This thought is scaring me

[DeerGlow]

There seem to be a number of people who believe all things are caused by demons or angels (not calling out anyone specifically just someone's comment made me think of this again) so like, would someone with Schizophrenia or Dissociative Identity Disorder ... have demons? Need an exorcism not pills? This is very frightening to imagine

 

[Winken]

There seem to be a number of people who believe all things are caused by demons or angels (not calling out anyone specifically just someone's comment made me think of this again) so like, would someone with Schizophrenia or Dissociative Identity Disorder ... have demons? Need an exorcism not pills? This is very frightening to imagine

You identify yourself as a Christian of the Baptist following. Are you regular in attendance there? Are you associating with other members, attending Bible study classes?

A Spiritually birthed individual is a Christian (Romans 10:8-13). He or she has been born again; birthed again, now in a Spiritual relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

No demon can penetrate that Truth. You are embraced in the Whole Armor of God. Can you look that up in your Bible?

Be not concerned for your personal relationship with our Savior ---- pray for those who do not know Him.

Blessings!!!

 

[Archie the Preacher]

I said once before in a similar thread, the difference between outright insanity and demon possession is rather subtle. I'm not sure I can tell.

However, in James 4:14, James gives the advice of "Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord."

In the 1st Century, 'anointing with oil' was a common medical practice. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan gave first aid (it seems) to the injured traveller by cleaning out his wounds with wine (alcohol - probably not pleasant, but cleans out germs) and oil, which keeps air from getting to the open wound and is soothing.

So James is telling those who are 'ill', should have other Christians pray for him (her) AND get medical attention. Treatment recommended for broken arms and paranoia.

 

[DeerGlow]

You identify yourself as a Christian of the Baptist following. Are you regular in attendance there? Are you associating with other members, attending Bible study classes?

A Spiritually birthed individual is a Christian (Romans 10:8-13). He or she has been born again; birthed again, now in a Spiritual relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

No demon can penetrate that Truth. You are embraced in the Whole Armor of God. Can you look that up in your Bible?

Be not concerned for your personal relationship with our Savior ---- pray for those who do not know Him.

Blessings!!!

Yes I'm baptist and I regularly go to church, I go to Sunday school and some Wednesday youth sessions if that's what your next question means. And I may be getting hung up on nothing but I was just thinking of people talking about dark spirits causing mental problems and Jesus casting out the legion of demons in Luke. Where He asked their name and they said "We are legion." (I think). Mental illnesses could just be smaller (relative to demons) things like physical illnesses but it's an awful thought, like how would you know if someone who thought they suffered from like schizophrenia was suffering from even worse demon attacks?

 

[Winken]

Yes I'm baptist and I regularly go to church, I go to Sunday school and some Wednesday youth sessions if that's what your next question means. And I may be getting hung up on nothing but I was just thinking of people talking about dark spirits causing mental problems and Jesus casting out the legion of demons in Luke. Where He asked their name and they said "We are legion." (I think). Mental illnesses could just be smaller (relative to demons) things like physical illnesses but it's an awful thought, like how would you know if someone who thought they suffered from like schizophrenia was suffering from even worse demon attacks?

FIRST I would share the Gospel with them: Romans 10:8:13, John 3:16-17, John 5:24, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 8:1.
SECOND: If that "someone" is unwilling or unable to confess Jesus as Savior, I would pray for God's deliverance from whatever it is that is causing his or her symptoms.
THIRD: I would advise medical attention.

 

[Greg J.]

If you look at how Jesus dealt with people with problems, you will see that it was a minority of people that had problems due to demons. The effects of sin in the world can be similar, but it is incorrect to attribute them to demons. Non-Christians are made in God's image but do not have God within them, and yet have a lot of God's qualities. Similarly, Christians with a sinful nature (all of us) retain some of the qualities of the sin.

Satan has no power over Christians (Colossians 2:15). What he does is deceive so that we do things that cause spiritual harm to ourselves and others. There is a legacy of that in our culture as well as in our hearts, minds, and bodies. The escape from all of it is the same: believe what Jesus said and obey him (James 1:22-25). The Truth really does set you free (John 8:31-32), but it is Truth that God grants you through genuinely believing in him and seeking to know him better. It is one form of Christ being revealed in you (Galatians 1:15-16) as you walk with him through your life and live for him (Galatians 5:25, 1 John 2:6).

 

[Ygrene Imref]

There seem to be a number of people who believe all things are caused by demons or angels (not calling out anyone specifically just someone's comment made me think of this again) so like, would someone with Schizophrenia or Dissociative Identity Disorder ... have demons? Need an exorcism not pills? This is very frightening to imagine

We were born from a cused couple - Adam and Eve were corrupt before they had children. Therefore, we are corrupt.

Corruption does not become polishment: that is a violation of one of the most important laws of physics as we known them. As such, we will always continue toward corruption.

Christ's sacrifice not only stops the corruption, but it reverses it for those who believe and follow Him/God the Father!

The Holy Spirit "marks" you spiritually, and with God, the Christian does not get possessed. Remember, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Ailments of the flesh (including mental issues - which is still flesh,) are a consequence of our corrupt nature.

Christians can, however, experience severe oppression by spirits. For example, spirits can inflate their own "power" by causing anxiety about the possibility of physical ailments being demonic in nature. There was a time when the greater Western scientific world thought physical illness was caused by demons - which we now call "germs (microbes)."

Spirits often oppress Christians through physical imperfections that already exist with them in the first place. That is part of spiritual warfare. It is often simply a "spiritual battle" mistaken for demonic possession. To effectively fight, you need your weapons and armor from Ephesians 6:10-18.

Having said all of that, part of spiritual warfare is also being "as wise as a serpent...," because demonic spirits are obviously intelligent - much more than us. In fact, it would be a mistake to underestimate them. Many possessed people do not realize they are possessed, or what are called "Walk-ins."

But, someone who has the holy Spirit, and is deserving of it (i.e. has accepted Christ, believes, etc.) - I would dare to say cannot be possessed. Why not? Because the void has been filled, and no evil spirit can "boot" the holy Spirit out of you once it has set up house.

Mental illness should be treated like any other illness. Nutrition is first, then well-being, medical... God first before all of it. Moreover, in the same way you would be vigilant about medication for any other thing, don't let the stigma of the illness being "mental" make you hasty in a "fix."

Often times our "illness" as seen by society especially, are actually gifts. But, if it is interfering severely with your life and spirit(uality,) then I would say start with God first, and really hear Him. Don't be hasty, or scared of what answer you get.

 

[Solomons Porch]

Hi Deerglow I understand your fears and concerns. It doesnt always mean possession, sometimes it is tormenting or oppressing. There many ways to discover the truth of that. I will be praying for you. Jesus is the way the truth and the light, and HE heals all our diseases and sickness. I have a strong opinion of these issues and do not want to publically post, because I dont wanna cause a stir and you end up more confused. But sweety I will be praying.

 

[Hopes]

There seem to be a number of people who believe all things are caused by demons or angels (not calling out anyone specifically just someone's comment made me think of this again) so like, would someone with Schizophrenia or Dissociative Identity Disorder ... have demons? Need an exorcism not pills? This is very frightening to imagine

Ok I have some experience with psychosis because of my bipolar disorder and mental illness runs in my family as well. Do I think demons can torment people with mental illnesses? Yes they will attack any Christian's weakness that they can, whenever they can.

Do I think all people with psychosis, like schizophrenia or DID or bipolar one need exorcisms? No and I will tell you why.

An example. My mom had a pretty severe mental illness. I don't know what she had because she was murdered when I was so young. Anyway, even though she wasn't in her right mind a lot of the time, she would give you the shirt off her back. She was very kind and loving and suffered a great deal because of her illness. I know she did not have a demon but I do think they tormented her.

Example 2. My aunt had schizophrenia, or so they say. I will never believe she had a mental illness. If anyone ever had a demon, she did. They used to bring her home from the hospital for visits and that woman would scare the tar out of me. She would look at me with hate in her eyes and also I think she would kill a person if she got half a chance. She would talk in several voices and would stay up all night doing this while plotting to kill my grandmother out loud.

So I guess what I am trying to say is you can tell the difference between someone suffering from psychosis and a demon possessed person. It is very obvious and you can't mistake the two.

 

[DeerGlow]

Ok I have some experience with psychosis because of my bipolar disorder and mental illness runs in my family as well. Do I think demons can torment people with mental illnesses? Yes they will attack any Christian's weakness that they can, whenever they can.

Do I think all people with psychosis, like schizophrenia or DID or bipolar one need exorcisms? No and I will tell you why.

An example. My mom had a pretty severe mental illness. I don't know what she had because she was murdered when I was so young. Anyway, even though she wasn't in her right mind a lot of the time, she would give you the shirt off her back. She was very kind and loving and suffered a great deal because of her illness. I know she did not have a demon but I do think they tormented her.

Example 2. My aunt had schizophrenia, or so they say. I will never believe she had a mental illness. If anyone ever had a demon, she did. They used to bring her home from the hospital for visits and that woman would scare the tar out of me. She would look at me with hate in her eyes and also I think she would kill a person if she got half a chance. She would talk in several voices and would stay up all night doing this while plotting to kill my grandmother out loud.

So I guess what I am trying to say is you can tell the difference between someone suffering from psychosis and a demon possessed person. It is very obvious and you can't mistake the two.

To make an example myself, I had a friend in middle school who had Dissociative Identity Disorder. One of the alters tried to strangle me, but I think it is common for people with that disorder to have a violent one that lashes out. But they also commonly have memory loss when different alters are in control. It is so rare too, but on the other side, you can shut them up and make only one able to control with pills, so...?

 

[Solomons Porch]

This is just a question....
If by taking pills and lets say it is demonic, are the pills helping and curing the disease OR are they causing that part of the brain to not be easily controlled by the demonic??? OR even further, does taking the pill cause the demonic to "play dead" so to speak.?

Like right now if I had diabetes..... if i take a pill am i not only comforting the disease? Because if u run out of meds the disease is still there.
Im really not trying to debate I am curious a to what ppl think?
Please no one take this question in a bad way I seriously am not attacking anyone or denying their issues. Im trying to "understand" their issues.

 

[1watchman]

There are two aspects to the question about demons from Satan, I have found. One is actual presence of demons indwelling one, which can cause much erratic and strange behavior, somewhat violent outbursts and actions, and self-harm, etc. It is behavior very much noticeable by others, and seemingly rare. The second one is the deceit by Satan: evil thoughts, drawing away from God and His Word, obsessive thoughts very disturbing, etc, which is Satan influence and attacks, etc., I see. Certainly the first one can be an organic (physiological) disorder (even drug use), which might be helped by medication, so first an Internal Medicine physician or Psychiatrist should be consulted (or both).

Anyone looking to know God and trust and honor Him, will find trouble from Satan, for sure. The remedy is to be sure you have the Lord Jesus in your heart as lord of your life and best Friend. God says to be "...bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5 --KJV & NKJV). He cares, so stay close to Him.