Can a born-again Christian be possessed?
Possession differing from Oppression. This question is controversial. My experience in ministering deliverance in Africa for the past 19 years or so has proved that many brethren do not want to agree with the fact that Christians can be possessed with demons. Their understanding or claim is that since they have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that should suffice for their deliverance. This is not completely so. A person according to the Holy Scripture is divided into three components. The Spirit, The Soul and The Body –
THE THREE COMPONENT OF A PERSON/BELIEVER
I Thessalonians 5:23 “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It was the prayer of Apostle Paul that the people of Thessalonica be preserved. Not only should their Spirit that has been regenerated by preserved, the soul, and the body should also be sanctified for the preparation of the Lord’s second coming.
John 14:13,14 “And I will do whatever you ask in my Name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in My Name, and I will do it”.
Because of the triumph of Christ on the cross, evil spirits and demons have no legal grounds to remain in anyone who belongs to Christ. Demons know that fact, but they will not just leave. This could possibly be because, the Spirit, the soul of the individual lives in a body. The body moves about but going with the former two components. The body when moving about could also make contact with demons. I have had revelations during ministrations that unholy contacts with some people have defiled them. Take for example; a believer having undue marital relationship (unequal yoking) can be possessed with demons. There was a Christian man who had a kiss with an unbeliever he was dating. The unbeliever lady was apparently a witch. She transferred the Spirit to this man. Before his deliverance, his actions were uncontrollable. His tongue came out longer than usual and was misbehaving. He confessed this and the Lord delivered him with the prayer of the saints.
Mark 3:27 “In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up (bind) the strong man”
Demons will stay for as long as it is possible for them to stay. If forced out, they will leave. A person has a demon or demons are not automatically delivered the moment he receives the Lord Jesus. The power to be delivered is available but the demon that was in the person stays until someone used the power of the Lord to send away the demon. Let me buttress what I really mean. When you are born again, your Spirit responds, your soul also responds. You should, however, remember that your body has gone through a lot of contacts. In Africa, a lot of things are done to the body, which of course has influence over the spirit and the soul. The body experiences things like rubbing it with perfume of all sorts, pomade of all kinds and incision of various sources to the devil. I understand that in the some parts of the world the placenta of illegally aborted babies form part of the ingredients used for some pomades that we use in rubbing our bodies. If this is so, we should remember that the life of God that was in the fetus will be crying. If the blood of Abel could cry for vengeance, the demonic spirit inside the murdered being, which has been used for pomade, will also have some negative effect on the user. How will the body escape being contagious with demons? How will the soul escape corruption? What can we say about some people, especially in Africa who lacerate their bodies with a view to protecting it from the attack of witches and wizards? What about those who lacerate their bodies in order to conjure spirits to release healing to their bodies. You will agree with me that a believer who had passed through this has had an influence, which should be chased out in the Name of Jesus.
THE MATTER OF POSSESSION BY DEMONS
John 10:10 “The thief (devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”
We can also ask, “How can the Holy Spirit come and dwell in a person who is sick?’ We know that sickness is the work of the devil and the Son of God took all our sicknesses with Him in His suffering and by His stripes we were healed. Although that work was done, we have to face the fact that there are many people who are sick before they are converted who remain sick after they are converted. There are others who become sick only after they are converted. In the matter of sickness, Jesus Christ who is Perfect Health lives in a believer whose body may be crushed and broken by sickness and diseases. Is that not abnormal body? It is abnormal but real. It will continue to be abnormal but real until the church fully comes into her right of perfect health or until the believer’s body is redeemed at the second coming of the Lord. When that happens, the abnormality of the Lord who is Perfect Health, living in diseased bodies, will stop. Similarly, the church should wake up to her full possibilities and potentials into the deliverance ministry and cast out all demons that people had before they received the Lord. Even after conversion, demons make attack one through sickness and diseases.
I remember ministering to a number of people in Africa. Some years ago, a Christian lady who wanted to marry just came to one of the meetings where I was invited to minister deliverance. According to her, she just came for a possible check up for any familiar spirit. As we started praying for this lady, she vomited a leaf with a taproot. You will ask me where the leaf with a taproot came from? Your guess is as good as mine. I concluded with other ministers of the Gospel that that was another case study proving to us that believers can be possessed. What if she did not submit herself for deliverance? There would have been what people call cancer, tumor, and fibroid etc. We thank God that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow.
At another occasion recently, I was privilege to minister to my sister-in-law. She was actually diagnosed to have had a hole in the lung. She was experiencing pains and discomfort until we had sessions of prayers with her. After deliverance ministration she was delivered. During prayers there were manifestations such as crying, weeping, yawning and shaking. Where did these come from? From the devil, I believe. This is because; she is a person of good Christian testimony and standing. To the glory of God she is perfectly whole!
Are you still worried about how believer can have a demon? Let us look at the matter of sin. Can a believer sin? The answer is “yes”. This means that the Holy Spirit will have to live in a body that has committed sin. Can you imagine that the Holy Spirit actually lives in a believer at the moment when the believer is:
– Lying,
– Committing gluttony
– Committing immorality,
– And all the other sins?
The thought of it is very horrible – the Holy Spirit indwelling a sinful body! This sounds a terrible contradiction. Nevertheless it is real. Even if the immorality was committed only in thought, it would mean that at the time when it was committed, the soul of the believer committed this dreadful sin while the Holy Spirit dwelt in the spirit of that believer. This sad contradictions is as real as when the Holy Spirit has to dwell for some time in a body that has one or more demons.
From the above, I do believe that possession is closely related with oppression. You initially can be oppressed and later on advance to possession. Almost the same manifestations. The same method is applied in ministering deliverance to the two classes!
CONCLUSION: Let us conclude that a believer can have a demon or demons. He need not have them but they can be there. Their presence in some believers is real but unnecessary. Those who once believed like the seed on the rocky soil or the thorny soil continue apparently as believers even though vital fellowship with the Lord is absent. They can have a demon. They can even be possessed by demons. Believers should walk close to the Lord, seek deliverance if they ever backslide and then walk without fear of having demons reside in them.
Hebrews 12:14 “MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH ALL MEN AND TO BE HOLY; WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD”.
If you are not born again, you should because your life is at stake. UNLESS if you are not born of the Spirit you are more vulnerable to the attacks of the devil. Accept Jesus into your heart today as your Lord and personal Savior and you will be saved.
Blessings!
Rev Debo Adeyemo
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Yes I believe that anyone is susceptible to being possessed. The enemy uses many forms in his arsenal. First there’s suppression, depression, oppression, and finally when one losses “control” he or she is possessed.
Dave Schiefele
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This is a touchy subject because self inters into the picture, we like to blame the satanic world for much of what we are the cause for such as not wanting to let go of something such as smoking or even drugs but the Lord tells us that the flesh must die , no living man has ever seen the face of our God , our earthly wants and desires must die as we lean on that ever lasting arm of Jesus, the closer we come to Him the more we die. A good book to read , God Chasers by Tommy Tenney , though some parts of the book is a bit over played I think He is on the money with Gods Glory , its a very uplifting book and gives the person much to do with his or her spare time, Chase after God!
No, I don’t believe a born again Christian can be possessed, because He or she gave themselves totally to our Lord and has become His possession , Satan doesn’t know much of anything, but he does know who the Master is , He cannot step outside of what Christ did on the cross , He is binded legally by Jesus and His blood. To be possessed has to be willed by the man or woman in some sort of way , God tells us that you cannot serve both God and Satan and Satan isn’t about to go where God doesn’t want him. Now on the other hand , I do believe that some people are crying out to a strange spirit , thinking that it is God , God tells us also to test the spirit, to be sure , how are we to know?, simple, know Jesus, read and study the words of our awesome God and pray diligently that He would reveal Himself to you and He will, the more we talk to God (through His word or through prayer) the more we know our Father. In His Love
Gary Hodges
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Only if he chooses to open himself up to the devil rather than the Lord. If one is walking with God and being filled and possessed by the Holy Spirit he cannot be possessed by demons. Jesus himself said that a house divided against itself cannot stand when he was accused by the Pharisees of casting out devils by the power of Satan. He told them that because he cast out the devils by the Spirit of God the Kingdom of God has come unto them (Matthew 12:25-28). A person cannot be possessed by both kingdoms at the same time.
It is either one or the other. It is more profitable to dwell on God’s desire for us and that we be filled and possessed by the Holy Spirit and Fire. There is the carnal defeated believer in Romans 6 and 7. By contrast there is the victorious, overcoming spirit filled believer in Romans 8. In James 3 we find that blessing and cursing cannot proceed from the same source. When we give out blessing we are in blessing. When we are in cursing we give out cursing. We are in what we give out. In Matthew 9 the Pharisees condemned Jesus for eating with sinners. He told them to go and learn what this means ” I will mercy and not sacrifice.” But we find in Matthew 12 they failed to do the assignment and as a result they condemned the guiltless Son of God of breaking the Sabbath Day. If we do God’s will of Mercy we will be filled and possessed by the precious Holy Spirit.
Taken from Zion Faith Hoimes
Bailey Gertrude E NSSC
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Yes, a born again Christian can become possessed! I should know, because it happened to me.
John L. Epperson
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I had an experience the past week when I befriended a believer with an evil disruptive spirit. It got into me for a couple of days and made me say and do things unlike myself. I prayed as did others and the Lord rid this spirit from me. Rabbi Jeff told me it can happen to a believer if he is not aware or discerning of it’s presence. Shalom and enjoy your holiday. Your brother,
Allan Mann
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Can a born again Christian be possessed? Possession differing from Oppression.
The idea that a demon could co-exist with the Holy Spirit inside a man is preposterous. The bible clearly teaches that God is able to keep His own from all evil.
2 Thessalonians 3:3-AV But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep [you] from evil.
Psalms 121:7-AV The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
Matthew 6:13-AV And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
John 17:15-AV I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
2Timothy 4:18-AV And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve [me] unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Jude 1:24-AV Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
So we can safely say that while one is under the protection of God, evil can not have access to them. That does not mean they can not be tempted, or that they will not sin, but it would certainly exclude evil spirits. So what if we were being tempted and had yielded to it? Would we then be lost? Well, no. What would happen in such an instance is that we would be brought back to the Throne of Grace in repentance. What does a parent do when a child is being naughty? Does the word ‘chastisement’ mean anything to you? Does God chastise us when we need it just like a parent will chastise a naughty child? That is exactly what happens.
Deuteronomy 8:5-AV Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, [so] the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
Job 5:17-AV Behold, happy [is] the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
Psalms 94:12-AV Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
Proverbs 3:11-AV My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Hebrews 12:6-AV For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Hebrews 12:7-AV If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Hebrews 12:11-AV Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Revelation 3:19-AV As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
You see, the Lord has the power to bring us home. At acceptance of salvation, our sins are forgiven and should we die from that moment on, while we remain in that state of salvation, we will inherit eternal life. If we are naughty at any time we will be punished until brought back into line. Just as a shepherd might chasten a straying sheep with his rod, so the Lord, the ‘Good Shepherd”, chastens those who stray from His flock.
Does that mean we can’t be lost? No! It means that while we choose to remain as a part of Jesus flock, we can’t be lost. Just as a small child trusts a parent to get them fed and clothed and keep them safe, so must we trust the Lord. We can choose to not remain as a part of the Lord’s flock, even after we have joined it. This right of freedom to choose is never taken from us, in this world or the next. Here are some bible references to the state of a man or woman who so chooses to depart from the Lord.
Matthew 12:43-AV When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Matthew 12:44-AV Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth [it] empty, swept, and garnished.
Matthew 12:45-AV Then goeth he, and taketh with himself 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. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
These three verses tell of an evil presence leaving a man on conversion and being permitted by the man to return. However, not just the original one returns, he brings his mates with him so that the final state of this man is worse than the first. Other passages liken this to a dog returning to it’s vomit and a sow, once washed, wallowing in the mud again.
2Peter 2:22-AV But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
We are told that to blaspheme against the Holy Ghost is the unforgivable sin, and you may have heard it said that this means that, once saved, if we deliberately commit sin, knowing it to be sin, despite the Holy Spirit warning us through our conscience, then we have blasphemed against the Holy Ghost.
Mark 3:29-AV But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Hebrews 10:26-AV For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Ezekiel 18:21-AV But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Ezekiel 18:22-AV All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
Ezekiel 18:23-AV Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: [and] not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Ezekiel 18:24-AV But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
So in answer to the question, a ‘born again’ Christian cannot be possessed while ever the person elects to remain a Christian. If they turn from the Lord and commit deliberate sin, they are deemed to have blasphemed against the Holy Ghost. There is no more sacrifice for them. They are eternally lost and will be inhabited by the original evil spirit plus all his mates. However, should our carnal human nature give in to temptation, or should we sin inadvertently, forgiveness awaits us for the asking. If we do not ask within a reasonable time we will be chastened and brought back into line.
May you be blest with understanding of this most important aspect of Christian salvation.
Lance Wearmouth
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Hey, My name is Sharon. I’m writing to reply to this week’s question. No a born again Christian can not be possessed because they are filled with the Holy Spirit which keeps a Christian from being possessed.
happygirl107@juno.com
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No, I don’t believe you can have Jesus living in your heart and demons too. He said He would never leave or forsake you.
Rainfall61@aol.com
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I don’t believe that anyone who has the Holy Spirit living within their body can have a demon because the Holy Spirit is far too strong to share said place. But I can’t give you Scripture and verse to back this up. If you know, I’d appreciate your sharing it with me. In His Name and love,
Rebecca
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With regard to your Question of the Week about whether a born-again Christian can be possessed, the answer is a DEFINITE YES!!! A dear friend of mine let her guard down when she was a Spirit-filled teenaged evangelist and has *just* – after YEARS of failed exorcisms and desperate seeking on her part for some road back to the fullness of the relationship with Christ she’d known before – been rescued, saved, cleansed, forgiven and restored to grace by the Lord God Almighty, after decades of perversion and demonic control.
At His bidding she has written her autobiography (http://www.FromHelltoGlory.com FROM HELL TO GLORY) to warn others of the dangers of the occult, extramarital sex, witchcraft and addictions — EVEN TO BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS! She has, praise the Lord, included tips and suggestions all the way through on how to recognize the symptoms of satanic attack, and how to effectively USE the weapons our Lord has given to us, both to protect ourselves and to prevail.
Yes, we have a new relationship with God when once we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour…
BUT WE HAVE TO *****FOLLOW***** HIM EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY, if we want His full protection. “Why call ye Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’, and DO not what I command?” (Luke 6:46) LK 6:46 “Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
We are engaged in spiritual warfare and we are moving targets from the moment of our second birth, as far as Satan is concerned. The devil doesn’t worry about us while we’re still in the world, because then we pose no threat to him. That isn’t the case once we’ve chosen Christ as King! At that point we become part of the Lord’s opposing forces and we are 100% in enemy territory. In order to withstand his (Satan’s) attacks, we must follow our professed King. Remember His instructions? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul… and thy neighbour as thyself.” “Seek ye first the KINGdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.” LK 6:46 “Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
“Be careful (CARE FULL – worried sick) for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
“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.”Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, DO: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians)
And as Paul says in Ephesians 6, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places…”
Doesn’t sound much like HE expected born-again believers to have a free ride, does it?
Wake up, dear hearts. THIS IS WAR!
Richest blessings,
Doris Howie