Great Doctrines of the Bible
Special English Version

Lesson 29
DEMONOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
People who say they have to understand a thing before they believe it have always denied the fact that there are demons and that demons are able to possess a person. Some people say that stories of Christ casting out demons only mean that He won over evil. Other people say that Christ simply gave an explanation to those people who believed religious superstitions.

Today many missionaries have witnessed demon possession in countries where people worship demons and where the influence of demons is very strong. In some of these countries the worship of demons has been a normal part of life for centuries. In other countries, we see the activity of demons in such things as terrible crimes, evil, and sinful sexual practices with animals. We can see demon activity in the rise of false religions and religious teachers. Another way in which we can see it is in the new interest people have in knowing what will happen to them in the future. They ask someone to tell them what will happen to them in days to come. They practice witchcraft through people who say they can talk to the dead. Today there are all kinds of secret religions.

To deny the existence of demons is to question the authority of the Bible and to doubt that Christ is God. It means that the apostles were not truthful. In this lesson it is our purpose to teach the fact that there are demons. We will also show you that there are a great number of them. We will show you how strong they are and how difficult it is to fight against them. You will also learn what will happen to them in the future.

IMPORTANCE OF THIS LESSON

• An amazing fact is that millions of Christians do not realize that there is a war going on all the time between them and many kinds of evil spirits. Satan controls these evil spirits. Demons cause many Christians to be depressed and discouraged. Christians who live for Christ can defeat the power of demons.
• If we want to fight the battle of the Lord and win over demons, it is very important to understand that our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of the darkness of this world. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).
• We cannot begin to understand how the activity of demons ruined some of our good practices. Demons have caused confusion among churches. Demons have caused people to deny the main doctrines of the Bible. They have also caused terrible crimes in our times. It is for this reason that we must understand there are demons living today. We must understand their large number and what they are like.
• We cannot over-emphasize the importance of this lesson. Study it carefully and prayerfully. Our prayer is that it will help you to put on the whole armor of God so that you can fight against the tricks of the devil (Ephesians 6:11).

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THE LESSON

I. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT DEMONS ARE ALIVE TODAY?

1. The Old and New Testaments show us that demons are alive today and that they work among people.
   1. In the Old Testament:
      1. Israel made God angry when they made a sacrifice to demons (Psalm 106:37; Deuteronomy 32:17).
      2. Just like today, people in the Old Testament also worshipped demons (1 Corinthians 10:20). God forbade Israel to worship demons (Leviticus 17:7).
      3. Moses warned Israel against talking to demons, witches, and other people who practiced this worship (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).
   2. In the New Testament:
      1. The New Testament tells us that demons exist (James 2:19).
      2. The New Testament describes what demons are like (Luke 4:33; 6:18).
      3. The New Testament tells us that demons are evil and unclean (Matthew 12:45).
      4. The New Testament says that demons are messengers from Satan (Matthew 12:26-27).
      5. The New Testament says that there are a great number of demons (Mark 5:9).
         1. Demons are impure (Mark 1:23).
         2. Demons are bloodthirsty, brutal and powerful (Mark 5:3-5).
      6. Christ has greater power than demons; therefore they have to obey him (Matthew 4:24; Mark 1:23-25). God has already condemned demons forever along with Satan (Matthew 8:29; 25:41).
         • The word “devil” in the King James Version of the English language should rightly be translated “demon.”
2. Evidence from the Bible: The Bible says that Satan and his great army of evil spirits exist. If this is not true then the Bible stories about them are lies.
3. Evidence from the history of religion: A study of many religions at the time they began shows that belief in demons is worldwide.
4. Evidence from human experience: Ephesians 2:2-4 teaches that Satan and evil spirits work in the minds and hearts of unbelievers. They cause them to give in to the lustful desires of the flesh. The sinful sex parties of Greek and Roman cultures show us that many years ago evil powers controlled people. Today these evil powers cause people to take dangerous drugs. Homosexuality, terrible crimes and devil worship show us that evil powers control people today, too.
5. Evidence from the work of Christ: He talked to demons and cast them out.

II. WHERE DO DEMONS COME FROM?

1. The Bible does not tell us where demons came from.
2. Good Bible teachers disagree about where they came from.
3. Different ideas about where demons came from:
   1. They were people who lived before Adam and somehow lost their bodies. We must reject this idea for two reasons:
      1. God only created angels before Adam.
      2. If you accept that God created some kind of people before Adam then you must accept the idea that these people lived on an earth which “became without form and void” (Genesis 1:2). Thus you must believe that there was a long period of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. Of course, all of this is just guesswork.
   2. Demons are the spirits of the beings born by the union between fallen angels who left the place where they lived (Jude 6) and women who already lived in this world. This happened before the flood. This too is only guesswork since the Bible does not talk about this at all.
4. The best and most reasonable answer is that demons are the great host of angels who followed Lucifer (Satan) when he rebelled against God (Ezekiel 28:14-17; Isaiah 14:12-17).
   1. Revelation 12:7-10 says that Satan took a “third part of the stars of heaven with him” when he fell. Stars refer to angels (Isaiah 14:13).
   2. Matthew 25:41 tells us that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels.
   3. Angels are said to be spirits or spirit-beings (Psalm 104:4; Hebrews 1:14).
   4. Some fallen angels are bound until the tribulation period (Revelation 9:2-11; 16:14), but an army of demons is free today. The number of demons is so great that they cannot be counted. Satan directs the demons. They are the spiritual powers that work in heavenly places. They are the powers of the darkness of this world. They are the powers we cannot see (Ephesians 2:2; 6:12).

III. HOW MANY DEMONS ARE THERE?

1. In Mark 5:9 the demon in the man at Gadara said, “My name is Legion; because we are many.” The word “ legion” could mean “a great many.” In the military it could mean 3000 to 5000 foot soldiers and 300 men on horses.
2. Mark 16:9 states that Christ had cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene.
3. Demons are under the control of Satan and are called a “kingdom of darkness” (Matthew 12:26; Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:13). They are called “the rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places.”
4. The Bible teaches that Satan himself is not present everywhere. He has so many evil messengers that they can operate everywhere in this world. This gives Satan power over the whole world.

IV. WHOM DO THE DEMONS OBEY AND WHERE DO THEY OPERATE?

1. Satan is the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). He rules a kingdom of demons (Matthew 12:26-27). Demons obey Satan (Ephesians 2:2; Matthew 25:41).
2. As believers, God raised us up with Christ and gave you and me a seat with Him in the heavenly places (the heavenlies or spiritual realm) (Ephesians 2:6; 1:3). This is the same area where demons operate. This is where demons make war against Christ and His followers (Ephesians 6:11-13).
   1. Satan is the ruler of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). In this way he rules the legions of evil spirits who are in the air around us.
   2. Satan and his demons look for bodies to live in. They are able to live in and control human beings. They are also able to live in animals. It seems that demons are helpless until they live in a body (Mark 5:2-13; Matthew 4:24; 8:16; 9:32; 12:22; Acts 8:7; 16:16).

V. WHAT ARE DEMONS LIKE?

1. They are unclean (morally and spiritually) (Matthew 12:43; Mark 1:23; Luke 6:18).
2. They are wicked (Matthew 12:45) and evil (Acts 19:23-26).
3. They are very dangerous (Matthew 8:28).
4. They are cruel and they hurt people (Luke 9:39-42; Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 5:13).
5. They are full of hate and are corrupt (Matthew 12:45; 9:33).
6. Satan is a murderer, a liar and a deceiver. Satan accuses people falsely! His demons are just like him (John 8:44; Revelation 12:9).
7. You cannot see them with your eyes because they are spirit beings.
   1. In Luke 24:39 Jesus said that a spirit does not have flesh and bones.
   2. In Ephesians 6:12 we read that we are not fighting against flesh and blood.
8. They are individual persons. They have their own wills. They have feelings and they are able to think. They are able to make decisions even while they are operating under the control of Satan.
   1. They think, speak and act through another person (Acts 19:15-16; Mark 5:10; Luke 4:34).
   2. They have Satan’s great wisdom since they are angels that belong to Satan (Ezekiel 28:12-17; 2 Samuel 14:20).
9. They have great power (2 Peter 2:11; Psalm 103:20). We can see their power especially when they live in a human body (Mark 5:9).
10. Together, with Satan, they are the greatest enemy of Christ, of God and of Christians (Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Luke 22:31).

VI. HOW GREAT IS THE INFLUENCE OF DEMONS AND HOW GREAT IS THEIR POWER?

1. The power of demons in the lives of unbelievers:
   1. Demons cause sinners to be blind to the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4).
   2. Demons cause unbelievers to live just like the people in the world (Ephesians 2:2).
   3. Demons take possession of the minds and bodies of people. They cause people to do all kinds of wicked acts (Mark 5:2-18; Romans 1:24-32; Revelation 9:20-21; Luke 8:36).
   4. Demons cause some people to reject “the faith.” They cause people to adopt all kinds of religious laws. They will tell people not to marry and not to eat certain kinds of food (1Timothy 4:1-5).
   5. Demons cause many people to become false prophets (1 John 4:1-4). They cause confusion and disagreements among Christians (Matthew 13:38-40).
   6. Demons can cause a person to become crazy. Demons can cause people to have problems in the nervous system. Demons can also cause sicknesses that doctors cannot explain. They cause people not to have control over parts of their bodies (Matthew 17:14-21; 12:45; 9:32; 12:22).
      • God has always held back the power of Satan and demons. We can see the power of demons best in the lives of people who openly stand against God.
      • The main aim of demons is to destroy peace and harmony. They try to cause as much suffering, sorrow and worry as possible.
2. The power of demons in the lives of believers:
   1. Demons can test believers the way a farmer tests his wheat (Luke 22:31).
   2. Believers are at war with demons all the time (Ephesians 6:10-18).
   3. Demons look for believers so they can eat them (1 Peter 5:8).
   4. Demons can cause sicknesses in a person’s body (2 Corinthians 12:7).
   5. God does not want Christians to have fellowship with demons (1 Corinthians 10:20-21;
      Leviticus 19:37). The Bible tells believers to test the demons because they seek to ruin Christians with false doctrine (1 John 4:1).
   6. It is doubtful that born again believers can become demon possessed. Demons are able to attack Christians. Demons are able to influence believers. This kind of influence can cause sickness. It can cause a problem with the believer’s mind and the believer can become very discouraged. Demons can also cause that believers will do all kinds of sin. This is why Christians must fight against demons (James 4:7). Christians must put on the soldier’s war equipment that God gives (Ephesians 6:11). In addition to this a believer must stand strong in the Christian life (1 Peter 5:8-9).

VII. WHAT IS DEMON POSSESSION? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEMON POSSESSION AND DEMON INFLUENCE?

1. Demon possession, witchcraft, telling the future, magic and many other evils existed in the days of the Old Testament. We do not know how many people practiced these things. We do know that in Christ’s day there were many cases of demon possession. We can see demon possession in uncivilized countries today. In these countries people worship idols. Today we can also see it in the United States and other “so called” civilized countries.
2. Demon possession in the New Testament days:
   1. Unclean spirits came out of many people. The demons possessed them (Acts 8:7).
   2. Demons possessed some people. Their friends brought them to Jesus (Mark 1:32).
   3. Christ cast out people possessed with evil spirits (Matthew 4:24; 8:16).
   4. People brought a man who could not talk to Christ because a demon possessed him (Matthew 9:32).
   5. The Pharisees said that Christ cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub (Satan) (Matthew 12:24-30).
   6. Paul cast a demon out of a young lady (Acts 16:16-18).
3. What is demon possession?
   1. Sometimes just one demon or sometimes a great number of them enter and take complete control of a person’s body and mind.
   2. When demons take control of a person they immediately change that person’s character. The demons express their thoughts, words and acts through that person’s body.
   3. The demon may speak through the person in a completely different voice. Often a demon will speak in a different language.
   4. The victim is not crazy. A different person controls him.
   5. The results of demon possession differ greatly from one person to another. Demons give some people great strength (Mark 5:4). They give others great wisdom (Mark 1:23-24). These things may come along with deep discouragement, sadness, craziness, hatred for others and sinful behavior.
   6. Demons always cause a person to stand against Jesus Christ (Mark 1:24; 1 John 4:1-4).
4. What is the difference between demon possession and demon influence?
   1. No one on this earth is completely free from the attacks of Satan and demons (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Peter 5:8; 1Timothy 4:1; 1 John 4:1-4).
   2. In demon possession the demon lives in a person’s body and controls his entire personality. The demon also controls the person’s mind. The time a demon exercises power over a person is usually shorter in demon influence than in demon possession.
   3. Demon influence can differ greatly in Christians and also in unbelievers. Sometimes it is only a small temptation and sometimes it is an evil suggestion. Sometime it may become a deep discouragement.
   4. Demon influence can cause a person to be blind to the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4). It can cause a person to lie (Acts 5:3). Demons can lead a person into false doctrine (1 John 4:1-4) or a demon may cause a person to leave the Christian faith completely (1 Timothy 4:1). Demons can cause believers to take up wrong ways of action (1 Corinthians 10:16-22).
      • Demons are able to hurt sinful people only as far as people are willing to disobey the law of God (Exodus 20:3-5). God stops holding back evil every time a person breaks and forgets about the laws of God. When that happens the influence of demons causes that a person will commit even greater sins
      (2 Peter 2:10-12; Romans 1:24-32).

VIII. WHERE WILL DEMONS END UP IN THE FUTURE?

1. They know that God has already determined their punishment (Matthew 8:29).
2. They know that Christ has power to destroy them.
3. The word that means “deep pit” in Luke 8:31 is the same as the “bottomless pit” in Revelation 20:1-3.
4. They will be locked up in this bottomless pit during the millennium. It seems that after the millennium they are let out of their prison for a short time and then they are put into “the lake of fire” forever and ever (Revelation 20:10).

IX. HOW CAN CHRISTIANS WIN OVER THE INFLUENCE OF DEMONS AND HOW CAN CHRISTIANS CAST OUT DEMONS TODAY?

1. Some missionaries say that some people, who said that God saved them, went back into demon possession. It is my opinion that such converts were not really born again. It is my belief that demons can attack Christians, but demons cannot possess Christians. Why do I believe this?
   1. Because the bodies of believers are “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19; 3:16).
   2. Because the Holy Spirit, who lives in Christians, is greater than the spirit in this world (1 John 4:4).
   3. Because Christ has delivered the believer from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13; 2:15; Acts 26:18).
   4. Because Christ is our High Priest who talks to the Father for us. He will not allow the believer to fail (1 Corinthians 10:13; Jude 14;1 John 2:1).
2. Remember that Christ lives in every believer through the Holy Spirit and He has complete power over demons (Mark 1:24; 5:6-13; Galatians 2:20). Christ gave every believer the right to use this power at any time. This power has no limits for the believer (2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 1:19-20,3:20, 6:10; Philippians 3:10).
3. The Bible advises Christians to put on the Christian’s complete equipment for war that God has ready for them. In that way the believer is able to stand against Satan by prayer and by the power of the Holy Spirit. The believer is able to stand against demons (Ephesians 6:11-18; James 4:7; 1 John 4:4; Philippians 4:13; Matthew 17:21).
   • If we have power to defeat Satan, the ruler, we surely can win over his servants, the demons!
4. Christ cast out demons by His own power many times (Matthew 4:24; 8:16; 9:32; 12:22). He gave power to His apostles to cast out demons (Mark 3:14-15; Matthew 10:8). He gave the seventy disciples power over demons (Luke 10:17). Paul had power to cast out demons in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:6-11; 16:18).
   1. It is reasonable to believe that Christians today possess or can receive power, which controls demons.
   2. It is reasonable to believe that Christians are able to cast out demons (Philippians 4:13; 1 John 4:4).
   3. We must remember that Christ alone can save a person and deliver a person from demons. Therefore, all efforts to overcome and cast out demons must be done in His name (Acts 16:18).
   4. Today we can overcome Satan by faith (Ephesians 6:16). We must stand against the devil (James 4:7). We must do this through the blood of Jesus, through the truth of the Word of God (Revelation 12:11), and through the power of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:4).
   5. We must be very careful when we try to cast demons out of other people. Never try it as if it were something small because the demon himself can attack you. Always get help from other believers. Give yourself to much prayer and fasting before you try to cast out demons (Matthew 17:21).

CONCLUSION

• God still rules this world as King! Demons and Satan cannot change His eternal plans.
• God uses demons to punish the ungodly (Psalm 78:49; 1 Kings 22:23).
• God uses demons to discipline believers (Luke 22:31).

Why does God do all of this here on this earth? God did this on earth because He chose to redeem us. God allows demons to show what sin and evil are like in this world. God is patient with them but His punishment on evil will surely come in the future.

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