“Christians can’t have demons!” Ever heard that line before?

I suppose for anyone who has no interest in opening up their Bible to read what the scriptures have to say regarding this topic might find comfort in that attempt to offer assurance. (Jer. 23:16-17) But there’s a reason we are told that many people ‘who are perishing’ will be quick to ‘believe a lie’ and for this reason alone: ‘they have no love of the truth’. (2 Thess. 2:9-12)

Once again, may I remind you that I am not here to ‘prove a point’ or to argue and debate theology. Fully aware that I can teach you nothing outside of what the Holy Spirit teaches and bears witness to you, I need not tire myself trying to convince you of anything. I simply submit to you in love and humility...more scripture to examine for yourself (Acts 17:11). And if you are willing to at least do that...then let me challenge you with this advice:

When you come across scriptures in your Bible that seem to contradict and oppose what you may ‘personally believe’ about any given topic ...because that is what you ‘church doctrine’ has taught you, you probably will feel something ‘kick’ or maybe even ‘rise up within in you’. Why not give pause and ask yourself when that happens...”Why did I just respond like that when I read that verse?” Or... “What is that rising up in me that wants to call someone who can tell me why that verse doesn’t mean what it says?!” (Has God really said? Gen. 3:1)

Granted...we all come across Bible verses from time to time that kind of ‘hit us in the face’ because they don’t really line up or ‘fit’ with “our doctrine”, and then we are forced to do one of two things: 1) we can flat out reject it, in our hearts and minds, because it doesn’t ‘fit’ with how we believe. Can I just tell you now that is never a good idea because the minute you reject or want to dismiss the ‘word’, who are you rejecting? Answer: Jesus (John 1:1,14)

This usually is an indicator that something else has your heart, like a doctrine or alternative belief system. Believe me friends when I tell you...This word will divide and expose our hearts. (Luke 12:51; Heb. 4:12). And do I really need to point out that it is usually the ‘religious crowd’ who will react to the Word in such a vitriol manner? Look what being confronted with The Word did to the Pharisees when Jesus stood before them.

And 2) if Jesus truly has your heart, when you come across passages and verses that seem to differ with what you have been taught, then you find yourself having to make a choice, and I can promise you...choosing Jesus and His word is always the better choice. Yes, some ‘adjustments’ will have to be made in how you believe, but it’s better to line up with what the word says versus what ‘Brother so & so’ told you or some other ‘respected’ person in your life taught you. (Luke 12:52-53). You may lose friends over choosing Jesus and His truth, but you won’t be the first person to ever experience that.

So, can a ‘Christian’ have demons? I suppose we could follow up with wanting to define what a ‘Christian’ even is, but before we do that, can we all agree that just because a person attends church regularly, and sings inspiring worship songs, reads their Bible and even tithes regularly...does not automatically mean they are a ‘Christian’, yes?

And what about many who stand behind pulpits and preach rousing and inspiring messages... does this automatically qualify them as ‘Christian’ leaders or teachers or preachers? Did Jesus not warn to beware of false prophets and such who outwardly, dressed as ‘sheep’, but ‘inwardly were ravenous wolves’? (Matt. 7:15-16). And what did Jesus make a point to warn us of in Matt. 24:4,5,11,24?

Now that is not to say that everyone who stands before you and teaches from the Bible things that might be incorrect...is a ‘wolf’ guided by some demon spirit. They may just be misguided like so many of us have been and need to be ‘corrected’. And those who have a heart for truth and the Lord...will make the necessary ‘adjustments’; as in they will choose the word of God over their doctrines made up by men. Many a pastor has ‘lost their church position’ for doing this very thing.

I am simply wanting to lay some groundwork here so we can approach this subject with care and balance, ‘rightly dividing the word of truth’ as we ‘study to show ourselves approved’. And the first thing that might help is if we avoid the pitfall of getting hung up with semantics – i.e. terms and words we use when it comes to discussing what it means to ‘have demons’. Certain words can be ‘triggers’ that will shut the conversation down immediately; words like ‘possessed’, for example. Can ‘Christians’ be possessed or demonized or controlled by other spirits besides the Holy Spirit? And please don’t let the movies Hollywood puts out shape your perception of how one should see ‘demonic influence’.

Now…I was always taught early on that a ‘spirit filled believer cannot have demon spirits residing in the same temple that God is dwelling in’, and that seems to ‘seal the deal’ in providing comfort for plenty of folks. It did for me. You might jot down Ps. 74:1-8; Lamentations 1:10,14,16; 2:7; 4:11-13.

So let me ask you this: Why would Paul warn us to ‘give no place or foothold to the devil’? (Eph. 4:27). And why did Jesus admonish us to ‘walk in the light...lest the darkness overtake (seize, possess) us’ in John 12:35? And what about Ananias who was clearly a part of that early church but clearly allowed ‘Satan to fill his heart’ (Acts 5:3)? Or dare I bring up all those folks in Matt. 7:21-23 who clearly had ‘something’ working in them in order to be performing those supernatural works in the name of the Lord.

I guess what we all need to be asking ourselves is this: If we are indeed the 'temple of the Holy Spirit' (1 Cor. 6:19) and we claim to have the Spirit of the Almighty God dwelling within us...then how is it we still seem to struggle with sin and fail constantly to overcome these various sins...? (Rom. 8:11)

Join me tomorrow...Lord willing?