Casting out demons

[Lloyd]

We know that Jesus cast out many demon possessed.

My question is, what classified them as demon possessed and do you think there are demon possessed today? If so, how is it recognisable? Evil is all around us, from stealing, adultery, murder, child perversion etc, but how do you recognise a demon possessed person?

In the Bible, Jesus was either confronted by the demon possessed or was asked by a family member of the demon possessed person. Now Jesus would know, but what trait did the family member see to recognise it? It seems these days any amount of evil done by a person would be attributed to the person, and the word demon possessed wouldn't enter the equation, so I'm keen to understand what distinguishes the possession.

Thoughts appreciated...

 

[Jethro Bodine]

We know that Jesus cast out many demon possessed.

My question is, what classified them as demon possessed and do you think there are demon possessed today? If so, how is it recognisable? Evil is all around us, from stealing, adultery, murder, child perversion etc, but how do you recognise a demon possessed person?

Start talking about Jesus. IMO, there is no quicker and surer way to arouse a demon in someone if they are in fact controlled by a demon.

 

[Lloyd]

Start talking about Jesus. IMO, there is no quicker and surer way to arouse a demon in someone if they are in fact controlled by a demon.

But what would give it away? How would you then recognise it? Would the eyes turn red (just a joke, but do you see what I mean?)

The reason I made the thread was, it was a pretty 'normal' thing to write in the Bible, it was pointed out many times and Jesus cured many people of it. The people of that day recognised demon possessed people, I couldn't, could you?

 

[Jethro Bodine]

But what would give it away? How would you then recognise it? Would the eyes turn red (just a joke, but do you see what I mean?)

The reason I made the thread was, it was a pretty 'normal' thing to write in the Bible, it was pointed out many times and Jesus cured many people of it. The people of that day recognised demon possessed people, I couldn't, could you?

The unusually violent reaction I encountered in at least two people I talked to about Jesus made me sure that I was dealing with demon possession of some sort. A neighbor, who knew me and my family as a Christian family, seemed so absolutely and unreasonably against us, though we barely knew her, made me pretty sure I was dealing with a demon possessed person in that case, too. She just happened to have more of the physical manifestations of demon activity...dark circles under the eyes, seductive in an evil way, way into devil rock music and musicians. I know that sounds corny and cliche', but I'm convinced there is truth that those kinds of outward signs are not to be ignored and may signify demon activiy.

The bottom line is, a violent outburst in response to any discussion about Jesus and the gospel is to me the surest sign you're dealing with demon control of some kind. Scared the crap out of me the two distinct times it happened to me when talking about Jesus to unbelievers. One shook me up so bad I said to God on the way home from work where I had been witnessing that I'm not doing this anymore. Mind you, the one time was from a twenty something, 95 lb girl. I'm 6' 1-1/2" tall, and weighed 205 lbs at the time and quite able to take care of myself.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The reason I made the thread was, it was a pretty 'normal' thing to write in the Bible, it was pointed out many times and Jesus cured many people of it. The people of that day recognised demon possessed people, I couldn't, could you?

Well, I think the Biblical examples are signified by convulsions, foaming of the mouth, and injuring one self.

And like I say, just start talking about Jesus and you'll probably find out pretty quick if it's a demon or not. I'm dead serious.

 

[Lloyd]

Well, I think the Biblical examples are signified by convulsions, foaming of the mouth, and injuring one self.

And like I say, just start talking about Jesus and you'll probably find out pretty quick if it's a demon or not. I'm dead serious.

Thanks for the responses Jethro

Do you think epilepsy in Biblical times could have been classified as demon possession?

I guess the angle I'm coming from with all this is, since demon possession was a common thing (not overly common, but featured quite a bit), could it also be responsible for crime/violence/evil today, but not recognised?

 

[Tina]

Some demonic possessions are obvious while others are suspicious that require gift of discernment. We should be careful not to label every bad situation as demonic lest we offend the devil by blaming it too much ... :biglol

 

[Aardverk]

The unusually violent reaction I encountered in at least two people I talked to about Jesus made me sure that I was dealing with demon possession of some sort. A neighbor, who knew me and my family as a Christian family, seemed so absolutely and unreasonably against us, though we barely knew her, made me pretty sure I was dealing with a demon possessed person in that case, too. She just happened to have more of the physical manifestations of demon activity...dark circles under the eyes, seductive in an evil way, way into devil rock music and musicians. I know that sounds corny and cliche', but I'm convinced there is truth that those kinds of outward signs are not to be ignored and may signify demon activiy.

We weren't there so we only have your description but the notion of devil possession and witchcraft is very worrying. Someone, you, a priest, a village headman, anyone really, acts as judge and jury and decides that a person is possessed or is a witch. Then what? Does that mean that they are? No.

Quite rightly the law does not recognize witchcraft or possession but it does recognize insanity, drugs and alcohol. There can be no proof of possession, just opinion based on the beliefs of the self appointed person acting as judge and jury. In reality, an 'unreasonable reaction' of a person may be for 1,001 other reasons which feel reasonable to them. Maybe they are strongly against Christianity? Perhaps they have suffered at the hands of people saying and doing exactly the same as the person talking to them? Maybe the self appointed inquisitor's comments were just the final straw breaking a stressed out person? etc.

I do feel that, 'judge not, lest ye be judged' applies here.

 

[Tina]

We weren't there so we only have your description but the notion of devil possession and witchcraft is very worrying. Someone, you, a priest, a village headman, anyone really, acts as judge and jury and decides that a person is possessed or is a witch. Then what? Does that mean that they are? No.

And you think it gives you the right or position to say "No" because ......... ???

You are not a Christian to begin with and have no idea concerning the gift of discernment nor demonic possession.

Quite rightly the law does not recognize witchcraft or possession but it does recognize insanity, drugs and alcohol.

Which is probably why problems such as insanity, drugs and alcohol are getting out of control. Precisely because there are no Spirit-filled lawmakers that have the capacity to understand and tackle adequately deeper root causes that could lie beneath these problems.

Just so you know, Jesus cast out demons from insane people in the Bible.

There can be no proof of possession, just opinion based on the beliefs of the self appointed person acting as judge and jury.

Ever heard of Emily Rose ? .... Search youtube.

It's just one horrifying real-life story of thousands of other demon-possessed people.

In reality, an 'unreasonable reaction' of a person may be for 1,001 other reasons which feel reasonable to them. Maybe they are strongly against Christianity? Perhaps they have suffered at the hands of people saying and doing exactly the same as the person talking to them? Maybe the self appointed inquisitor's comments were just the final straw breaking a stressed out person? etc.

That's a lot of "maybe's .... yeah, maybe..

I do feel that, 'judge not, lest ye be judged' applies here.

Yeah, I could say the same about you ....

 

[Classik]

Some demonic possessions are obvious while others are suspicious that require gift of discernment. We should be careful not to label every bad situation as demonic lest we offend the devil by blaming it too much ... :biglol

Your responses amaze me discernment is inevitable. Once you are God's child, I believe you would always know when evil spirits are around.


I have shared this before. I will again, briefly.

I was in a room with a demon-possessed woman. I suddenly woke up (that was in the night). The Spirit in me which is greater than that in the world spoke to me. I knew evil spirit was in the room. I got up and left that place - (being a little kid who never knew exactly what to do under such a circumstance). The next day, I asked my mom and she told me 'she is evil - she is demonic). I never knew the woman before.

You'll always know when a demon-possessed is around. Are you not the Children of Light.


Jethro, you are very funny I see you are a troublemaker. Just talk about Jesus to them and you'd see them manifest. Some would run away.

I remember in those days when we were in highschool. I was a member of the school fellowship. Some group of people would always torment the demon-possessed. They said certain things about Jesus and got these demon-possessed screaming. They enjoyed watching them suffer each time they said: Jesus, the Blood of Jesus etc

 

[Denique Coelum]

I quite frequently see people screaming abuse at my friends and I at the open air preaching, but that's because they've just come out of the pub, lubricated with lager and whisky. Half of them are so drunk they can hardly stand. Are these people demon possessed, or merely intoxicated, aggressive and needled by what they see as a group of well-dressed strangers telling them they're sinners and need to repent?

Also, you can come across people who're perfectly willing to talk to you in an apparently calm manner about your beliefs, and use subtle arguments and devious lies to try and undermine the truth. Some of these people, when you refuse to accept their arguments, can get quite angry.

Then you get the people who are violently opposed to the truth and are aggressive and abusive from the outset, without the 'excuse' of being soused.

I can't say I can rule out modern demon possession, and I've spoken to many Christians who think that psychotic behaviour and violent insanity could be demon possession. That could be true... but I have my doubts.

For each for the three types of person mentioned about, there's a rational explanation for their behaviour. The drunks are, well, drunk. For the people who try to win you over with their arguments are ignorant of the truth, it's very annoying for them that their so-called logical and scientific viewpoint is being rejected. The people who're aggressive from the outset may well've had some bad experience involving Christians, are may've been brought up to despise Christianity because of some of the atrocities which have been done in the name of Christ.

Undoubtedly, the Enemy is at work in all these people, tempting them, poisoning their minds, bringing wrong influences to bear on them.

As to the medical explanation, I find that difficult to accept. Perhaps I'm blinded with science, but as far as I know, the medical people can usually find some abnormality in the brain or some external factor which causes insanity or psychosis. The human brain is a wonderful and complex instrument, but God in His wisdom has designed it with failure built in, possibly to keep us humble in the face of our ultimate fragility. It has narrow limitations, it's physically vulnerable, it can be tricked and tweaked, it's prey to many diseases.

Given that... when someone succumbs to insanity and guns down the congregation in a church, can't this be contributed to years of lingering resentment against religion, then some mental safety-valve failing to operate, resulting in an irrational, violent response? It can't be denying that the root cause of all these incidents is sin, the violent nature of Adam's race, the lust for destruction. So, Satan is responsible for murder, and the many afflictions and diseases were suffer are the result of sin. But, demons?

Also...

She just happened to have more of the physical manifestations of demon activity...dark circles under the eyes, seductive in an evil way, way into devil rock music and musicians. I know that sounds corny and cliche', but I'm convinced there is truth that those kinds of outward signs are not to be ignored and may signify demon activiy.

I just don't know about that, Jethro Bodine. Say that there are in fact demon possessed persons at large, can appearance be an accurate guide at all? I don't want to be pass remarkable, but some of my dear brethren... I really wouldn't like to meet them in a dark alley if I didn't know them! I look pretty rough myself most of the time.

 

[mariaL]

This may be off topic, and I am sort of new here, but today my friends spouse told me that her husband had yelled F off, (I need not say the real term) in his sleep whilst she was praying to cast away and bind all evil spirits. His family being Indian/Hindu/etc have past experiences with spirits and more. As soon as she had said to bind/cast them away, he sort of snarled that in his sleep and she knew it wasn't him.

Can anyone make anything of this? Sorry, I found this relevant and I am looking for answers. Also he converted from being a non christian whilst his family have strong religious indian roots, and he has had a past of feeling attacked psychically and mentally in terms of less strength/will etc.

ty

 

[mariaL]

I posted this just now and it said it posted, but I guess it did not.

A friend of mine had told me this today.

A few weeks ago she was praying whilst with her spouse in bed and he was asleep. She prayed to bind together and cast away any evil spirits, upon doing so her spouse said F off, in a manner that was not him and of course he wouldn't say, along with him being asleep. When she told him the next day, he didn't remember it.

There hasn't been any other super clear signs like this apart from him laughing once in his sleep in an evil yelling sort of way which she described to me, he comes from a very strong religious family, they are Indian, and he is the only christian in his family - he converted himself. She feels he has been attacked spiritually since their marriage.

Can anyone make anything out of this?

 

[Timf]

My question is, what classified them as demon possessed and do you think there are demon possessed today?

Much has been written on this subject by Kurt Koch. Our society today is much different than the one that Jesus lived in. Our society has a legacy of Christianity. While it is mostly gone now, there are still some inertial aspects that carry on. One of these is a low level of occult practice. Nothing will carry someone into the depths of demonic entanglement faster than their intentional pursuit of occult activity.

This has been changing recently. About 10 years ago I saw a man on TV who is famous for contacting the "dead". He was instructing the studio audience (and all the people watching the program) how to begin to perform "automatic writing" (to receive messages from demons).

People can run the spectrum from demonic annoyance (Luther) to complete possession. As our society continues in its repudiation of Christ and the pursuit of the occult, I would expect to see more frequent encounters with those completely possessed. Our society would probably treat them as insane, prescribe drugs that will never be taken, and allow them to freeze to death under a bridge in the winter as "homeless".

There is a category of seemingly fully functional people who are guided by Satan to some degree. Many occult practices start with a process of imagery where you summon up a figure that is important to you. I heard that Hillary Clinton summoned up Eleanor Roosevelt. Once you have this image, you are instructed to ask it for advice. While you are told that this creative process of imagination is just an exercise to liberate your own creative power, people often end up getting information or ideas that guide them where Satan wants them to go.

I do not agree that all Christians are discerning. In 1 Corinthians and in Hebrews Christians are admonished for walking in the flesh and unable to function as mature Christians.

It does not matter if you are living at the time of Christ, in a modern tribal area, or in a modern urban area, the solution to partial demonic possession is still the same, accept Jesus Christ. If one encounters full demonic possession (still pretty rare today), a command to the demon to be silent or leave (in the name of Jesus) while communication with the real person is attempted can be made. This is almost always a disaster for the person ill-prepared or not led by the Spirit to undertake this work.

Some Christians see no demons at all, others see demons under every bed. The solution to demonic entanglement is to become a Christian. The solution to demonic annoyance is to walk ever closer to our Lord.

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

 

[Classik]

As to the medical explanation, I find that difficult to accept. Perhaps I'm blinded with science, but as far as I know, the medical people can usually find some abnormality in the brain or some external factor which causes insanity or psychosis.

Demons must have knocked something out of that brain, which reveals a scare, and enabling people to find it. (Kidding)

 

[Classik]

Not all mental problems are associated with demonic attacks! If a person takes cocain, drinks cocain, eats cocain, chews cocain, baths in cocain water etc he may develop a mental problem and react very violently. But, there are other mental people who are completely demon-possessed.

 

[reba]

About 1955 i saw a demon! this one had been 'cast out' by the preacher of the day A.A. Allan. It was held in an old mason jar.... the demon was not in the jar the demon was the guy who put it there it was just an ol bull frog...

 

[Classik]

My question is, what classified them as demonpossessed and do you think there are demon possessed today?

The evil spirit in them. It takes a God-filled person to know a devil-filled demon-possessed person.


Demon-possessed people are everywhere. Some don't even know they are being used by the devil.

 

[Hitch]

I've heard they look a lot like Tammy Faye

 

[for_his_glory]

Demon possession is very real in others as Satan uses his demonic angels to try and destroy a person or use that person to destroy someone else. We can read the accounts in the Bible about Mary Magdalene who had seven demons cast out of her in Luke 8:2 and the man in Mark 5:1-20 who had a Legion of unclean spirits that Jesus cast out of this man.

God has used me on three different occasions to cast out demons in others and it is not something I would recommend for anyone to do unless the Holy Spirit has brought you to them and works through you to release these demons.

There is an amazing physical transformation before and after as before you can see the possession in the facial features especially the eyes being so wild looking and so much rage in their face and bodily actions and after the demon is gone you see so much calmness especially in the eyes and the person is so relaxed in their body. Demons are very real and as I said earlier, something you do not want to fool around with unless you have discernment and are led by the Holy Spirit to cast them out.