Demon Possession and Oppression
Demonic oppression and possession is still around today. We don't hear much of it because a good majority of the ones who are being tormented by evil forces are those who are:
1. Narcissistic
2. Diagnosed with various personality disorders and other related disorders
3. Sociopaths
Matthew 7:17:
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
James 3:12
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Evil :
1. Anything which impairs the happiness of a being or deprives a being of any good;
anything which causes suffering of any kind to sentient beings; injury;
mischief; harm; -- opposed to {good}.
Evils which our own misdeeds have wrought. --Milton.
The evil that men do lives after them. --Shak.
2. Moral badness, or the deviation of a moral being from the principles of virtue imposed by conscience, or by the will of the
Supreme Being, or by the principles of a lawful human authority; disposition to do wrong; moral offence; wickedness; depravity.
The heart of the sons of men is full of evil.
--Eccl. ix. 3.
Oppression
3. A feeling of being heavily weighed down in mind or body.
Possession
2. Something owned or possessed.
7. The state of being dominated by or as if by evil spirits or by an obsession.
Oppression and Possession:
The way I see it, those who are oppressed by demonic forces are continually being "harassed" by them but they have not yet been possessed (totally taken over) by them.
As the definition above describes, someone who is oppressed feels heavily weighted down in body and mind.
The perfect definition of depression wouldn't you say? Now I am not saying everyone who is suffering from depression is oppressed by the devil.
All of those who do evil are not demon possessed. But there is a danger in labeling all of those who practice evil as suffering from some mental or character disorder as many psychologists do today.
Are those who continually practice evil spiritually sick?
I believe that they are.
We have all done evil things in our lives.
Are you sorry for the evil you have done?
Or
Are you unconcerned about the harm your evil actions has brought upon others?
If you are sorry for the evil you have done, this shows that you have a conscience and that it has not been seared and this is a good thing. Your sorrow over the evil you have done shows that your conscience is working.
But there are those in this world who do evil continuously and show no regret or remorse for the evil deeds they do to others. To act in this manner is a sure sign of a defective or seared conscience.
To do continuous evil to others and have no regrets is the hallmark of an evil person.
Do you intentionally harm others? Do you not think twice about what your selfish acts might bring upon others? Someone who does these things are practicing evil. In order for someone to practice doing evil to others, they must have evil in their hearts.
Jesus said what is in your heart will come out of your mouth. Our words tend to signify the content of what we carry around within.
Matthew 18:
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man.
Possession
Before a person can be possessed, that person must YIELD themselves to continually practice evil.
Repeatedly giving ourselves over to evil will assuredly pay us back by way of being overtaken by that evil. Unless one yields him or herself to evil, they cannot be possessed.
1. Narcissism and the demonic:
It is my belief that some of those who are narcissists are possessed by demons. I have known narcissistic people and there is something inherently evil about them. They only think of themselves with no regard for their fellow man. They view human beings as tools to be used or discarded. For a person to do this, make no mistake, he has welcomed evil into his life.
To think that a narcissist could live their entire life without giving thought to what they do to others with their evil acts is mind boggling. But this is what happens. Narcissists believe that they do no wrong. They will not admit to being at fault in any fashion. They are deceived but they don't see it. You can read more about narcissists by clicking here .
2. The personality disordered:
It is my personal belief that some percentage of these people are possessed by demons.
It is no surprise that none of us want to accept this. We would rather categorize these people as "sick" or as suffering from a severe character flaw that holds them in its clutches and in which they are helpless to get free from.
But in truth, the reason these people cannot get free from the clutches that evil has upon them is because they refuse to acknowledge the truth and face what they have allowed into their lives and what they have become.
In truth, a majority of these people are spoiled, selfish brats. Selfishness is a sin. In their particular situation, the sin or selfishness has overtaken them and is now reigning in their lives. The same holds true for narcissists.
The sad fact is that these people are being harassed and in some cases, controlled by demonic spirits that have been given sanctuary within them.
3. Psychopaths
A psychopath is one who has a seared conscience. The evil they do doesn't bother them. They are cold, calculating and aloof. They caring nothing about anyone but themselves.
What about the will of the person?
Notice that I say the person has GIVEN sanctuary to the evil forces. I have always believed that no power in heaven or on earth is able to go all out against the will of a person and overtake them UNLESS that person YIELDS to that force or power.
Entertaining demons:
There are some people who have reported hearing "voices" that they enjoy listening to.
One time I heard of a person going to a church meeting and coming forward to be freed from demonic forces they had allowed into their lives. This person told the pastor that they didn't want to be rid of the voices they heard. Some of these people have reported that the "voices" have told them to kill or to do other evil deeds to people. These are evil spirits that are doing this folks.
But when the person starts LISTENING and giving credence and to these evil forces, this is when the evil forces gain strength in the person's life.
Demonic possession in the bible
Jesus cast out demons often. There was one particular incident in which his disciples could not cast a demon out. Jesus response was, " this kind cometh forth not except by fasting and prayer". So we see that we cannot lump all cases of demonic possession into one neat category.
The longer a person is possessed by a demonic force, the harder they will be to cast out. And the harder it will be for those who are taken over by one to get free.
What brings them out?
The truth always sets people free and demonic possession is no exception.
The person who is oppressed or possessed is the one who must face and accept the truth. The person who is oppressed or possessed needs very much to acknowledge that they have allowed hate, anger, and maliciousness to rule in their lives and as a result of this, they have been oppressed by demonic/ evil forces. People should have the desire to be free from these evil forces. They must want rid of them and desire to live by the power of GODS spirit, the Holy Spirit.
If Jesus was here with us today in the flesh, he would no doubt tell us to cast out devils just as he did 2000 years ago to his disciples.
Jesus cast out the demonic through the Holy Spirit in those times. And when we are called on to intercede for a possessed person today, we will only be able to cast out the demonic by way of the truth and the Holy spirit. Nothing has changed friends.
Questions about Demon Possession:
For one thing, when Jesus cast out demons, he approached the person, knew by the spirit that the person was possessed, didn't ASK the person if they wanted to be free of the demons and cast them out of that person. In order for us to live anywhere near that level of spiritual maturity, we must have discernment.
In our day and age, we feel that we must ASK and find out if the possessed person wants to be delivered, yet Jesus didn't do this. He asked a demon that was inside a person what his name was - the demon replied, "LEGION, for we are many".
During the times I have been present when people were possessed, the person just started acting out. That is, they started screaming and thrashing around. There were no verbal exchanges between the preacher and the possessed person that began and enabled the deliverance to take place.
I have both prayed for and been present in cases where people were possessed. I have been by their side when they were battling the very forces of hell. This is not a light thing.
Calling evil by it's name:
Why can we not bring ourselves to call evil what it is? We dismiss the actions of those who routinely do evil and wreak havoc in the lives of others by turning away or remaining silent and dismissing it altogether. We should call evil what it is.
No healing and wholeness will ever come from lying or covering up the truth.
Some bible scriptures that deal with demon possession:
Matthew 4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
Matthew 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
Acts 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
Mark 9:18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
Mark 9:28 28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
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Originally Posted by crackedpot
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