Baptist Preachers

Jacob, Not that I'm aware of.

 

Why does it matter? Do you think that you are possessed?

 

I am not aware of any, but I don't see what Christians not being possessed has to do with the question.

We also need to realize that "Baptist" covers a broad spectrum of beliefs. To be Baptist technically means you hold to the autonomy of the local Church, which means practices may very. But, I have never heard of a Baptist Pastor performing such an act.

 

Several years ago I saw a piece on some TV show about a "Baptist" minister or, at least, a Baptist who had a "ministry" where he cast out demons.

In my own circles I have never heard of a "real-life" Baptist preacher casting out demons. I think most would agree with dianetavegia that Christians can't be possessed.

 

Who has the power to cast out demons? It's not a Pastor, nor is it in his qualifications according to Scriptures. Jesus did and enabled some to do the same, but not us.

 

What do you mean by this? There are no "qualifications", except being born-again, required to "cast out demons". I don't know what you mean that this is not for us? If you read the ending of Mark's Gospel, (not in the modern versions that have removed it), you will read the words of Jesus Himself.

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My Name they shall cast out demons..." (16:17)

This is collective for the Church for all time, till the Lord Jesus returns. I see no where in Scripture where this was only for the time of Christ on earth.

The reason why "Baptists" don't get invloved in "casting out demons", is that they simply do not have the faith to do so, and believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were for some bygone age. When it comes to the "workings" of the Holy Spirit, you can forget about Baptists, as on this issue they are very far away from what Scripture teaches. Miracles and Spiritual gifts are something they wrongly associate with the Pentecostals, and the Lord will and does by-pass the Baptists to do His mighty works.

 

There are plenty of qualifications for a Pastor (I Tim. 3) yet this idea of casting out demons is not found as a gift in either Romans or I Corinthians. I don't believe in these miracle healings (like Hinn) nor do I believe in the tongues idea. I would put the casting of demons in the same boat. Can God have victory in a person's life? Absolutely, does he use the Pastor to do the casting? it's not scriptural.

 

It's the prayers of a righteous man that availeth much, not the loud-mouth preacher yelling it to death!

 

One of our Baptist missionaries in Costa Rica has shared one story of exorcism with me.

I agree with TexasSky's comments about North America and icthus's comments about faith.

 

Certainly, if you are a Christian, satan is your enemy. However, it is when you don't submit to God that you get into trouble. Someone who says, "the devil made me do it" is looking for a convenient excuse.

If an unbeliever is demon-possessed, introduce them to Jesus.

 

I have a friend who went to Ethiopia in the bush country for about 25 years and told me it is much like going back into the book of Acts. When I asked him more he told me that if he were to tell stories of what he saw the average American would not believe him.

 

You too think that God is no longer the God of the supernatural? On what Biblical basis do you reject the Gifts of the Holy Spirit is being for today? How can you tell God what He can and cannot do today? Just because one does not believe in miracles and gifts today, does NOT mean that they do not exist. Just because the world does not believe in the devil and hell, does not mean that they do not exist. 1 Corinthians chapter 14 deals with some of the gifts of the Spirit, and there is no where that it says that these have ceased in the Church today. I am NOT a Pentecostal, but a strong believer in a God Who can do what He did in the Bible today, unless, of course it clearly says in Scripture that it is not so.

 

I can believe this. The majority of Christians in the West, are content in puting God in a box, and telling Him what He can and cannot do. That is why it says in Scripture that Jesus could not do miracles in a place, because the people did not have faith. We place, through our unbelief, limits on the power of God. There are 1000's of testimonies in ther world where we reac of a mighty God Who is doing things that would make your hair stand! Jesus still says: "have faith in God"

 

If we as Christians had to live like the Christians in the third world countries, I fully believe that we would witness the miracles that are so denied by moderns.

Our lives are so soft & cushy with very little challenge from true hardship that we "don't need God" like the others do. If and when we get to the point that we "NEED" God like many Christians in this old world, then we'll witness the same miracles!

 

bmerr here,

There is an often overlooked verse in Zechariah that speaks to the subject of demons or uncleans spirits. Here's Zech 13:1-2, a Messianic prophesy if I'm not mistaken:

1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the ingabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered; and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

It seems to me (and I could be wrong), that when the gift of prophesy passed away (1 Cor 13:8), then demons, or unclean spirits would also be removed from the land.

Prophesy has long since passed from the earth (sorry, Benny Hinn) and inspiration has ceased. The revelation from God is complete, or perfect (1 Cor 13:10).

If those verses from Zechariah mean what I think they mean, then there are no more demons possessing people today.

During the days of the infant church, there was a need to "try the spirits whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1). Today, we have the words of the Spirit of God in the pages of our Bibles (perhaps some more than others).

Just my two cents worth.

In Christ,
bmerr

 

I was reading on the other page were some were saying that Christians couldn't be posessed...welll that might be true but what about a Baptist preacher casting a demon out of a sinner? When Jesus cast out the legion demonds out of that one man and the demons went into the pigs...I know that feller wasn't a Christian yet. Right? Left? Or am I even close to making since?