How do you know if someone has a demon?

I know that when Paul cast the demon out of that lady who kept following him in Phillipi, that was a demon. That demon interrupted his preaching and made it hard for people to gather to him or for him to talk to others.

Jesus also cast out demons as well as some of the other apostles.

How do you know if someone has a demon?

Through the empowering of the Holy Spirit to keep it simple...

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (I John 4:1-3 NKJV)

John gives some guidance here on the topic, but we know just because someone calls Jesus Lord that doesn't mean they are indeed saved.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:21 NKJV)

So I think this has more to do with examining how such people are living. Are they living with Jesus as Lord? Or are they living as if Jesus doesn't exist?

Discerning of spirits and self reporting.

if you full of the holy spirit, and doing street work,people can manifest evil spirits becuase of Gods presence. they might gob at you,sneer,insult,intimidate,swear,ect. but they wont attack you. unless you get in the flesh whith them,that means if you lose your temper or insult back., which is hard when your under an anointing.

That example with Paul was also exceptional in the sense that the girl was a well known diviner who practiced it as a trade. In what context do you want to suss out demons? People that you are ministering to, or people you pass while grocery shopping? If someone is actively harassing you, as this girl was doing to Paul, that's a bit of a clue.

I agree with Tturt, but there are also many manifest signs that can be observed. The difficult with these observations is that it may point to demonic, but equally there may be a view that it is a mental illness. The manifest signs are not all the same, as the demonic behaviours are different from case to case, for example the slave girls behaviour was different to the man from Gadarene with the Legion of spirits. She had divination, where the man was mad and lived amongst the graves and had supernatural strength. The point is there is generic signs, but there is a difference in "symptoms" from case to case. Some signs might possibly be:
Dizziness
Pins and needles
Zombie look
No emotion
An aversion to things Christian, such as praise and worship music, bible, church etc
Rebellion
Pride
Speaking in unknown language
Having fits
Hearing voices
Involuntary movement of the body
A foul disgusting smell in the room that comes and goes with no source
Experiencing thoughts alien to normal self, such as hateful thoughts of others, or self harm
Depression
Insomnia
Dark dreams / nightmares

The above list is not exhaustive and many if these things of them in itself is no issue. However, where many of these things are present in the same individual, it is possible that something else could be at play - not a definite.

Strachan said:

I agree with Tturt, but there are also many manifest signs that can be observed. The difficult with these observations is that it may point to demonic, but equally there may be a view that it is a mental illness. The manifest signs are not all the same, as the demonic behaviours are different from case to case, for example the slave girls behaviour was different to the man from Gadarene with the Legion of spirits. She had divination, where the man was mad and lived amongst the graves and had supernatural strength. The point is there is generic signs, but there is a difference in "symptoms" from case to case. Some signs might possibly be:
Dizziness
Pins and needles
Zombie look
No emotion
An aversion to things Christian, such as praise and worship music, bible, church etc
Rebellion
Pride
Speaking in unknown language
Having fits
Hearing voices
Involuntary movement of the body
A foul disgusting smell in the room that comes and goes with no source
Experiencing thoughts alien to normal self, such as hateful thoughts of others, or self harm
Depression
Insomnia
Dark dreams / nightmares

The above list is not exhaustive and many if these things of them in itself is no issue. However, where many of these things are present in the same individual, it is possible that something else could be at play - not a definite.

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Well, alot of that can be flesh, or bad health.

Actually listen to what they say...what is their teaching?

The bold words below are talking about what people teach, the good or the bad. They all have something to do with the words that are said, and what Christians hear.


Test the Spirits
1 John 4:4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.


Here too, what do they say???



1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

What do they say, what do they teach, what are their words?

2 Peter 2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.


What do the demons teach? Doctine will prove it.

1 Tim 4:4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,





And or course, the false apostles brought a different Jesus, spirit, and Gospel to Corinth, that is why it is good to be rooted in grace, and the text, same actually as in Colossians, and Galatians, and , well...all of em!

Yes, agreed. Look to the fruit. Jesus tell us clearly a good tree cannot bear bad fruit / a bad tree cannot beat good fruit.

The legalistic teachers used teachings, look at this word. It means like a spell. Demons use false teachers. Listen to what they teach.


Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.


Same thing here, they, the devil brought the Old Cov bondage. What do they say, proclaim? What did Paul proclaim, what were the words, the doctrine that they received by listening to the false teachers?



2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

Colossians 2:4.

What were their arguments, their words, their doctrines that would delude? Delude is a spiritual word, demons delude when they attack the gospel of grace. Galatia, Corinth, Philippi, Colossae, Ephesus, you name it, that was for the most Part, the demon Paul fought.


Col 2:4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

Sometimes the best way to fight a demon, is to know the word. Paul used doctrine to fight them off. Arguments again, like Col 2:4, opinions, all words that are about doctrine, and no, Paul was not coming to take down his own arguments, he was coming to take on the legalists, and their false teachings, that which came by the devil, in 2 Cor 11.


2 Cor 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

An unregenerate human may exhibit all the traits of a demon possessed person.

Ephesians 2:1-3
(1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
(2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
(3) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

So almost all the things we have read listed could just be that person doing what comes "natural" to them. Most unregenerates are regulated away from their natural evil by culture, religion, societal pressure, and other forces. But if left to their devices they will behave exactly like a demon. Wait until the upcoming food riots and collapse of western civilization... you will see some real evil and wicked stuff. Once the restraining forces are removed there will be wickedness unparalleled in history.
But as far as who has a demon (or who is had by a demon) only discerning of spirits can tell for sure. IMHO

I've only met one that was in a person that I'm aware of. That one I saw the face of the creature superimposed over the face of the person, sort of 2 faces at once.

Faulty said:

I've only met one that was in a person that I'm aware of. That one I saw the face of the creature superimposed over the face of the person, sort of 2 faces at once.

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Yup, I had that happen too, really strange experience.

Sometimes I see people do this thing it is so instant, hard to describe, but they look up for a second, and make this weird look on their face, but it is so fast, yet I see it.

ToBeBlessed said:

How do you know if someone has a demon?

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The eyes are full black, no pupil. From the experiences me and my wife have had in our ministry, this would be a common physical manifestation. Black eyes with a sense that it is not really the 'person' speaking at you. We've even seen this with close relatives. It comes and goes. Depending on the submission or ignorance of the host. Another way to tell is the complete hatred for all things good and definitely all things dealing with Messiah. And on a personal note, I believe it's the spirit behind supersessionist doctrines. A loathing of all things dealing with Yisrael, and her promises made to her by G-d.

Faulty said:

I've only met one that was in a person that I'm aware of. That one I saw the face of the creature superimposed over the face of the person, sort of 2 faces at once.

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Scary. What kind of creature, I'm curious?

If there was a part 2 to this question it would be:

What's the difference between a spirit and a demon?

What characteristics would a person have if they had a spirit of <<enter name here>> vs. a demon of some sort?

Where would you think a demon would come from?

Where do you think a spirit of <<enter name here>> would come from?

ToBeBlessed said:

If there was a part 2 to this question it would be:

What's the difference between a spirit and a demon?

What characteristics would a person have if they had a spirit of <<enter name here>> vs. a demon of some sort?

Where would you think a demon would come from?

Where do you think a spirit of <<enter name here>> would come from?

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I think this question is fascinating, because our modern usage of the word "spirit" does not necessarily mean a conscious entity. Often we use it to denote emotional states, such as - "You have a spirit of anger," but the actual truth is, "You are really angry right now" or "You seem to have a recurring problem with anger." Rarely, when someone is accused of having a "spirit of anger" is there actually a conscious, will-driven entity that is enticing that emotion in that person. They are typically just letting themselves get angry, and it is legit their own emotion (and therefore their own "spirit" as it comes 100% from within them).

However, when we get into the habit of such word usage, people do start to treat organic emotions as though they are being caused by some supernatural being that is inflicting them. I have personally witnessed some of the absolute worst excesses of this type of mindset, so I know that it can go downhill fast. Plus, it's a great way to invalidate someone.

So, based upon that, my answer to your question: Someone who has a "spirit of _insert emotion here_" is someone who, when they feel those emotions, will dwell upon it to a degree that it becomes unhealthy and begins to hinder his or her walk with God. Or they in some way handle it in an unhealthy way.

Someone who is afflicted by a demon, on the other hand, is being tormented by a being that has its own consciousness, its own sentience and identity, and its own will. It does not come from within the individual, and it is not the result of natural, physical processes (which is the case with emotions, whether they be positive or negative). It is an individual in and of itself.