Possession

[jcright]

Can't remember if I asked this on here or not...since my thoughts are unresolved, I'm assuming not.

In reading the NT, we see where demons possessed people. So here are my questions:

1) Are there any records of demon possessions in the OT?
2) Do we believe they still happen today?

I ask becaues it seems to me that we only see possession in the NT. My thought was that perhaps it was to help establish Jesus as our Lord. Since that is done, perhaps it doesn't happen? If it does, I've never seen a baptist "exorcist". Actually, I've never seen an exorcist at all...so I have no idea what is involved.

 

[ZiSunka]

The OT wasn't about healing, like the NT is partly. The OT is about man's attempts to please God through the Law, but the NT is about God's love for us, his ability to heal, and the culmination of his plan of salvation, in which we finally see that we cannot save ourselves through works.

 

[rural_preacher]

Perhaps there was so much demon possession during Jesus' earthly ministry because the very Son of God was walking the earth and was here for a purpose that Satan and his armies vehemently opposed.

Just a thought...





--

 

[benlym]

Do we believe they still happen today?

Is the bible real!!? Yes and demons are very real... When I feel into deep deception of drugs I feel into traps of Satan and got into voodoo and even satan worship for a bit.. I did this in arrogance and ignorance.. not believeing in God... BUT THEN GOD CLEARLY CALLED ME BACK!..Then I got a messege from God as a scar appreared on my Cheast.. Oddly I felt (from the holy spirit) that this was a sign from God!! Then I started reading the bible.. The bible clearly spoke to me through Isah 47.. I believe at that time I was clearly demon possesed.. As I could literally feel darkness and hate all around me.. and my body was filled with hate, anger and evil AND SUPERNATURAL strength...

..but it was all a deception and trap of satan's to seperate me from my heavenly father and his goodness... After I realized the errors of my sins I repended and started reading his word and could feel the presence of wickness (bands of wickedness) lift and felt solice and comfort and didnt have to hold onto weak feeling of hate, envy greed and such..

Remember Satan tries to lie to us thinking love is weak when infact it is the Greatest force!! On our own abilities we will always fall... but God who is love will always triumpth!!!!


..As for me I am still struggling with the wicked ones' traps but I truly despise him... but I love my Lord more and will keep rebuking the devil and worshipping Christ JESUS!!!
Thankfully christ caught brought me back to his sheepfold on time, and this has made me love and trust in the Lord even more!!

 

[Iollain]

Amen Benlym, praise God He brought you out of that!

 

[Iollain]

You hear a lot of stories from missionaries that go to other countries confirming demon posession today, i think over here there is demon possession but we have come not to recognize it. What about those Mardi Gras celebrations, you guys don't think there is demon possession at those kind of things?

 

[RED that's ME]

Satan is roaming the earth right now so do people still get demon possession? Yes they do.

I think it's in Romans where Jesus cast demons out of people in the church. Makes one wonder if the other church members even noticed it before.

 

[MrJim]

Satan is roaming the earth right now so do people still get demon possession? Yes they do.

I think it's in Romans where Jesus cast demons out of people in the church. Makes one wonder if the other church members even noticed it before.

So does your church have an excorcism ministry?

 

[_sunshinegirl]

Yes.
I believe now that it may even be more common than in the bible, but not to such a noticable extent.
We live in a lawless world, full of sin .. in 'bible' times there were a lot more laws/punishment, so people stood out that was doing something 'wrong' etc. It is masked by the world today, so someone seemingly 'normal' might be inhabited by an evil spirit. I think the key to a demon-free spirit in todays word (just as in past) is to stay in the word of God.

 

[Heatherondo]

what about the guy in the OT (sorry i forget who) who believed he was a cow and went out and ate grass? Could that have been possession?

I belive it happens today, i believe demoins are everywhere doing their best to mess with people.
and i often feel them with people and am a practicer of spiritual warfare.

I have a strong gift of descernment... its always easy to detect good or evil int hings and people....

everything is either of God or satan... i often can tell which

 

[jcright]

I don't doubt that there are demons out there working tempting us. But I wonder as to whether or not they take control of our bodies as it seemed to be the case in the NT.

Heatherondo, I think you are thinking of Nebuchadnezzar

 

[Gold Dragon]

You hear a lot of stories from missionaries that go to other countries confirming demon posession today, i think over here there is demon possession but we have come not to recognize it. What about those Mardi Gras celebrations, you guys don't think there is demon possession at those kind of things?

Agreed. Most of the stories I've heard of demon possession and struggles with the spirit realm are from missionaries who are "in the front lines". Others are from families or cultures where idol worship and occult are more commonplace. I believe that there is a spiritual battle being fought today that we don't always recognize.

However, some Christians go a little too far and blame every negative thing on a possession by a demon or Satan, even in themselves. Christ conquered and had victory over Satan and his forces on the cross and in our lives. Satan may still tempt us, but cannot live in the same house as Christ.

 

[Joy]

i read a really good book by David Devenish 'Demolishing Strongholds' which I would strongly recommend. He shows that the term demon possesion was used in the 16th century in AV translation and has a totally different meaning to how we understand it today. He and others agrue that individuals can be oppressed or influenced by demons but cannot be possessed by them. This was a great help and encouragement to me .

Karen