Can a Christian be tormented by demons?
Scripture never says a demon can dwell in someone the Spirit of God indwells, but it is clear that believers can be attacked from outside: tempted, accused, harassed, and hindered. The difference is the one Jesus drew: possession is being seized by a power that rules you, while the Christian is ruled by the Spirit and stands against the enemy with armor and the name of Christ. The battle is real; the victory is already decisive.
This question arose from studying Are demons real and active today? and Who is Satan, and what does he do?.
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What the Scripture says
Scripture's possessed are outside Christ; His word frees them
The demonized man of the Gadarenes lived among the tombs, wore no clothes, and was driven by demons into the desert; at Jesus' word, 'Legion' left him, and the city found him 'sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind.' They saw the power of the demons in his bondage and the greater power of the Son of God in his freedom. Where Jesus is Lord, demons do not own the house.
When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn’t live in a house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!” For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bands apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
“Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you.” He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
Believers are the temple of the Spirit, and greater is He in us
Paul makes the boundary a matter of residence: 'You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you,' and he asks, 'Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit... which you have from God?' John's word for the whole church is decisive: '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.' A spirit of darkness cannot share the temple the Spirit of God has claimed; that is not a promise of comfort but a fact of ownership.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own,What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
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.Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
But they can attack from outside: tempt, accuse, hinder
The same New Testament that promises the Spirit's residence warns that 'our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers... against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places,' and Peter pictures the devil as a roaring lion walking about, 'seeking whom he may devour.' Even Paul had 'a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me.' The believer's battle is real; the question is not whether the enemy attacks, but whether he rules.
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.For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
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.Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
The response: resist in faith, with the armor, not in raw power
James gives the two-part move: submit to God, and 'resist the devil, and he will flee from you.' Peter links resistance to faith: 'Withstand him steadfast in your faith,' knowing the same sufferings are shared across the world. Paul's armor is the counter-terror: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God, with all prayer. Jude adds the humility of Michael the archangel, who dared not bring an abusive condemnation against the devil but said, 'May the Lord rebuke you!' We do not fight the enemy in our own authority; we fight in the name and word of the One who has already defeated him.
Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace; above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
with 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:Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
The victory is Christ's, and it is finished
The cross was the defeat: through death He brought to nothing 'him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,' and having stripped the principalities and the powers, He 'made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.' John's reason for the incarnation is blunt: 'To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.' So the believer's posture is not foreboding but perseverance: stand, pray, resist, and rest in the One whose resurrection is the final word. The devils had their hour; it ended at the cross and the empty tomb.
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
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.He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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Verses to meditate on
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.Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
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.For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
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