How do I discern demonic influence from ordinary struggles?
Scripture never blames every struggle on demons. It maps our battles into three sources, the world, the flesh, and the devil, and it gives us tests to tell them apart, because each battle is fought with the right weapon. Discerning the source of a struggle is the first act of the fight.
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
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Scripture maps the fight into three fronts
The Bible names three sources of our struggles: the world, the flesh, and the devil. John writes that all that is in the world with its desires is passing away, James says each person is drawn away by his own desires, and Peter says the devil prowls like a roaring lion. Most of our daily battles are world-shaped or flesh-shaped. To call every temptation demonic is to misdiagnose it, and a misdiagnosed battle is fought with the wrong remedy.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death.Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Scripture shows the devil working in distinct ways: accusation, deception, and a hunger for worship. He is called the accuser who accuses the brothers day and night, and Jesus calls him the father of lies, while Paul warns that he can masquerade as an angel of light. When a struggle is driven by constant accusation, lies about who God is or who we are, or pressure toward false worship, the enemy's hand is near.
I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and its father.Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.”And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
James is blunt: where do wars and fights come from? From your own pleasures that war in your members. Even the apostle Paul describes a very ordinary inward battle between what he wants to do and what he does. Paul does not blame demons for his struggle; he names the flesh. Normal temptations are human, and the remedy for them is the ordinary means of grace: repentance, fellowship, and the word. Blaming demons can become an excuse to avoid the painful work of killing our own desires.
Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members? You lust, and don’t have. You kill, covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask.From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good. For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
John gives the test for spirits: every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that denies Him is not. Paul adds that no one speaking by God's Spirit says Jesus is accursed, and no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. Whatever a voice or impulse does with Jesus tells you what spirit stands behind it.
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. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit.Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
Paul discerned a spirit of divination in a slave girl and cast it out in Jesus' name, yet he never treated every hostile crowd or beating as demonic; he endured them as suffering for Christ. Discernment tells you which battle you are in: what to resist, what to endure, and what to repent of. Resist the devil, and he will flee; submit to God in everything else, and you will find His grace sufficient for the rest.
As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!” She 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.And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
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. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.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. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
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;
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.
What does it mean that the whole world lies in the evil one?
We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
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Verses to meditate on
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.Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
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.
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.
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.
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.