Can a Christian have a demon?

[marksman]

Not all church ministers are necessarily saved. Only God knows if this man was truly a child of God or not. If you believe you saw a demon, that would mean that this person was not truly saved. There are probably thousands of clergy who are not really saved. The religious leaders who opposed Christ were not saved either. They were also what one might call "church ministers" (rabbis).

It is totally contrary to Scripture to teach that a genuine Christian can be demon possessed. Oppression (external) is not the same as possession (internal).

 

[marksman]

You said Enoch....Only God knows if this man was truly a child of God or not.

Then you said....If you believe you saw a demon, that would mean that this person was not truly saved.

You can't have it both ways mate.

 

[marksman]

DEREK PRINCE FALSE TEACHER WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING!!!
"Derek Prince has the dubious reputation as one of the founders of the unmitigated disaster known as the Shepherding Movement...There is no instance in the New Testament of demons being cast out of believers. This teaching also denies the cross and harms believers by putting them into bondage..."
WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: DEREK PRINCE FALSE TEACHER WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING!!!

Oh dear, you do like pontificating about other people don't you, especially when you have no first-hand knowledge of the situation or the person so you just believe what you read.

I knew Derek personally, so I know what Derek did or did not do, so unless you have concrete evidence for the so-called actions of Derek, I suggest you keep your mouth shut.

 

[Hisman]

I have never seen any evidence of the Lord having a special minister for "deliverance". All 12 disciples/apostles were given that power as they relied on the Spirit of God and the authority His name wields. All of us have that ministry, so I look on anyone claiming to be a "specialist" with a little suspicion. That said, I believe some churches neglect that aspect of ministry to their detriment.

That was a catch phrase used in the 70's and 80's. When these books on the subject came out and were very popular.
I DO believe that even today,when casting-out is not so popular, yet some people have an anointing for it and do it while others wouldn't even think it it. Just like there is no such thing 'prayer ministry' either, yet when we are in need we know where to go to ask those who do shut themselves away and give themselves to prayer and intercession while others are a -pray for 10 mins a day person. Some have it, some don't.

If I needed a demon cast out, I would want to go to someone who was comfortable in dealing with them, and knew that they had power over them. Not someone who was nervous and scared to do so.
So, I have no problem with the phrase - Deliverance Mininistery at all.

 

[Helen]

I have never seen any evidence of the Lord having a special minister for "deliverance". All 12 disciples/apostles were given that power as they relied on the Spirit of God and the authority His name wields. All of us have that ministry, so I look on anyone claiming to be a "specialist" with a little suspicion. That said, I believe some churches neglect that aspect of ministry to their detriment.

And @Enoch111 and @Episkopos

As I read this thread I note that some here, have a problem with the phrase "deliverance ministry". I used it.
Not sure why you have a problem. It's just a phrase like any other christianese speak.
There are 'times and seasons' all through our lives, everyone knows that!.

We don't stop being who we are, we just have seasons when life and our walk dictates our spiritual duty in different areas of need.
In my experience it is called OBEDIENCE.
Maybe you guys are unaware of that happening in your lives. "Times and seasons" of ministry .

We had a time of ministry of evangelism in the 60's, we obeyed the calling and anointing was there...we followed the directions. It lasted five years, NOT that we don't always speak to people about the Lord all through life, but "for me" it was a time, a season of ministry. I know the very day it stopped...I got out of the car outside a Bar, and as I walked toward the doors of the bar I said to Dave " I just felt the mantle of anointing lift..God has lifted His hand, I can't go in there in my own strength uncovered." For five years the joy, the word, and anointing for the people was there. When it lifted, it had lifted.

Just so in the 80's with the deliverance calling...I didn't seek it, it sort me. I didn't even wish to do it..but who am I to say no to the Lord.
It was for a time and season.
We are a wife for a while..that is our place and who we are, then we are a mother also, and we are that for a season, then we are a grandparent also, and we do grandparenty things also. Then we also become a caregiver for elderly parents who we take into our home now the kids are married...and see them through to the end. That season too had it's anointing , strength and words, and wisdom.

We "give ourself " to these different areas of need when God puts it upon us and anoints us for the task,or we will be failing and falling short.
If all these things are done with the mantle of grace they are a blessing and joy. When they are just mans "good idea"...they are an Ishmael and not an Isaac. Had some of them in my life too!

Sorry if the phrase "Deliverance Ministry" offend you..at no time in those years did God tell me that what I was doing in His name was an offence to Him.
We were very aware that without His hand directing we of ourselves can do nothing.

 

[Episkopos]

And @Enoch111 and @Episkopos

As I read this thread I note that some here, have a problem with the phrase "deliverance ministry". I used it.
Not sure why you have a problem. It's just a phrase like any other christianese speak.
There are 'times and seasons' all through our lives, everyone knows that!.

We don't stop being who we are, we just have seasons when life and our walk dictates our spiritual duty in different areas of need.
In my experience it is called OBEDIENCE.
Maybe you guys are unaware of that happening in your lives. "Times and seasons" of ministry .

We had a time of ministry of evangelism in the 60's, we obeyed the calling and anointing was there...we followed the directions. It lasted five years, NOT that we don't always speak to people about the Lord all through life, but "for me" it was a time, a season of ministry. I know the very day it stopped...I got out of the car outside a Bar, and as I walked toward the doors of the bar I said to Dave " I just felt the mantle of anointing lift..God has lifted His hand, I can't go in there in my own strength uncovered." For five years the joy, the word, and anointing for the people was there. When it lifted, it had lifted.

Just so in the 80's with the deliverance calling...I didn't seek it, it sort me. I didn't even wish to do it..but who am I to say no to the Lord.
It was for a time and season.
We are a wife for a while..that is our place and who we are, then we are a mother also, and we are that for a season, then we are a grandparent also, and we do grandparenty things also. Then we also become a caregiver for elderly parents who we take into our home now the kids are married...and see them through to the end. That season too had it's anointing , strength and words, and wisdom.

We "give ourself " to these different areas of need when God puts it upon us and anoints us for the task,or we will be failing and falling short.
If all these things are done with the mantle of grace they are a blessing and joy. When they are just mans "good idea"...they are an Ishmael and not an Isaac. Had some of them in my life too!

Sorry if the phrase "Deliverance Ministry" offend you..at no time in those years did God tell me that what I was doing in His name was an offence to Him.
We were very aware that without His hand directing we of ourselves can do nothing.

Hi Helen! When I think of a deliverance ministry I think of UPS, or Purolater. The problem with these buzzwords is that they become a world unto themselves and others seek to emulate what has originally been of the Lord and pump it up into the religious culture. We see this in many 'winds" of doctrine. Deliverance is one of many of these popular "winds."

Another is the over-emphasis on tongues...as if that was the same thing as baptism in the Spirit.

Prosperity teachings with gold dust and gold tooth fillings....the list goes on.

As soon as something becomes a movement...the train is off the rails. One must ask....why is something of God so popular? Could it be self-serving? Like a healing ministry? Who doesn't want healing? Like a prosperity ministry? Who couldn't use a few extra bucks.

But the reasoning is carnal.

God can at times bless people in all these various ways. But let's not make a religious dogma out of it. God is not a genie to grant wishes to people.

 

[Helen]

I know that demonized people are supposed to be very strong and we saw a very thin, unhealthy woman who I believe was demonized, wrestling with two big cops and they couldn't hold her. I've never seen anything like it. She shouldn't have had that kind of strength.
I've read stories of demons attacking in the way you mentioned. I wonder why he couldn't get victory over them since we're supposed to have a stronger spirit as in "Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world." It's hard to hear of stories like that and I wonder what the missing element is - why he couldn't gain the victory.

Good morning.
Interesting thread.

I remember a lady who was demonised , ( I wasn't there ) her husband called a man who was in the deliverance ministry ( a phrase which some here obviously object to ) but who wants help from someone who doesn't know what they are doing.

Her name was Jane Miller. It was the old days of cassette tapes. Her deliverance was recorded.(bad old recordings) and not for the weak of faith and heart to listen to. But Jane wanted deliverance ..she'd sit there and wrap her legs around the chair legs to stop herself running out. ( because the demons always ran out as soon as deliverance started)

It took ages and she had many. Long story ( and it is) ...Jane herself went into the deliverance ministry to help others after she herself had been helped.
She stayed at our house many times on her travels. She preached on many things..but preaching against the spirit which bound people was where her heart was. And after the meetings she have two days on ministry in that area of deliverance.

You said -< "Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world." It's hard to hear of stories like that and I wonder what the missing element is - why he couldn't gain the victory > true indeed, I find this frustrating in the healing area too, very hit and miss. Yet Jesus did both without blinking..we do not have what He had, in the measure that He had.

I did leave out quite a lot of details of his situation, much was very unpleasant ...and my post was getting too long. I hate long posts and presume others do too. lol

The main reason we could not help this man, was because he believed God was not pleased with him. And who knows , maybe he should have refused to leave the mission field and come home to write the book. Maybe he did not wait patiently for the Lord to tell him clearly that it was what He wanted of him.
Something greatly undermined his faith. He called us for help, but he didn't believe that God would free him...a very mixed message .

Where as in Jane's case , she believed that in Jesus she had every right to be free and normal, for God, for her husband , and for her children.

.... a deep subject. H
(or should I sign it as .."One of the Jezebel's" )

.

 

[Episkopos]

Good morning.
Interesting thread.

I remember a lady who was demonised , ( I wasn't there ) her husband called a man who was in the deliverance ministry ( a phrase which some here obviously object to ) but who wants help from someone who doesn't know what they are doing.

Her name was Jane Miller. It was the old days of cassette tapes. Her deliverance was recorded.(bad old recordings) and not for the weak of faith and heart to listen to. But Jane wanted deliverance ..she'd sit there and wrap her legs around the chair legs to stop herself running out. ( because the demons always ran out as soon as deliverance started)

It took ages and she had many. Long story ( and it is) short...Jane herself went into the deliverance ministry to help others after she herself had been helped.
She stayed at our house many times on her travels. She preached on many things..but preaching against the spirit which bound people was where her heart was. And after the meetings she have two days on ministry in that area of deliverance.

You said -< "Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world." It's hard to hear of stories like that and I wonder what the missing element is - why he couldn't gain the victory > true indeed, I find this frustrating in the healing area too, very hit and miss. Yet Jesus did both without blinking..we do not have what He had, in the measure that He had.

I did leave out quite a lot of details of his situation, much was very unpleasant ...and my post was getting too long. I hate long posts and presume others do too. lol

The main reason we could not help this man, was because he believed God was not pleased with him. And who knows , maybe he should have refused to leave the mission field and come home to write the book. Maybe he did not wait patiently for the Lord to tell him clearly that it was what He wanted of him.
Something greatly undermined his faith. He called us for help, but he didn't believe that God would free him...a very mixed message .

Where as in Jane's case , she believed that in Jesus she had every right to be free and normal, for God, for her husband , and for her children.

.... a deep subject. H

.

I have found, in ministry (no name Jesus ministry), that it the truth that overcomes the lies that bring people into bondage. The ones who keep getting entangled in bondage are the ones who haven't yet grasped the truth....and the life in God it is describing.

Some people are unbalanced or unstable in their minds. They get cleaned out from one lie...and they grasp at another.

And then there are the people who are overjoyed at knowing the life of Jesus Christ.

 

[marks]

I've always heard it taught that the holy spirit and a demon cannot inhabit the same person, but I've re-thought that teaching. I recently happened across a youtube video by Derek Prince who said that he has delivered many Christians from demons. I recently read a book "Deliver us from Evil" by Don Basham who said the same thing.

I have encountered some Christians whose behavior was completely the opposite of Christ's. They were critical, faultfinding, and a few did outright evil. So as I listened to Derek Prince's sermon, he said that the worst demons were the "religious" demons. I made me wonder if that was what was operating in churches and on forums.

I'd like to know what others believe.

I know others are posting the Scriptures, I'll just say, by my reading of the Bible, I don't think God shares His children with Satan. I'm filled with the Holy Spirit.

Much love!
Mark

 

[CoreIssue]

A born-again saint cannot be demon possessed. But they can listen to the whispering of a demon.

Just like being born again doesn't mean you will have sound doctrine. As the Bible puts it some never get off of mother's milk to solid food.

We simply cannot know which category everyone falls into, including false salvation.

 

[Dave L]

I know others are posting the Scriptures, I'll just say, by my reading of the Bible, I don't think God shares His children with Satan. I'm filled with the Holy Spirit.

Much love!
Mark

Keep in mind, all who came to Jesus for deliverance had faith, a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

 

[justbyfaith]

(or should I sign it as .."One of the Jezebel's" )

You are no Jezebel sister.

 

[Dave L]

A born-again saint cannot be demon possessed. But they can listen to the whispering of a demon.

Just like being born again doesn't mean you will have sound doctrine. As the Bible puts it some never get off of mother's milk to solid food.

We simply cannot know which category everyone falls into, including false salvation.

All who came to Jesus for deliverance had faith = they were born again.

 

[Helen]

You are no Jezebel sister.

Thank you... I just couldn't resist it...LOL
I even debated with myself to make it my profile name

 

[justbyfaith]

Thank you... I just could resist it...LOL
I even debated with myself to make it my profile name

You mean couldn't?

 

[Helen]

You mane couldn't?

Oh whoops , missed that, didn't proof read it..

Thanks for the catch, I corrected it

 

[justbyfaith]

I corrected my spelling error too.

 

[brakelite]

And @Enoch111 and @Episkopos

As I read this thread I note that some here, have a problem with the phrase "deliverance ministry". I used it.
Not sure why you have a problem. It's just a phrase like any other christianese speak.
There are 'times and seasons' all through our lives, everyone knows that!.

We don't stop being who we are, we just have seasons when life and our walk dictates our spiritual duty in different areas of need.
In my experience it is called OBEDIENCE.
Maybe you guys are unaware of that happening in your lives. "Times and seasons" of ministry .

We had a time of ministry of evangelism in the 60's, we obeyed the calling and anointing was there...we followed the directions. It lasted five years, NOT that we don't always speak to people about the Lord all through life, but "for me" it was a time, a season of ministry. I know the very day it stopped...I got out of the car outside a Bar, and as I walked toward the doors of the bar I said to Dave " I just felt the mantle of anointing lift..God has lifted His hand, I can't go in there in my own strength uncovered." For five years the joy, the word, and anointing for the people was there. When it lifted, it had lifted.

Just so in the 80's with the deliverance calling...I didn't seek it, it sort me. I didn't even wish to do it..but who am I to say no to the Lord.
It was for a time and season.
We are a wife for a while..that is our place and who we are, then we are a mother also, and we are that for a season, then we are a grandparent also, and we do grandparenty things also. Then we also become a caregiver for elderly parents who we take into our home now the kids are married...and see them through to the end. That season too had it's anointing , strength and words, and wisdom.

We "give ourself " to these different areas of need when God puts it upon us and anoints us for the task,or we will be failing and falling short.
If all these things are done with the mantle of grace they are a blessing and joy. When they are just mans "good idea"...they are an Ishmael and not an Isaac. Had some of them in my life too!

Sorry if the phrase "Deliverance Ministry" offend you..at no time in those years did God tell me that what I was doing in His name was an offence to Him.
We were very aware that without His hand directing we of ourselves can do nothing.

Hi Helen. No offense in the actual term and I concur wholeheartedly with your post. My suspicions arose in the 70s with lots of charlatans claiming to have such a'ministry" . And promoted themselves. I remember in one particular church where such a minister had "demon possessed' folk lined up on stage in chairs each with a bucket into which they "coughed" their demons into.
So yeah, I had, and do have my suspicions but that is not to say there were people who were anointed as Hisman and yourself noted.
There used to be many "sons of Sceva" in those days when I used to be in the Pentecostal church. But the demons themselves would play along giving an impression O of validity... Similar to some fake J healing ministries today where the devil "heals" the very ailment he caused.

 

[Lady Crosstalk]

There are born again Christians (to which 1 John 4:4 applies; and who cannot be demon-possessed; being filled with the Holy Ghost); and there are Christians who are believers in name only, who don't have the Holy Ghost.

Jesus said that those who don't gather with Him scatter. If He is dwelling in you, demons will not be able to co-habitate; unless there is a room in your house that you are not giving the Lord access to and that demon is dwelling there. If the Lord has control of "the kitchen," the demon will not have access to food and will not be able to live in you for very long...it will leave because it is hungry. A good way to get rid of demons therefore is to starve them out. But the primary weapon is to give the Lord access to every part of your life so that He is dwelling in and the Lord of every room in the house.

One of the problems that we are seeing is that there are Christians who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And then there are "christians" who are not indwelt (so they cannot even say that they are Christians-->see Romans 8:9). We see some evidence of that in the NT. When Paul asked some disciples he found at Ephesus, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" They replied that no, they had not, they didn't even know about the Holy Spirit that they had only received John's baptism-->(Acts 19:1-2) The laying on of hands for receiving the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts that He gives, (and one wonders if it wasn't a separate occasion from water baptism) seems to have been normative in the early church. Wonder when the laying on of hands stopped? The only time it seems to be done now is at ordinations and when an individual enters some phase of ministry. Anyone know anything more about this?

 

[justbyfaith]

I was in a ministry in South Carolina where revival was occurring because the practice of laying on of hands for impartation was happening on a regular basis throughout the body of Christ in that congregation.