I was one of those Christians that believed that Christians cannot have a demon or demons in them. But, after going to hundredths of Encounter Retreats and performing thousands of deliverance I’ve come to a conclusion that Yes they can.

I’ve shared extensive material on the subject of deliverance, but I now want to explore the prevalent debates and biblical passages related to the belief that Christians cannot have demons.

The following are the most common arguments and how I would respond to them.

1. Having demons implies that one is “possessed.”

The term “demon-possessed” appears approximately 13 times in the New Testament, found solely within the gospels. Specifically, it is mentioned 7 times in the Gospel of Matthew, 4 times in the Gospel of Mark, and once each in the Gospels of Luke and John.

The issue stems from the word “possession.” The Greek word for demon possession, as it’s translated in our Bible, is daimonizomai; it means to be under the power of a demon. Another definition of daimonizomai is to be exercised by a demon, vexed with, or to be possessed with devils. Pay attention to the fact that daimonizomai does not carry the meaning of ownership. The proper translation for the word daimonizomai is to be demonized, not demon-possessed.

Demonization implies being under partial control or harassment by a demon, rather than full ownership. During demonization, a person is under partial control in a specific area of their life, struggling with issues such as fear, intimidation, or lust. Such individuals need deliverance because they are dealing with more than just their flesh, which can be overcome by discipline; they must also contend with the demon present.

POSSESSION OR OPPRESSION

most scholars agree possession implies ownership. Since Christians are bought by Christ, they cannot be owned by an evil one. Therefore, the term “demon-possessed” is a poor translation. The proper term is “demonized,” which conveys partial control by demons, not ownership. Merrill F. Unger, in “What Demons Do to Saints,” describes demonization as partial control by demons. Another Greek term, “echo,” meaning “to hold or to have,” is used in Luke 4:33 to describe having the spirit of an unclean demon.

Interestingly, in Acts 10:38, Peter summarizes the gospel mentions of demon possession as oppression: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Peter uses “oppressed” instead of “possessed,” indicating a more accurate understanding.

2. Having the Holy Spirit prevents Christians from having demons.

Some believe the Holy Spirit provides automatic protection against demonic infiltration.

This verse indicates that Christians still control their actions and can sin despite being members of Christ’s body. Paul doesn’t say that since you are members of Jesus’ body, He won’t let you sleep with a prostitute. He says, “don’t make them members,” which means that we still have control over what we do with our bodies, souls, and minds. Therefore, it’s possible for someone to engage with a prostitute, even though their body is a member of Jesus.

These verses are often misused to argue that demons cannot inhabit a body where the Holy Spirit dwells. However, they deal with sexual sin, not demonization.

Christians can still commit sins, as the Holy Spirit convicts but does not control believers. This verse cannot be used to argue that Christians are immune to demonization.

3. If you belong to God, you cannot have a demon.

Some believe that being defiled or defeated means you no longer belong to God. However, this doctrine lacks biblical support. There is no verse in Scripture suggesting that having a demon means you do not belong to God.

Paul uses the temple as a metaphor for our body, and I want to use the example of the temple as well. The Bible says that Jesus goes into the temple, located in the court of the Gentiles, and finds it being used as a market/business center. Angrily, Jesus drives out the merchants from within the temple and cleanses it from improper use.

Interestingly, the same word “drive out” is used twice in different circumstances; one, when Jesus drove out the merchants, and another, when Jesus drove out demons.

During deliverance, the same thing is happening. Jesus goes into His temple to cleanse it, and He drives things out that don’t belong there. The point here is that although the merchants operated in the temple, they did not own the temple. Jesus said the temple was His house. Even though it was defiled, it did not change its definition; by definition, it was still God’s house.

In the same manner, when a Christian tolerates demonic influence and justifies it to avoid seeking help or deliverance, Jesus says you have turned your House of prayer into a den of thieves, but it’s still God’s house. Demons don’t own the places they operate in. Many times, demons will operate in the life of a Christian, but that does not mean they own them. We are a royal priesthood, a chosen generation; we are God’s people.

Belonging to God does not mean that other things cannot operate in us due to our negligence, ignorance, or choice to engage in sins.

God called Israel His people even when they were in Egypt. They were not Egypt’s people even if they were in bondage.

It is possible for a believer to be in bondage as John 8 shows. When Jesus told people who had believed in Him to abide in His words and let His words make them free, they responded that they had never been in bondage to anyone. That is the deception caused by bondage; it often makes the person feel as though things are okay, even if things are falling apart all around them.

4. The Holy Spirit and demons cannot co-exist in the same body.

The portion of scriptures most use to teach this view is 2 Corinthians 6.

The context of this discussion pertains to believers dating non-believers and does not address deliverance. For the sake of argument, let us assume that 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 refers to deliverance. People often conclude from these verses that light and darkness cannot coexist. However, this is a misinterpretation. The passage states that light and darkness do not have communion; it does not suggest that righteousness and lawlessness cannot coexist. It is referring to fellowship. In the subsequent verses, Paul mentions that believers should not have communion or a deep relationship with unbelievers.

Here are some questions to considered before you can conclude this point.

Do you coexist with unbelievers?

Do God coexist with the devil?

Can the Holy Spirit coexist with the flesh?

This portion of Scripture isn’t talking about whether or not we coexist. Many people have unbelieving spouses, children, or coworkers, yet they coexist with them.

And to answer the question of whether God coexist with the devil, Yes, God is omnipresent. Which mean the Holy Spirit too.

This portion of Scripture is not addressing coexistence but communion. The Holy Spirit does not have communion with demons and does not have a covenant with demonic spirits. However, He can coexist with demons just as He coexists with your flesh.

The significant difference is that you can rid yourself of the demons living within you. When they stop operating in you, they still exist but can no longer harass you unless of course you let them. Having the Holy Spirit does not mean that demons cannot influence you, just as it does not mean that the flesh cannot influence you.

5. Demons cannot enter Christians because they are secured.

This argument asserts that demons cannot enter Christians because they are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and such Christians are protected from demonic influence or possession. However, Ephesians 4:27 warns, “nor give place to the devil.” Another translation phrases it as, “an opportunity.” The word “place” is used in the New Testament to denote “a place” 80 times, “the room” 5 times, “a living-quarter” 2 times, and “where” 1 time.

The frequent mention of “a place” emphasizes its importance. Do not give place to the devil—where? Anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, and malice reside in our hearts and emotions, providing potential entry points for demonic influence. Thus, it is possible for Christians to give place to demons through open doors in their hearts.

While demons cannot own Christians, they seem capable of filling them. Although it can be argued that neither Ananias nor Judas were born again, this is not definitively known. The Bible identifies Judas as an apostle:

Judas held a position, was anointed, and had power, yet the enemy planted evil thoughts in him. Judas was not born possessed; Satan did not reside in him from the beginning. Instead, Judas entertained the thought placed by Satan, developed it into a plan, and then the devil entered him.

Satan continues to operate similarly today. He attacks our minds, and if we do not resist those thoughts, we yield to our flesh by forming plans and opening doors for the enemy. The Bible clearly instructs us not to give the devil an opportunity, place, or opening.

6. Demons are removed when one meets Jesus.

This perspective is based on the idea that demons are present in people throughout the world, which is indeed supported by various biblical passages.

However, it’s important to note that when Jesus encountered demons, they did not automatically leave. Instead, Jesus had to explicitly cast them out. The notion that demons leave merely upon meeting Jesus is not supported by scripture.

There isn’t a single verse in the Bible indicating that demons left just by encountering Jesus. Instead, we find numerous instances where demons were expelled through His command. For example, in Matthew 8:16; 9:33; 10:1,8; 12:28; Mark 1:34,39; 3:15; 6:13; 16:9,17; and Luke 13:32, Jesus consistently casts out demons.

Demons did not automatically leave in Jesus’ presence. Since this was not the case during Jesus’ time on earth, it’s unlikely to be different now. Jesus never instructed His disciples to merely preach the Gospel for demons to leave; rather, He taught them to cast demons out. It’s also noteworthy that Jesus did not remove demons from people without their cooperation; He cast them out.

Notice, Jesus says, “I cast out” demons. This belief that demons leave automatically upon meeting Jesus can mislead new believers, implying that all problems, demons, and curses will vanish once they accept Jesus. While it’s true that believers become new creations and their names are written in the book of life, demons do not leave automatically but only when driven out.

7. Jesus only cast demons out of the evil and unredeemed.

When considering who was delivered from Egypt, it was the Israelites, not the Egyptians. God delivered His people. Limiting Jesus’ ministry to outsiders alone misinterprets the prophecy of Isaiah.

Jesus’ ministry was not restricted to outsiders but also extended to insiders. Nowhere in the Gospels do we see Jesus inquiring about people’s beliefs before delivering them. Jesus simply delivered those who approached Him. Likewise, He did not instruct His disciples to distinguish between believers and non-believers when casting out demons, helping the poor, or healing the sick.

Importantly, Jesus never imposed deliverance on anyone. Individuals with demons approached Jesus on their own initiative, as seen with the two demon-possessed men who ran to Him, the gentile woman who sought help for her daughter, and the father who brought his epileptic son. Jesus never cast out demons from those who did not seek deliverance. He didn’t force Judas to get rid of his demons, nor did Peter force deliverance on Ananias.

This is because one does not acquire demons by accident, nor can they be expelled by force. Deliverance requires the individual’s desire for freedom from demonic influence. If a person is attached to their demons, Jesus will not cast them out.

In Conclusion

Some may argue that there is no mention in the book of Acts or in Paul’s writings of Christians casting demons out of other Christians. While this is true, relying on the argument of silence is not a solid basis for forming doctrine. The word “trinity” is also not found in the Bible, yet the concept is a fundamental doctrine of our faith.

Paul’s letters did not delve into demonology, as the issues prevalent at the time were different.

Some might suggest that Jesus cast out demons solely to establish His Kingdom and that this is no longer relevant. To this, I ask:

What about His teaching on the new birth? Was it only for Nicodemus, or does it apply to us today?

Was the Sermon on the Mount only for His original audience, or does it still apply to us?

Should we disregard the entire New Testament?

Or should we believe Jesus when He said, “The works I do, you will do greater works”?

While the early church did not provide a manual for casting out demons, the process is simple: it is done by the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name, by commanding the demons out. It would be ideal if Christians could not have demons, but they can.

Jesus desires to set you free. This can happen through His word, during a Bible study, or a sermon. Remember, Jesus’ method involved casting out demons.

As Christians, we should follow His example in dealing with demons. We crucify our flesh and expel demons. If you have demons, there is hope and freedom for you in Jesus’ mighty name!