Can a Christian Be Demon-Possessed?

This should be a very easy question to answer as the bible could not be more clear. LIGHT can NOT dwell with darkness!

Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

John 8:12  “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” 

Eph 5:8 “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”

1Th 5:5 “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we(true Christians) are not of the night, nor of darkness.”

1Pe 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

1Jn 1:5 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

1Jn 2:8 “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

Can demons inhabit or spatially indwell a true believer? Can they walk through an open door and dwell in someone abiding in the True Vine, the LIGHT of the WORLD? Proponents of today’s spiritual warfare movement say yes, but they base their answer on subjective experience, not on God’s Holy Word. The Bible makes it clear that such a claim has absolutely no justifiable basis.

There is no clear example in the Bible where a demon ever inhabited or invaded a true believer. Not once in the New Testament epistles are believers warned about the possibility of being inhabited by demons. Neither do we see anyone rebuking, binding, or casting demons out of a true believer. The epistles never instruct believers to cast out demons, whether from a believer or unbeliever. Christ and the apostles were the only ones who cast out demons, and in every instance, the demon-possessed people were unbelievers.

The collective teaching of Scripture is that demons can never spatially indwell a true believer, period! A clear implication of 2 Corinthians 6, for example, is that the indwelling Holy Spirit could never cohabit with demons:

2Co 6:15 “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 
2Co 6:16  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. 
2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

In Colossians 1:13, Paul says God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”  Salvation brings true deliverance and protection from Satan. In Romans 8:37 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”, Paul says we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:57 “1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”, he says God gives us the victory. In 2 Corinthians 2:14 “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”, he says God always leads us in triumph. In 1 John 2:13 “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.”, John says we have overcome the evil one. And, in 1 John 4:4 “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.”, he says the indwelling Holy Spirit is greater than Satan. How could anyone affirm those glorious truths, yet believe demons can indwell genuine believers? It simply can’t be and is a lie from the pit of hell!

DEMON POSSESSION AND TRUE CONVERSION

Many of the leading voices in today’s “spiritual warfare” movement are too quick to hail every profession of faith in Christ as proof of salvation. That reflects the hellbound, easy-believism that has swept this generation. They are Revelation 3:16 lukewarmers which will be vomited out with their demons!

A thorough biblical understanding of the doctrine of conversion makes it clear that demons could never indwell or possess a believer.

All too often we see the heretical, false “signs & wonders” & “miracle healers” fall prey to this pathetic theology. True godly sorrow that leads to true repentance and conversion signifies a change of nature: being born again, becoming new creatures, rising from the dead, being renewed in the spirit of the mind, dying to sin and living to righteousness, putting off the old man and putting on the new, becoming partakers of the divine nature, etc.

In Matthew 12, Christ rebuked those who were following Him just for the sake of witnessing great signs and wonders:

Mat 12:43 “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 
Mat 12:44  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. 
Mat 12:45  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.”

The true Christian abides in Christ and obeys, thus, they are free!

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” 

1 John 2:6 “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

Instead of responding with spectacular signs and wonders, Christ addressed their need for salvation. Many people have the appearance of an orderly life. But in reality, they have not truly repented and trusted Christ as Savior and Lord. Their souls are “unoccupied” — that is, the Holy Spirit does not indwell them. Thus they are wide open to demonic invasion. That cannot be true of those whose bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 6:16 “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.”) Those who teach that demons can occupy a Holy Spirit filled believer are accursed and hellbound as they “preach another gospel” (Gal 1:9 -10 “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”). 

When one is truly born-again(obeying Jesus)“that wicked one toucheth him not”(1 John 5:18 “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not”). When the Holy Spirit inhabits a person, no demon can enter, PERIOD! The angels encamp around the righteous and indwelling by demons is only evidence of a lack of genuine salvation.

Return of an Unclean Spirit (A fallen corrupt spirit can have no rest but in the polluted human heart(the sinner): darkness dwells with darkness)
Mat 12:43  “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 
Mat 12:44  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. 
Mat 12:45  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.”

Stop the sideshows, stop the sin, stop the lies and get right with a Holy God.

1Jn 5:17 “All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

I sadly thought I was saved when I was filled with demons (sin). Click here for my testimony.

Read THE WAY TO THE CROSS.