Demonic Possession

[singpeace]

I've actually been a christian all of my life and when my schizophrenia started I was on adderall ( I was taking it for adhd at the time, and all of the sudden I started to hear and see things that were not there). I kind of started to behave psychotically and went on a satanic worship website and sold my sole to the devil, but I didn't really mean it when I did it. I know that I would never do that in my right mind...but surely God wouldn't allow me to be possessed. Even if I did mean to sell my soul to the Devil, and I was already a Christian, wouldn't God keep me from being possessed since the Holy Spirit was inside of me. and yes you are right about the possessed, in that they do not know they are possessed and would not want to get an exorcism. It's just that with my illness some of my symptoms imitate possession because of the chemical imbalance in my brain. I know for sure that a lot of it is physical because when I take my medication I do get better. Oh, I also keep a prayer journal, and I'm one of those Christians like that christian music band called BarlowGirl. I really agree with their messages and I have been very close to God and most days I feel close to him, its just that sometimes and a lot of the time, I lose my morals because of my illness. That's why I was thinking it was demonic possession. I'll go from listening to christian music to thinking its fine to listen to the other music and then I'll want to do bad things. I know that this is very normal, but not in the way that I do it. It's almost like something evil inside me takes over and makes me do bad things. But then again, it could be the illness.

Here is what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning his own struggles... similar to yours... (and everyone's):

Romans 7:21-25 (New Living Translation)

Struggling with Sin

21. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
22. I love God’s law with all my heart.
23. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
24. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
25. Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. . . .


What we all experience is because of sin being in the world. You are certainly not alone, and we know mental illness of any kind is just that; ILLNESS caused by the fall of mankind. Your illness is a heavy cross to bear. Mine is PTSD. Take your meds WHILE you seek a miracle - a healing. In the meantime, God has given us medicine, too.
If you were possessed, you would not be able to confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. Confess it good and loud and hear yourself confess it. Then you will know you have nothing to fear.

 

[wanelad]

I am really not sure on the whole matter at the moment; Ephesions Ch 6 certainly tells us our warfare is a spiritual one. I would have argued from the Mecical point of view last week but now starting to review my own beliefs in this area

A few sites worth viewing
Spiritual warfare, deliverance, casting out demons, strongholds and more!

Deliverance Ministries - Fellowship for ministers and help for the oppressed and in spiritual warfare

I strongly suggest though if you are on medication stay with it and discuss with your Dr before coming off or reducing. Sudden ceasation of anti - psychotics can make the condition worse.

Rom 8:15 For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

 

[tg3793]

“Needing” any kind of drug is not necessary. I believe that God has shown a purpose or reason in every kind of mental issue in the scriptures. One involved Nebuchadnezzar, another involved a demon possessed man, and I am sure there are others that I simply don’t have the time to look up at the moment. In any case I am convinced that God has a definite purpose in allowing, or bringing into play things that would cause others to act and feel a way that society would say is not “in their right mind”.


But before I am placed too far on the “left side” I would also add that I do not disregard the scripture that says Timothy should take a little wine for his stomach. Without this scripture, and the fact that Luke was a doctor, there would be no way believers could realize the truth that there is a time for us to take medicine. When is this time? Well the scriptures say in Rom 14:23 that “whatever is not from faith is sin.”. So as usual we can’t be legalistic here and come up with a blanket list of dos and do-nots for everyone. We can only encourage those that have truly laid their lives down due to the life that was laid down for them. Because if they realize how grave in importance is the ransom that was given for them then they would not trade a hundred promises from a hundred physicians in this world for one slight whisper lead by the Spirit.

 

[NatalieJan777]

thank you Natalie. I do try to journal and my alone time with God is very important to me. I think that the devil is just playing with my mind. Possessed people don't usually read the Bible...lol...

Very true =)

May GOD continue to bless you as you draw closer to HIM.

 

[PintoBean]

I have a question. Do you believe in demonic possession? I have schizophrenia, and sometimes I feel and think that I'm possessed.

Hello. I am a nurse in a state mental health hospital and I was just discussing this very subject with my husband last night. Being a Christian means accepting Jesus Christ as God, allowing Him to enter you, and repenting of sins. I hope this is your definition also. As humans we have physical maladies because we sin such as cancer, sickness, and pain. The brain is part of the physical body also. MRIs of the schizophrenic brain show abnormalities and in my opinion the brain can be sick just like the rest of the body. Another example is a traumatic brain injury. I know a man who got shrapnel in his head from fighting in Vietnam and now he has psychotic behaviors secondary from his injury. He can't help it- his brain has been damaged. I believe this to be true of most schizophrenics. Your brain is sick. Most schizophrenics (from my experience) as of the paranoid type and have a preoccupation with religion and/or sexuality. Feeling that you're demon possessed is most likely a symptom of your illness. I believe that if you were not loyal to God and were possessed, you wouldn't care enough to ask for help. I also believe that a vessel that harbors Christ cannot harbor a soldier of Satan. But, demons can be sent to torture (for example Job).

On the other hand, I do believe some possessed persons are misdiagnosed with mental illness. These are very rare in my area.

If you pray and ask for Christ to reside in you (if He isn't already) and ask for protection and HAVE FAITH that you are protected, then you will be. I will pray for you.

(note- I do not want to begin a debate of my statement "preoccupied with religion" because there is a fine line between walking with The Spirit and being unhealthily fixated. It's an argument that won't have an agreeable ending)

 

[stewardmcalister]

Demonic oppression and possession are real.

"the Devil's cleverest wile is to convince us that he does not exist," says renowned psychiatrist M. Scott Peck.

In this book M. Scott Peck reveals the reality of Satan, he says, "I now know that Satan is real. I have met it."

What gives the Peck's revelation in People of the Lie credibility is that it comes from a man thoroughly trained in the canons of secular psychology. Peck was educated at Harvard and Case Western Reserve universities, he did not read the Gospels until he was 39, and was not baptized until March of 1980, sometime after he wrote The Road Less Traveled.

I personally have know people who were oppressed by evil.

 

[stewardmcalister]

I have a question. Do you believe in demonic possession? I have schizophrenia, and sometimes I feel and think that I'm possessed. I also sometimes know what people will say and things that will happen before they happen, and it feels like a demon is in me and it tells me these things. Should I get an exorcism? Or should I not worry because most demon possessed people don't really post on websites like this. I also like christian music, love to read the bible, and always try to be good. I have good fantasies about being a good christian and things like that. Would a demon allow someone to do this. I'm sorry that this was so weirdly religious. I think I'm just going though a hard time battling this illness.

Spanish exorcist Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea Cucurull stated in an interview recently that though Satan does indeed exist, he does not have “horns, wings or a tail.”

“Believing in God means believing in what he has said. And he has spoken of the existence of the devil,” Fr Jose Antonio Fortea Cucurull said.

“Although we tend to speak of the demon, in reality there are many demons, each one is different, but there is one who is head over all the demons, the most powerful one: Satan,” the priest continued.

Fr. Fortea went on to say, “Anyone who resorts to spiritism, witchcraft, or worse yet, Satanism, is in danger of being possessed. That is the general norm, but there are cases that have no explanation, even if someone has not engaged in these practices.”

“When someone possessed receives an exorcism, it takes a reasonable amount of time for him or her to be liberated. A number of sessions are required. The devil resists because he knows he is condemned to leave,” he added.

 

[wanelad]

Hi Stewart you hint of a link but I cannot find one there, so far the videos I have watched are not really that convincing a bit like something from a Gerry Springer show

 

[tg3793]

says renowned psychiatrist M. Scott Peck.

Wow; I can't give anyone a vote of confidence regarding anything that that guy "M. Scott Peck" said. I did a little googling on him and I would recommend anyone, that would even begin to consider anything valid from that man, to find out a little more about who he is first.

I believe it's important to examine the character of someone if you are going to get advice from them. Of course the first thing to consider (if you are a follower of Christ) is if the person you are getting advice from is a true follower of Christ themselves.