Demons: Can A Holy Spirit-Filled Believer Have Them?

Many Christians learn how to cope and coexist with demons and demonic strongholds. Most are not even aware that these are commonly the primary source of their problems.

Life for many Believers can be relegated to continual demon management. This is a strategic ploy the Enemy uses for diluting a Believer’s witness and to hinder their calling.

Have you ever seen a Believer struggle with depression, heaviness, sickness, bitterness, adultery, porn, unforgiveness, addiction, or idolatry? Did you know that these are names of demons?

While a Holy Spirit filled Christian cannot be owned or possessed by a demon, they can certainly be controlled, oppressed, and tormented by demons. But don’t take my word for it. Let’s look at what the Bible says.

There are several common misconceptions surrounding the question as to whether a Holy Spirit filled Believer can have a demon and they can be settled be looking at scripture while applying context and wisdom.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

In our modern world, demons and the occult have been misunderstood, ignored, and even promoted through movies, books, games, and cartoons until most Christians don’t take any of it seriously, or are completely ignorant on the subject.

Jesus had a lot to say about Believers and demons, so much so that a substantial portion of His ministry was about casting demons out of them.

If the Holy Spirit and salvation automatically removed everything that is evil from every Believer, then it would be impossible for a Believer to cheat on their spouse, scream at their children, cheat on a test, tell a lie, or be plagued with any debilitating disease.

Quite simply, the Holy Spirit lives in our Spirit. Demons reside in our flesh or our soul. (body, mind, will, emotions)

Nowhere in the Bible are we instructed to exclusively cast demons out of unbelievers.

Jesus cast a demon out in the synagogue from a man who was a faithful believer in God. Jesus began His deliverance ministry in the church, not in the streets with unbelievers.

In Luke 13:16 The daughter of Abraham, someone who had a right standing with God was, according to Jesus, bound by Satan for 18 years and should be loosed from her bondage on the Sabbath. This only proves that it is possible to be in covenant with God yet suffer from indwelling darkness.

In Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus said that deliverance is the children’s bread. This further illustrates that it is an inheritance and gift for His followers and Believers. Jesus even told us in his model prayer to pray that we are delivered from evil. If deliverance was not intended for Believers, we would not be instructed to call him our Heavenly Father in this model prayer while asking to be delivered from evil.

Bread is a symbol of required sustenance that is not optional for human provision and nourishment, but rather a fundamental necessity. It seems evident that the church today is suffering from a dangerous and even life-threatening, spiritual eating disorder. 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 

There seem to be two prevalent varieties of Believers in the church today. There are those who need deliverance, and those who are so deceived by the Enemy that they subsequently are too prideful to admit their need. 2 Timothy 4:17-18

Psalm 91:14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him.

How many unbelievers do you know who have truly set their love upon Him? Obviously, this is referring to Believers.

David clearly loved God when he said in 2 Samuel 22:2, The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Surely the righteous are not the unbelievers.

Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.

Since we know that Jesus is the same today, yesterday, and forevermore, then the argument holds no ground that deliverance is not for today. A Believer simply cannot pick and choose.

2 Cor 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

Some people erroneously believe that this verse infers that light and darkness can’t live together. It actually says light and darkness shouldn’t be together, not that they cannot be together. The words “do not” show us that this is entirely possible.

This scripture is misapplied and taken completely out of context far too often to discredit deliverance ministry. When applied in context, it is clearly referencing being unequally yoked with non-believers in business partnerships or in marriage covenant.

In Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

We see here that Satan himself comes into God’s presence. This is yet another example of darkness and light together in the same place.

While Jesus was the curse breaker for us, we must appropriate that victory to take back what the Enemy has stolen.

Demons are cunning and operate by legal rights. But they are forced to yield to the authority we have been given by the blood and name of Jesus just as Jesus both modeled and commanded. However, like any illegal trespasser they will do only what they are allowed to do, a lot like pests or thieves will do until driven out of our stick and brick-built homes, and much like Jesus did when he drove out the money changers from the earthly temple.

Pride, idolatry, unforgiveness and other unrepented sin, as well as dabbling in the occult, which is Satan’s realm, are some common door openers that invite the demonic to come in and create havoc and chaos, stealing territory that does not rightfully belong to them.

Matthew 18:34-35 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother^]his trespasses.”

If Christians link themselves to the demonic realm, even unintentionally, they can suffer dire consequences. After all, God gave us free will. But He also gave us warnings. He gave His followers lots of warnings that a great many Christians choose to ignore at a terrible cost.

It is like attempting to evict a person who has no legal right to be in any dwelling. It will be met with resistance until a person with the proper authority takes appropriate action.

Thankfully, we can break the legal right through the blood of Jesus and by his name and authority. Luke 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Luke 10:17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

In my latest book, Defeating Your Inner Demons, A Complete Guide to Self Deliverance, I refer to demons as spiritual squatters. They will only take residence of what they are allowed to take. Like unwanted house guests, they must either be given access, invitation, or an open door.

Generational sin is another open door to demonic oppression. Exodus 34:7 Numbers 14:18 Deuteronomy 5:9 Exodus 20:5

Even a word curse spoken years ago or by ancestors, may have demons still operating to keep the damage in motion, particularly if we have come into agreement with it.

Soul wounds are also an open door and magnet for demons. This is why inner healing is such a critical part of deliverance. My book and my training employ a biblical method for inner healing of trauma and soul wounds that has healed and set free over 60,000 people around the world, including thousands of pastors.

From what Jesus clearly tells us, if you are a Believer, you are called to cast out demons. Notice that being sent to cast out demons was the first thing He authorized us to do in what is called, “The Great Commission.” It appears in the modern church that this just might be the most disobeyed and disregarded instruction that Jesus gave His followers and could be more accurately called “The Great Omission.”

So cast those demons out!

 

Carmel L. Mooney is a deliverance coach, author, and speaker. She has published a dozen books and over 5000 articles in national magazines and newspapers. She is a Certified Master Christian Life Coach. Carmel offers a FREE monthly Zoom training on deliverance and inner healing of soul wounds. You can purchase her newest book here: Defeating Your Inner Demons, A Complete Guide to Self Deliverance