Can Believers Be Demon Possessed?

I am answering a question recently submitted.  Can a believer become demon-possessed?

Biblical scripture makes it abundantly clear that Christians cannot be demon-possessed.  Now there is a distinct difference between being possessed by a demon and being oppressed or influenced by a demon. 

The core of our salvation is rooted in Romans 10:9 “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”.  The closing 4 words of that scripture read “you will be saved”, saved from what? The control of Satan.

Confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart is an invitation for the holy spirit to come into your heart and soul. Satan does not have enough power or authority to invoke an eviction on the Holy Spirit.

Demon possession involves a demon having direct/complete control over the thoughts and/or actions of a person.   

Now because God does not take away our free will when we extend the invitation inviting the holy spirit in.  We can be influenced by Satan. Demon oppression or influence involves a demon or demons attacking a person spiritually and/or encouraging him/her into sinful behavior. 

If you notice that in all the New Testament passages dealing with spiritual warfare, there are no instructions to cast a demon out of a believer. Believers are told to resist the devil. James 4:7; Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Confessing and believing in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord is step one

Step two of our salvation is continuous and has to do with the continual renewing of our minds and the continual submission of our mind, body and soul to Christ.

Time and time again, as life happens, turmoil and temptations will come, and we are charged to choose God’s way over the world that is the act of resubmission.  Resubmission becomes a sanctified habit, through the renewing of our minds, the act of studying the word of God. 

Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit cannot dwell in the same space as a demon.  Just as lightness and darkness cannot occupy the same space. It is unthinkable that God would allow one of His children, whom He purchased with the blood of Christ and made into a new creation (2 to be possessed and controlled by a demon. 

Yes, as believers, we wage war with Satan and his demons, but not from within ourselves. The apostle John declares,1 John 4:4  “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”. 

Who is the One in us? The Holy Spirit. Who is the one in the world? Satan and his demons. Therefore, the believer has overcome the world of demons, and the case for demon possession of a believer is not scripturally sound.

Much of the reasoning behind the demonization concept is the personal experience of seeing someone who was “definitely” a "Christian" exhibiting evidence of being controlled by a demon. It is crucially important, though, that we do not allow personal experiences to influence our interpretation of Scripture. 

www.BibleDeliverance.org