Can a Christian be demon possessed?

[jonathanbchristian]

Jesus gives the answer in Matthew 12:25 "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? there fore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house."
We see that Jesus is saying if someone wants to rob someone they must first bind the owner of the house to steal from them. The Holy Spirit is the Strong Man, the owner and if the devil is going to possess someone He must first deal with the Holy Spirit. So the answer is "no, Christians cannot be possessed!" God is almighty and the devil could never bind Him.

 

[Elizabeth619]

how do you explain the NT prophets after the covenant was made? How about the spirits that Paul and the other disciples cast out of people?

Acts 15:32
Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words.

Acts 21:10
And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

also Revelations tell us that before Jesus comes Satan, the beast and the false prophets will send out three spirits which are demons to gather the nations for war against Jesus.

are you saved through grace from God or by your own choice?

Zach 13:2 2 “It shall be in that day,” says the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.

Like I said. These gifts were given to PAUL and others through Jesus. The Apostles had the ability to pass on these gifts, but it is not recorded anywhere that others were able to pass those gifts on.

About Revelation...You seem to think that is a prophecy of the End of Times. I have stated in other threads that Revelation has alot of figutaritve meaning and eventhough it was a vision of John, it was not a prohpesy about what is about to happen. He wrote that book in code, because Christians in that time suffered great persecution. There is literal meaning behind everything in Revelation.

Battle of Armageddon | Revelation | church of Christ

Take a look at that site about Revelation.

 

[kayem77]

What exactly is demon possession anyways?

A christian with the HS, I don't think so. I think a christian can be INFLUENCED by a demon, telling them to act in a sinful way .It's not always like the movie The Exorcist (that's possesion, total control), sometimes the demons act like pride, unforgiveness, anger,etc any sinful behavior. We can be influenced by them and that's the spiritual warfare we are to fight everyday, but with the HS we can overcome them.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12

An unbeliever is easier to posses because is embracing his/her sinful life by rejecting God. A body without the Spirit is like an invitation to a free night in a 5 stars hotel for a demon.

 

[selenah]

I don't believe that once we become Christian we are automatically going to Heaven. We have to live a Christian life. I do believe we can fall away, but we also can come back to him. It;s all about choice. We choose our path. God and Satan does not choose it for us.

If we have to life a Christian life first to go to Heaven, then what about the thief on the cross? Are you saying that salvation has to be earned by good works?

 

[AnandaHya]

If we have to life a Christian life first to go to Heaven, then what about the thief on the cross? Are you saying that salvation has to be earned by good works?

sure hope she says no. Salvation is through grace and faith in Jesus Christ and what HE did on the cross.

 

[Elizabeth619]

If we have to life a Christian life first to go to Heaven, then what about the thief on the cross? Are you saying that salvation has to be earned by good works?

Salvation is earned by accepting God, but you cant be a christian and then go off killing people and think you are gonna be partying with St. Peter at the pearly gates.

 

[Elizabeth619]

sure hope she says no. Salvation is through grace and faith in Jesus Christ and what HE did on the cross.

Well, yeah...that too lol.

I am in too many conversations now. i iz confuzed

 

[selenah]

Well, yeah...that too lol.

I am in too many conversations now. i iz confuzed

Haha sorry didn't mean to confuse you.

 

[Warrior44]

sure hope she says no. Salvation is through grace and faith in Jesus Christ and what HE did on the cross.

What about james 2:14-26?

 

[Warrior44]

sure hope she says no. Salvation is through grace and faith in Jesus Christ and what HE did on the cross.

Do psychological disorders affect your eternal life?

My father was bipolar. I mean SERIOUSLY nutso. There is about 20% of people who suffer from this disorder where medication cannot "control" it. My father was of that 20%.
He was a dangerous man, and at one point mine and my sisters life were in danger.

MY father passed away in 1993. Do I think he is in a better place? I don't know for sure obviously, but yes. No, he wasn't in his "right mind" but God is a just God. He is a loving God.

Did this disorder affect his soul? I doubt it.

When I think of demonic posession I think of it as someone who is possessed by a spirit to where they cannot control themselves, and their soul is lost. They have no choice, but Hell.

Like we have the ability to accept of deny God. If we accept him then we have a home in Heaven with him. If we deny him, well...Satan is our landlord. We have that CHOICE.

I don't believe that once we become Christian we are automatically going to Heaven. We have to live a Christian life. I do believe we can fall away, but we also can come back to him. It;s all about choice. We choose our path. God and Satan does not choose it for us.

I would say in and of themselves, no, psychological disorders don't affect the eternal soul. But when a demon enters a person, does it enter the soul or the body? The body. Does it control the soul or the body? The body or else the possessed person would not be able to have to be saved. Lastly, Jesus cast demons into a herd of swine. Swine don't have souls do they? Yet they were able to be possessed. I'm no expert, just the way i look at it.
And yes, i agree with you that one must live their life in a Christian way in order to go to Heaven.

 

[AnandaHya]

What about james 2:14-26?

it talks about what True faith is. what do you want to talk about concerning it?

Dead faith is an example of disobedience to God, words mean nothing if the heart of the person is not in submission to Jesus Christ as Lord and savior.

Salvation is not just through confession with the mouth only but also FAITH in the heart of a man which is accorded as righteous.

If you have true faith then you would also have a humble and contrite heart that is willing to cultivate whatever is needed to do whatever works God ask you to do in this life. not what people say you need to do to obtain salvation but what GOD says all need to do: have faith that Jesus will finish what He started and bear spiritual fruit of Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, and self control. Diligently adding to your faith:

2 Peter 1
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

notice WHY you do must do it in diligence? so you might not stumble not that you might not lose your salvation. for God saves not men it is a work of GOD not men.

 

[imachristian637789]

The thing to remember is those people were Not God's children. The demons did not even know them. They know who God's children are. For they would see the HS in them.

Great answer!!

 

[Laodicea]

1 Corinthians 12:3
(3) Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

 

[Hearer]

the word possesed means "owned". The christian can never be owned by the devil. Perhaps oppressed but never possed/owned. LIke when someone posseses a car it is his car. No one else owns it.

The devil can make life difficult and oppress us but never posses.

As for bipolar people they have a difficult task ahead of them to adhere to the commandments of Jesus. Their challenge is greater than the ones who need no doctor. But Jesus can bring grace and healing so that the bipolar person no loneger drinks or is aggressive or sins in other ways. Medication also helps the biploar person not be as moody but on an even path.

 

[foundthetruth]

Demons can give you thoughts and make it seem as though they are your own, but they can never force you into sin.

 

[Warrior44]

it talks about what True faith is. what do you want to talk about concerning it?

Dead faith is an example of disobedience to God, words mean nothing if the heart of the person is not in submission to Jesus Christ as Lord and savior.

Salvation is not just through confession with the mouth only but also FAITH in the heart of a man which is accorded as righteous.

If you have true faith then you would also have a humble and contrite heart that is willing to cultivate whatever is needed to do whatever works God ask you to do in this life. not what people say you need to do to obtain salvation but what GOD says all need to do: have faith that Jesus will finish what He started and bear spiritual fruit of Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, and self control. Diligently adding to your faith:

2 Peter 1
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

notice WHY you do must do it in diligence? so you might not stumble not that you might not lose your salvation. for God saves not men it is a work of GOD not men.

The works described in james 2 are not like requirements that you have to complete to get into Heaven. they come about through faith. And it is because of these works and our faith that God saves us. So no, we don't "earn" our salvation. It is a gift from God.

 

[AnandaHya]

The works described in james 2 are not like requirements that you have to complete to get into Heaven. they come about through faith. And it is because of these works and our faith that God saves us. So no, we don't "earn" our salvation. It is a gift from God.

ok. I've just met too many people recently who like to make following the law a condition for salvation and having people focus on themselves and what they have to do or what they haven't done instead of seeking to have a closer more intimate relationship with God and allow God to work in us to make us more Christlike and submitting to His will in love and obedience.

 

[foundthetruth]

A lot of you probably carry around demons without being fully aware.

 

[selenah]

A lot of you probably carry around demons without being fully aware.

I disagree. I could be wrong, but I don't think most of the sin in our life is caused as much by an infestation of demons as by our own sin nature. If we blame demons for alot of our sins, then we end up removing our own responsibility and turning ourseleves into the innocent victims. Sin is something that we willfully committ. Don't get me wrong, I do think there are demons that do attack people and can mess with people's minds really bad. I just don't think they are the primary focus. To focus on the demons all the time is like focusing on angels all the time. We miss the point. Anyways, that's just my opinion so please please please everyone do correct me if I'm wrong because I really need guidance more than anything.

 

[AnandaHya]

I think you are right Selena we need to focus on JESUS and the fact He defeated all the powers of darkness when He was nailed to the Cross...

Colossians 2
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins[c] of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.