Bible Questions Answered:
“Do people still get devils
today?...”
Janki/ Kalyan, Maharashtra India
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
You'd think if it was an important
subject, that religious leaders would be warning people, yes, spirit
possession is as real today, as it was in our Saviors day.
What is spirit possession.
Unclean spirits are spirit agents of
evil, under the absolute control of the devil.
In our New Testament, we read of cases
where individuals were possessed of evil spirits.
Jesus cast out evil spirits.
How and why may evil entities possesses
individuals.
God created man as a “temple, Vessel”
of The Holy Spirit.
I Corinthians 3:16,17 KJV
16 Know ye not that ye are the
temple of God, and that The Spirit Of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple
of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is
holy, which temple ye are.
I Corinthians 6:19,20 KJV
19 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?
20 For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God's.
II Corinthians 6:16 KJV
And what agreement hath the
temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of The Living
God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Ephesians 2:19-22 KJV
19 Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of
the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being The Chief
Corner Stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in The Lord:
22 In whom ye also are built
together for an habitation of God through The Spirit.
(True individually and corporately)
I Thessalonians 4:4 KJV
That every one of you should know
how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor
II Timothy 2:20,21 KJV
20 But in a great house there are
not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and
of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
21 If a man therefore purge himself
from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and
meet for The Master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Our body is a temple, a vessel of God
The Holy Spirit. Either our temple is filled with the presence and
power of God, or it is empty, waiting an occupant.
An example of someone who became
possessed or oppressed, was King Saul.
I Samuel 16:14 KJV
But The Spirit Of The LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from The LORD troubled him.
King Saul had disobeyed The Lord time after time.
When we live contrary to The Word Of God, which warns us against all evil, we are opening our selves up to the forces of evil.
Ephesians 6:12 KJV
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.
I Timothy 4:1,2 KJV
[1] Now The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shalldepart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
[2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Revelation 16:13,14 KJV
[13] And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon (Satan), and out of the mouth of the beast (The Ant-Christ), and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
[14] For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Christ set the demon, possessed and oppressed, free.
Demoniac cured: Mark 1:23-26
Dumb,Blind Demoniac cured: Matthew 12:22,23
Demoniac of Gadara cured: Mark 5:1-21
Dumb Demoniac cured: Matthew 9:32,33
Demoniac girl cured: Mark 7:24-30
Demoniac (lunatic) boy cured: Mark 9:14-39
Demoniac (Deaf and Dumb spirit) boy Cured: Mark 9:14-27
Evil spirits are invited into one's life through disobedience, such as through the practices of, all Occult practices, Divination, Channeling, Astrology, visiting Mediums, partaking of Witchcraft etc.
See The Bible Prayer Line Index: Bible Lessons: Occult.
Demons can be cast out through the power of God, but Jesus warned His disciples....
Matthew 12:43-45 KJV
[43] When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
[44] Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
[45] Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Jesus passed the authority of His Name, on to His followers.
Mark 15:16-18 KJV
[15] And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
[16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
[17] And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (Acts 2:1-4)
[18] They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
(Explanation of verse 18)
Acts 28:1-6 :NLT The Apostle Paul
1 Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta.
2 The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.
3 As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand.
4 The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.”
5 But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.
6 The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.
This is not something sought after, but if an evil thing like this should happen to God's people, He will, as He did with the Apostle, deliver them.
See also
Matthew 4:5-7 KJV
[5] Then the devil taketh Him (Jesus) up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple,
[6] And saith unto Him, If thou be The Son Of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
[7] Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt The Lord thy God.
The Power of God, is not for showmanship, or fleshly acts of any kind, religious works included!
Exorcisms, are to be attempted only by Spirit Filled Christian, people, who are given to prayer and fasting.
Matthew 17:19-21 KJV
[19] Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
[20] And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
[21] Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Luke 10:19 KJV
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Isaiah 58:6 KJV
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Revelation 12:11 KJV
And they overcame him by The Blood Of The Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
I John 4:4 KJV
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.
A Last Warning:
Just because someone can cast out evil
spirits, DOES NOT MEAN, THAT INDIVIDUAL IS A SERVANT OF THE
LIVING GOD!
Matthew 7:21-23 KJV
21 Not every one that saith unto Me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth
the will of My Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have
cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.
QUESTION:
How could people who prophecy,
cast out devils, and do wonderful (religious things-in the church),
ever be called “workers of iniquity???
ANSWER:
These were people of religion,
and ritual, but who had “NO,” personal relationship with
The Lord Jesus
Christ. That is they had never and would “Never,” bow their knees
in repentance for their sins, and make an about face to evil, while
calling upon The Lord to “save,” them, through “Faith -In The
Finished Work Of Christ.”
So, they performed
their rituals behind stained glass and beautiful music, leading
others to follow their example, and example that leads to spiritual
death.
Matthew 15:14
KJV
Let them alone: they be blind
leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall
fall into the ditch.
Ephesians 6:11
KJV
Put on the whole armor of God, that
ye may be able to stand against the wiles* of the devil.
Wiles-Greek:
Methodeia-(Meth-od-i-ah): Travesty (trickery), wile, lie in wait.
Prayer:
Psalm 91:1-16
NLT
1 Those who live in the shelter of
The Most High will find rest in the shadow of The Almighty.
2 This I declare about The Lord: He
alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust
Him.
3 For He will rescue you from every
trap and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his
feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful
promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of
the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that
stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your
side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not
touch you.
8 Just open your eyes, and see how
the wicked are punished.
9 If you make The Lord your refuge,
if you make The Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you; no
plague will come near your home.
11 For He will order His angels to
protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their
hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and
cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue
those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My name.
15 When they call on Me, I will
answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long
life and give them My salvation.”
