BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED - IITB 03.12

 

Chapter 3.12

Bewitched, Bothered

And Bewildered

Possessed vs: Oppressed, Free vs: Bound Spirits

How to shake, rattle and roll

 

 

First Word

     Some folks believe that Fallen Angels are the demons that roam free on the earth today.  Others believe they are entities from the first earth age, a time before this age begin; which is what I believe.  I will not debate that here, but only deal with the effects of their reality, however, I must point out that scripture does say that fallen angels are being held in chains of darkness; they are not free.[1]

 

First Question

     The first question right out of the box is; “Can a BELIEVER; a Christian be possessed by a demon” and the answer is a resounding NO; end of word study.   Well, sort of; while a Christian cannot be possessed, he can surely be bothered, messed with, and tempted and that’s what we are going to look at in this study.  I need to point out that there is a big difference between a BELIEVER, A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST and a MAKE-BELIEVER who is just an IMPOSTER; one who deceives and is being deceived.[2]  Some say they are a Christian in the same spirit as being an American, loving apple pie, puppies and motherhood; but they don’t actually follow Christ.

 

Invisible War

     Let’s set the Record Straight and get it down deep in our spirit just who Satan really is.  We acknowledge that there is an Invisible War going on between, good and evil; between Satan and God[3]. When we speak of demonic activity and power, we always speak of their Prince Satan and his power.  We think of Two Equal and Opposite forces. 

     Satan is NOT the opposite of God; he is the opposite of Michael the High Archangel.  Satan is no match for God in any situation, he is not even in the same league.   While he has been given power, he is NOT equal.  He is just a dog on a leash that can go only as far as the length of the leash and raise all the HELL he wants to within that circle.[4]

 

Demons

     Demon is from the Greek word daimon; in the KJV it is translated Devil.  The Jewish traditional roots passes down to us that demons are the forces of darkness and wickedness and their leader is Satan; demons are in a matter of speaking; HELL’S ANGELS.  The evil spirits or demons that live today are the same spirits from the first earth age; moving from person to person, killing, stealing and destroying as they go.

     They do not consist of matter or material body or substance, they are without physical existence in themselves, but they belong as property or a thing to Satan.  They are invisible and operate above the laws of nature and have supernatural intelligence and knowledge along with terrible physical strength which they impart to those possessed.  A demon spirit needs a moist place to find rest and attempts to take over humans as well as animals.[5]  They need to possess a person’s mind and body to enable them to get around   Jesus validated the existence of Demons, He referred to them as Unclean Evil Spirits and went on to say some people could be possessed by many of them.[6]

 

Free and Bound

     There seems to be two classes of demons; those that are free in “The Air” and those bound in “The Abyss”.   The Abyss is a temporary holding place for evil spirits until they are thrown into the lake of fire.  Their leader is “The Prince of the power of THE AIR”;[7] Satan.

     A demon is the gateway to your body.  Once one enters he can allow others to take up residence. Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out of her by Jesus.[8]  Seven is the number for completeness; she was completely possessed.  You can see by her actions in scripture, how grateful she was for her deliverance as she joined and faithfully served Jesus in His ministry and even after His death.  There can be many more that can possess you, perhaps even hundreds.[9]

 

Characteristics

     Unclean spirits are NOT abstract thoughts, diseases, or just aliments, they are rational beings who know who Jesus is and believe in God, but just do not accept Him and cannot, because they have already been judged and doomed.  They know that their time is short and will beg not to be punished before their time of judgment.[10] 

     They have the same attributes of a person, exhibiting personality, intellect, emotion and will.   They are fierce, relentless and just plain out mean; they give seizers, convulsions, throw you down, batter you and make you foam at the mouth; they cause you to scream, grind your teeth and try to kill you. They can cripple and make you deaf and mute as well as speak through you and transform you into a totally different person with incredible strength and fierceness.[11] 

     NOTE: This does not mean that someone that has these characteristics are demon possessed.

   

     I grew up with a neighborhood kid named Larry who was just plain mean.  His grandmother had the Spirit of God, but Larry had a Demonic Spirit.  He would do things to animals just to torment them.  He would twist your arm, hit you in the back, knock you down, scatter your books and take your lunch.  I don’t ever remember hating anybody in my life, but Larry.  If ever the world would be better off, it would be when Larry was dead.  After High school Larry was killed while engaged in a robbery.  Today we see people bringing guns into the schools and work place and killing just to kill.  We say that they were just not in their right mind.  

I say this is plain and simple demonic activity.

 

Possession or Oppression

     Demon Possession is a demon residing in a person and exerting direct control and influence over that person causing certain derangement of mind and body.

     Demon Oppression or Influence must always be distinguished from Demon possession in relationship to a person.  Demon influence is just demons messing with you because they can.

 

Can a Christian be Demon Possessed?

     The Spirit of God inhabits us permanently; our body is the temple of Holy Spirit; God, who is in us is greater and stronger than he who is in the world.[12] (Satan and his demons)

     Demons cannot enter into a person who is occupied by someone stronger than they are.  The Holy Spirit and an unclean spirit cannot co-exist in the same person, just as light cannot co-exist with darkness.[13]  There is NOT one scripture in the New Testament about a Believer; a Christian being possessed by a demon.  We may be troubled, bothered, harassed and tempted by demons, but never possessed.  We can be Obsessed and Oppressed, but NOT Possessed. 

     When we submit to God we are delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of light.[14]  We are NOT taught to cast Satan out, we are taught to resist Satan and he will flee from us.[15]   The Ruler of this world, Satan and his demons have already been judged.  Jesus has already disarmed their power and authority, and has made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by way of the cross.[16]

 

Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered

     Demonic Activity can have you Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered whether you are a Christian or not.  Demons are Oppressive, they just HANG ON and oppress those they can’t possesses.[17] READ ON

     In fact count yourself special when you are attacked.  Count it all joy when you fall into various trials for you must be doing something great in God’s plan.  This is a TEST of your Faith and Patience; not for God’s benefit, but for yours.[18]  Satan and his minion spirits get a foothold in your life through; willful sin, pride, strife, un-forgiveness, doubt, fear & negative speech just to name just a few.

     There are invisible chains of infirmity that are not physical; you can’t see them, but the bondage is still ever present.  It can move around your body exhibiting headaches, backaches, chest pains, upset stomach, nausea, dizziness, sadness, depression, stress, fear, paranoia, rage and even cause you to exhibit different personalities.

     This suffering is not really a physical sickness; so medical treatment gives minor relief if any.  For sure, it is not God trying to teach you something because it is God’s will that you are healed.[19]  Prayer”, “The Word” and “Faith” is the only remedy.  This oppression can even be found in the Church, attaching itself outwardly hoping to gain entrance though discouragement and stress.  Christians cannot be inwardly possessed; only messed with.  Demonic “attacks” will not succeed in the life of the believer, they will eventually fail.[20]

Shake, Rattle and Roll

      How to shake off unclean spirits; demonic minions that try to hang on you.

a)     Flee from sexual immorality; all other sins a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.[21]

b)     Flee Youthful passions which could include drugs, alcohol, gambling and multiple partners.  We should pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.[22]

c)     Flee from idolatry; in the end times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, things of the Occult, Dungeons and Dragons, Ouija boards, Tara Cards, Astrology, Horoscopes, Hypnosis, Silva Mind Control, Symbol Therapy, Visualization & guided imagery, color experimentations, Yoga, Tai Chi, Reflexology, Magnetic Healing, Transcendental Meditation, Chanting, Spirit Channeling, Automatic Writings, Séances, LSD, Cosmic consciousness, Necromancy (raising the dead for communication), Speaking in Demonic languages, Biofeedback, Psychics, and Music with occultist lyrics.[23] 

d)      Flee from demonic images: Get rid of jewelry and symbolism such as Zodiac signs, pentagrams, hexagrams, enneagram (9 triangle points in a circle), all seeing eye, perverted cross, swastika, Egyptian ankh, dragon, serpent, yin/yang, locus, unicorn, flying Pegasus horse, the lotus blossom, point within a circle, sign of the cloven hoof or footprint of the devil.  Did you know that holding up your two fingers; the index and the little finger is a sign of the “Satanic horns”?

e)     Reject the trend to be pre-occupied with media; Movies, Books and Magazines that glorifies the occult, sin and idolatry.  We are told to flee, run from every connection to the occult.

f)       Renew your mind daily; the serpent deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, her mind was led astray by demonic craftiness.  What you think is what you are; bring every thought into captivity.  Think about these things: whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, these are the things to think on.[24]

g)     Speak and Confess good stuff: You are what you confess.   Satan cannot read your mind, he only knows what you speak; SPEAK LIFE.

h)     Refuse to give Satan the advantage; we are not to be ignorant of his schemes.[25]

i)       Prepare your minds for action; you have entered the INVISABLE WAR ZONE where there are land mines on the ground and missiles overhead.

j)       Put on the whole armor of God, that you will be able to stand against Satan and his demons to stop his schemes and his ability to manipulate your mind.[26]

Our Armor of protection:  There are seven (complete) things protecting us from demons.[27]  

1) Submission to God.  

2) The blood of Jesus Christ.  

3) The Holy Spirit that is within us.  

4) God’s Word from the Bible. 

5) Our authority as Believers.  

6) The gifts of the Holy Spirit.  

7) Our Prayer life.

 

Striking Back at God

     A demon when possessing a human being is striking back at God for taking their bodies in the pre-Adamic flood and placing a prophetic curse on them of damnation to the lake of fire  They strike back by oppressing and destroying His greatest creation; “MAN” made in His own image; binding their victims with chains of physical and mental sickness and disorders.

     Jesus went about healing the sick and those oppressed of the Devil; did you see it? Sickness and oppression is from Satan.[28]

 

The Take Away Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered

     Fallen angels are not demons although many books written say they are; Scripture does not support this.  Demons are disembodied spirits that died during the great flood of the first earth age. They were created immortal, they were not under the law of “sin and death”.

     They are known as familiar spirits, unclean spirits, demons and devils.  There is an invisible war going on to hinder God’s promises and our prayers from reaching us.  God says to pray continuously till we receive our answer, and then continue praying in thanksgiving.  He says to be thankful IN all things; not FOR all things.[29]

     Demons and Satan cannot read our thoughts, but they act with haste on what we confess with our mouth:[30] We are what we confess; I confess that I AM BLESSED.

     The Christian has dominion over demons and is protected by seven things; 1) Submission to God, 2) The blood of Jesus Christ, 3) The Holy Spirit within us,  4) God’s Word; the Bible,  5) The believers authority, 6) The gifts of the Spirit and 7) and Our prayer life.[31]  (Seven, we are complete.)

     An evil spirit cannot co-exist with the Holy Spirit; A Christian cannot be possessed.  You can be bewitched, bothered and bewildered by demons trying to discourage you, trying to get a foothold in your life; specially trying to cause doubt in your prayer life.  Through the death of Christ on the cross, the works of Satan has been destroyed.[32]  Christ did not shed his blood on the cross for fallen angels or demons; in this second earth age, there is NO hope for a demon nor a fallen angel.

     Satan has limited power for a short time given to him by God, but he has already been judged and doomed to be confined to the Lake of Fire forever along with his minions and those who do not accept Jesus as the Son of God; the Messiah.[33]

 

There is therefore now no condemnations for those who have accepted Jesus Christ.

We have already won the war, it was settled at the cross; we are more than conquerors’.[34]

 

Oppressed?   Then SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL

 



[1] Jude 6 – Fallen Angels are in chains of darkness.

[2] Acts 19:13-16 – JESUS I KNOW, and I KNOW ABOUT PAUL, BUT WHO ARE YOU?" -- 2 Timothy 3:13 – Make Believers will Deceive and be Deceived

[3] Ephesians 6:12 – Our fight is INVISIBLE; it is not against flesh and blood

[4] Ephesians 2:2 – Satan is the PRINCE of the power of the air -- Job 2:6 – Satan’s power is given and LIMITED by God

[5] Matthew 12:43 – A demon spirit cannot rest in a dry place. -- Mark 5:12 – Demons desire a moist place to live, even an animal

[6] Mark 1:32 – People brought the demon-possessed to Jesus -- Mark 1:39 – Jesus preached and drove out demons -- Matthew 4:24 – News spread about Jesus healing people that were demon-possessed  -- Luke 7:21 – Jesus called Demons; Evil Spirits not Evil Angels

[7] Ephesians 2:2 – Satan is the Prince of the power of the air -- Ephesians 2:1-2 – Some demons are free “in the air” -- Luke 8:31Some demons are bound “in the Abyss

[8] Luke 8:1 – You can be possessed by more than one demon

[9] Mark 5:8-9 – Perhaps even hundreds of Evil Unclean Sprits

[10] Luke 4:33-34 – Evil Spirits know who Jesus is and their impending Judgment -- Matthew 8:29 – Demons have Knowledge, they know their time is short  

[11] Matthew 8:29 – Demons an speak through a possessed person -- Luke 4:33 – These Evil Spirits speak loudly when they speak -- Mark 5:4 – They can make you to become incredible strong -- Matthew 8:28 – They can make you Fierce -- James 2:19 – Even the demons believe in God -- Acts 8:7 – Demons; these unclean spirits can cripple you -- Luke 11:14 – Unclean spirits can take away your ability to speak -- Mark 9:25 – Unclean spirits can take away your ability to hear -- Mark 1:26 – Unclean spirits can cause convulsions -- Mark 9:22 – Unclean spirits try to kill the possessed -- Luke 9:39 – Demons; Throw, batters and causes foaming at the mouth -- Mark 9:18 – Unclean spirits can cause you to grinds your teeth

[12] 1 Corinthians 6:19 – Our body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit

[13] 1 John 4:4 – God who lives in us is greater than Demons -- Matthew 12:29 – Demons can’t bind someone who is stronger --

[14] Colossians 1:13 – We have been delivered from darkness into God’s light.

[15] James 4:7 – Submit to God and RESIST the Devil and he will flee from you

[16] John 16:11 - The ruler of this world has been judged -- Colossians 2:15 – The Cross has disarmed the demons

[17] Matthew 8:16 – Demons or unclean spirits oppress because they can -- Luke 13:11 – There is a spirit of infirmity

[18] James 1:2-4 – Count it all as Joy – You are being tested.

[19] Mark 1:40-41 – Jesus said He wants us healed.

[20] -- Isaiah 54:17 – The attacks will not succeed; they will fail

[21] 1 Corinthians 6:18 – We are commanded to Flee from sexual immorality

[22] 2 Timothy 2:22 - We are commanded to flee youthful passions

[23] 1 Corinthians 10:14 – We are commanded to Flee from idolatry

[24] 2 Corinthians 11:3 – What you think can lead you astray. -- Philippians 4:8 – Think on things of excellence; IT’S IN THE BOOK

[25] 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 – We are not ignorant of Satan’s schemes -- 1 Timothy 4:1 – In the latter time some will seek Deceitful Spirits and Demonic Teachings

[26] Ephesians 6:11 – We are commanded to put on the whole armor of God, IT’S IN THE BOOK -- James 4:7-8 – We are commanded to Resist Satan and he will flee from us.

[27] 1 Peter 1:13 - We are commanded to prepare our minds for action -- Proverbs 18:21 – What you speak or confess will come to pass

[28] Acts 10:38 – Sickness is an oppression from Satan

[29] Philippians 4:6 – Be thankful IN all thing; not FOR all things.

[30] Luke 8:12 – Satan tries to quickly take away the seed of Faith

[31] Mark 6:7 – Christians have POWER over the Unclean Spirits

[32] Hebrews 2:14 – Christ’s death destroyed the power of death

[33] Matthew 25:41 – The Lake of fire is prepared for Satan & Hell’s Angels

[34] Romans 8:37 - We are more than conquerors, Jesus fought the war and we got the victors crown.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Book XVI - Eschatology Last things to happen on earth

  Book 16 ... Rapture – Tribulations – Seals – Trumpets – Bowls – 4 Horseman – The Return IT’S IN THE BOOK ...