I was thinking about this the other day as I was driving. This isn’t exactly a lighthearted topic for a Saturday morning, but it’s one that has been on my mind lately. My daughter attended a church in college that seemed to believe this was a real possibility for a believer. Now, I’m attending a new church where they also believe strongly in the demonic and spiritual warfare. It’s a lot to process.
As many of you know, I like to dig into things. I want to know how they work, especially when it comes to what the Bible says. When I look at the Word, I see some pretty intense stuff. Take Judas Iscariot, for example. The Bible says in Luke 22:3:
“Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples,” (NLT)
And again in John 13:27:
“When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, ‘Hurry and do what you’re going to do.'” (NLT)
It’s easy to look at Judas and get worried. This was a man who was personally chosen by Jesus. He spent three and a half years watching the miracles, hearing the teaching, and even handling the money. He was in the inner circle. If it happened to him, could it happen to us?
Well, I personally don’t believe a person filled with the Holy Spirit can be possessed by a demon. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:15-16:
“What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.” (NLT)
If we are the temple of the living God, and the Holy Spirit lives in us, I just don’t see how there’s any room for a demon to set up shop within us. The Holy Spirit simply wouldn’t allow it.
But; and this is a big “but”; I do believe the Bible supports the idea that believers can be attacked and oppressed by demonic spirits. Even the Devil himself is looking for someone to devour, according to 1 Peter 5:8. To be honest, with 8 billion people in the world, I don’t think I rank high enough on the list for the Devil to personally pay me a visit. I’m probably not that important in the grand scheme of his plans.
However, I do believe there are demonic influences that try to make life harder than it needs to be. I see it in my own life, and I see it actively attacking my step kids. It’s a constant battle to protect and nurture those young souls from the emotional and spiritual wounds that the world and the enemy try to inflict.
We have to remember that while we are human, we don’t wage war like humans do. We have to use God’s mighty weapons to knock down the strongholds the enemy tries to build in our lives.
One of those weapons is prayer. Another is staying grounded in the Truth which can be found in the WORD. We can’t get distracted by the fear or the unknown. We just have to stand in His love and remember that He is in control.
If you’re feeling attacked today, don’t lose heart. Keep your eyes on what is unseen and eternal. And if you don’t know Jesus, don’t wait. He’s the only one who can give you the protection and peace you’re looking for.
