Can Believers have Demons?

[Joshua-777]

16 minutes ago, angels4u said:

I think you’re talking about oppression, if you’re born again you belong to Jesus and can still listen to the flesh and get deceived ,that is why the Bible warns us to be alert at all time…and not to get deceived,give the devil no foothold…..

As I replied back to Other One, oppression is used in the bible to include all those who are being afflicted by the devil (acts 10:38). That means Paul being buffeted by a demon is oppression as well as the one who was demonized with legion.

What I am referring to is tormented, as it says in Acts 5.

Acts 5:16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The word for torment in the greek is ochleō, which means vexed with, or harassed by. While a demon cannot touch a believers spirit, they can influence and even indwell in the areas of the flesh not surrendered to the Lord, the soul 'Mind, will and emotions.'

There is another word the bible uses, demonized, or possessed which is different. The man possessed with legion is a good example,

Mark 5:16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.

The word there is daimonizomai which means to be exercised by a daemon, meaning a demon takes control of your idenity and uses you for its purposes. Because the devil cannot own anything I think demonized would be a better word. 

While I believe believers can be harassed and tormented by demons if there is an open door, I would say believers are not fully demonized.

We also see demons in the bible afflicting people with injuries, like the lady with the spirit of infirmity for 18 years, which can happen to believers where the demon afflicts the body. This also needs cast out.

Luke 13:11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.


 

[angels4u]

5 minutes ago, Joshua-777 said:

As I replied back to Other One, oppression is used in the bible to include all those who are being afflicted by the devil (acts 10:38). That means Paul being buffeted by a demon is oppression as well as the one who was demonized with legion.

What I am referring to is tormented, as it says in Acts 5.

Acts 5:16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The word for torment in the greek is ochleō, which means vexed with, or harassed by. While a demon cannot touch a believers spirit, they can influence and even indwell in the areas of the flesh not surrendered to the Lord, the soul 'Mind, will and emotions.'

There is another word the bible uses, demonized, or possessed which is different. The man possessed with legion is a good example,

Mark 5:16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.

The word there is daimonizomai which means to be exercised by a daemon, meaning a demon takes control of your idenity and uses you for its purposes. Because the devil cannot own anything I think demonized would be a better word. 

While I believe believers can be harassed and tormented by demons if there is an open door, I would say believers are not fully demonized.

We also see demons in the bible afflicting people with injuries, like the lady with the spirit of infirmity for 18 years, which can happen to believers where the demon afflicts the body. This also needs cast out.

Luke 13:11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.


 

 It looks that you’re wording it different then I do,Born again Christians can be oppressed ( through the flesh) but not be possessed ,God does not share our soul which He died for with the enemy..,

[Joshua-777]

21 minutes ago, angels4u said:

 It looks that you’re wording it different then I do,Born again Christians can be oppressed ( through the flesh) but not be possessed ,God does not share our soul which He died for with the enemy..,

To where, I would say they cannot have a demon in their spirit, but their soul (mind, will, emotions) yes. Just as we can act on carnal thoughts and sin as a believer, we have a responsibility to renew our soul to the truth of God's word and turn from sin as believers.

There is a taking off the old and putting on the new.

Ephesians 4:21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.


As far as the word oppression, It is only used once in the new testament as an blanket term. So i find it helpful to get back to the bible with our terminology on this subject.
 

katadunasteuō

kat-ad-oo-nas-tyoo'-o

From G2596 and a derivative of G1413; to exercise dominion against, that is, oppress: - oppress.

Edited October 27, 2022 by Joshua-777

[angels4u]

26 minutes ago, Joshua-777 said:

To where, I would say they cannot have a demon in their spirit, but their soul (mind, will, emotions) yes. Just as we can act on carnal thoughts and sin as a believer, we have a responsibility to renew our soul to the truth of God's word and turn from sin as believers.

There is a taking off the old and putting on the new.

Ephesians 4:21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.


As far as the word oppression, It is only used once in the new testament as an blanket term. So i find it helpful to get back to the bible with our terminology on this subject.
 

katadunasteuō

kat-ad-oo-nas-tyoo'-o

From G2596 and a derivative of G1413; to exercise dominion against, that is, oppress: - oppress.

Amen,and sometimes people can ask other people for prayer so God  will remove whatever they’re dealing with,that’s why it’s so important to live in the Spirit,God is good and warns us from danger all the time by convicting us from sin and to turn to Him..

[OneLight]

2 hours ago, Joshua-777 said:

To be clear, I am talking about a demon dwelling in a persons body. I don't believe a believer can fully be possessed (owned) by a demon, but a demon can enter if there is a door and cause a flood of demonic thoughts, sickness in the body, fear, intensified temptation, etc.

I am careful about what words I use because the bible uses the term oppression as an umbrella term meaning all who are oppressed by the devil.

Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

We see in Acts 5:16, that multitudes came that were tormented, which means to be harassed and vexed with unclean spirits

Acts 5:16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

There are multitudes in need of this today because the younger generation is being taught to open every door to the enemy (witchcraft, sexual immorality and perversion, etc) and just because someone is a confessing believer, doesnt mean they are safe from demonic affliction if they open the door.

Oppression does cover a lot of ground, but it is very different than possession.  If Jesus used the term to mean many, and what you describe is also many, why not use oppression? 

[Joshua-777]

1 minute ago, OneLight said:

Oppression does cover a lot of ground, but it is very different than possession.  If Jesus used the term to mean many, and what you describe is also many, why not use oppression? 

If we stick to the biblical language, possession is also under the blanket of oppression going by the way the word is used. We have been seeing a dramatic increase of deliverance in my church which has been causing me to dive deeper into scripture on this subject.

I can see in scripture, Oppression which means all who are attacked by the devil, torment which means vex with or harassed by a demon, and demonization/possession which means taken over by, or exercised by a demon, which is seen in the passage where the man was completely taken over by legion.

[angels4u]

1 minute ago, Joshua-777 said:

If we stick to the biblical language, possession is also under the blanket of oppression going by the way the word is used. We have been seeing a dramatic increase of deliverance in my church which has been causing me to dive deeper into scripture on this subject.

I can see in scripture, Oppression which means all who are attacked by the devil, torment which means vex with or harassed by a demon, and demonization/possession which means taken over by, or exercised by a demon, which is seen in the passage where the man was completely taken over by legion.

Quote

. We have been seeing a dramatic increase of deliverance in my church which has been causing me to dive deeper into scripture on this subject.

Sad to say is that many who think they're Christians might not be born again...

[angels4u]

3 minutes ago, Joshua-777 said:

If we stick to the biblical language, possession is also under the blanket of oppression going by the way the word is used. We have been seeing a dramatic increase of deliverance in my church which has been causing me to dive deeper into scripture on this subject.

I can see in scripture, Oppression which means all who are attacked by the devil, torment which means vex with or harassed by a demon, and demonization/possession which means taken over by, or exercised by a demon, which is seen in the passage where the man was completely taken over by legion.

Quote

demonization/possession which means taken over by, or exercised by a demon, which is seen in the passage where the man was completely taken over by legion.

This man was not a born again believer ( big difference

[Joshua-777]

33 minutes ago, angels4u said:

Sad to say is that many who think they're Christians might not be born again...

Yes, there are many who think they are christian but not born again but, I have also come across many believers who came out of sinful lifestyles and they need deliverance. Unfortunately much of the church doesn't acknowledge it or deal with it. I went through six years of trying to find deliverance when I came out of the occult. I was a believer for those six years, born again but I was a mess.

Another deception I see coming in the church is a hypergrace that gives believers permission to live in sin, because of this many end up in bondage. If a believer chooses to live in sin, they are inviting demons into their lives.

[Joshua-777]

41 minutes ago, angels4u said:

This man was not a born again believer ( big difference

As I said earlier, believers can have demons torment them, they can have them afflict their physical bodies as well as their souls and when they get delivered they often cough, scream and have the demon speak through them.

Ususally, full on demonization/possession like we see with Legion isn't with believers. But, if someone demonized accepts Jesus in their heart, that demon needs cast out. It doesn't just go.