was a believer. This shows that people can be subject to infirm spirits and still be believers. It should be noted that in all such cases, the devil is afflicting the body, not the soul. Actually, the devil has no right to afflict the body of a believer any more than his soul and if the person understands God's promises in this respect, he will not tolerate the enemy to continue to oppress him. It is up to Christians to recognize their authority and take dominion over evil spirits.

DECEIVING SPIRITS

The existence of deceiving or lying spirits is spoken of in many places in the Bible. Of course, all evil spirits are lying spirits; nevertheless, certain ones are especially given to this work. In the days of Ahab, the Prophet Micaiah saw a vision of the Lord. Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, was engaged in hostilities with Syria. The king, under the influence of his wife, Jezebel, was responsible for an apostasy unparalleled in the history of the nation. Now the hour of judgment had come. Because of Ahab's crimes, an evil spirit was permitted to be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab's false prophets. It is interesting to note that a number of evil spirits solicited for the opportunity to cause Ahab's downfall. But the one who was "a lying spirit" was permitted to do the job:

"And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also; go forth, and do so." (I Kings 22:20-22).

While devils and demons usually resist the plan of God, in certain instances they are quite willing to be the instruments of carrying out sentences of divine judgment.

That is especially true when they can find embodiment in human beings. It is evident that demon spirits derive a pleasure in this embodiment.

JEALOUS SPIRITS

Certain spirits oppress the mental faculties of human beings and cause a very noticeable deterioration in their spiritual life. Once a demon or demons get such control, the individual becomes progressively more jealous, suspicious, and anti-social. There is often a marked change of personality. Such was the case of Saul who started well, but who did not seem to understand the importance of obedience. He would not fully carry out the orders of the Lord. When Saul saw that his disobedience had caused him to lose favor with God, instead of repenting he became suspicious of all others who seemed in any way to threaten his position.

The king, brooding over his self-imposed misfortunes, developed an antipathy toward David, until he was ready to kill him. And that is when the way was opened for a jealous spirit to take possession of him.

Now it is important to notice that this evil spirit could not take possession of Saul until God gave permission. But Saul had rejected God's will and had substituted his own.

As a result, Saul no longer had the right to divine protection but became vulnerable to the attack of evil spirits.

"And Saul eyed David from that day forward.

And it came to pass on the morrow that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house; and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand." (I Sam. 18:9-10).

SPIRITS OF TREACHERY

Abimelech, who usurped and made himself king of Israel in the days of the Judges, was another example of how a man by his conduct can come under the power of treacherous and murderous spirits. Abimelech, himself, committed an infamous act of mass murder, for he was responsible for the slaughter of seventy of his brethren, sons of Gideon.

Because of his act of treachery, God permitted an evil spirit to incite rebellion among the men of Shechem. "When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech." (Judges 9:22-23).

The result of the uprising against the usurper was a civil war that terminated with the death of Abimelech.

SEDUCING SPIRITS

There are also religious demons who apparently have special talents for luring people into false religions. These spirits give false revelations and teach unscriptural doctrines to persons who lack humility and are possessed with undue personal ambitions. The Scriptures declare that this will be especially the case in the last days. The false religions that are arising on every hand bear witness to the accuracy of this prophecy:

"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." (I Timothy 4:1).

These false spirits profess to give "new revelations"

which have a superficial plausibility but actually are at gross variance with the Word of God. Such "revelations"

almost invariably play to the person's ego or pride by making him believe he is some great one. Cases have come under our personal observation in which the individual being led away by the weakness of his own conceit has accepted "revelations" that were evidently Satanic. We shall take notice of some of these in a later lesson.

INSANE SPIRITS OR UNCLEAN SPIRITS

These are usually spoken of in the Scriptures as "unclean spirits." They may take possession of a man and drive him completely out of his mind, in some cases making him a raving maniac. In the early part of Christ's ministry while He was ministering in the synagogue at Capernaum, an unclean spirit cried out saying, "Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God." Christ cast out the evil spirit and set the man free, to the amazement of the onlookers.

There is a similar instance, but one much more violent in nature, recorded in Mark 5:1-19, which we have noted in a previous lesson. This was the case of the man who was possessed of a legion of devils. They tormented his body, so that he ran from the presence of men and dwelt among the tombs. Fetters and chains had been placed upon him, but so great was the power of the demons, that they were plucked asunder. "And always day and night he was in the mountains and in the tombs crying and cutting himself with stones." (Mark 5:5).

Jesus cast out the evil spirits and the man was made whole. The demons, incidentally, had so great a desire for embodiment that they entered a herd of swine, which as a result, stampeded violently and ran down a steep place into the sea.

There are also spirits which possess mediums and impersonate the dead. Because of the importance of this subject, we shall deal with it more fully in another lesson.

CHAPTER 3

The Casting Out of Devils

In our study of the casting out of devils, we approach an important and for that matter a very practical subject.

For today, as well as in past millennials, millions of people have been, or are being oppressed and tormented by demons. In this lesson we shall consider the means ordained of God, whereby these evil spirits may be cast out.

In the Old Testament little is recorded about the casting out of demons. The people of that day knew almost nothing about Satan, except that he existed and controlled a vast army of evil spirits intent upon the injury of the human race. The righteous, however, looked forward to the coming of the Messiah (John 4:25), Who would reveal all things to His people and Who would deliver the earth from Satan's curse.

As we have seen, Satan secured, as it were, a lease on God's fair creation and since the time of Adam, has influenced its affairs more or less as he pleased. In the redemption of the children of Israel and bringing them into covenant relation to Him, it was God's intention of not only releasing them from the Egyptian taskmasters, but also from the dominion of Satan (of whom Pharaoh was a type). God's redeemed people were to be free men.

Unfortunately, the children of Israel disobeyed the Law and broke the covenant. As a result, they lost their independence, came under the rule of Gentile nations, which in turn were under the dominion of the powers of darkness.

The activity of evil spirits is recorded in numerous places in the Old Testament. In these recorded instances it can usually be observed that disobedience to God made the individual vulnerable to the evil spirits. Such was the case of Saul, the first king of Israel. When the Spirit of the Lord left Saul, an evil spirit came upon him. "The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him." (I Sam. 16:14). We cannot avoid the significance of this statement. The implications are clear that men are faced with two alternatives. They must serve either God or the devil. One or the other will ultimately be the master.

It is apparent that Saul did not become completely demon possessed, but rather he was oppressed by an evil spirit which gradually increased its grip upon him. It is significant to note that in the early stages of Saul's malady, the devil had only a comparatively mild hold upon him.

When David played songs of praise on his harp in the presence of Saul, the evil spirit left him. "And it came to pass when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul that David took an harp, and played with his hands and Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." (I Sam. 16:23). This statement is enlightening.

When sinners enter the house of God and their heart is open to the worship, they will be deeply affected by the gospel songs and message. The oppressing spirits will then leave for a time and if the person does not resist the conviction of the Spirit, he will become converted to Christ and freed from the dominion of Satan. (II Tim. 2:26). If Saul had been sincere, he would have been liberated from the power of the evil spirit for all time. But because he continued in his self-will and nourished his jealous spirit, the demon returned to plague him and lead him down the road to ruin.

Incidentally, in the above instance it can be seen why worldly persons, more or less oppressed by evil powers, do not appreciate Christian music and worship, but must have a degraded form of music such as jazz, boogie-woogie, swing, rock-and-roll, etc. Demons are content only with that which is in sympathy with their own discordant nature.

CHRIST BRINGS DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES

With the coming of Christ, a new era dawned in the world. He was the promised Redeemer of the Old Testament (Job 19:25), Who was to come and redeem the human race from bondage. He would do what the Law could not do. And so at the very beginning of His ministry, while in the synagogue in His home town, Nazareth, Jesus proclaimed His message of deliverance.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." (Luke 4:18).

This deliverance which Jesus spoke of included the setting free of captives who were under the oppression of Satan and his evil spirits.

Leaving Nazareth, Jesus went immediately to Capernaum and proceeded to demonstrate the gospel of deliverance that He preached. A man in the synagogue was possessed of an insane, or unclean spirit. The demon at once recognized Christ and cried out to be left alone, fearing that Jesus had come to destroy him. (Luke 4:33-34).

But Jesus rebuked the devil and cast him out. This was the first case in which a demon had been cast out in the presence of a congregation, and naturally it amazed the people.

"And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! For with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out." (Luke 4:36).

CHRIST'S DOMINION OVER SATAN WAS ANTICIPATORY OF THE CROSS

How did Christ secure the victory over Satan? It was his perfect obedience even unto the death of the Cross. It was at Calvary that Satan, "the prince of this world (was) judged." (John 16:11). Jesus declared at that hour, "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out." (John 12:31).

As the result of Christ's victory over Satan, first in the wilderness and then in anticipation of His final victory at Calvary, He commissioned His disciples to cast out devils:

"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give." (Matt. 10:8).

And to the Seventy, to whom He gave the same command, He described the fall of Satan from heaven, and the coincident return of man's dominion over the powers of evil, that Adam had lost at the fall:

"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:17-19).

And after Christ's death and resurrection, Jesus could, in the great Commission, give power over devils, to all believers:

"And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils . . . " (Mark 16:17).

DEVILS CAST OUT IN THE NAME OF JESUS

It is important to observe that devils are cast out only in and through the name of Jesus. Believers are empowered to have dominion over evil spirits, not through their own power, but through and by the authority of the name. Thus could the Seventy rejoice, saying, "Lord, even the devils are subject to us through thy name."

Only those who have truly believed may have this power. Believing means more than an intellectual conviction. The reference is to those who believe Christ's words to the extent that they obey His commandments.

"And why call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). The power to cast out devils involves more than a casual belief in the power of miracles.

CASTING OUT OF DEMONS REQUIRES MORE THAN MAGIC

An interesting incident occurred in the ministry of Paul that illustrates the truth of which we are now speaking. We are told of certain sons of one Sceva, who witnessed the unusual power of Paul's ministry—power that when handkerchiefs were taken from Paul's body and placed on the sick, demons were cast out. Impressed by the methods that Paul was using, these vagabond exorcists decided to do likewise. They foolishly assumed that Paul's power lay in some black magic similar to that which they used, only a more potent kind. Carefully imitating the words and phrases that Paul used, they spoke to the spirit in a demon-possessed man, "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth". (Acts 19:13). The evil spirit at once saw that the exorcists were merely parroting words and did not have the power of Christ in their life. The scene that followed was of a comic-opera nature.

"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." (Acts 19:15-16).

The result was that the sons of Sceva fled from the scene, naked, wounded, and in wild disorder.

PRAYER AND FASTING NEEDED TO CAST OUT POWERFUL SPIRITS

Some demons are more stubborn than others. Certain evil powers can only be dislodged if special means are used. This proved to be the case in the epileptic boy whom the apostles could not heal. The apostles, emboldened by past successes, laid hands on him and rebuked the evil spirit. They confidently expected deliverance to come.

Nevertheless, to their surprise and consternation, the demon stubbornly refused to go. Instead, it showed its defiance by hurling the lad to the ground. If anything, it appeared that the lad was worse off than at the beginning.

The disciples might have supposed that there was something in the will of God that made healing of the lad impossible. But Jesus quickly healed the child, showing that the only cause of failure was unbelief:

"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matt. 17:20).

This is a subject that we cannot enlarge on here.

Nevertheless, we must say that prayer and fasting is one of the great means God has provided to strengthen faith, especially for difficult cases.

Fasting is the method that can be used when all other means fail. The most difficult battle may be won through prayer and fasting. Why did the demon go when Jesus ministered to the child? Because Jesus Himself had fasted until the power of the Spirited rested upon Him. Jesus showed that there were no cases, as far as God was concerned, that could not be delivered. Though some demons are more stubborn than others, all must go before the faith of those who pray the fasting prayer.

BINDING THE DEMON

One thing should not be overlooked in this miracle.

When the demon left, Christ expressly forbade it to ever return. He said, "Enter no more into him." (Mark 9:25).

Since Christ never spoke without a reason, it is evident that there are times when a demon should be bound so that it cannot return to the person that was afflicted.

Experience indicates that many people who are delivered from a Satanic oppression often suffer a recurrence of their trouble simply because the demon powers are not bound.

Christ said, "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt. 18:18).

CAN DEVILS BE CAST INTO THE PIT?

It has sometimes been asked, why that with the casting out of evil spirits, the demons are not bound and cast into the pit? Elsewhere we have written the following on this subject:

It is perhaps true that demons may be bound for a period of time, but whether they can be indiscriminately sent into the pit, cannot be certainly ascertained. Jesus spoke to one demon commanding him to come out of the person and to enter no more into him. It is apparent that Jesus took perfect control of the demons that were cast out and they could do nothing except that He suffered them to do so.

However, when the demons of the demoniac protested against being sent into the deep (or the pit), declaring that the time of their punishment had not yet come, He suffered them to enter into the swine. (Mk. 5:1-13).

Indeed, it would appear from the words of the Lord, that demons ordinarily are left free to wander about until they find a body that they may enter, or even re-enter the one from whence they were cast out. Let us notice the passage in Luke 11:24-26.

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he and taketh to him 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."

SUMMARY OF HABITS OF DEMONS

From these Scriptures certain facts concerning demons and their habits emerge:

1. That demons seek to inhabit human beings, and when cast out immediately seek another human abode, or try to re-enter the one from whence they were cast out.

2. They will not willingly leave a human body. Demons do not cast each other out, but rather invite other demons to join them in their habitation. (Luke 11:11-17, 18, 26).

3. Only the power of God can cast out demons, and a ministry in which this power is manifested to cast them out is an attestation of its genuineness. (Matt. 12:25-28).

4. In the casting out of demons, faith should be exercised against their attempts to enter the body from whence they came or into others nearby. In the case of the deaf and dumb child, Christ not only cast out the demon but commanded it to "enter no more into him." (Mark 9:25).

5. The power of God can cast out a demon, also bind and send it into the pit, yet there is little record in the Scriptures that Jesus actually did so. On the other hand, he warned that a demon, when it was cast out, immediately sought to enter another body. Failing in this, he took other demons more wicked than himself, and made an attempt to return into the body out of which he had been cast. Jesus showed that this attempt by demons might well be successful if the individual fails to obey God, and the Spirit of the Lord does not dwell in his heart and life.

Nevertheless Revelation 9:1-11 indicates that some demons, indeed a great multitude of them, have in some previous time been bound and cast into the bottomless pit.

However, the circumstances and time in which this happened is not clear. Matthew 8:29, seems to indicate that demons are free to continue their activities during this age, and for this reason they protested against Jesus sending them into the "deep." Christ acceded to their request and permitted them to go into the herd of swine.

CHAPTER 4

Demon Oppression, Obsession and Possession

We have now come to the subject of demon oppression in its various forms, which includes progressively, oppression, depression, obsession and possession. It is a matter of grave concern, to observe the number of ways that demons are attacking, harassing, and actually dominating people who are professing Christians.

Unfortunately, too, there is a vast amount of ignorance on the part of the people on this vital subject. Many are sadly confused on the manner of certain of Satan's operations in this respect.

In studying this subject we should, first of all, emphasize that it is certainly not the will of God for the believer to be under Satan's oppressions in any way, no, not for a moment! Satan is a defeated foe as far as the believer is concerned and he has neither part nor lot in a life that is under the protection of the Blood of Jesus.

Notwithstanding, it is also true that the devil respects nothing but force, and he will intrude himself anywhere, and take advantage of anyone, who will not stand up for his rights. The devil even attacked Christ, but was unable to touch Him simply because the Lord refused to accept his suggestions and rather resisted him through the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Thus Jesus could say, "The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me." (In. 14:30).

Nor has Satan the right to touch any one in Christ. The devil should have "nothing" in the believer also.

"We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not: but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness." (I John 5:18-19).

From the above passage we see that sin is the main avenue through which the devil can attack men. The believer therefore must keep himself from evil, if the wicked one is not to touch him. The latter part of this Scripture is of solemn import. "The whole world lieth in wickedness." It is through the prevalence of evil in the world that the devil is able to make such inroads against the human race.

But let us now consider the various ways and methods in which the devil carries on his warfare against mankind.

Particularly we shall note the operation of demon agencies against the mind and body of the individuals he attacks.

DEMON OPPRESSION

Satan's initial method of approach is usually through the mind. He cannot go up to people and take possession of either their mind, or body by direct action. Though he eventually dominates the lives of myriads of people it is a process that generally requires time. If the individual deliberately refuses to accept Christ into his life, the demon influences will gradually exercise a stronger control, until at length chains are forged that cannot be broken by human power.

There is such a thing as absolute demon possession, as was the case of the man who lived among the tombs. (Mark 5). In that instance the man was completely insane.

It is not necessary to suppose that Satan aims at taking such absolute control over all people. That is not his plan.

A lunatic is unable to promote the devil's cause beyond providing a habitation for one or more of his evil spirits.

The devil seeks rather to control the minds of people so as to influence them into a state of unbelief in God's word and, to live a worldly life. If he succeeds in this he knows that eventually they will die without God and go to a Christless grave, which is his real objective. To get men liberated from demon influence, it is important in all cases to bring them to repentance unto God. To exorcise the devil without a change of heart in the man, would only be an invitation for the devil to return.

"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." (II Tim. 2:25-26).

Under Satan's malign influence, the soul without God steadily gravitates into sin, and gradually loses all taste for spiritual things. In this condition he will never of himself, seek after God unless the word of God comes to him, quickened by the Holy Spirit.

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience .. " (Eph. 2:1-2).

The awakened sinner then realizes that he must make a decision. What decision he makes will influence his life not only for time, but for the eternity which is to come. It will determine whether he will be a free man or henceforth a slave to demon power.

DEMON OPPRESSION OF THE MIND

When the human mind is not in harmony with the revealed will of God, it is particularly open to suggestions from evil spirits. Suggestion is the first step in the enemy's strategy to control the mind. Notice how quickly Satan was able to influence Peter, even after he had made the Great Confession of Christ's deity, which had come to him by direct revelation of God. (Matt. 16:16-17). Yet a short while later under the influence of the devil, Peter took it upon himself to rebuke the Lord and advise Him that He was not to die upon the cross. (verse 22). Notice the significance of Christ's answer. His reply to Peter was actually not to him, but to Satan!

"But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." (Matt. 16:23).

Because Peter was so carnal the devil was able to get his suggestion to him without his being aware of the identity of the one who gave him the suggestion. Small wonder then, that Christians today who live in a carnal plane, receive and accept many suggestions which actually originate from no one else but the devil. Jesus always tested the suggestions that came to Him by measuring them with the word of God. Consequently the devil was unable to get anywhere with Him.

"As (a man) thinketh in his heart so is he," (Pro. 23:7) said the inspired writer.

The secret of continuous victory is to guard the gates of the mind so that the enemy may not intrude. But many Christians fail at this point. The devil tells the young convert that he has lost his feelings and therefore is no longer saved. He suggests to another who has been healed that the symptoms of his disease are coming back. In Demon Oppression, Obsession and Possession 37

either case if they listen to, and accept the suggestions, the enemy at once follows up his advantage. The devil's plan is to get people to live in the negative, and in so doing they become a target for his suggestions. Even though they still hold their faith in Christ, if they give heed to these suggestions they lose the victory, and thus help to swell the ranks of the army of neurotic Christians.

What is the answer? The victory lies in the spirit and in the mind. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against these unseen spiritual powers. We must reject their suggestions, and cast them down as imaginations that spring from our enemy, Satan.

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (II Cor. 10:5).

The answer to negative thinking is not to reduce the mind to a blank. We must rather think positive thoughts, God's thoughts—then the negative thoughts will have no place. In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul tells us what God's thoughts are:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Phil. 4:8).

DEMON OBSESSION

The next step that Satan takes to draw an individual deeper under his influence, is to distort the person's thinking so as to bring his mind if possible into a state of obsession.

This is a more dangerous condition than oppression.

When a person is oppressed of the enemy, he still has control of his faculties and can choose to be delivered from his condition. In demon obsession the man comes under the spell of his delusion and does not wish to be freed from it. He, in fact, is now its willing victim and desires the perpetuation of the evil thing that has come into his life. Demon obsession is not quite the same as demon possession, but it is an escape from reality and can lead, and often does, to this final state.

King Saul became obsessed with the demon of jealousy. Even though the demon that oppressed him was exorcised, such was his ungratefulness for his deliverance, that he continued to brood over his misfortunes and imagined that they were caused by David rather than by himself. This entertaining of altogether unfounded suspicions against David who was entirely innocent, and actually his friend, opened the door wide for the demon to return. When this occurred, Saul's mind became so warped that he found himself obsessed with a desire to kill the one who had done him the signal service of defeating his enemies. He seemed to entertain an insane belief that if David were out of the way, God would be forced to retain him as king. Saul continued on his mad course, until at length, the Spirit of the Lord long grieved, left him altogether. So far had Saul departed from the way of the Lord, that he was ready to employ the services of a witch in an attempt to communicate with the dead.

Spiritualists and their devotees are victims of delusions caused by seducing spirits. Although the Bible condemns attempted communication with the dead, and strictly forbids its practice with the severest penalties attached, spiritualists find a way of rationalizing all this, and are able to persuade themselves that these spirits are what they claim to be. This, despite the fact that these familiar spirits are notorious liars. Only the power of God can deliver people once they become obsessed with this powerful delusion.

There are many other deceptions, perhaps less dangerous than spiritualism of which people today are victims. It is common knowledge that some good Christians become obsessed with teachings that are patently at variance with the Scriptures, and they will hold to them with a tenacity that is worthy of a better cause.

While some of these doctrines might be harmless, were it not that they seriously divide the church, others are definitely of the spirit of antichrist and lead their devotees to spiritual ruin.

In almost all cases, those who come under the spell of any of these doctrinal obsessions consider them more important than anything else, and in fact regard belief in them as the acid test of fellowship. The thing has become a fixation in their mind, and usually they are not content unless they are proselyting others to their peculiar obsession.

DEMON POSSESSION

We now come to the matter of actual demon possession. This is the most deadly form of demon activity and is a subject in which there is considerable misunderstanding. To properly understand the manner in which Satan operates in this field, we must recognize what is clearly taught in the Scriptures, that man is a three-fold being. Therefore any one or more of these departments of his nature are in danger of being attacked by the enemy.

Fortunately, God has provided ample means by which the believer can be made completely secure against all attacks by the enemy.

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19).

We will begin by noting the attacks of demons against the physical body, and from there proceed to the more dangerous phases of demon possession. In previous lessons, we have noted that the evil spirits can oppress, or actually do possess, one or more organs of the human body, by settling on the vital nerves of those organs. It is clearly possible for believers to become a victim of the physical oppression of demons—but only if those believers through ignorance, or wrong teaching, fail to take their rightful authority over the devil. It is definitely taught by the Scriptures that it is not God's will that Satan should have power over the believer at all. (I Jn. 5:18-19).

Nevertheless while Christians are regularly taught to put their soul in the hands of God, unfortunately, not all are taught to also put their body in the hands of God.

To defeat an enemy we must first be able to recognize and identify his activities. That evil spirits are the cause of many afflictions is plainly taught by the Scriptures. Christ cast deaf spirits out of the deaf, blind "spirits out of the blind, and infirm spirits out of the infirm. Yet Christians who have these afflictions, are sometimes offended by the implication that their sickness could be caused by evil spirits, since they are convinced that no evil spirit can touch a Christian. But what saith the Scriptures? Jesus cast an infirm spirit out of the body of a woman whom He spoke of as a believer, a daughter of Abraham. When Jesus referred to people as being sons or daughters of Abraham, He meant their spiritual relationship (Jn. 8:39) not natural descent. (Jn. 8:37). This woman, a daughter of Abraham by the flesh, was one also by faith. Notwithstanding an infirm spirit had taken residence in the nervous system of her back, causing her to be bowed over in a most distressing manner and position. Jesus cast the devil out—much to the annoyance of the ruler of the synagogue, an ecclesiastic, who apparently was not interested in evil spirits being cast out of his parishioners, at least not on the Sabbath day.

Jesus told him that he was more interested in seeing his ox watered on the Sabbath day, than this woman being delivered from the bonds of Satan. (Luke 13:15-16).

As this daughter of Abraham suffered physically from the tyranny of Satan, so today there are many of Abraham's sons and daughters by faith (Rom. 4:16), who are oppressed in their body by the enemy. The devil cannot take possession of their soul, for they have placed it in the hands of God, but he does oppress their body because they have not yet learned that the devil has no right to do so, and they have not stood on their rights.

DEMON POSSESSION OF THE WHOLE BODY

That the devil can take possession of the body, although the soul and spirit may be saved, is clearly shown in I Corinthians 5. Here was a believer that had fallen into great sin—sin of the darkest hue, for he had his own father's mother to wife. Paul delivered this man over to Satan for the "destruction" of his body in order that his spirit might be saved.

"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." ( I Cor. 5:4-5).

It is probable that some professing Christians are suffering bodily affliction for a similar cause that this man did. They have disobeyed God, or are tolerating known sin in their life. Certainly however, the above instance is no reason for a sincere believer being under the oppression of the devil. In this case the affliction had come upon the man because of his deeds. Paul gave him a taste of the devil's power so that he would repent and turn from Satan, and be saved. The incident clearly shows that demon possession of the soul and of the body are two different things.

DEMON POSSESSION OF THE BRAIN

That there is a difference between the human mind and the brain is shown in the symptoms of the disease of epilepsy. According to the Scriptures (Luke 9:39) epileptic seizures are the result of demon possession and apparently affecting a part of the brain. The boy of Luke 9, that fell into the water and into the fire was a victim of an epileptic demon. When a demon spirit possesses a willing victim such as a spiritualist medium, it enters into a kind of covenant relationship with the person. In the case of an epileptic, however, the demon seizes the mind against the will of the person, who sincerely desires deliverance. It is a matter of common knowledge that some Christians have epileptic seizures. The evil spirit which torments them, is unable to possess their soul but he does injure their body.

Through some physical or inherited weakness the devil is enabled to take such possession of the person's brain, as at times to cause consciousness to black out.

As we have mentioned, in spiritualism, the medium enters into a sort of covenant relationship with the familiar spirit, which acts as a "control" in the impersonations carried on during the trances. This evil spirit, given the privilege of habitation, in return, allows the medium to retain possession of his faculties, except at times when he is in trance. His alleged communication with the dead, is one of the devil's schemes in drawing people away from the word of God and under the influence of seducing spirits.

ABSOLUTE DEMON POSSESSION—INSANITY

Absolute demon possession generally means insanity.

Usually the symptoms develop by slow stages and increase in character, especially if more than one evil spirit takes possession of the individual. The uncontrolled emotions of suspicion, jealousy and hatred open the door to these unclean spirits. Such people who come under the influence of this kind of oppression, instead of recognizing their danger and seeking help from God, are inclined to brood over their troubles and thus encourage the very thing that seeks their ruin. Due to the negative attitude they assume, the way may be opened for more than one evil spirit to enter. This process may develop to the point where the person becomes violently insane. Since such victims resist any assistance and actually wish to live in their world of delusion, there is little that can be done for them. Notwithstanding, it is a matter of record that the power of God, has delivered many such cases.

Psychiatry is the modern profession, which seeks to assist people with sick minds or who are maladjusted.

Psychiatrists of course have no power to cast out evil spirits, but they must work as a physician on the natural plane. They seek to get the person to recognize the basic cause of their frustrations. Hours of consultation, over a period of many months, are often required in the effort to trace some unpleasant circumstance in their youth that is responsible for the frustration. Sometimes psychiatrists are able to uncover a cause long buried in the mind, and in so doing they release the pent-up neurosis. The person may then show improvement. Psychiatrists as physicians, have definite limitations. Their profession cannot relieve the guilt of the sinner before God, nor can it exorcize demons.

They can only help nature in its fight against psychological and mental blocks.

Man was made in the image of God and it was the divine purpose that he become a habitation of God, a temple of the Spirit of God. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" ( I Cor. 6:19). If the Spirit of God is not permitted to dwell in that temple, another spirit sooner or later, will. If the individual closes his nature to God and opens it to evil, these evil powers will enter and in time will take possession of the person's faculties. Judas Iscariot was perhaps one of the most notorious examples of this result.

There are many differences in degree and kind, of demon possession. Some persons so possessed, are harmless. In many instances however, the person may become violent and prove a menace to society as to require confinement in a mental institution. In any case it is a sad and tragic thing to see a man, who made in the image of God, is robbed of his dominion, and, like Samson of old is made a slave to evil powers over which he has no control, and who are interested only in his ruin.

Table of Contents

Fallen Angels and Demons.........................

Orders of Demons............................................

The Casting Out of Devils.............................................

Demon Oppression, Obsession and Possession.

Table of Contents

Fallen Angels and Demons.........................

Orders of Demons............................................

The Casting Out of Devils.............................................

Demon Oppression, Obsession and Possession.

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