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Glory · The Unseen Realm
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.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/are-demons-real · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Mark 5:1-20
As you read: Jesus meets a man possessed by many demons, speaks to them as persons, and sets him free; the demons are real and He is their master.
1They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2When he had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs.
3He lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains,
4because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him.
5Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones.
6When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him,
7and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, don’t torment me.”
8For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
9He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
10He begged him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding.
12All the demons begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.”
13At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea.
14Those who fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had happened.
15They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid.
16Those who saw it declared to them what happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs.
17They began to beg him to depart from their region.
18As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him.
19He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.”
20He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled.
Luke 10:17-24
As you read: The seventy return rejoicing that evil spirits are subject to them in Jesus' name, and Jesus speaks of seeing Satan fallen like lightning.
17The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
18He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.
19Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.
20Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”
22Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.”
23Turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see,
24for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.”
Acts 16:16-24
As you read: Paul commands a spirit of divination out of a girl in the name of Jesus Christ, and it leaves that very hour.
16As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.
17Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”
18She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.
19But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
20When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city,
21and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”
22The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
23When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely,
24who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.
Ephesians 6:10-20
As you read: Paul names our real opponents: the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual forces of wickedness, and the armor to stand against them.
10Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.
11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12For 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.
13Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.
14Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace;
16above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
19on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,
20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
1 John 3:4-10
As you read: The devil sins from the beginning, and the Son of God was revealed to destroy his works.
4Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.
5You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.
6Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him, neither knows him.
7Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8He 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.
9Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can’t sin, because he is born of God.
10In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.
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.””Mark 5:9
“The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!””Luke 10:17
“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;”Matthew 8:16
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;”2 Peter 2:4
“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.”Jude 1:6
“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.”Revelation 12:9
“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.”Ephesians 6:12
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,”1 Timothy 4:1
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”2 Corinthians 11:14
“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.”1 John 4:1
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!””Luke 10:17
“He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.”Luke 10:18
“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.”1 John 3:8
“having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”Colossians 2:15
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.”James 4:7
“You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.”James 2:19
“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.”1 Peter 5:8-9
“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.”1 John 4:4
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”Ephesians 6:11