I believe Revelation is symbolic of literal events that will happen. I agree that Jews must be saved the same way gentiles are saved.
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Demons and demon possession
- Thread starter rlvaughn
- Start date
Then we agree on the most important point. I taught a Bible study on Daniel and Revelation (very interesting) and came to the conclusion that the simple interpretation of Revelation, we (true Christians) win in the end!
Again
Agree again
Not only do I believe in demons, and possessions, I have sought thecvrace of God, and cast out demons in several people over my 40+ years in the ministry.
Great topic.
Yes it can and does, and would say that many who are into new age and false religions can be either sirectly possessed, or else have them working about them!
The first time I dealt with a demon was at an alter call where I had just sang and shared my testimony. Along with the pastors and lay people who laid hands on the respondents, there was one man who was at to end of the prayer need line.
Earlier in the ministry, he was foul mouthed and disruptive, and was asked to leave. Of course, they told the man, if you can sit, listen and be quiet, you can come back in. So he did.
Throughout the service, the Holy Ghost zeroed my eyes on him. When he came up for prayer, I thought to myself, why me? As I approached him to pray, the alter team had surrounded him but many refused to lay hands on him. He was angry, his fists were clenched as if he was ready to hit someone, anyone. He had the foulest odor, and as I spoke to him, I was suddenly queasy, and fearful. The man was cussing under his breathe, and the alter team seemed to step further back, out of concern for their wellbeing. I asked the host pastor to pray with him, and he told me, he felt God wanted me to pray.
I was afraid he'd say that, so here am I, trying to get the courage and strength to pray. Whatseemed like forever, I prayed within, seeking God's direction. As I prayed, I was being encouraged by the times Jesus and the disciples prayed with demon possessed people. God was like telling me to lay on hands and rebuke the spirit that had hold of the man.
I approached the prayer with half fear, and half sure God would not only protect me, but do as I had read about, removing demons.
Mind you, I didn't believe in demon possession, so in a Godly way, I was given on the job training. As I started to pray, he tensed up, and at the mere mention of the name of Jesus, he would utter quietly, foul words.
It didn't take long for me to realize, this was going to be like nothing I had ever done before. So I rebuked his spirit of foul language in Jesus name, and lo and behold, he quit swearing. I then rebuked the spirit of anger in the man, and as I prayed, his fist relaxed. I now believed I may be dealing with a demon possessed man, and just asked God to anoint and use meas He saw fit.
In Jesus name, I commanded that any other demon spirits within him come out and be cast into the pits of hell. I was amazed at how easy it was to remove the demons, but I remembered that in all the examples in the NT were without a long, drawn out fight!
I was now able to speak freely, and I noticed that thealter team had once againstepped closer to the man, and everyone now had hands on the man.
I didn't get all excited, because that which I prayed came from the Holy Ghost taking over my actions. After the service, the pastor and several alter team memos told me that he was a street person, often coming in and being asked to leave because of his foul outbursts.
On Thursday of that week, the pastor called and told me that the man came to Wednesday night services, and he was clean, well dressed, and had been accepted into a local ministry half way house for transients. He had a different demeanor, and was talking with others, and he had read the book of John in three days.
The pastor and myself were close friends, and within a few months, he called to tell me that guy found a job, and was now taking up the offering. That was then we both spoke about the probabilty that he was possessed, and had been set free. I agreed with him, and gave God the praise and glory, because I was scared the guy might have actually hurt me or someone else that evening. It was only by the grace of God, that I was willing to be a vessel and let God do the work.
It was from that first encounter that I actually believed in demons. BTW - I started looking up scripture on demons, and read a few books on confronting demon possessed persons.
It was definitely a ministry changing event. And it was but for the grace of God, that Jesus won out in this man's life.
Would say that much of the church is NOT obey the scriptures on this topic, as Charasmatics have saved people needing tp puke out demons in order to get delierenced!
Of course there will always be abuses. For something to be abused or counterfeiters, the real must exist.
the Christian cannot be possessed though by them.....
And the real deliverance comes when a sinner gets saved, as that breaks whatever hold the enemy may have on them!
Mark Corbett
Active Member
I believe that demons can and do have various levels of influence in people's lives. I believe this first and foremost because of the Bible. The word "possessed" is not in the original Greek, so I prefer to speak of someone being demonized. I have also seen a few examples of this. In one case in particular, the evidence was very convincing. I tell that story here.
δαιμονιζομενους, a verb, present, passive, participle, accusative.
Mark Corbett
Active Member
δαιμονιζομενους, a verb, present, passive, participle, accusative.
Yes, exactly. The Greek word you listed, δαιμονιζομενους, is the verb form of the Greek noun which means "demon". Thus, a very literal translation is "demonized". With regard to demons oppressing people, the Greek does not use a separate verb with the meaning "possessed".
Fully demonized? No, a Christian can't. A Christian can however, be deceived, tormented, influenced in their flesh and mind. The Spirit of a Christian is sealed by The Holy Spirit, the soul and flesh are not.
I will give a personal experience I do not really care to share. I was being attacked in my sleep. The medical term for what was happening would be rem sleep terrors. It was agonizing. I was awake but could not move. I felt like I had to fight for every breath for what seemed like hours at a time. My chest would be so tight I literally knew I was dying each time. For years, I would have 5 or 6 a year. 10 or so years ago, it got so bad I was having them every night. Two and thtee times a night actually. Long story short I began to believe this was a physical attack by a demonic being. I began to fast and pray. One night, I had the lights on praying, after many days of fasting. I plainly saw an 8 foot tall figure cloaked in dark brown. I could see where his face was supposed to be under the hood, but all I could see was hazy black. His fingers were extremely long. He turned and walked away. As he walked down my hallway, he just slowly faded away. The feeling that accompanied him was the feeling of pure evil. It was an oppressive feeling beyond anything I can describe. Multiply your worst fear by 1000x and you might be getting close. His presence literally took the breath out of my body. I ordered the being out of my house and away from my body in the name of Jesus. I prayed in The Spirit until the greatest peace imaginable came over me. Just as I had experienced pure evil, I then experienced an indescribable manifest presence of The Fathers love and the comfort of His Holy Spirit.
That night, the night terrors ended. I did not have another one for five or six years. They came back slowly building for a period of about a month. I sought the Lord again took authority over the spirit. Have not had another attack in five or so years.
I think I was opened up to this spirit through my ancestry. My great grand mother was Cherokee Indian. My grandmother was half Cherokee. Both of them could perform the healings of the medicine man. They could "talk out fire," "talk off warts," "talk out pain," etc. I am going to be honest. I do not understand those gifts. I do not know for sure whose power is behind them. I hope it is the power of Christ, but I do not think it is. My grandmother always claimed to be saved, but never showed any fruit of it. We had a long, serious conversation several years before she died. She broke down and prayed the sinners prayer. She was visibly changed from that day on. I remember some time after that, someone came by and asked her to "talk off a wart." She responded, " I can't do it anymore. It quit working."
That night, the night terrors ended. I did not have another one for five or six years. They came back slowly building for a period of about a month. I sought the Lord again took authority over the spirit. Have not had another attack in five or so years.
I think I was opened up to this spirit through my ancestry. My great grand mother was Cherokee Indian. My grandmother was half Cherokee. Both of them could perform the healings of the medicine man. They could "talk out fire," "talk off warts," "talk out pain," etc. I am going to be honest. I do not understand those gifts. I do not know for sure whose power is behind them. I hope it is the power of Christ, but I do not think it is. My grandmother always claimed to be saved, but never showed any fruit of it. We had a long, serious conversation several years before she died. She broke down and prayed the sinners prayer. She was visibly changed from that day on. I remember some time after that, someone came by and asked her to "talk off a wart." She responded, " I can't do it anymore. It quit working."
A distinction without a difference.
The Christian can only be influenced by them IF they allow that to happen, as we have now the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and have the authority in Jesus to resist Him, as the devil flees from those who realize that jesus has bought us back to God now,,,
Greater is He now in us, then the spirit of antichrist in the world!
Can you prove someone has the Spirit of God?