Are demons real and do they interfere with people?

[Zoii]

Have you ever heard new stories where the offender, states they were told to kill someone?

People do hear voices telling them to do certain things. Not sure whether this phenomenon is understood by the medical world.

It is understood and documented well. Its referred to as an auditory hallucination.

 

[LightLoveHope]

Indeed they do.

On the contrary - it has grown. They are the "god of this world"
2 Cor 4: 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this world has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them

The TV, Movies, Video games, drugs, inappropriate content, music, culture... total apathy in the population and downright hatred of Christians in the entertainment and political environments. His power is ten fold. maybe 100 fold.

I believe you are confusing two issues. The nature of man and his ability to distort things to meet passions of the flesh and direct spiritual interference through mediums, tarot cards, horoscopes etc. From the beginning of creation, it has always been so.

We do though have amongst it all a sense of integrity, rights of the individual, a welfare state, courts that uphold the law, education for all, hospitals, millions of people spending their lives helping others.

The problem with entertainment, people do not see 16 year olds who attend school and are functional, by 20 are broken, suicidal, their lives a wreak and all they can think about is how it went wrong. The connection between the glorification of the world and chaos, is not helping where people are headed.

A bigger question is trauma, and the effects of a lack of love and stability in the home are probably bigger issues. And this is where Jesus speaks, to our hearts. On the whole people are not irretrievably lost, they can reach and find life. The problem is the church itself often does not know what it has and what it is. Victory in the Kingdom comes by bringing the light of life into our lives and sharing this. Blaming the world for being the world is not going to change anything.

 

[LightLoveHope]

Have you ever heard new stories where the offender, states they were told to kill someone?

People do hear voices telling them to do certain things. Not sure whether this phenomenon is understood by the medical world.

This is classified as paranoid schizophrenia. One of its symptoms is hearing audible voices telling you things, thinking everyone is watching you, and there is a conspiracy to kill you.

There is a film called "A beautiful mind" which goes through the experiences of a gifted mathmatician who saw three people, who were not there, who told him to do things. In later life he got to the point were he could ignore them, ie. live with his condition.

Where this kind of problem crosses over to demons and possession is a question. The problem with demons they do not like people who know Jesus, and would rather flee.

 

[klutedavid]

It is understood and documented well. Its referred to as an auditory hallucination.

Naming the phenomenon does not mean we understand that mental aberration.

 

[klutedavid]

This is classified as paranoid schizophrenia. One of its symptoms is hearing audible voices telling you things, thinking everyone is watching you, and there is a conspiracy to kill you.

There is a film called "A beautiful mind" which goes through the experiences of a gifted mathmatician who saw three people, who were not there, who told him to do things. In later life he got to the point were he could ignore them, ie. live with his condition.

Where this kind of problem crosses over to demons and possession is a question. The problem with demons they do not like people who know Jesus, and would rather flee.

That is the real question, what level of demonic influence is involved in this mental aberration?

 

[Francis Drake]

Are you really into deliverance or abuse, lol?
I apologise for proding you. I love to hear of people who have been helped by anybodies ministry, because it is good to minister Gods blessing on anybody.

But then turning the other cheek maybe something you missed.

I suggest you look at your own record here before accusing me.

You claimed churches are where demons in your ministry are found.
Are you suggesting in my fellowship I will find possessed people, who have not been noticed? I know it is possible, but I am wondering where you are leading.

I know nothing of your fellowship. The playground of the demonic horde will always be the body of Christ. The rest are already in his possession.
It would be naïve for any church to claim they have no demons in their members, especially if they don't practise deliverance.

I have had "spirit" led preachers suggesting I was possessed. They then talked about how in their ministry people had spoken against them, and were struck dumb. This particular preacher believed he could create things ex-nihilo.

Another straw man argument. You try and smear me by association with events or people I have never heard of.

When I talked about Jesus conquering through love and repentance through the cross, he gave up and disappeared. The sad reality is there are some disturbed people who will behave in strange ways if pressured, so I am sceptical about such claims.

Again nothing to do with me.

Why should I not believe you are the source of the problems you are claiming to resolve.

When people with existing problems come and ask me for help, I cannot be the cause of said problems.​

To put it mildly, there is no deliverance ministry listed in the gifts or authority in the church. So why should anyone take you seriously?

Ah, that explains your antagonism, either ignorance of scripture, or plain unbelief when you read it.

By the way I am not fearly of your rebuke, however it might be delivered. I hope you know the Lord and walk in His love and grace. May you find love and peace in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

I hope you know the Lord.
As for me, my resting place is already in the peace of the Lord, and has been for many many decades.

 

[Francis Drake]

Sir Francis Drake - a great spiritual warrior whose example we should not follow.

Instead of personal insults, why don't you

turn the other cheek like you instructed me?​

If you want a hero, I would pick Paul or Peter.

Yes, two people who taught the necessity of deliverance and spiritual warfare.

Paul was annoyed with a possessed slave girl, following them and declaring their ministry.
It was not as if she was a threat, but Paul cast the demon out and things went badly, because the owners of the prophetess lost money as a result.

I have no idea why you bring this up in response to my post?
On the surface it appears the slave girl was in support of the gospel message, but her proclamations were actually undermining and discrediting it.
It was known by all that she had a demon spirit within her, that's how she earned her money. Thus her proclamations implied that Paul was also working for the same demons, or that her demons served God almighty.
By casting the demon out, Paul made a clear demonstration that he served a very different God.

It is there ironic that money and greed was the scheme used to cause trouble.
Funny how this is actually still the case,

Again you try to smear me by association, using issues of money and greed.

but then the enemy would rather we think
he is the bigger problem. But if he can keep people from reading and believing Jesus and His word job done.

As your posts reveal, Satan's primary tactic is to make Christians believe he is of little or no relevance. That way he can do what he wants in the church.

 

[Francis Drake]

An observation on what I talked about, about deliverance ministries.
Francis Drake got upset,

I am simply challenging your post content, not your personality. ​

So please don't presume to know my feelings, when your character attacks on me indicate which of us is upset.

and did not acknowledge this demon emphasis in the church is a problem. Maybe he is not what he appears to be.

The problem in the church is not demon emphasis, but the demons themselves and those who by their denial give licence to those demons.
And I put no more emphasis on demons than Jesus did.

A sure sign things are not as they should be is words like nonsence and you are not biblical.

If a comment makes no sense, then its nonsense. There's no magic in that.
If a comment carries no biblical support, then its unbiblical. Again no magic in that.

What did demons say about Jesus and Paul
"Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Acts 19:15

Another smear from someone who lectures me on peace and turning the other cheek. You now directly compare me to non believers, like the seven sons of Sceva. Please desist from these ungodly attacks on my character and stick to proper discussion.

My experience of demons is, they appear, you call on the Lord, they go away.
My brothers in the Lord have had similar experiences.
So christians demon possessed?

Other than in challenging those who bring it up, I never use the words possessed or oppressed because of the confusion they always arouse.
A far more accurate translation is demonised. It applies to both believers and unbelievers.

Junk. Christians oppressed and disturbed because of sin
and bad things in there past? Very likely. But most people involved in spotting such things are very likely quacks.

So you admit to being blind in not seeing such things, or a quack for seeing and driving them out.
Great logic there!

Going to the elders or leaders of a church, them laying hands and praying for people, now that is where the power of God works.

All Christians, not just leaders, have the power to drive demons out.

 

[Francis Drake]

Demons are not an issue.
They have to submit to Jesus. As the apostles found, they just fled.

If its that simple, how come all demons are not submitted to Jesus already and in his chains? How come we are commanded to cast them out?

The problem is superstitions about demons and believers who claim they can be possessed by a demon at the same time as having the Holy Spirit. If you follow their teaching and experience it is full of heresy and demon experiences.

You have yet to demonstrate that so called heresy, or prove that Christians can't have demons.

Another group believe in desiring to travel to the 3rd heaven, to talk to angels, to have messages via prophets with dead believers who are encouraging the current congregations.
Part of this group now support using the Holy Spirit and spiritual future prophecy cards to
predict the future outcome of people who come to consult the "spiritual" believer.

As you say, "Another group…..", making it a hugely off topic straw man argument.
Why not start another thread to denounce such things if they bother you so much. They are of no relevance here, other than an attempt to smear by association.

Their excuse is they are testing the spiritual boundaries of belief and guidance, where traditional legalistic christianity would not go. They are literally listening to demons.

So you admit demons are a problem when it suits you!

and encouraging people to think this is part of the Christian faith, while it is sin and worthy of total expulsion and under the law, death.

You now call warning against demonic influence a sin???????????

But then the same group believe speaking from God and being wrong is practising forth telling, not grevious sin against the Lord.

Another topic, nothing to do with deliverance from demons.

So I am 100% suspicious of this drift into the world of spiritual beings, who will be fried alive at judgement, by people who claim we need to spend large amounts of spiritual effort to defeat the spiritual principalities and powers in the heavenly realm.

The thread title says, Are demons real and do they interfere with people? Above you accused people of listening to demons, and then do your best to deny they have influence. Lol

Jesus has already done this, which is why they flee at His name. To claim they have value today, is to walk in unbelief and sin against the Lord. No wonder people get so defeated and messed up.

I think it is you who is walking in defeat and unbelief, not those who fulfil the commands Jesus made to set the captives free by deliverance.

 

[LightLoveHope]

The logic here is simple.
Find out the personal history of someone and their normal behaviour patterns.
If you want to believe "demons" are responsible, sadly certain people who would rather put their problems down to demons, will behave like this is really an issue.

In a few cases this may well be true, but in the bible, how many issues with demons ends with anything else than quick resolution. Nowhere is scripture does it say you have behaviour problems because you are possessed. If you want to give the enemy power, start believing he has more authority than he has, and suprisingly you will find the Lord will hand you over to be rebuked. This is the irony. The Lord is King and it is through Him we have the victory, Amen.

 

[Francis Drake]

The logic here is simple.
Find out the personal history of someone and their normal behaviour patterns.
If you want to believe "demons" are responsible, sadly certain people who would rather put their problems down to demons, will behave like this is really an issue.

Your logic is of little help as it applies equally to both sides of the argument.
You object to people blaming demons, when both church and state medicine teach people to blame the latest psychological acronym.

In a few cases this may well be true, but in the bible, how many issues with demons ends with anything else than quick resolution.

I agree, and have never said otherwise. (other than when the disciples struggled one time.)

Nowhere is scripture does it say you have behaviour problems because you are possessed.

Really?
Matt8v28When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29“What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
That sounds like a behavioural problem to me!

Mark9v17A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground.
Again it sounds like a behavioural problem.
Scripture also speaks about spirits of fear which of course directly affects the emotions and behaviour.
It also speaks of doctrines of demons and Satan as the father of lies, thus again directing people's behaviour.

If you want to give the enemy power, start believing he has more authority than he has, and suprisingly you will find the Lord will hand you over to be rebuked. This is the irony. The Lord is King and it is through Him we have the victory, Amen.

Satan is given power by those who abdicate God's commandment to fight, instead teaching that he is of no concern to Christians.
And for your information, the Lord has never handed me over to be rebuked, other than by unbelieving bible teachers.

 

[LightLoveHope]

Your logic is of little help as it applies equally to both sides of the argument.
You object to people blaming demons, when both church and state medicine teach people to blame the latest psychological acronym.

I agree, and have never said otherwise. (other than when the disciples struggled one time.)

Really?
Matt8v28When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29“What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
That sounds like a behavioural problem to me!

Mark9v17A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground.
Again it sounds like a behavioural problem.
Scripture also speaks about spirits of fear which of course directly affects the emotions and behaviour.
It also speaks of doctrines of demons and Satan as the father of lies, thus again directing people's behaviour.

Satan is given power by those who abdicate God's commandment to fight, instead teaching that he is of no concern to Christians.
And for your information, the Lord has never handed me over to be rebuked, other than by unbelieving bible teachers.

I apologize about my too all encompasing statement about demons causing behaviour issues. Outside believers filled with the Holy Spirit, non-beleivers can be possessed and affected. But this discussion implied it is in the church demon deliverance is performed and needed, to the extent that is you focus.

I am questioning this proposition as my experience does not match this within a fellowship who have a lot of exposure to people of many backgrounds, yet no known incidents. Healings, prophecy, tongues, loving ministry and encouragement, but deliverence, not an issue. So either we are the exception or maybe the diagnosis or interpretation is faulty. I was once in a meeting were a lady was very distressed but it was emotional due to stress of the situation they were in, but the preacher thought it was demonic oppression, rather than emotional shock and exhaustion.

 

[Francis Drake]

I apologize about my too all encompasing statement about demons causing behaviour issues.

Apologies accepted.
I would rather conduct this argument peacefully than with rancour.
I am not an idiot or an unregenerate, neither are you.

Iron sharpens iron etc.​

Outside believers filled with the Holy Spirit, non-beleivers can be possessed and affected. But this discussion implied it is in the church demon deliverance is performed and needed, to the extent that is you focus.

You are right, I always focus on the church because the ministry we are called to is building the ekklesia of God, not the world.
Like much of the church, the world doesn't believe in demons and doesn't want deliverance.

I am sure you would also agree that casting demons out of the unregenerate is rather fruitless, as without any spiritual defence, the demons would soon be back, usually in greater power.

So if deliverance is inadvisable or unwanted for non believers, and unnecessary for believers, why are we commanded to do it, and to whom?

And if you believe Jesus's commandment was aimed at non believers only, why are the churches not driving demons out as part of their outreach?

I am questioning this proposition as my experience does not match this within a fellowship who have a lot of exposure to people of many backgrounds, yet no known incidents.

You're not going to like where this leads, but, I'm sure you understand the following verse,-
1Tim4v1But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,.....

Satan, and his deceiving demons have been at work ceaselessly since the Garden of Eden.
Just like purveyors of deception during war or politics, the prime objective is to conceal all evidence that anything is going on. Mass disinformation, smoke and mirrors of all types are in full use by the Satanic realm.
ie. Like the traffic policeman at a road accident, "Move along move along there, nothing to see here."

I don't know how it was in the US, or if you are old enough to have witnessed it, but a prime example of successful disinformation in the UK was the infiltration of Soviet agents within UK institutions.
Whenever the conservative press or politicians brought the subject up, the left started howling with mockery and rage, "Yawn yawn, here we go again, the old 'red under the bed' garbage!"
The public treated it as the usual political posturing and like the church went straight back to sleep. However those with wisdom and discernment could see it clearly.

Then the Berlin wall came down, and the Soviet Union was disbanded, and our enemies suddenly became our new friends, for a while at least.
One result of the political thaw was the sudden naming of dozens of sleeper agents and operatives on the KGB payroll in all sorts of high and low positions.
The Red had indeed been under the bed for many many decades, tolerated because of the atmosphere of derision and mockery fomented by the left at every attempt to deal with it.

Likewise one of the prime functions of the demons of deception would be to constantly mock or downplay the relevance of demons in today's world, aided and abetted by compliant church leaders.

Healings, prophecy, tongues, loving ministry and encouragement, but deliverence, not an issue. So either we are the exception or maybe the diagnosis or interpretation is faulty.

You have answered the question already. The issue is diagnosis and interpretation, and in that, you are no different to the vast majority of spirit led churches today.

I was once in a meeting were a lady was very distressed but it was emotional due to stress of the situation they were in, but the preacher thought it was demonic oppression, rather than emotional shock and exhaustion.

Here is the Great Commission.-
Mark16v15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

This verse presents driving out demons as normal for Christian life, not a special ministry belonging to the leaders.

I guess we need to ask ourselves whether Jesus really meant what he said about deliverance.
Then we need to ask to whom was the ministry addressed.

Obviously my interpretation of deliverance is open to debate, but my critics should not be standing in judgement of me whilst they offer zero evidence of their deliverance activity.

 

[Francis Drake]

I am questioning this proposition as my experience does not match this within a fellowship who have a lot of exposure to people of many backgrounds, yet no known incidents. Healings, prophecy, tongues, loving ministry and encouragement, but deliverence, not an issue. So either we are the exception or maybe the diagnosis or interpretation is faulty.

I understand your concerns, but when we look at the average congregation we shouldn't expect to see horns growing on the heads of those needing deliverance, or see them foaming at the mouth.
Who knows what struggles some people have when they are back home without the uplift of collective worship. Who knows what hinders or what drives them like slaves?

The following testimony, one of many, is pasted from a post I did on another thread. Generational Curses--question
This occurred long before I ever heard about generational curses.

About 40 years ago, a friend and I were asked to pray for a Christian lady who was visiting our fellowship here in the UK. She didn't give a very clear description of what her problem was or where her need lay.
So we laid it before the Lord and asked for his wisdom. Shortly later, I heard the Lord give the following words, "The spirit of Mormon."
When I told the lady the word, she responded with indignation. She had never been involved with Mormonism, nor even visited their churches. That stumped me a little so I apologised and we stumbled on praying around various things that came to light.
About half an hour afterwards, she suddenly gasped and put her hand over her mouth.
She then related a conversation she had had with her mother when she was a child.
Apparently, in the mid 1800s, her great great great grandfather had gone out to Utah with Brigham Young in his great waggon train to build Salt Lake City for the Mormon Church!

No amount of mental gymnastics would have exposed that spiritual link travelling back over 130 years, had not the Holy Spirit revealed it.
Mormonism is a false doctrine, clearly inspired by demons. Her ancestor had subjected himself to that demon which influenced his spiritual life. That demonic power had travelled down the family line affecting subsequent generations until the day we prayed.
Needless to say, we cast the spirit of Mormonism out of her and set her free from it.
That is the blood of Christ at work.

Unknown to her, the Spirit of Mormon would be giving her thought processes a "gloss" when she was trying to understand scripture, or trying to discern what the Lord was saying to her. That demon would be constantly stimulating unbelief and trying to redirect her thoughts in wrong directions.

I have no idea how she fared after that day as she was a visitor and I never saw her again. ​

She was very grateful and could clearly see the hand of God at work in exposing demonic powers that were totally concealed. ​

She had not come asking for deliverance, just that we would pray through her problems. Had we not been open to deliverance, we would not have been open to that word of knowledge.

I was not a leader, but just a member of a congregation, and very green back then, learning by doing.

The gifts of the Spirit are essential for good deliverance, otherwise we are just beating around the bush hoping to expose something. ​

​

 

[LightLoveHope]

I understand your concerns, but when we look at the average congregation we shouldn't expect to see horns growing on the heads of those needing deliverance, or see them foaming at the mouth.
Who knows what struggles some people have when they are back home without the uplift of collective worship. Who knows what hinders or what drives them like slaves?

The following testimony, one of many, is pasted from a post I did on another thread. Generational Curses--question
This occurred long before I ever heard about generational curses.

About 40 years ago, a friend and I were asked to pray for a Christian lady who was visiting our fellowship here in the UK. She didn't give a very clear description of what her problem was or where her need lay.
So we laid it before the Lord and asked for his wisdom. Shortly later, I heard the Lord give the following words, "The spirit of Mormon."
When I told the lady the word, she responded with indignation. She had never been involved with Mormonism, nor even visited their churches. That stumped me a little so I apologised and we stumbled on praying around various things that came to light.
About half an hour afterwards, she suddenly gasped and put her hand over her mouth.
She then related a conversation she had had with her mother when she was a child.
Apparently, in the mid 1800s, her great great great grandfather had gone out to Utah with Brigham Young in his great waggon train to build Salt Lake City for the Mormon Church!

No amount of mental gymnastics would have exposed that spiritual link travelling back over 130 years, had not the Holy Spirit revealed it.
Mormonism is a false doctrine, clearly inspired by demons. Her ancestor had subjected himself to that demon which influenced his spiritual life. That demonic power had travelled down the family line affecting subsequent generations until the day we prayed.
Needless to say, we cast the spirit of Mormonism out of her and set her free from it.
That is the blood of Christ at work.

Unknown to her, the Spirit of Mormon would be giving her thought processes a "gloss" when she was trying to understand scripture, or trying to discern what the Lord was saying to her. That demon would be constantly stimulating unbelief and trying to redirect her thoughts in wrong directions.

I have no idea how she fared after that day as she was a visitor and I never saw her again.
She was very grateful and could clearly see the hand of God at work in exposing demonic powers that were totally concealed. ​

She had not come asking for deliverance, just that we would pray through her problems. Had we not been open to deliverance, we would not have been open to that word of knowledge.

I was not a leader, but just a member of a congregation, and very green back then, learning by doing.

The gifts of the Spirit are essential for good deliverance, otherwise we are just beating around the bush hoping to expose something. ​

I think there is a large difference between ministry and the Lord laying on people insights to particular issues specific to that point in time and believing this is a wider issue of significance.

Learning how to love others is our mission and walk. The enemy and our own desires will work to avoid these hard realities.

 

[Francis Drake]

I think there is a large difference between ministry and the Lord laying on people insights to particular issues specific to that point in time and believing this is a wider issue of significance.

But the commandment to drive out demons was not just for a point in time was it.
You either do what the Lord commanded, or you bury your head in the sand.

Learning how to love others is our mission and walk. The enemy and our own desires will work to avoid these hard realities.

The best example of love of course is Jesus himself, and one of the best ways he showed it was by driving demons out and setting the captives free.
He did that because doing so established regime change in that person's life.
Matt12v28"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Conversely, not driving those demons out, or insisting they don't exist, ensures that demons remain in charge, even in the church.

 

[LightLoveHope]

But the commandment to drive out demons was not just for a point in time was it.
You either do what the Lord commanded, or you bury your head in the sand.

The best example of love of course is Jesus himself, and one of the best ways he showed it was by driving demons out and setting the captives free.
He did that because doing so established regime change in that person's life.
Matt12v28"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Conversely, not driving those demons out, or insisting they don't exist, ensures that demons remain in charge, even in the church.

The problems in our fellowship and with the people I share with are not demons. If they were I would be thinking differently. I can but share the reality of my daily experience.

 

[Francis Drake]

The problems in our fellowship and with the people I share with are not demons. If they were I would be thinking differently. I can but share the reality of my daily experience.

Not trying to be rude, but from everything you have said, I doubt you would recognise a demon at work even if it ran over you in a bus. lol

Nevertheless, you still cannot escape the commandment of Jesus.
You and your congregation should either be doing deliverance among the saints, or in the world. One way or another, he commanded it, and you should be doing it.

I'm not attacking you personally, but you engaged me on this subject trying to put me right. I would say the same to all churches.

 

[Leon Seymore]

1. Life on earth is characterised by the norm and the exception. The norm can be good bad or neither. The exceptionbto the norm can be good, bad or neither.
2. The world of academic research: it is frequently only possible to understand the norm by researching the exception.
3. There is no known knowledge area on known to man that has no exception.
4. Our faith is built around an exception, Christ, the Son of God rising from the dead.
5. The fact that you are alive today is in my opinion the exception. I can only explain it that I am alive by the grace of God. Aheists may feel that the fact that they are alive is the norm and there is no God involved. The earth is in my opinion the exception. Atheists may feel that earth is the norm and that they helieve there are many earths spinning around stars filled with life as we.know it.
6. Demons should in my opinion not be seen as structures of the unhealthy or disturbed mind. Some people may call them "demons" but they resort under hallucinations, or visual, auditory, sensory or olfactory perceptions or misperceptions. I believe that demons are the exception. I do however believe that this was not always the case and that there are no gaurantees that the demon will always stay the exception to the rule.
7. The Pharisees did not believe in angels. I would therefore postulate that they then neither believed in demons. Paul was a Phariseer and a lot of Christian faith is based on his writings. Revelations speaks about thousands, even millions of angels gathered together. I would then have to believe the converse, which would be the possible gathering of thousands or millions of demons.
8. I believe that that it is one of the most important functions of the church and the congregation of the church to block the strength and influence of demons. When the congregation gather, sing and pray the spirit of Christ is present and "more tangible" and the power of the demons diminish. All people, believers and non-believers, become protected by the proximity of church-goers. This theme is also noticed and institutionalised by most other religions in the world that believe in the " invisible God" Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
9. I do not believe that demons necessarily need humans as a medium to affect things on earth. I would postulate that they could in fact affect many other creatures. The writings of Christ sending the femons into the herd of pigs, that the run off and fall off the escarpment comes to mind. I sense that the ability to see or feel demons is not a skill or gift that all humans have. In my interactions with people it is a gift (or curse) more prevalent among women. Mem are generally oblivious of such entities.
10. Indigenous and traditional religions are frequently also aware of demons.This is a very on theme African indigenous religions where they specialise in removing the rffects of such demons. I have encountered many people where demonisation has been confused with mental disease and with what I would call "community-aquired pschycosocial disease" such as ostrization, victimisation and sociopolitical processes such as deviance amplification, brain-washing and "plain bullying".
11. The military are generally not advicates of the demon comcept, due to the fact that it can be utilised in brain-washing of large groups of citizens, social control in underground religious sects and in manipulation of minors and mentally/ intellectually compromisec persons. Advocacy of demonisation also leads to persons not accessing formal medical amd mental services amd therefore not getting appropriate treatment and health.

 

[Fascinated With God]

For a handmaid of the Lord, you show little understanding of the practice of deliverance from demons, otherwise you wouldn't be saying such things. Show me anywhere in the gospels or Acts where casting out demons raises the possessed/oppressed issue, they just got on and did it.
Its a classic diversionary debate created by people who don't actually practice deliverance, Thus freeing people from spiritual bondage becomes of lesser importance than high minded theology.​

I was raised Methodist, so I know nothing of Christian "deliverance" per say. I met a young girl on here just recently but she wouldn't give me any details, not even the vaguest general outline and wouldn't even answer my question as to what denomination it was. I'm very interested in the topic, I feel like I run into obviously influenced people quite often but can only pray for them.