Demon Bondages

[quietthinker]

It came up in another thread, this term, "Demon Bondages", referring to a Christian being in bondage to a demon, or to demons.

I'm aware of the place that Jesus refers to the woman He heals as having been bound by Satan. This was a physical affliction.

Is there more in Scripture on this topic? That the regenerate can be in "demon bondages"?

Much love!

The slave girl following Paul was in bondage to a demon ....yet she said the 'right' things.
Later, when the demon was cast out, we hear no more of her.
What I've deducted from this is, there are many with religious spirits that for all intents and purposes pass as believers, yet are anything but.

Many who deem themselves believers have a view which has nothing to do with relating with Jesus.
'Many will say to me Lord, Lord we did this and we did that in your name .....I will tell them plainly, I never knew you...' Matthew 7:22-23

 

[Enoch111]

t came up in another thread, this term, "Demon Bondages", referring to a Christian being in bondage to a demon, or to demons.

Christians -- those who have been born from above and received the gift of the Holy Spirit -- cannot be in "bondage" to demons or enslaved by demons. They can, however, have a "besetting" sin, or one that they have not freed themselves from (and are easily ensared or entangled by it):Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset* us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us (Heb 12:1).

The meaning of "beset" is this:
*Strong's Concordance
euperistatos: easily encircling
Original Word: εὐπερίστατος, ον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: euperistatos
Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-per-is'-tat-os)
Definition: easily encircling
Usage: easily surrounding, encircling, easily distracted.

The Bible says that greater is He (God) that is in us, than he (Satan) that is in the world. Yet, God does allow Satan and his demons to oppress, attack, and even kill Christians (through their minions).

 

[marks]

The slave girl following Paul was in bondage to a demon ....yet she said the 'right' things.
Later, when the demon was cast out, we hear no more of her.
What I've deducted from this is, there are many with religious spirits that for all intents and purposes pass as believers, yet are anything but.

Many who deem themselves believers have a view which has nothing to do with relating with Jesus.
'Many will say to me Lord, Lord we did this and we did that in your name .....I will tell them plainly, I never knew you...' Matthew 7:22-23

Where was that passage? I don't recall it reading that way. I thought this was an unbelieving girl possessed by a demon, not a Christian girl in bondage to a demon.

Much love!

 

[marks]

Christians -- those who have been born from above and received the gift of the Holy Spirit -- cannot be in "bondage" to demons or enslaved by demons. They can, however, have a "besetting" sin, or one that they have not freed themselves from (and are easily ensared or entangled by it):Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset* us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us (Heb 12:1).

The meaning of "beset" is this:
*Strong's Concordance
euperistatos: easily encircling
Original Word: εὐπερίστατος, ον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: euperistatos
Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-per-is'-tat-os)
Definition: easily encircling
Usage: easily surrounding, encircling, easily distracted.

The Bible says that greater is He (God) that is in us, than he (Satan) that is in the world. Yet, God does allow Satan and his demons to oppress, attack, and even kill Christians (through their minions).

Yeah, I was trying to remember that word. I couldn't think of it, just it's meaning, "is so good at standing around us" Eu, good, peri, around, stao, stand. Like being surrounded by a bunch of linebackers intent on making sure I don't get further down the track.

Sin that so easily besets us.

Does this tell us about "demon bondage"? Or does this tell us about the seeming power of our sin?

Much love!

 

[marks]

I see what you're saying. And yet, the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God... not through or of ourselves.

In context, walking worthy of our calling involves humility, long-suffering, lowliness, meekness, forebearance, keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace... again, not self-focused.

Ephesians 4:1-3
[1]I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
[2]With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
[3]Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

I can see how you draw the connection of worthiness. But those verses aren't specifically speaking if the weapons of our warfare. But this speaks of walking worthy of our calling. Not a worthiness to receive Him spiritually. None of us are worthy to receive Him. We receive Him by grace through faith. We didn't earn that. That's why we need grace.

Yes of course. For the record, the worthiness Paul is referring to is a calling. As followers of Jesus we have a calling. Worthiness is considered in the following verses and it relates to obeying the commandments of Jesus which are above and beyond the 10 commandments: 1 Timothy 3:2-12

And I realize that I am a sinner and not worthy of my calling

I see both of these to be essentially the same. For me, the full armour of God is another way of saying put on Christ, also, put on the new man, also, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, etc, also He who hears my sayings and keeps them, I think these are all the same, summed up in, believe what the Bible says.

That when we walk worthy of our calling, our calling is to walk as Christ walked. We do that by putting on the helmet of salvation, by adding to our faith virtue, by putting on the new man, putting on Christ.

I find all of the armour of God is about our faith. Trusting in Jesus for salvation, righteousness, for truth, for a fruitful life, the shield of faith extingushing the fiery darts of the wicked, or wicked one, it can read either way.

I don't see anything in the Bible that speaks to me of a "demon bondage" in the life of the child of God, but what I do see is the lack of faith that what He says is true, and how that keeps us from moving past our ongoing repeated sins, because we've forgotten we've been cleansed of them.

It's like the elephant with the thin little rope around its foot tied to that tiny little stake. It can't really hold the elephant, except, the elephant believes it can. Demon bondage? Or skinny little rope of disbelief?

Much love!

 

[TLHKAJ]

I see both of these to be essentially the same. For me, the full armour of God is another way of saying put on Christ, also, put on the new man, also, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, etc, also He who hears my sayings and keeps them, I think these are all the same, summed up in, believe what the Bible says.

That when we walk worthy of our calling, our calling is to walk as Christ walked. We do that by putting on the helmet of salvation, by adding to our faith virtue, by putting on the new man, putting on Christ.

I find all of the armour of God is about our faith. Trusting in Jesus for salvation, righteousness, for truth, for a fruitful life, the shield of faith extingushing the fiery darts of the wicked, or wicked one, it can read either way.

I don't see anything in the Bible that speaks to me of a "demon bondage" in the life of the child of God, but what I do see is the lack of faith that what He says is true, and how that keeps us from moving past our ongoing repeated sins, because we've forgotten we've been cleansed of them.

It's like the elephant with the thin little rope around its foot tied to that tiny little stake. It can't really hold the elephant, except, the elephant believes it can. Demon bondage? Or skinny little rope of disbelief?

Much love!

When you put it that way, I agree. But to be clear, our worthiness isn't based on our perfection. It's based in our faith in Christ, and His finished work on the cross.

I have more thoughts on what you wrote ...but later.

 

[marks]

When you put it that way, I agree. But to be clear, our worthiness isn't based on our perfection. It's based in our faith in Christ, and His finished work on the cross.

Absolutely! We are called to live up to what He has done for us.

Much love!

 

[Goldie75]

I think we come to Christ through faith - based wholly on the finished work of the cross - and we are then to walk in newness of life - with this as our foundation. What matters now is how we build. We are to walk in the spirit and no longer in the flesh but rather denying self. So begins the lifelong process of sanctification. For me, to walk worthy of Him is to walk with Him, actively growing in him using the tools he has given us in his word - not going back to our old dead lives and old ways of doing things. We are saved and sanctified by faith and not any works which we can muster up in our own strength from our own resources.

So a picture of not walking worthy of Him would be turning away from him or seeking to serve him with religious dead works.

As to strongholds - I believe these come down as we walk with God, are washed and renewed through being in the word and as we obey him. I don’t believe a Christian can be possessed. But the work of this fallen world including demonic influence is something we must each daily overcome. In my own life, some of these strongholds broke off very quickly, but others are so strong and so deep, it’s taking a lot longer to be renewed and changed into His image for them to be pulled down. I suspect some won’t be completely removed from me this side of glory. But I’m freer than I once was.

 

[Marvelloustime]

A simple answer would be to remind the peoples of the weapons of our warfare .
IF we would but learn that biblical pattern then we would do well .
FOR OUR weapons are not carnal , they are MIGHTY , THE SPIRIT , to the pulling down OF STRONG HOLDS
and of every thing that does exalt itself against GOD , bringing even our minds unto the obediance of Christ .
BUT again , WHO ARE WE SUBMITTING ourselves too , men who teach error , OR GOD , OR CHRIST .
WE MUST learn that pattern in the bible well . WE have A MIGHTY WEAPON that simply is not known to the carnal mind
and it cannot be recieved by the carnal mind . ITS THE LORD , ITS HIM . ONLY till we submit unto HIM
i fear huge for souls . This is why i am constantly saying to all , READ and love your bibles
and do not let men omit what they taught . DO NOT Let men make excuse and say odd things like
well that was for a different time and age . NO ITS FOR US NOW . ITS ALL FOR US . WE must never change it . SIMPLY
SUBMIT TO IT , submit to GOD . WHO INSPIRED the apostels , THE SPIRIT DID .

Wonderful encouragement and reminders, dear brother. Praise the Lord.

 

[Nancy]

Where was that passage? I don't recall it reading that way. I thought this was an unbelieving girl possessed by a demon, not a Christian girl in bondage to a demon.

Much love!

"She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”
Acts 16:17
Though she was into divination and possessed by demons...she still got that right. Don't understand it unless God caused her to say that.

 

[Nancy]

What does it mean to be oppressed by demons, and what is there in the Bible about this?

1 Peter 5:8-9 KJV
8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

It sounds like the devil will afflict us, and we can resist him in faith.

Much love!

Hi Marks,
I cannot find anything saying the actual word "oppressed" in scripture yet, weren't all of God's people oppressed at one time or another WITHOUT being "possessed"? Job for example?
Oppression is really just unjustly using power at the others expense. I would say that everyone of His followers had to deal with daily oppression. JMHO

 

[marks]

"She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”
Acts 16:17
Though she was into divination and possessed by demons...she still got that right. Don't understand it unless God caused her to say that.

I had an encounter with I suppose it was a demon through I Ching (Chinese divination) just before I was saved. It was very odd, not only was I obviously communicating with an intelligence through this divination method, but it gave me a lot of true information, including about how I was going to be saved. I figure God constrained it to the truth.

I spent hours a day for 2 weeks at this, throwing the coins and looking at the readings, growing increasingly specific in my questions, and getting very specific answers. If I go north to start the commune with those people, it's all going to end in personality conflicts. If I go the NM to start the commune with those other people, it's going to work out well, and I will be happy there.

But the greatest good will be if I return to where my family lives. I'll be taken captive by the chief authority for 2 weeks, but then I will be releases, and I will be free, and the greatest good will be accomplished.

At the time, I couldn't get it to identify just who this "chief authority" who was to take me captive, then set me free, even though this was a military divination system with all sorts of ways to identify the different ranks.

After landing at my brother's place, I read The Late Great Planet Earth, and, What the World is Coming To. And I knew it was all true, the Bible was true, and I'm not actually co-divine with everyone else. But it took two weeks for me to yield and be baptized. I learn who is the Chief Authority.

Much love!

 

[marks]

Hi Marks,
I cannot find anything saying the actual word "oppressed" in scripture yet, weren't all of God's people oppressed at one time or another WITHOUT being "possessed"? Job for example?
Oppression is really just unjustly using power at the others expense. I would say that everyone of His followers had to deal with daily oppression. JMHO

That's what I came up with too, that oppression is, well, just like you said there. But what real power does a demon have over a child of God? Any? I'd say only of God has granted it, and I'd think God only grants is for purposes of discipline.

I think Job is a good example, he was afflicted, in that a lot was done to him, but he didn't yield to it, as if there were power to make him do that.

We can be afflicted, but that doesn't make us sin, it's like all the other afflictions and temptations we deal with, right?

Much love!

 

[Nancy]

That's what I came up with too, that oppression is, well, just like you said there. But what real power does a demon have over a child of God? Any? I'd say only of God has granted it, and I'd think God only grants is for purposes of discipline.

I think Job is a good example, he was afflicted, in that a lot was done to him, but he didn't yield to it, as if there were power to make him do that.

We can be afflicted, but that doesn't make us sin, it's like all the other afflictions and temptations we deal with, right?

Much love!

Yes, well put! You said it better than I ever could, fine job bro!!!

 

[Nancy]

I had an encounter with I suppose it was a demon through I Ching (Chinese divination) just before I was saved. It was very odd, not only was I obviously communicating with an intelligence through this divination method, but it gave me a lot of true information, including about how I was going to be saved. I figure God constrained it to the truth.

I spent hours a day for 2 weeks at this, throwing the coins and looking at the readings, growing increasingly specific in my questions, and getting very specific answers. If I go north to start the commune with those people, it's all going to end in personality conflicts. If I go the NM to start the commune with those other people, it's going to work out well, and I will be happy there.

But the greatest good will be if I return to where my family lives. I'll be taken captive by the chief authority for 2 weeks, but then I will be releases, and I will be free, and the greatest good will be accomplished.

At the time, I couldn't get it to identify just who this "chief authority" who was to take me captive, then set me free, even though this was a military divination system with all sorts of ways to identify the different ranks.

After landing at my brother's place, I read The Late Great Planet Earth, and, What the World is Coming To. And I knew it was all true, the Bible was true, and I'm not actually co-divine with everyone else. But it took two weeks for me to yield and be baptized. I learn who is the Chief Authority.

Much love!

Awesome, God had other plans for you. NOTHING can separate us from His love and He knew you would be one day a follower of His.
Many blessings your way, hallelujah!

 

[amigo de christo]

I don't think we are supposed to believe in these things, if we believe in God Jehovah and his only begotten son, then we are free of these things and protected by God Jehovah and our Lord and Savior Christ, and Satan can't harm us or his minions.

persecutions are allowed . But as for us , We have the glorious LORD no matter what shall come against us .
He is our hope , our shield and our strongtower and our salvation . Let all that draws breath praise the glorious and wonderous Lord .

 

[amigo de christo]

Where was that passage? I don't recall it reading that way. I thought this was an unbelieving girl possessed by a demon, not a Christian girl in bondage to a demon.

Much love!

True . had she been a christain she would have turned from her old ways and no longer been under a spirit of divination .
Its true even the demons know , but they do not follow . She was praticing divination and making her masters much gain .
ITS why when paul cast that spirit out of her , her masters were angry and rose up and gathered some folks to come against paul .
This lady was not saved . She was still under that spirit .

 

[amigo de christo]

Absolutely! We are called to live up to what He has done for us.

Much love!

We are simply counted worthy , made worthy in Christ . That is right its not us earning a thing or making ourselves righteous .
Rather we simply obey and heed the SPIRIT wherein we would then walk righteously , doing righteous acts by the Spirit
that has indwelled us and changed our hearts and given us new desires .

 

[Jay Ross]

Sadly, when we look for demons operating in our lives we look out through the lens of the demon who then tells us that he cannot see himself in them. A lie. We only have to believe in a "theological" lie and we "Christians" become possessed by demons, but we believe that the "theological' lie is true and because of this we "Christians" can become "captured" by demons.

But how can a "righteous" man become so deceived? Very easily.

 

[quietthinker]

Where was that passage? I don't recall it reading that way. I thought this was an unbelieving girl possessed by a demon, not a Christian girl in bondage to a demon.

Much love!

You'll find the story in Acts 16:17
She appears to be a regular secular girl doing a few tricks for her boss. The same principle applies irrespective of what people claim of themselves.