How Do Demons Take Control of a Free Will Being?
God gives each person gifts and talents at birth, and the demons want to use and twist these assets for evil purposes. Some of God’s gifts include a measure of faith, the ability to hear the Holy Spirit, intelligence, the ability to reason, reanalyze and remember, the capacity to love and be loved, and most of all, free will (Romans 12:3, John 16:13, Joshua 24:14–15, John 3:16, Revelation 22:17). When a person reaches maturity, God’s gifts and talents enable that person to be a self-directed adult who becomes responsible to God and his neighbors for his actions.
The curse of sin mars God’s gifts and talents in various ways. Each person is born with a propensity for selfishness, rebellion, and wrong-doing, and if this propensity is allowed to dominate God’s gifts and talents, the results will be harmful. The demons know this so they prey on our natural propensity to do wrong. The shameful and vulgar ways of talented and gifted people today, a bulging prison population, and thousands of years of sordid human history reveal their many successes.
Demons understand the gift of free will. After all, each demon knows that he deliberately and willfully chose to rebel against God. Therefore, their greatest delight occurs when they can lead young people to make foolish choices because the demons know these actions can produce unbearable misery for a lifetime. The demons carefully study each of us from birth to determine how the inescapable consequences of sin can be used to ruin us. Demons are masters at gradualism; if it takes 20 years or even 50 years to ruin a person, this is not a problem. They have nothing else to do. If a well-known person’s credibility and respect are ruined in later life by some defect in character, the demons are delighted! They watch to see which temptations are most effective, which natural traits of character are dominant, which opportunities where entrapment is possible, and they especially watch to see whom each person will choose for friends. One of their best tools for getting young people to make rash decisions is through friendship with bad people. The demons know, “‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ ” (1 Corinthians 15:33) They have seen this phrase fulfilled billions of times!
The Bible indicates that demons are intelligent and they can speak their minds. (Matthew 8:29,31; Luke 4:33,34; Acts 19:15) God permits them to speak to human beings through the same spiritual channel the Holy Spirit uses to insert thoughts into our minds! The problem we have is that we cannot always identify the source of the voice. Each sinner has an imagination and can create evil thoughts because all sinners have a natural propensity for doing wrong. The demons are experts at doing wrong and they can insert their knowledge of evil into our minds. They are masters at using the power of suggestion. This power is not trivial and do not confuse it with our own ability to generate evil thoughts on our own. Similarly, the Holy Spirit uses the power of suggestion, puts thoughts in our minds, and prompts us to obey God and do right. He also inserts thoughts that go beyond man’s natural ability to think of good things to do! For example, consider the marvelous ministries of George Müller (1805-1898) or Mother Teresa (1910-1997).
I am convinced that a phenomenon called “mob mentality” occurs when demons insert the same evil thought into a mob of people at the same time. When a mob is caught up in a moment of passion, demons know the power of suggestion can become actionable and when this occurs, the result is a true phenomenon. It is as though the mob suddenly behaves as if it has “one mind.” The fruit of demonic behavior is anger, hatred, violence, and destruction and when adrenalin induced anger goes beyond reason, you can be sure demons are present. Because demons are angry beings focused on our total destruction, we should not be surprised if their victims mirror them. In fact, the pigs in Matthew 8:32 displayed “mob mentality” when Jesus sent the demons into them and they all drowned.
Demons know our fears, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes. They are masters at tempting and tormenting people. Even though demons live among us and are bent on destroying us, the Father has placed “a hedge of protection” around each sinner. Demons cannot penetrate this hedge of protection unless we willfully and knowingly do wrong. When we choose to do something evil, this hedge is momentarily removed and the demons start talking. If we continue to willfully and knowingly do wrong, the hedge becomes weaker and the demon’s attacks become stronger. God has given us free will and if we want to give it over to demons, we can. Therefore, when we willfully sin, God allows a demon to insert evil thoughts and if we act on any of these thoughts, the demon will be back with a thousand more!
Demonic Influence and Oppression Is A Slippery Slope
If you have been born again, you know that we live in a world that groans under the heavy influence of demons. Many people do not realize that billions of demons are hovering over us, ready to destroy. People go about their merry lives totally unaware of lurking demons because demons are invisible and we cannot see their predatory efforts and intimate involvement. People are also desensitized by the decadent state of human conduct. A pig farmer once told me, while I was gasping for breath, that if I lived near the pigs for a short time, I would not smell them. I have also had former pig farmers tell me that after being away from the pigs for a while, they cannot believe how badly they smell! This proves that whatever is usual soon becomes normal. Each day we learn through the media there are more murderers killing innocent people. Robberies, drug use, and corporate crimes are rampant; political hatred and infighting are disgusting, and sexual immorality is everywhere. This is our normal and people brush it off with, “the world is a crazy place.” The devil is energizing this degenerate craziness. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
There is a difference between mental illness and demonic oppression; however, distinguishing between the two can be difficult because demon possession can mimic mental illness. Of course, God knows the difference and He can heal any form of mental illness. He can terminate demonic oppression or cast out any number of demons from a possessed person. Humanly from a medical perspective, demonic oppression can be difficult to distinguish from mental illness. Some people are sure they are demon-oppressed when, in fact, they have mental problems. Some people think they are not demon-oppressed when, in fact, they do have demonic problems. If a person thinks he has a demonic problem, he should seek a thorough physical and mental exam to make sure that a physical defect is not causing the problem.
To make matters even more complicated, there are different degrees of demonic oppression and many different routes lead to demonic oppression or possession, but the doorway is always the same: Free will. God insures that no one can be demon-possessed involuntarily, otherwise everyone on Earth would be demon possessed! In this article, I define demonic possession as a condition where the victim can no longer exercise free will. The victim has no self-control because demons have complete control. (Matthew 8:28, Mark 1:23–26)
Demonic oppression is different than demonic possession in that demonic oppression does not necessarily end with demonic possession. Demonic oppression occurs when demons begin to torment willful and deliberate sinners. Demons are able to agitate, incite, and upset their victims in various ways. For example, demons can rob a person of sleep and this one thing can create a train of physical problems. Demons will often magnify the innate tendencies of their victims. For example, a demon can make a person who has a tendency for paranoia extremely paranoid. A demon can make a person who has anger problems very explosive and violent. Demons can make people behave in rash and unpredictable ways. When demons switch these personality states off and on, mental health experts are baffled. Medication makes little difference. What can a victim do?
The detection of demonic oppression requires a gift from God. Notice these verses:
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
“To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:8–11, emphasis mine)
Remember, the door to demonic oppression opens when we knowingly and willingly choose to do wrong and violate our conscience. Demons are not stupid. At first, their approach is gentle and benign because they want to work on us without us knowing it. They want us to think that their thoughts are our thoughts. Over time, the demons gain deeper access if we act on their suggestions. Demons will not stop oppressing a victim unless the sinner comes to his senses and takes a firm stand to stop doing the wrong that he has been doing. If a person resists the demons and hardens his heart against their suggestions, God requires the demons to back away. They have to respect our free will. Freedom from demonic oppression will come with a struggle and it will take time, but it does happen by standing firm for what is right!
If a victim of demonic oppression reaches a point where he realizes his true condition before God and is willing to sorrowfully repent of his sins and live by faith, God will receive Him. In turn, the Holy Spirit will give him additional strength to fight the good fight of faith! God is willing to restore and protect the free will of every sinner whether the sinner becomes a believer or not. However, God’s hedge of protection only occurs for as long as the sinner will not willingly and knowingly do wrong. God generously provides this protection because He loves every sinner and wants each sinner to have the freedom to choose whom he will serve. God knows what is best for us, but we have to choose to serve Him. He wants us to put our faith in Him and obey His Word. Living by faith means doing what is right in God’s sight regardless of the consequences. This is using free will for its highest purpose.
For some people, the road to demonic oppression can have an innocent and naive start. Bad friends may introduce addictive vices such as tobacco, drugs, alcohol, pornography, or violent movies and games. Given juvenile curiosity and peer pressures, many addictions have started in young people this way. For some people, the road to demonic oppression may have started with exploring the occult, sexual lust that led into sexual immorality or through abusive or unloving parents (or foster parents). Demons love to hurt children because children can grow up and hurt their offspring. Demon-oppressed parents can make a child feel self-loathing and shameful which results in the child having no self-esteem, self-worth, or self-value. Evil parents can physically, sexually, and emotionally abuse a child, causing great psychological damage, and they can cause a child to inordinately thirst for love and friendship, whether good or bad. These are just a few avenues that demons use to prey on children because they know that damaged children are vulnerable.
Can Demons Possess Children?
In ancient times, certain physical defects or illnesses were believed to be the result of demonic possession (Matthew 9:32 and 12:22) and this is still true in certain parts of the world today. Because this was a prevailing practice in Bible times, I believe Bible writers sometimes lumped physical defects and illnesses into a general category called “demonic possession.” This issue needs discussion because I believe that God does not permit minors to become fully demon possessed. I do believe that demons can insert thoughts in the minds of older children starting with early adolescence and oppress them, but only after the child has knowingly and willfully chosen to disobey the good that he knew to do (he exercised his free will to do wrong).
Consider this: If demons can possess children, what would keep demons from possessing all children? I know, sometimes it looks like the kids in the checkout line at Walmart have a demon in them, but that is a matter of poor parenting skills. There is a story about a little boy having a demon in the Bible. Three gospels relate the story and you have to study all three versions of the story to properly understand the situation. (See Matthew 17:13–20, Mark 9:17–29 and Luke 9:38–42.) The little boy suffered from a condition that caused him to foam at the mouth and to fall involuntarily into the water or fire. The father thought his son had a demon so he took him to Jesus’ disciples because Jesus was unavailable. The disciples were publically humiliated because they could not cast out the demon or heal the little boy. Fortunately, Jesus showed up, rebuked the demon and the little boy was healed.
Whether the little boy had a physical defect like epilepsy, an unknown mental condition, or even a demon, Jesus healed him. This story is important because it reveals a profound point that many people misunderstand! A few weeks before this event occurred, Jesus gave His disciples a commission to go throughout Israel telling everyone that the kingdom of God was at hand. Jesus gave His disciples the power to heal sicknesses and cast out all kinds of demons to ensure their testimony gained traction. (Luke 9:1–2) Naturally, this power created quite a sensation in the towns and villages where the disciples went. So, when the father showed up with his afflicted son, he rightfully expected his son to be healed; and the disciples were totally confident they could do the job, but they were humiliated and embarrassed.
There is a simple reason for their failure. The public failure of the disciples stemmed from a hidden defect in character. While Jesus, Peter, James, and John were on the Mount of Transfiguration – the remaining disciples were at the base of the mountain – and while waiting for Jesus to return, they had nothing to do. I believe they began discussing the miracles they had performed and the coming kingdom of God. This led to some argument about who would be greatest when Jesus set up His kingdom. Based on Mark’s (Mark 9:33–34) and Luke’s (Luke 9:43–48) comments, it is difficult to identify the location and timing of events that transpired that day. However, we do know that Jesus and His disciples headed for Capernaum shortly after Jesus healed the boy. (Mark 9:30) As they walked along, I believe some of the disciples continued their discussion privately about who would be the greatest in the coming kingdom of God because they were very excited about the coming kingdom and their position! However, when they arrived at Capernaum, Jesus asked “What were you arguing about on the road? But they kept quiet. . . Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.’ ” (Mark 9:33–35)
You have to understand that at that time, the disciples believed that Jesus was going to imminently establish the kingdom of God on Earth! (See Mark 1:15; 9:1; 9:34.) Therefore, when Jesus gave them power to heal the sick and cast out all kinds of demons, this amazing power caused them to think more highly of themselves than they should have. Jesus sent them out with this amazing power to validate a prophetic message but the disciples thought this power was a personal validation of their importance to God! Because of their arrogance, selfishness, and self-seeking (the original sins of Lucifer) they had broken their connection with God and this left them powerless and they did not realize it.
The Holy Spirit embarrassed the disciples by refusing to heal the boy when they called upon the name of Jesus! I imagine they took turns at healing the little boy and all of them failed. Later, when the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast out the demon, Jesus did not mention their sin. Instead, He jumped to the point that the power to cast out demons is from God and this power is only given when God has a purpose for it. God will not be used by men; God uses men. The moral of the story is if any person is called to cast out a demon, let him seek God’s will through fasting and prayer. If God informs the seeker that He will give him the power to cast out the demon, the seeker can humbly go and cast out the demon. Otherwise the seeker must report that God has not given him power to cast out the demon. He should excuse himself from the matter or the demons may beat him up! (See Mark 9:29 KJV and Acts 19:13–17.)
Demons Are Masters at Influencing People to Sin
When a person chooses repeatedly, of his own free will, to knowingly and willfully violate his conscience and integrity, knowing that he is doing evil (for profit, thrill or because of peer pressure), that person is fair game for demons because there is no hedge of protection when he continues to willfully sin. (Hebrews 10:26–27) Such a person is on a road that can end without any help from God and the demons know this. So they watch for our response to temptation and when we let down our guard and willfully choose to do wrong, a door is opened for them to speak to us. They know how to use their power of suggestion to cause us to commit more serious sins than we would otherwise commit.
A person will often do a greater sin than he intended when demons are able to insert their suggestions into his mind. How many times have you heard a person say after his actions are presented on video, “That is not me! I’m not that way!” Each time a new low in conduct is reached, the demons rejoice. They keep careful records and they have good memories. If a sinner does not notice any immediate consequences for his wrong doing, demons know the sinner will minimize the event and soon forget it. This is exactly what they want. When the time and circumstances are right, the demons will insert another evil suggestion and if the sinner reaches another new low in conduct without any immediate consequences, the sinner becomes more comfortable with his unrealized downward spiral. This is how gradualism works. One sin opens a door for another. Soon, the thoughts inserted by the demons will drown the efforts of the Holy Spirit and this is what “the gentle giants” want. They know that everyone who sins becomes a slave to sin. (John 8:34) So, they make sin exciting, sensual, daring, and thrilling. The pleasures of sin may be many and irresistible, but the consequences are inescapable (Galatians 6:7) and they often prove to be unbearable later on.
As the old gospel song says, “Sin will cost you more than you want to pay and take you farther than you want to go.” Sin is like the drug, Novocain. It numbs the conscience and causes the sinner to minimize the seriousness of his deeds. If a person does not stop violating his conscience and personal integrity and repent of his sins, the Holy Spirit will respect his free will and leave the sinner alone in his slavery. When a sinner complies with the thoughts inserted by demons, he will become increasingly degenerate and decadent. This is their purpose and goal. Over time, they strengthen their efforts.
One final point: Being set free of demonic oppression or demonic possession is not the end of the story. Jesus said,
“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” (Matthew 12:43–45)
When a person is set free of demonic possession, he must understand that he cannot live as he previously lived. If necessary, He must abandon his previous life, friends, and family. He must totally separate himself from his past and make every effort to do what is right and holy in God’s sight. He must read God’s Word, hold on to God’s truth, and claim God’s promises, asking for strength to do what is right or the demons will surely ambush him in a weak moment and his final condition will be worse than before!
If God did not overrule, demons would control the whole world. They have gained control of so many people that we now have the same situation that existed in Noah’s day. If you want to be free of demonic oppression, then ask God for help! Make every effort to do what is right and honorable in God’s sight. The Bible says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:7–8) If you know someone who wants to be set free from demonic oppression or possession, find someone who has spiritual discernment. He or she can meet with the victim and assess their condition. Then, they should fast and pray, seeking God’s will and His power. This is not a trivial topic. We can be sure that with the Lord’s help in removing the demons, they will come out fighting and shrieking as they lose their control over that person.
When I was 15 yrs old , my boyfriend admitted to selling his soul to satan to be a rockstar… I thought that he was stupid but didnt believe you could do such a thing so i thought nothing of it….. He ended up severely abusing me and himself in ways that were inhumane. He ate a box of razors one night, spit them out bc they were obviously cutting his insides. He woke up everyday suicidal and drinking alcohol. He had the saddest life since after he was 16 yrs old.. he died recently to drugs and alcohol at the age of 30, he was only 3 years older than me. I ALWAYS KNEW something was inside him and it was EVIL. Looking back, I know he was possessed by A demon, I know abusing me got the demon off because I was born an Irish Catholic and my great uncle was a wonderful very beloved priest and all I did was try to save him and gave my whole entire high school life to trying to save his soul… I hope God knows I tried.. Is it possible to sell your soul to satan?
Hello Ksanders:
I am so sorry. You have endured a lot of pain and had a heartbreaking experience.
To be direct, “Yes,” it is possible to sell your soul to the devil, but not in the way that human beings normally do business.
When a person willingly and knowingly does evil, he sins against the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit “steps back” from prompting us to do right because the Holy Spirit recognizes our free will. If we want to do evil, we are free to do evil. When the Holy Spirit steps back, demons “step up.” They are then permitted to speak to us. They speak to us by inserting their evil thoughts into our minds hoping that we will act on these thoughts.
Demons are fallen angels, they are intellectually far more brilliant than any human and they have studied evil and its consequences for thousands of years. They also study us, calculating how best to seduce us so they can overtake and ruin us. They have one objective and it is to ruin the people that God created and loves.
I have created a short video series on this topic. I hope you will watch each movie (about 8 minutes each). Please go here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCjTA_z__Ocqw-RibYLrNjUD9ORBZXclq
Best regards always
Hello,
I have a situation that deals with this in my life. My boyfriend, has this friend who went to an abandoned building (very haunted) about a year ago and something followed him home, he’s very connected to the spirt world so I wasn’t surprised when he said he felt like he was being possessed. My boyfriend, who has been living with the friend for a while now is starting to act that way. Very rude and mean, depressed and sad. He tells me he feels nothing and doesn’t feel happiness anymore. He sees black figures sometimes but nothing like his friend had seen. His friend has told me story’s where a sprit (or demon) messes with him constantly and try’s to ruin everything good in his life. My boyfriend keeps pushing me away and being very mean to me. I can just tell somethings going on because he tells me that he feels that maybe that spirit that’s messing with his friend, has gotten to him. I just am at a loss and don’t know what to do. I pray everyday for him. I just want him to go back to normal and for this thing to leave him alone.
What do I do?
Thanks
Hello eduubs:
The situation you describe is quite serious because demons are predators, they are very serious about their efforts to trap young people.
I hope you will do two things: First, become educated on the matter of demonic torment and possession. Second, use your influence to help others to avoid them. To help you get started, please watch the following videos, they are very short, about 8 minutes each. Share them with your friends so you can discuss among yourselves what you need to do:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCjTA_z__Ocqw-RibYLrNjUD9ORBZXclq
Also, please print and read the following two articles and share them with your boyfriend if possible:
https://www.wake-up.org/demonic-possession/demonic-possession-who-are-demons.html
https://www.wake-up.org/demonic-possession/demonic-possession-how-demons-take-control-part-2.html
Prayers and best wishes
Thank you so much for this WUAS. I must say that you are the only one that has decsribed everything perfectly. This article should grab everyone’s attention and remove the veils from their eyes. Even if only for whilst they read this. I cannot thank you enough for posting this, sir. It truly is an eye-opener and makes you want to see what life really is like… Or it did me. I must say that this informatiom is accurate and helps me very much with my research. (My research on demons, that is. I’m only doing this because I want to be a demonologist and an exorcist. However, unfortunately, in the Catholic belief, only males can be exorcists. In my unpopular opinion, that is basically saying that females cannot do what a man can in the paranormal aspect of life.) Anywho, I must say one last time, thanks very much for this article. It was truly helpful.
Hello Mr. Wilson, I must say this is an excellent read. I recently experienced demonic oppression after visiting my mother in June. I’m a spirit filled, born again believer of Jesus Christ for 5 years now. When I arrived home after my visit, I became upset with my husband when I walked in over something that was small and insignificant but at that moment I became angry with him was the moment my thoughts towards him totally changed and my mind began to tell me bad things about him. It was as though something had entered me (a demonic spirit) and was standing in the front and I was standing behind it as it was taking over me and controlling my thoughts. I (the demonic spirit) picked at my husband all evening, glaring and staring at him and just would not let go of this intense anger I was feeling towards him. But the real me kept saying, this is not right and I was asking God to help me. I couldn’t sleep that night, my stomach hurt and I just felt bad all night. I didn’t have any energy the next day and couldn’t even brush my teeth. I made one more plea to God and He spoke to me. I put on some praise an worship music and began praising and worshiping Our Lord. After a few moments, my mouth flew open and the sound that came out was not me…it was a sound that was a screeching howl and it sounded like it was in agony! I could not believe it! It was NOT my voice or me. Once that spirit left, I felt normal again and the fatigue, sickness and pain just vanished. I (we) have followers and believers of Jesus Christ have the power in the name Jesus to cast out demons! Praise God!
Excellent advice in your article. I have 2 cousins from two different families and one brother who were all raised Christian yet all did bad things so I don’t believe they were ever true Christians. One cousin got addicted to alcohol and drugs along with her husband and died young age 49 and another cousin had horrible greed, and two failed marriages and my eldely brother is a registered sex offender who served time in prison and lives homeless on S.S. We all had wonderful parents who raised us and taught us right yet the above people chose to go down the wrong path. As a child and teen, I sensed demonic things about them early on but didn’t talk about it. I sensed evil around them and bad futures that came true.
I am totally demon possessed and don’t know what to do. The demonic had taken over my whole body, mind, emotions! The demons are telling me to do horrible things. I need help! Would an exorcism help me?
Hello Manopolize:
If you are serious about your situation, you will have to do some serious things. Please consider these suggestions:
1. First, eliminate everything that causes you to do wrong. For example, if you have access to porn, terminate the access. If you are living in sin, move out.
2. Second, if you are hooked on drugs, alcohol or addictive substances, get medical help. Call AA, you have to terminate this situation gradually by working your way out of it and the best avenue is one of joining a 12 step AA support program.
3. If you are hanging out with people who influence you to do evil, tell them you can’t party with them any more.
4. If you want to be free of demonic torment, find a pastor or spiritual adviser that you trust and respect. Look around, attend a Bible teaching church. (Don’t stop looking until you find one, either.)
5. Exorcism may be a possibility if you can find someone who has received this gift from God, but the victim has to be prepared for the exorcism or his end will be worse than the beginning! Notice what Jesus said:
Matthew 12:43-45 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
6. Find and choose good friends. Don’t go to a bar, go to church and look for friends. You need good friends with good hearts and good habits.
7. Finally, (and this is only to cover to all the bases) you may need to have a mental health checkup. Many times, demons will cause their victims to imitate mental problems and on the other hand, mental health problems can look like demonic possession. If you have a medical condition that could be helped with physician oversight, please consider this option.
There is a way out of the bottomless pit you are in, but climbing out of any pit takes a considerable amount of plain old gumption and sustained effort. I hope these suggestions will inspire you to start climbing as though your life depended on it because it does. Really does!
Prayers and best wishes always
Hi,
I’m wondering if my husband isn’t having some sort of possession. Three years ago we met and married but before we married he jumped out of a dead sleep and ran to the front door and back to our room. He started crying heavily so I asked him what is going on?! He said there was a headless man and he told my husband “I can make you do whatever I want and I want you to leave!” My husband said he wasn’t scared so he said no”. I’ve never seen a man so terrified in my life he said “it made me run”
Soon after that he began using over the counter drugs. Two months later I don’t even know who he is anymore his eyes were dark and he was so emotionless. At times he would break down crying like he didn’t understand why he was like this now. Well he ended up getting into trouble and going to prison for 15 months and I was two months pregnant. We made it through he still felt very followed. April 9th he came home this year and still yet I said there’s something about you, it’s different. He wouldn’t pray anymore I asked why he said “idk” he was always a spiritual person. He did some very unthinkable things u would have never thought he could do so I made him leave our home. Within 24 hours he was in trouble and in jail. I decided I was going to separate from him fully. Last week I opened our blue bin and pulled out our sweetest memories. The picture of the day we got married. I cried I loved him so much as much as I hated to admit it. Then next day came I opened the same blue bin to give these painful memories to my sister I pulled out the picture I cried over the night before and it was different. His face has 2 rows of tiny scratches going up
His cheek to his forehead and his nose. I lost it. I never had this happen before ever! I have the double and it was we fine but this on particular that I held was different. The scratches look like they’ve been there since the day we married their in his skin. Any kind of help would mean so much because now I feel I can’t just walk away I need to help him.
Hello Larocqueshawna!
Thank you for your sharing your story. I have a few thoughts and suggestions which I hope you will find helpful.
First, when a man and woman get married, there are actually six people getting married. There’s the guy you think he is, the guy he thinks he is and the guy he really is. Of course, there’s the girl you think you are, the girl he thinks you are and the girl you really are. Usually, about three years into the marriage, four funerals have been completed and the spouses now see each other as “the guy he really is and the girl she really is.” This reality can be very painful because many times at three year mark, the relationship is already on and off, there’s good memories and bad, there’s marital security and insecurity, there’s love and hate. I am describing an emotional hell that many people discover and this is one reason why the divorce rate is so great.
The second thing I hope you will consider is that superstition is an imaginary monster that always brings misery. By definition (dictionary.com), superstition “is a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding, or the like. … irrational fear of what is unknown or mysterious, especially in connection with religion. ” In your particular case, I hope you will not interpret what you have experienced with the picture out of fear, whim or imagination.
When a person lives a willful life of wrong doing and sin, the demons rejoice because they are permitted to confront and torment their victims. If we continue, their control over us increases. I think this is one of the roots of your current problems for the following reasons (correct me if I’m wrong):
1. Given what you have written, before you were married, you and your husband were in bed together. This is wrong. God does not condone sexual immorality. (1 Corinthians 6:18, Galatians 5:19-21)
2. Given what you have written, both of you engaged in some activity that is wrong and you both went to prison for it.
Romans 8:5-9 “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”
3. Given what you have written, after prison, your husband almost immediately engaged in some activity that is wrong and went back to prison.
There’s a pattern of behavior on his part that is self-destructing and his way of life is causing you to suffer. You can see beneath his bad habits and ways and still you love him. This is how God loves us, but God will not live with us if we insist on doing evil. Additionally, God will not allow us to escape the harvest that we sowed.
Galatians 6:7,8 says, ” Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
I don’t know if you have children, if you do, you need to think very clearly about your future and their future. What kind of people do you want them to be when they grow up? Have you heard: Like father, like son? Like mother, like daughter?
When our daughter was growing up, I constantly reminded her of the “refrigerator principle.” This principle is simple: “Everything put in the refrigerator eventually reaches the same temperature of the refrigerator.” This means children will become like their friends, therefore, choose wisely. This means children will adopt the attitudes and values of their friends, therefore, choose wisely. The principle means that a child will succeed or fail just like his friends, therefore choose wisely. It’s a powerful principle for adults and children alike. If you have children, you need to compare this principle with the example your husband is giving. Both of you have the God-given duty to nurture, train and guide your children into a life that is productive, fulfilling and happy. How can you do this for them if you can’t do it for yourself?
Given the little that I know of your circumstances, I suggest the following: Separate yourself from your husband for a couple years. You are not spiritually prepared to help him. You need some space so that you can develop a relationship with Jesus that gives you wisdom, courage and the faith needed to live a successful life. At the moment, trying to save your husband is like jumping in to save a drowning man when neither party can swim. Remember the refrigerator principle and now that you see your husband as the man he really is, and you see what his behavior has been for three years, ask yourself a hundred times if this is the man that you (and your children if applicable) really want around? It would be better by far to remain single than to be in the refrigerator with him! (I’m speaking figuratively.)
By beholding, we become changed. This is why we have to shut out the evil that surrounds us and focus our thoughts on Jesus. This is why learning about Jesus and walking with Him is so important! Jesus said:
John 15:5-14 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”
Prayers and best wishes always
I’m sorry to disagree, but seems like your teaching relies on a lot of assumptions and conjectures. Teaching that demons control a person’s behavior seems like a cop out for people who don’t want to change their behavior, and creates a false expectation that just get rid of a demon and they will be fine. Some imagine demons where there are none and create fear, and start seeing demons everywhere and blaming demons for everything, from a child crying in church to an old man snoring. I have seen many failed attempts at casting out devils that I think did more harm.
Hello dvsjjs54:
Maybe we have an honest impasse, but our disagreement doesn’t change the unfolding reality or the deceitful and horrible work of demons.
I agree with you that many people (including Christians) blame demons for everything and this is inappropriate and more harmful than helpful. Many people have no morals. They offend God at every turn. They are not grounded in Scripture and they don’t know what to think or believe. This condition is the perfect seedbed for the growth of superstition and demons know it. Demons love superstition because the fear that comes from it is more harmful than helpful, especially when embedded within religion. Superstition consists of irrational thinking or believing. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines superstition:
a : a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation
b : an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition
I also agree with you that failed attempts at casting out demons is a disgrace. Failed attempts to cast out demons prove that (a) demons are not involved or (b) the person conducting the exorcism is a fake, not empowered by God.
The topic is complicated, but very real. John wrote, 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Demons are more crafty, intelligent and powerful than human beings. Their work and behavior can be very open and evident or hidden within layers of mental illness, personality disorders, etc. The Bible teaches that demons are invisible beings and this frustrates their detection. Because they are fallen angels, demons are a higher order of being than humans. They can be difficult to identify and understand because they operate in dimensions that human beings can’t quantify.
Jesus confronted demons on many occasions and they spoke to Him.
Mark 3:11,12 “Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.”
Years ago, I was involved in a prison ministry and I saw several demon possessed men. I heard the voices and shrieks of demons. I saw the enormous power that demons can wield over people. One of the clearest evidences of demonic possession is predatory violence, demons love to hurt and harm innocent people through their victims. I am not alone in recognizing the work of demons. Others are commenting on this phenomenon. Please consider this article by Dr. Richard Gallager, a board certified psychiatrist:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/07/01/as-a-psychiatrist-i-diagnose-mental-illness-and-sometimes-demonic-possession/
As the world slips deeper and deeper into degenerate and decadent behavior, the evidence of demons will become more pronounced. (Conversely, man’s need for deliverance from demons will become more apparent.) More and more, we are reading about people killing innocent people, people committing grievous crimes for no apparent reason. These are tell-tale signs that demonic influence is ascending. If we remain spiritually connected to God, if we live honorably in His sight, if we exalt the teachings of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will help us detect and understand the work and influence of demons. They are everywhere and our only safety from them is through Jesus.
1 Corinthians 2:14 “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
1 Timothy 4:1 “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
Best regards
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