Blanket Immunity?
Unclean Spirits
Expulsion of demons
Resource
True story
Possession & Opposition
Greek Words
Topic : Demonology
What Demons Can Do
In his book What Demons Can Do To Saints, Dr. Merrill Unger writes: “The demon enters … as a squatter and not as an owner or a guest or as one who has a right there. But he comes in as an intruder and as an invader and enemy. But comes he does if the door is open by serious and protracted sin.”
Blanket Immunity?
Do we have blanket immunity from Satan’s invasion? No, that protection is conditional on our responsible participation in God’s plan for our protection. Dr. Unger writes: “The Holy Spirit indwelling the believer ungrieved by sin (Eph 4:30) and unquenched by disobedience (1 Thes 5:19) most certainly precludes invasion by a demon spirit. But who dares assert that a demon spirit will not invade the life of a believer in which the Holy Spirit has been grieved by serious and persistent sin and quenched by flagrant disobedience?”
Unclean Spirits
Demons are evil or unclean spirits (cf. Mk 1:23 with Mk 1:32-34; Rev 16:13-16), and are fallen angels, servants of Satan (Mt 12:26-27; 25:41). There is only one devil, but myriads of demons who serve the devil and make his power practically universal. A demoniac (Mk 5:1-20) is a person whose personality has been invaded by one or more demons, who at will can speak and act through their human victim, deranging both his mind and body.
A number of such victims of Satan were delivered by the Servant (see ‘Expulsion of Demons’ below). The unhindered power of God working through the sinless humanity of the Servant challenged the supernatural world of evil and explains the outburst of demonism during His earthly ministry.
The reality and personality of demons are attested in all eras of history since the Fall, as in the case of Saul and the spiritistic medium of Endor (1 Sam 28:7-20), in the case of ancient idolatry of which demonism was the dynamic (Ps 106:36-37; 1 Cor 10:20), in ancient divination and magic, and in ancient necromancy and modern spiritism.
Demons can derange mind and body (Mt 12:22; 17:15-18; Lk 13:16). They know the deity and lordship of Christ in the spirit world (Mt 8:31-32; Mk 1:24; Acts 19:15; Jas 2:19), and realize their predestined fate (Mt 8:31-32; Lk 8:31). They have a conspicuous role in the government of the Satanic world system (Dan 10:13; Eph 6:12), in promoting cultism and false doctrine (1 Tim 4:1-3), and in opposing God’s program and God’s people (Eph 6:12; 1 Jn 4:1-6). Prayer is the believer’s resource against Satan and demons (Eph 6:10-20).
Expulsion of demons
Specific instances:
Mk 1:21-28; Lk 4:31-37. Demoniac in the synagogue at Capernaum.
Mt 9:32-34. Dumb demoniac.
Mt 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-30. Daughter of the Syrophoenician woman.
Mt 8:28-34; Mk 5:1-20; Lk 8:26-39. Gadarene demoniacs.
Mt 12:22; Lk 11:14. Blind and mute demoniac.
Mt 17:14-21; Mk 9:14-29; Lk 9:37-43. Epileptic child.
Resource
- Politics and the Biblical Drama, R. Mouw, Eerdmans, 1976, p. 85ff.
- Existence and nature of demons, Satan is No Myth, J.O. Sanders, Moody, 1975, p. 62ff
True story
A Christian leader—we’ll call him Steve —was traveling recently by plane. He noticed that the man sitting two seats over was thumbing through some little cards and moving his lips. The man looked professorial with his goatee and graying brown hair, and Steve placed him at fifty-something. Sure the man was a fellow-believer, Steve leaned over to engage him in conversation.
“Looks to me like you’re memorizing something,” he said.
“No, actually I was praying,” the man said.
Steve introduced himself. “I believe in prayer too,” he said.
“Well, I have a specific assignment,” said the man with the goatee.
“What’s that?” Steve asked. “I’m praying for the downfall of Christian pastors.”
“I would certainly fit into that category,” Steve said. “Is my name on the list?”
“Not on my list,” the man replied.
Possession & Opposition
The Bible teaches that the origin of false doctrines (1 Tim 4:1) and the origin of all false religion is demonic (1 Cor 10:19-20).
This explains the frequency of demon possession among people of false religions and the strong demonic opposition of missionary work in so many places throughout the world.
Greek Words
archai: rulers (1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10, 15)
exousiai: authorities (1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10, 15)
dunameis: powers (Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21)
kuriotes: dominions (Eph 1:21; Col 1:16)
thronoi: thrones (Col 1:16)
archontes: leaders, princes (1 Cor 2:6)
kosmokratores: world rulers (Eph 6:12)
