We're continuing our discussion on demons in this article. In part one, we talked about what demons were and a possible explanation of where they come from. Part two continued with how we can identify them and their actions. This time we're talking about where demons can reside, or what part of us they can affect, and how they get in.
As you read this, please do not misunderstand that I am saying if you're sad, angry, confused, forgetful, depressed, you gossip, criticize, drink alcohol, etc., that you have demons. While these are things demons compel us to do, we don't only do them because of demons. We're still beings of free will, so we can choose to do things like that all on our own. Or we could not take care of our bodies and minds, and they can deteriorate to cause things like confusion and forgetfulness. An important thing to note is that these things that I describe likely come from demons if 1) there's seemingly no reason they should be happening (or have happened) and/or 2) they happen uncontrollably or out of habit and we struggle to stop doing them.
The first area we'll cover is emotions and attitudes. Now, humans are emotional creatures...with attitude! It's when these emotions and attitudes go to that next level of being uncontrollable, out of character for someone (at least initially), or habitual, that there is likely a demon at work. In this way, negative emotions open the door for these demons to enter. It's easy for them, because we'll think it's just us and our emotions that caused us to do the things they influence us to do. We've all had days where things just weren't going right, and we got so frustrated that we snapped and either yelled at someone (or something), punched/hit/threw something, or just wanted to be isolated and not do anything. We play it off and say it was just a hard day, but then we start to do those things more frequently, and less things in our lives have to happen for us to reach that point. Maybe we eventually become the person that everyone has to tiptoe around for fear of an outburst, or watch what they have to say for fear of being accused of something or attacked.
These emotions and attitudes include things like self-pity, loneliness, misery, depression, despair, suicide, murder, rejection, rebellion, anger, hatred, witchcraft, and violence. Now, suicide and murder demons don't necessarily enter as a result of suicide attempts or murder. They can also enter and drive someone to do those things. Remember, 1 John 3:15 tells us murder really is an inner attitude that happens when we hate someone. These demons work together frequently in what Derek Prince liked to call "gangs." They get in and they bring their friends in when the opportunity arises. For example, rebellion gets you to rebel against God, then he brings his friend witchcraft in and you start to get involved in the occult and its practices. Anger comes in, brings his friend hatred, hatred brings in violence against the people and things he gets a person to hate, and in extreme cases murder comes in to compel someone to murder. Likewise, self-pity, loneliness, misery, depression and despair culminate in the spirit of suicide.
Another area demons affect and influence is the mind. They cause doubt (in yourself, in God, in the Bible, etc.), unbelief (in God's power and influence, in the truth of scripture, etc.), confusion, forgetfulness, indecision, compromise (in your convictions, your beliefs, etc.), humanism, and insanity. These demons can sometimes be heard, or sound like our own thoughts. Someone asks a question about some aspect of scripture that you're not strong in, questioning its validity or claiming it's contradictory, and you think, "well, that's a good point, maybe the scripture isn't as true as I thought." Doubt, or unbelief, came in and now you're questioning the very foundation of scripture being God-breathed.
Demons can also affect the tongue. The spirit of lying (1 Kings 22:22,23, 2 Chronicles 18:21,22) can lie to a person's mind or influence a person to lie. At the extreme, people influenced by this demon can be so deceived that they actually believe their lies and can no longer distinguish truth for themselves. Ever met a person that just can't stop gossiping, criticizing, or slandering others? How about someone that just can't control exaggerating about themselves or their experiences? Maybe they know they're exaggerating, but this demon has convinced them that they will not be as liked or interesting if they don't. We think, "oh, that's just so-and-so," but likely they are under the influence of the demon of exaggeration. This guy is a close cousin to the lying spirit.
A slightly more taboo area demons can affect is our sexuality. The demons in this area operate in gangs too, compelling uncontrollable masturbation, pornography-watching, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and other perversions of God's intention for our sexuality. Jesus Himself let us know the seriousness of things like pornography in Matthew 5:28, saying just a lustful look is committing adultery in your heart. Another demon gang! How many marriages have you heard about being destroyed by something so justified by today's society as pornography?!
The last area is physical appetites. These are things like eating, drinking, nicotine and sexual appetite. Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:31 to do everything to the glory of God, even eating and drinking. This area is pretty self-explanatory, so I won't belabor the point. Just remember that it's when these appetites move to the uncontrollable, or habitual, that they are likely the result of demons.
Demons also don't stick to their own area when they bring in friends and create their "gang." Everyone is different, and they know that. Some people are not as susceptible to despair or suicide for example, so the depression demon brings in gluttony and the person starts to eat uncontrollably. They also don't hesitate to work together and try to get their friends into someone close to the person they reside in. I mentioned pornography destroying marriages. This is a perfect example. Not only do the pornography and adultery demons work together, they work to get their friend rejection into the spouse as a result. He or she starts to feel they're not good enough, and the move towards loneliness, self-pity, and depression begins. Or maybe this spouse is strongly devoted, but not so strong in their beliefs or convictions, so the spirit of compromise enters and they say, "it's ok, as long as he's not physically with someone else."
One thing that just occurred to me is that there is sometimes a deception of Satan that convinces Christians that they can't be influenced or compelled by demons. The argument is that because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us (Eze 36:27, 1 Cor 3:16, 6:19, 2 Cor 6:16, 2 Tim 1:14, Rom 8:9,11, Gal 4:6, 1 Jhn 2:27), demons cannot reside in us. Do not be deceived! It is the Holy Spirit that moves us to know what we did was wrong and we need to repent and ask forgiveness. If the Holy Spirit were not there, we would be just like the rest of the world, believing that these things are ok, and sometimes even encouraging them! In 2 Samuel 11 we learn that David was guilty of adultery and murder. Yet after he repented, while he was still anguished about what he did, he prayed for the Holy Spirit not to be taken from him (Psalm 51:11), meaning the Holy Spirit still dwelled in him despite committing the sins of adultery and murder. Also, remember that we are composed of a spirit, soul and body. The Holy Spirit dwells with our spirit, and as you'll notice, all those areas demons influence are in our soul (emotions, attitudes, mind) and body (tongue, sex, physical appetites). They never influence our spirit, and thus never come into contact with the Holy Spirit. We can, however, indulge them to a point where there are so many of them, and they are so strong, that we are being led by them, vice our spirit, and as a result are rejecting the Holy Spirit.
So keep a look out all, for when the things we feel, think, say, or do go just a little too far. When they start to become uncontrollable or habitual. When we start to wonder why we did them, or maybe we know they're wrong and we justify them. This is when the enemy has sneaked through our defenses and we need to get rid of them, and I'll talk about that next week in our final newsletter on this topic. Until then, keep in mind Galatians 5:19-25 as it gives a good litmus test of whether or not what you're experiencing is of Satan or of God. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance are what we all should be reaching for, because these are the fruit of the spirit.
Love you all and God bless you!
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