How can a person know if they need deliverance from an evil spirit? Sometimes it becomes clear through a demonic manifestation or when the Holy Spirit reveals the need. But there are also certain signs that we can look for. Below is an excerpt from Can A Christian Have a Demon? that gives three indications of the possibility of demonic influence in the life of a believer.
Signs of Demonization
Apart from a demonic manifestation or supernatural revelation from the Holy Spirit, there are also more natural ways that we can detect the presence of demons. As we become familiar with the ways that demons operate, we can begin to recognize when they are at work.
Below is a list of three common ways that demons affect people. When any of these three influences are present, it is an indication that there could be an unclean spirit and a need for deliverance. Keep in mind that every case is unique and that you should always seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
1. Torment
One of the hallmark activities of demons is to harass and torment people. Consider Acts 5:16 (emphasis added): “Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” This passage shows the early church continuing in Christ’s ministry of healing and deliverance. Some of the people they ministered to were said to have been “tormented by unclean spirits.”
Demonic torment may come in a variety of ways. One common way is through irrational fear and anxiety. The Bible says that God “has not given us a spirit of fear” (2 Timothy 1:7) which indicates that sometimes fear that comes to us is actually from an evil spirit. A pattern of anxiety attacks, unreasonable phobias, or constant intimidation are possible signs that an evil spirit is at work.
There are other ways that torment may occur. Some people come under demonic attack during the night, with constant nightmares, a sense of being paralyzed, insomnia, or simply an evil presence in the room. Others report hearing voices that bring mockery, condemnation, or constant temptation. Sometimes demonic torment comes in the form of compulsion towards self-destructive behavior (see Mark 5:5). Other times it is through intrusive thoughts or images of a destructive nature. I have found that many mental health struggles that people deal with can have demonic influence as a factor.
2. Oppression
Another word to describe the work of evil spirits is oppression. The apostle Peter, when describing the ministry of Jesus, said that He went about doing good and “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” (Acts 10:38). This oppression often takes the form of a heaviness that always seems to weigh a person down. It may even manifest in the natural, with the person’s shoulders being bent over as if carrying a heavy burden. It is interesting to note that one of the common effects people report after being delivered from demons is that they feel lighter.
Isaiah 61:3 says that God wants to give us “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” When the spirit of heaviness oppresses a person, they walk around with a proverbial black cloud over them—there is a constant feeling of depression, hopelessness, or impending doom.
Another form of demonic oppression is physical affliction, like the woman who was bent over with a spirit of infirmity in Luke 13. Jesus, after healing her, said that she had been bound by Satan for the eighteen years that she had this condition (see Luke 13:11-16). While not every ailment is caused by a demon, it is not uncommon for evil spirits to oppress people with pain and sickness.
3. Bondage
Finally, a common indicator that an evil spirit may be at work in a person’s life is bondage to sin and other harmful behaviors. As believers in Jesus, sin is not to have control over our lives. Salvation includes not only freedom from the penalty of sin but from the power of sin as well. Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” This is not to say that Christians will never be tempted or stumble into sin. However, the overall pattern should be one of victory and not defeat.
When a person comes under a constant inner pressure to sin and when there is a compulsion toward destructive and sinful acts, an evil spirit may be at work. Addiction to substances such as drugs or alcohol or to sinful behaviors such as p*rnography, lying, or stealing are possible signs of demonic bondage. While demonic influence does not remove human responsibility, it does explain why certain struggles with sin can become compulsive or enslaving.
If a Christian has a genuine desire to be free from the grip of sin but cannot seem to break free no matter how much they pray, fast, believe the Word, or receive counsel and accountability from others, there is a possibility that a demon needs to be cast out. It is also possible that the enslavement to sin is simply a work of the flesh, and the person needs to more fully embrace the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Romans 6:14 quoted above states that sin loses its power over us due to the fact that we are under grace and not law. If someone is still living under a legalistic mentality, this can empower the fleshly nature and create bondage.
While deliverance from an evil spirit is not the only solution for freedom from sin, demonization should be considered a possibility when freedom from the control of sin is not the reality in a believer’s life.
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Can a Christian Have a Demon?is an eye-opening book that explores some common misunderstandings about evil spirits and the ministry of deliverance. It tackles the question of Christians having demons with biblical insight, personal experience, and compelling testimonies. When the confusion is cleared, the way is paved for many more to be set free by the power of God!
