CAN DEMONS BE DETECTED TODAY??

Yes, they are well described in the scriptures and the Holy Spirit still gives good solid guidance about them. Since you capitalized the word KNOW, I assume you want more of an answer than that, or perhaps some vingette from personal experience... but if there is some place in scripture that says demons will no longer bother people after the apostolic age - I can't find it. As for witchcraft, I see it all too often and "the craft" is increasingly open about its workings.

 

If I may offer some anecdotal evidence, I was one of those pastors in the 50's who thought demon possession was for the New Testament and not for to-day. At my church, we had a problem teenager, and the parents were beside themselves as what to do. We had prayed for the girl and tried all forms of counselling. The strange thing was, she wanted to change and made every honest effort to change. She was getting worse.

We had a visiting missionary speaking at our church. He and wife were serving in Haiti at the time. This girl came into our dinnertime discussion and his eyes lit up. It was then he talked about demon possession in Haiti and how common it was. Long story short, we called the parents and the girl and had a meeting in her home. The deacons came along and we all held hands around her and prayed. The missionary prayed specifically for the demon to come out and away. I cannot describe the scene with one thinking I was pentecostal,,and I am far removed from pentecostalism,, but the change that came about in that girl's life was phenominal. She went on to Bible college and missions. I am always hesitant to talk about it, but I know it was real.

Perhaps to-day we don't give demons enough credit and allow them to move freely in this modern age.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Jim, great post! I really enjoyed it.

BTW, I'm Apostolic Pentecostal, as were the Apostles; and "..I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.."

Rom.1
[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

MEE

 

Sure, I believe that demons can be detected today.

Mark 16:17) And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils;

Notice: it says that these signs shall follow if you are a believer. So therefore; demons do exist...if you are a believer!

MEE

 

FYI, a "witch" is a person who belongs to the the religion of "wicca". The original wiccan religion, which didn't worship a diety as we understand it, died out long ago. There are some people who have "revived" what they call wicca, but contemporary wicca is a contrived artificial religion, with no basis on either godly or demonic forces. It's simply made-up. Wiccans have no more power than does John Edward (who is a charlatain claiming to be able to talk to the dead).

As for "detecting" demons today, I believe the Holy Spirit is our demon detector, so to speak. But I do believe that a demon has no power over a person filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

The point is well made - missionaries are dealing with this in good-old-fashioned Bible contexts each year. But in more civilized countries they get sent to mental wards before they are sent to missionaries.

The other problem is that like healing - casting out demons is not typically a "gift" someone has any more.

Not because God is opposed to it - or because His Word stops it - but for the same reason that Israel was not equipped to handle the problem when they "as the ONE TRUE CHURCH started by God at Sinai" were the only game in town.

Rebellion - compromise, drifting apart from the source of all Life...

In Christ,

Bob

 

Tam,
Depending on how the Holy Spirit is moving its different from time to time. Sometimes its a person's actions that don't line up with God's word (as with what Bro. Jim described going on with the girl). Sometimes its a heavyness you feel when your near a certian person.
But, last week at church there was a woman who kept adding her 2 cents while the preacher was preaching thats when I "heard" 2 words "spoken" (Jezebel spirit). I started praying silently as to not disrupt the service (cause I really wanted to hear what the preacher was preaching)....while in the middle of prayer I heard the woman stop talking in mid sentence. I probley answer the question and do the question you asked justice as to how the Spirit "lets us know" these things, but I know God moves in different ways.

Music4Him

 

When God has a message for you He will let you know the message and ALSO you will be blessed by knowing it CAME FROM GOD.

He does this in various ways. A seemingly audible voice. A "still small" voice. A heavy impression from a bible verse. But the authentication from God's spirit to your spirit will be present.

After that, watch for that word to be confirmed in an objective manner. If God tells Peter in the spirit that there are three men downstairs looking for him, Peter expects three men to actually be downstairs looking for him. If they hadn't been there, Peter would have had grounds to question his own sanity. But because they were there, Peter is further confirmed in the validity of his vision by confirmation in an objective manner.

 

I am glad for your post Jim. I hesitate to post on this subject because of its controversy and even volatility at times. I have met many of "those pastors of the '50's" who still think that demon possession is purely a New Testament phenomena. I have seen it both here and on the foreign mission field, and as you allude to, it can be a somewhat frightening experience for someone having never encountered a demon possessed individual, nor not knowing what may be involved in praying for a person who is demon possessed.

As Bob referred to, I also believe that there are many that are in mental wards solely because of spiritual problems. I could not say that they are demon possessed or not, but the root cause of most such problems is spiritual--guilt.

The other side of the coin is that there are some Charismatics who see a demon behind every bush, one for every sin committed, and blame the devil for all sin or sickness. That's what Eve did in the Garden of Eden.

1 John 4:1-3 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
DHK

 

Something kindda close to this came up in the Baptist General Discussions board. A woman was concerned that her son was seeing a ghost. Any hoo I felt the same way about that as I do this topic. So here's what I said there:

You know what I've never told anyone this. And I can't believe I'm telling complete strangers this. Here it goes, both my parents came from Christian back grounds and taught my all about God, but for some reason also strayed way off track.

My mom told me at one point in California she was a Wiccan. Also, she had a bunch of witchcraft books and claimed that the Wegee (spelling is wrong, but sounds like that) board marker would move with out her hands actually touching it. My parents had tons of ghost stories, even a very strange picture of a "demon" my dad caught on film one night while driving in the desert.

For years as a small child I had nightmares every night. I was sure the pictures on the walls watched me. When I lay in bed at night and stared into the darkness hard enough I saw "demons". The theme was always that they were going to kill my family and they would dare me to save them. Also in the dreams I was always too late and my family would be killed.

I had accepted Jesus as my Savior as a small child. But I had all this negative stuff around me. My family did not go to church and my childhood was not happy. As a teen I found my mom's books and looked through them. Started seeing and hearing things again. So I decided to throw them all away. I think my Mom found them in the trash because I found them back on the shelf. I did manage to sneak them into some garage sale stuff and got them out of the house. However, I became convinced that evil was seeking me out. That it was trying to get me, because I was a child of God. My little sightings started being seen by those around me. I commonly caused little teen mass heisteria at parties and such.

Now, to end this rant. As I grew up and fully turn my back on things not Godly, as I really fully gave my life to God, I had a clearer look at what was going on. My life was open to Satan, my parents and I opened ourselves to him. Was I haunted by demons? No. But By dipping into the "spirit world" I opened myself up believe all kinds of things. I played right into the Devils hand. Were the "demons" real? WEll Yes the were to me, at the time. But they were really just my mind, being played with by the Devil. It was almost like, "Well if you want to believe I can get ya, then I'm sure gonna help that thought along!" In short I don't believe in ghosts, or talking to them, or Wegee boards, tarot card, Astrology charts, palm reading, etc. The only Spirit I care about is the Holy Spirit! AND THIS IS COMING FROM A TRUE BEEN THERE DONE THAT POINT OF VIEW.

 

Yes. It's called the gift of discernment.

Any place Satan can get a foothold, he will make a stronghold. This can come in the form of anger and rage, jealousy, fear, pornography and sexual sins, through alcohol or drugs, certain forms of music, through dabbling in the occult such as ouiji and tarot cards, trying to communicate with the dead, etc. A born-again Christian with the Holy Spirit dwelling within cannot be possessed by demons. But that same person can be influenced by demonic forces and even harrassed as in a satanic attack. This can include financial problems, family problems, and sickness. That is why we are instructed to "put on the whole armor of God."

A person who has never been sealed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can become demon possessed. I have seen people who are possessed by demons and also those who are influenced by demons. I have also seen demons cast out by the Power of the Blood of Jesus Christ. Yes, they tremble at the Name of Jesus. They know Who Jesus Christ is and they know they have been defeated by Him. Hallelujah!

I have seen demons in the spiritual realm a couple of times in my life. They have the faces of pigs. I have seen angels once. I believe sometimes the Lord permits us to glance into the other realm. And He is the One who gives the gift of discernment. Usually if a born-again Christian suspects there is demonic activity going on, there will be confirmation, such as another believer confirming it. That's one way God lets us know what we suspect in our spirit is the real thing and not our imagination going wild. Or we may get a confirmation from reading the Word.

Demonic/satanic forces are real and have existed throughout the history of mankind and examples shown throughout the Bible. If there is death, destruction, self mutilation, henious aberrant behavior involved, it is probably demonic activity. Paul tells us we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness.

 

Demons are real. One spoke with Eve in the Garden of Eden - taking the form of a serpent. They live here and they are capable of many things.

But there are no such things as ghosts - it is not dead people that are "the big threat" but living demons - for Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (as Peter said).

Paul calls him "the god of this world" and the "prince of the power of the air"

It is all real.

But our God is all powerful. "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world"

In Christ,

Bob

 

Jim, thanks for the story.

I have experienced demons a few times. Two people who were deacons in a church I pastored were involved in being attacked by demons. Both of them were very angry with me. Both of them slandered me and atacked me verbally. One time I addressed the subject of gossip and one of them came unglued to the point where I thought he was going to physically attack me. As soon as he ran near me he stopped and then ran past me. That same person made disturbances in the congregation when I wasn't watching. I finally knew it was him. But the deacons wouild not help me deal with the man. Instead I saw them get hard and brazen. There was a time when I heard changed voices. When I pointed that out to a few close confidants they saw the same thing as I did. I knew we were fighting a spiritual battle in that church. They were not willing to get past it and be obedient. In fact they accomodated the Mormons.

On another occasion I experienced much of what Martin Luther did in regards to Satan.

Satan and demons are very real. I believe they are much more real than we give them credit for.

 

Try being a Christian pastor by way of preaching the truth. Make it you cause to grow the church by way of evangelism and you will find out there are demons today.

Sometimes they even work through and speak through carnal Christians. Often they are the negative people on church boards who always say no to things that will strengthen the church.

Remember Jesus said to Peter, 'Get thee behind me Satan,' or something to that effect.

I am also many good church workers, elders and deacons have seen the discension and trouble that many people have brought into the Christian church. These people are not God controlled people.

 

Yes. It's called the gift of discernment.

Any place Satan can get a foothold, he will make a stronghold. This can come in the form of anger and rage, jealousy, fear, pornography and sexual sins, through alcohol or drugs, certain forms of music, through dabbling in the occult such as ouiji and tarot cards, trying to communicate with the dead, etc. A born-again Christian with the Holy Spirit dwelling within cannot be possessed by demons. But that same person can be influenced by demonic forces and even harrassed as in a satanic attack. This can include financial problems, family problems, and sickness. That is why we are instructed to "put on the whole armor of God."

A person who has never been sealed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can become demon possessed. I have seen people who are possessed by demons and also those who are influenced by demons. I have also seen demons cast out by the Power of the Blood of Jesus Christ. Yes, they tremble at the Name of Jesus. They know Who Jesus Christ is and they know they have been defeated by Him. Hallelujah!

I have seen demons in the spiritual realm a couple of times in my life. They have the faces of pigs. I have seen angels once. I believe sometimes the Lord permits us to glance into the other realm. And He is the One who gives the gift of discernment. Usually if a born-again Christian suspects there is demonic activity going on, there will be confirmation, such as another believer confirming it. That's one way God lets us know what we suspect in our spirit is the real thing and not our imagination going wild. Or we may get a confirmation from reading the Word.

Demonic/satanic forces are real and have existed throughout the history of mankind and examples shown throughout the Bible. If there is death, destruction, self mutilation, henious aberrant behavior involved, it is probably demonic activity. Paul tells us we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness. </font>[/QUOTE]Amen to your post LadyEagle! I agree with you that it is the gift of discernment in 1Cor.12:10, that shows us and lets us know about such things.

Music4Him

 

'Like Lady Eagle, Music, Mee, Atestring? and Berrian and others.'

Believe all of it or none of it; there is no other Christian choice. All of the Bible is the Word of God and nothing is to be shunned.