Can Christians be Demonized?

[Richard]

Hi Folks,
The Apostle Paul warned against the possibility of this in Eph 4:27 do not give the devil a foothold, lit territory -in your life. And that is what I believe demonic oppression is. It is giving territory to the devil in the realm of the mortal body – mortal meaning subject to death on the account of sin – which is then able to influenced the soulish life of a Christian and restrict the flow of divine life from the spiritual realm into the natural realm.
For further consideration about demonic oppression of believers see the following scriptures. Acts 5:3, 2 Corinthians 11:4, 2 Tim 2:25-26, Eph 4: 26-27.

Great post Tony!

 

[Tonyb]

Hi Richard,
Thanks for the encouragement. It seems we both reading from the same map at least.

I learned about the reality of demonic oppression first hand, when I found out I had three of them holding up in my body. They came in through a door that had been opened before I became a Christian. But the first one was not expelled until I'd been a Christian for two years, the other two were expelled in the preceding 18 months. I thought I was alright as a Christian until I got involved with Holy Spirit Christianity, The Charismatic movement. That's when things really started to get stirred up inside me. It all started when I was first Baptised in the Holy Spirit, then every meeting I went to I would start to feel disturbed about 40 minutes before I got there. Praying in tongues helped relive the anxiety so I didn't feel quite so bad when I got to meetings.
What I did not realise at the time was the demons within my body were the ones who were really fearful and anxious of the Holy Spirits presence in the meetings, and they were expressing this fear through my emotions, it was horrible.

When I finally got free of these demons and was healed emotionally as well, I was astonished in a nice way and it was a glorious experience to be free. It was then I understood what the song meant; Set my spirit free that I might worship thee, set my spirit free that I might praise thy name, let all bondage go and let deliverance flow, set my spirit free to worship thee. There was now a free flow of the Holy Spirit through my soul and positive emotions where there had only been bondage and fear in the past.

Blessings,
Tony

 

[SpiritLedEd]

There is another question that I want to ask because the answer may possibly help give more understanding to the original question.
Is a christian still a christian if and when they stop following Christ?
Or are we christians just on the confession of our own mouth by a statement we made at one point in our life?

I'm going to throw another rock into this discussion "pond":

As in all other organizations, there are two kinds of people in the church, visitors and members. Visitors show up on Sundays (sometimes), plop down in a pew for an hour or so, throw a buck in the basket when it comes around, shake the pastor's hand on the way out the door, and go home thinking they have done their spiritual duty for the week and their ticket on the Salvation Express is still good.

Members, on the other hand, seek relationship with the Lord Jesus. His love flows in them and through them to others. They work to meet the needs of people in the community. They spread the Gospel through the fruit that is so obvious in their lives.

Which ones are true Christians?

 

[jiggyfly]

I'm going to throw another rock into this discussion "pond":
As in all other organizations, there are two kinds of people in the church, visitors and members. Visitors show up on Sundays (sometimes), plop down in a pew for an hour or so, throw a buck in the basket when it comes around, shake the pastor's hand on the way out the door, and go home thinking they have done their spiritual duty for the week and their ticket on the Salvation Express is still good.
Members, on the other hand, seek relationship with the Lord Jesus. His love flows in them and through them to others. They work to meet the needs of people in the community. They spread the Gospel through the fruit that is so obvious in their lives.
Which ones are true Christians?

I believe you must be a member in order to be a Christian, the Church is the body of Christ which is made up of members. I don't see how one could be a christian and not be a part of the Body of Christ.

I noticed that you did not mention that the member goes to church.I see that the church organization as not being the same thing as the Church that Jesus is building. Jesus didn't start an organization, but rather a spiritual Body, an organism.

 

[Dreamer]

Our Adversary is Real

demon oppression is real. Although God's grace and power thwart satan easily, the devil can get a foothold if we let him...even as Christians. I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart. I would like to say honestly though...that I know that there have been times when satan uses demons to "bother me".
I think thoughts during those times that are not like the real me. I am ambivalent. I read the bible, I pray, and I'm fine. Then within the next few minutes, I will be thinking and saying bizarre things that are opposite of what God's Word says. satan uses depression (which is something both my parents suffered from) to get to me.
However, right now I am free! And I plan to stay that way, because I've asked God to keep me free, and He is not only Able to do that--He promised.
John 8:31,32--Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

 

[Dreamer]

I Peter 5:8

Think you're too "good" to worry about oppression? Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, warned the chosen christians of Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bianthia "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for the sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:2

He warned these beloved christians in the 5th chapter: "Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world." 1 Peter 5:8, 9

Peter was not speaking to non-christians in these verses, but to us. We have an enemy. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we should build each other up in the faith, praying the Word over each other. We should not look down upon each other for being oppressed, for His Word says, "Do not judge, so that you won't be judged. For with the judgement you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matt 7:1,2