Since God has revealed to us how evil spirits, demons, and Satan operate against human beings -- particularly children of God -- we need to have a clear. biblical understanding of the spiritual warfare which God allows on this earth. At the same time, we need to be careful that we do not devote too much time or attention to these enemies of God and man.
1. Evil spirits are fallen angels, and when Lucifer became Satan(Heb
ha Satan = the Adversary),(also called the Devil) and committed treason against God, he took a large contingent of all the angels with him when he was cast out of God's Heaven. Some of these evil angels came down to earth, took the form of humans, and cohabited with women in order to produce unusual offspring -- giants (
Nephilim) and men of renown ("gods and heroes").
This was before the Flood, and because they thorougly corrupted humanity, and brought judgment upon the earth, they were imprisoned and chained in the darkness of Tartarus (called "hell) and remain there until their final judgment. They are called "the angels which kept not their first estate" or "the angels that sinned". At the same time God created Hell (Gehenna, the Lake of Fire) for the Devil and his angels, and that is where they will remain for eternity.
2. Since their fall, the remaining evil spirits were allowed to inhabit the atmospheric heavens ("the air"),(possibly even outer space), and Satan is called "the prince of the power of the air", being their leader (also called Beelzebub). At the same time Satan is "the god of this world", and when he came to tempt Christ, he offered Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. Which means that all worldly systems, ideas, and philosophies ultimately originate with the Devil.
3. That word "power" denotes that these angels (just like the holy angels) have supernatural powers, and they are far more powerful than human beings. Also, there are hierarchies within the angelic realm, denoted by the terms thrones, dominions, principalities, powers, ruler of of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore these evil angels are assigned to the nations and kingdoms of the world, and actually control them. We see this illustrated in the book of Daniel.
4. Demons are evil spirits which possess humans or animals. They are also the elemental spirits which are worshiped by animists, and they are also the pagan false gods worshiped by all the false religions. Some claim that demons are the offspring of humans and evil angels, but that is not revealed in Scripture.
5. The spirits which are termed "ghosts" are indeed evil spirits or demons pretending to be the spirits of those who died. When mediums summon spirits "from the dead" those are not the spirits of the departed dead (which cannot leave Hades), but evil spirits masquerading as people.
6. Those who have been born-again have received the gift of the
indwelling Holy Spirit, and "greater is He that is in you, than he [Satan] that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
Which means that believers cannot be possessed by evil spirits. However they can be oppressed and attacked by Satan and his evil spirits, as we see in the book of Job.
7. God has given His children the power to cast out demons from those who are demon-possessed, but unless these afflicted people are genuinely regenerated, they can be re-possessed, as we know from Scripture. At the same time, all Christians are exhorted to resist the Devil, and he will flee from us.
8. Some people teach that Christians should rebuke the Devil, but what we find is that even Michael the archangel would not rebuke the Devil, but said "the Lord rebuke thee". So it is God who must rebuke Satan.
ZECHARIAH 3
1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.