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Demons and demon possession
- Thread starter rlvaughn
- Start date
To follow up on my simple questions from yesterday, I would be interested in your biblical opinions, but am not looking for a debate.
I have encountered a situation in which a man has been diagnosed a bi-polar. He has some social adjustment problems, including violence, but seems to manage fairly well when he is working and taking his medication. The violence is usually associated with alcohol. One of his family members has decided he is possessed by a demon -- that this is the only explanation for his erratic behavior that can't seem to be resolved. The man has in the past professed faith in Christ, been baptized and joined a Baptist Church. But now he doubts his salvation, isn't sure he was ever saved, and not sure he has any hope of being saved.
Just putting that out there as some of the background for my opening host.
Any thoughts appreciated.
I have encountered a situation in which a man has been diagnosed a bi-polar. He has some social adjustment problems, including violence, but seems to manage fairly well when he is working and taking his medication. The violence is usually associated with alcohol. One of his family members has decided he is possessed by a demon -- that this is the only explanation for his erratic behavior that can't seem to be resolved. The man has in the past professed faith in Christ, been baptized and joined a Baptist Church. But now he doubts his salvation, isn't sure he was ever saved, and not sure he has any hope of being saved.
Just putting that out there as some of the background for my opening host.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Demon possession is very real today. There is nothing in scripture to suggest it ceased. Many Christians think they do not have to deal with demons because they are saved. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I have known a number of people who are bipolar. The highs and lows can be quite extreme and there is an enormous amount of shame involved. For a bipolar person to doubt salvation (simply an extension of doubt that they can be loved by anyone - including God) is almost textbook. Their main issue is that self-perception is completely out-of-whack and moves between two poles where they have enormous and unreasonable self-confidence (sometimes even believing that they are God!) and the deep pits of despair where they are prone to suicide.
The idea that a bipolar person might simply be demonized is probably not true unless that person indicates that they have knowledge not knowable by normal means, speaks in languages that have not learned, or have supernatural phenomena occurring around them (unexplained movement of objects, unexplained noises, apparitions, etc.). As someone who has had to deal with demonic activity, I have witnessed these supernatural phenomena while dealing with situations where people had given themselves to the evil one. You need to be quite skeptical of these sorts of things and also realize it's nothing to be scared of.
By the way, I have yet to see any public exorcisms that were the least bit realistic. They all seemed like con jobs by charismatic charlatans like Bob Larson, or people who find demons under every bush. The real thing is not terribly thrilling, it's just sad.
I don't think you can definitively decide one way or the other without the spiritual gift of discerning of spirits.
That helps*, but it is not the only way.
The standard way to tell is if that person indicates that they have knowledge not knowable by normal means, speaks in languages that have not learned, or have supernatural phenomena occurring around them (unexplained movement of objects, unexplained noises, apparitions, etc.).
* The gift of discernment is regularly manifested in my ministry, but that does not exclude the use of scripture and reason.
I know several bipolar people. I am 99% sure two of them are demon possessed. Both act exactly the same. One of their personalities is very religious. They claim God audibly talks to them, but what God supposedly tells them NEVER completely harmonises with scripture. They are all the time preaching at everyone they come into contact wit, but what they preach is not The Gospel. They preach a message of extreme legalism and condemnation. No one ever has or ever will get saved listening to their nonsense. Many are turned off to Christianity because of them. Now for their other personality. They both look evil. I am not scared of anyone, but they scare me. They look like a cat about to pounce. They curse like crazy, including using Gods name in vain. They speak in other languages. They talk about stuff that happened thousands of years ago in their past lives. They are extremely sexually promiscuous. They are violent, including assaulting family members.
Put me down as an extreme skeptic. I run a group home for people who've suffered traumatic brain injuries. I have 12 years experience in this field. I have seen everything. All extremes of every behavior you could ever imagine. I simply do not believe demon posession is possible in the church age.
I am skeptical in the sense that the person suggesting demon possession may have an ulterior motive to place blame on someone or something outside the family for things in the family that might have escalated the said person's behaviour. But I may be wrong and want to look at all angles.
Brother Curtis, based on what teachings in the New Testament do you conclude demon possession is not possible in the church age?
Thanks.
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You must have missed the book of Acts.
Didn't miss anything. Those miracles ESTABLISHED the church age.
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There is no account of demon possession in scripture before the NT. There are no instructions left for us on how to cast out demons. Demon posession described today do not resemble the NT accounts.
Can anyone prove demon posession ?
And I certainly don't disparage anyone who believes demons can possess. I'm adding my opinion based on experience.
Depression is a medical condition that can be genetic and also can be due to encountering difficult challenges in life. Saying that it is due to "demon possession" is like saying heart attacks are due to demons. People believed this sort of thing hundreds of years ago when the true cause of illness wasn't known.
They were part of the church age. The church age began at Pentecost.
Can anyone "prove" Jesus Christ was the Son of God? Asking for proof of anything in the spiritual realm is quite ridiculous.
That's kind of a cop out. What specifically do you see in possessed people that convinces you a demon is responsible ?
Ok. They were part of the establishment of the church age and serve no further purpose.