This is happening everywhere in the body of Christ. Don’t let this happen to you! If we would begin to think differently . . . if we would begin to speak differently . . . we would have a completely different perspective of and experience with that realm that the bible calls the demonic.
He approached me at the end of the worship service, shrouded in black . . . long black hair cast over his face, black eyelashes, black lipstick . . .
Thank you for that message; It really t . . . ouched me, he said, twitching uncontrollably.
So tell me about yourself.
Well, I’m a witch.
Really?
Yes. I became a witch a few years ago because I was longing for acceptance and for power. When I joined the group of witches, I found both.
So how has that worked out for you?
Well, I’ve definitely seen power, but I feel afraid and anxious all the time.
Would you like to be free from that?
It’s not possible. I’ve gone too far. I’ve taken vows.
I believe that the name of Jesus is more powerful than any vows you’ve taken. Would you like to come to my office?
The young man came with me to my office and sat across from me on the couch. He was 17 years old. He was afraid.
So what did I do? Did I stand over him and scream at him? No.
I led him in the sinners prayer. I told him that only Jesus could set him free, and that Jesus would set him free if he would surrender his life to Jesus.
He struggled to speak every word, the demonic power inside of him fighting for every inch of his soul. But as he invited Jesus to come into his life, repenting of his sins, and renouncing every power of witchcraft that he had involved himself in, the enemy lost its foothold.
When he finished the prayer, I stood over him and said these words: Satan, this man now belongs to Jesus Christ. You have no more right to be in his life. I command you to leave right now, in the mighty name of Jesus!
At that moment he blinked three times, and he was free. Joy entered his heart. A smile covered his face. He said that the fear was gone. The anxiety was gone. He was free!
The thing that you need to know about demons is that there is no separate ministry called “exorcism.” There is only one ministry of deliverance, and it is the ministry of the gospel! All this man needed to be free was to receive Jesus, just like anyone else.
But the great travesty is that there are many in the body of Christ that are teaching that Christians can be demonized. I think we need to stop teaching that immediately! It does far more harm than good.
At the same time, I would acknowledge that Christians are demonized at times. I’ve seen it. I’ve dealt with it. And, of course, I would distinguish between being demonically oppressed and being demonically possessed. The young man I described above was possessed; a demonic being owned him. That can never happen to a believer. You are owned by Jesus Christ!
But the question is, why are Christians even able to oppressed? Shouldn’t the power of Jesus protect us even from being oppressed?
The answer is, yes!
Christians can be oppressed, but only under specific circumstances. In order for a believer to be oppressed by the devil, he has to believe that the devil has the power to oppress him.
This is what you must know about demons: Your mind is the door to the demonic. If you close the door, the demonic has no power to enter!
Teaching believers that they can be demonized convinces them that there are demons that have the power to knock down their doors and come into their lives against their will.
There is not a devil in hell that can knock down your door and come into your life against your will . . . against the blood of the cross of Jesus . . . against the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit . . . against the love of the Father!
You’ve got to remove from your mind even the possibility that you can be oppressed by the devil! And you’ve got to replace that idea with the expectation of the impending blessing of God! Instead of waiting for demons to show up, wait for Jesus to show up! Instead of anticipating oppression, anticipate blessing!
If someone asks you if it is possible for you to be demonized, you should respond with a resounding, Hell no!
