A born again believer in Christ does have a MIND that needs renewing (Romans 12, John 17:17) but their Spirit is RIGHT NOW, COMPLETE IN CHRIST (Colossians 2), the very righteousness of God, IN CHRIST (2 Cor. 5:17-21), indwelt by the Holy Spirit from the very moment of belief on Christ for righteousness and sealed (Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30).
The Bible is very clear that Christians cannot be demon possessed. The Bible does say that a believer can be OPPRESSED AND TEMPTED by a demon, the ‘wiles of the devil’ (Ephesians 6). BIG DIFFERENCE!
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV)
Demon Oppression Is Biblical
DEMON OPPRESSION is Biblical and means that the devil and his demons will try to work circumstances against you and try to tempt you to sin. These are the schemes and wiles of the devil and we are to put on the Armour of God from Ephesians 6 to resist and fight them. That starts with verse 10,
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”
(Ephesians 6:10 KJV)
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
(James 4:7 KJV)
Asa born again believer with the Holy Spirit indwelling us (God is not ‘out there’, He is right here INSIDE believers!), we can stand against the demon attacks. But we must know who God made us, IN CHRIST! We are part of God’s family as born again believers with God inside of us.
“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.” (1 John 4:4 KJV)
The demons are ‘in the world’ but born again believers are now far above them in authority and position. In fact, we are told that we who are born again in the Spirit will one day be judging these fallen angels / demons.
“Know ye not that WE SHALL JUDGE ANGELS? how much more things that pertain to this life?”
(1 Cor. 6:3 KJV)
Even Peter was shocked to hear that he was influenced by Satan. This does not mean he was demon possessed though. The demons enticed his fleshly mind. Peter did not yet understand why Jesus was fine with going to be killed. He was hurting in his mind and was going through Jesus’ words in his mind over and over in despair, not understanding why Jesus had to die. The Devil knew it and kept enticing until Peter could not take it anymore.
“From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Then Peter took him, and began to REBUKE HIM, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
But he turned, and said unto Peter, GET BEHIND ME, SATAN: thou art AN OFFENSE TO ME: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that BE OF MEN.” (Matthew 16:21-23 KJV)
Notice that Jesus did not CAST OUT any demons within Peter. If Peter had been demon possessed, Jesus would have surely cast the demons out as He had for others. No, He did not! It is just that the devil enticed Peter’s fleshing thinking mind. And in great emotion did not want Jesus to die. Jesus knew it came from Satan who was trying to use Peter to prevent it. Peter was thinking as men think. Jesus did not say “get thee behind me Peter”. He said “GET BEHIND ME SATAN”.
At times a believer will fall into temptation and sin. The oppression from demons is very real. That does not mean the sin committed means loss of salvation. The Holy Spirit is still indwelling and Christ already paid for all sins of the whole world on that cross (1 John 2:2). That includes sins after salvation because all our sins are future from the cross. The demons know that you are eternally saved. They know the Bible. However, if they get you to sin it can RUIN YOUR WITNESS TO OTHERS with the Gospel of Grace Through Christ Crucified died, buried and risen. And it is the Gospel they are trying to prevent unsaved people from hearing!
These are what demons are doing to born again believers. They are OPPRESSING but not able to POSSESS born again believers with the Holy Spirit of God living inside of them.
Demon Possession
DEMON POSSESSION means that a demon, or demons, has taken over FULL CONTROL of a person as we see in Matthew 17:14-18 and Luke 4:33-35 and Luke 8:27-33. When Jesus cast out demons in people, the people were awakened from being unable to control their bodies. Keep in mind these verses are all before the cross and before the Holy Spirit indwelling upon believers happened on Pentecost.
No born again believer since Pentecost has been possessed by a demon nor is that found anywhere in the Bible. Demons can tempt and influence a born again believer toward sinning. Demons can, and do, try to entice the Fleshly thoughts in THE MIND (left over from the now DEAD old Spirit of Adam- Colossians 2, Romans 6) but can never ever possess as God MADE US through imputation, a new creation in the Spirit, which is of God and not Adam/man. BORN AGAIN IN THE SPIRIT is not something we work to achieve; it is a GIFT God gave us from the moment we believed on Christ for righteousness ( Eph. 1:13-14). It was NOT a partial gift!
In fact I can find no commands by Jesus to cast a demon out of a born again believer. Don’t you think God would have gave instructions to do so if it were true that a demon could possess a born again believer? Yet, it is not found anywhere in Scripture. Instead what do we see in Scripture? Just as Jesus did, when He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights with the devil tempting Him, believers are only instructed to resist the devil and use the Word of God against such influences and temptations:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
(James 4:7 KJV)
“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.”
(1 Peter 5:8-9 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.” (1 John 4:4 KJV)
