Are demons real and active today?
Yes. The New Testament treats demons as real personal spirits, fallen angels in service of evil, who oppose God and deceive people. Jesus cast them out, and the apostles met them in the open. But their power is not ultimate: the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil, and His people resist them through the Word, prayer, and faith, without fear.
This question arose from studying Who is Satan, and what does he do?.
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What the Scripture says
The New Testament treats demons as real persons
This is not myth or metaphor; the Gospels show Jesus speaking to demons as persons. He asked one man's unclean spirit its name, and it replied, 'My name is Legion, for we are many.' The seventy reported with astonishment, 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!' When evening came, the people brought the demon-possessed to Jesus, and 'he cast out the spirits with a word.' Demons speak, choose, and act.
He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick;
They are fallen angels, not rivals of God
Demons are created spirits who rebelled. Peter says God did not spare angels when they sinned but cast them into pits of darkness, held for judgment, and Jude speaks of angels who did not keep their own domain, kept in everlasting bonds. Revelation calls the dragon's angels thrown down with him. They are powerful, but they are creatures under God's judgment, never His equals.
For if God didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
They are active in deception and false teaching
Their work today is often subtle. Paul warns that in later times some will fall away from the faith, 'paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.' He adds that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. John tells us to test the spirits, because not every voice is from God. The enemy's activity is real, and much of it is aimed at lies, division, and falsehood within reach of the church.
But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Jesus is their conqueror
Demons fled from Jesus, and He saw Satan fallen like lightning. John's summary is decisive: 'To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.' Paul says Christ 'stripped the principalities and the powers' and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them at the cross. Whatever demons are, they are a defeated enemy whose Leader has already won the war.
The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
So the believer resists, not fears
Because demons are real, so is the call to resist them. James says, 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,' and Peter urges us to be watchful and to withstand him steadfast in faith. Even the demons believe and shudder, yet they do not control those who are in Christ: 'greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.' We are not to be naive, and we are not to be afraid.
Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
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Verses to meditate on
He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
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