Demons Exist
For some reason, we forget about their presence in this world. They possess and influence people. The Bible is chock full of accounts with demons and yet nobody seems to even acknowledge their presence anymore!
“demon”
from daimonion – means “an evil spirit, a demon, fallen angel”
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
Evil spirits or the messengers and ministers of the devil (Lk 4:35; 9:1, 42; 10:17; Jn 10:21; Jas 2:19)
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
Demons hold and respect rank (Rev 16:14). For example, Satan is the prince of the demons, or the devil: (Mt 9:34; 12:24; Mk 3:22; Lk 11:15)
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
They are said to enter into (the body of) one to vex him with diseases (Lk 8:27-36) and when they are forced to come out of one to restore him to health (Mt 9:33; 17:18; Mk 7:29, 30; Lk 4:35, 41; 8:2, 33, 35).
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
Demons can be cast out (exorcised) (Mt 7:22; Mk 1:34, 39; Lk 9:49).
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
To have a demon, be possessed by a demon, is said of those who either suffer from some exceptionally severe disease, (Lk 4:33; 8:27) or act and speak as though they were mad (Mt 11:18; Jn 7:20; 8:48, 52; 10:20).
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
Contrary to his contemporary Jewish traditionalists, Paul taught that the gods of the Gentiles are a fiction (1Co 8:4; 10:19); rather, the conception of them has been put into the minds of men by demons, who appropriate to their own use and honor the sacrifices offered to idols (1Co 10:20).
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
Those who frequent the sacrificial feasts of the Gentiles come into fellowship with demons (1Co 10:20)
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
Pernicious (insidious) errors are disseminated by demons even among Christians, seducing them from the truth (1Ti 4:1).
Demons and Believers
Demons are bent on infecting our minds! Demons can influence our thoughts with “fiery darts”, sowing doubt and despair and evil thoughts. They may also influence us through the world system of thinking (e.g., through media). We MUST dig deep into our lifestyles to see the fingerprints of demons there.
Obedience Relieves Stress – blog 11/18/22
Obedience relieves stress. Look for the areas in your life where sin persists and pray to God regarding how to overcome it; however, do not just pray for deliverance while intending to keep the sin (prayer is not a pharmaceutical pill you take to mask your stress).
Jas 1:6-8
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Suffering Outside the Camp – blog 12/2/22
We must denounce all ties to the world, beginning with our relationships…we must separate from the hearts and minds of our enemies. Furthermore, we mustn’t make the grave error of thinking that this is accomplished through mere mental assent with God’s command to do so. We must be “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving [ourselves]” (James 1:22).
Thayer on “demon” – from daimonion
Pernicious (insidious) errors are disseminated by demons even among Christians, seducing them from the truth (1Ti 4:1).
Stress Implies Cause and Effect
There are two fundamental ways of dealing with stress:
1. Remove the cause
2. Remove yourself from the cause
To understand Eph 2:8-9 and therefore Mk 9’s account of the demon-possessed boy, you MUST understand that faith is a grace gift. Man is incapable of producing it on his own. God provides us with faith that saves/delivers. When we are under stress, it is faith that delivers us.
CUT IT OFF!!!
When experiencing stress, pray to God for faith to deliver you.
Mk 9:23
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
