12 Comments on Demon Possession & Sickness

Bobby on Sat, 10th Sep 2005 17:21


Just a quick response for now. First of all I do not believe that a believer can be demon possesed (demonized? Yes. Possesed? No.) I John 4:4, from my perspective, provides strong arguement here (amongst other passages I Cor 6, etc.). If this is true, then a believer can never get sick, at least not from a demon.

While indeed it does appear that in general the demonic can be behind sickness (as you noted)–I don’t see any causal connection between all sickness and the demonic (I would even dispute some of the examples you provide above ). One would be hard-pressed to demonstrate that someone’s physical ailment is directly related to a demon, today (although I’m not denying that in fact it is a real possibility). I would think that someone might have a mental or physical predisposition towards a certain sickness which the demonic may be able to exploit and exacerbate (esp. mental ailments).

Just some quick thoughts!

BA on Sat, 10th Sep 2005 19:55


Don’t have much time to reply but I did want to post a quick note that I do not believe a saved person can be demon possessed either.

The two passages you mentioned aren’t the strongest on supporting that but there are others that support the position quite well.

I do think a demon can possess a lost person though and I would be interested in anyone refuting the Scriptures that connect “sickness” with demon possession. Again, I do not see Scripture that states that demons operate differently today than they did in the NT. Demons, demon possession, and casting out demons is mentioned quite a bit in the NT.

AMDG

jeff on Sun, 18th Sep 2005 23:39


I,ve been studing thru Mark lately with a few friends and a question about demon possession came up. In Mark it is causal behind some symptoms that would be familiar to us but diagnosed differently but even with these biblical cases there are symptoms completely unfamiliar as far as recognized pathalogies are concerned. Chiefly, the demons speak. I wonder if “demons” normally spoke up during this time or if the speaking incidents were unique to encounters with the Son of God? another point I recall is that there also seems to be a distinction between illness and demon caused illness.

Any suggestions of papers or books that are scholarly in thoroughness and tone which deal with this subject?

BA on Mon, 19th Sep 2005 00:22


I haven’t run across any books yet.

The thing is, today we rarely run across such illnesses where we cannot find a “medical cause” and even some surgical or medical treatments for some of them.

That is what is interesting about it all…we know as Christians that the truth is in the Word and yet we use our own understanding and “medicine” on many of the things we see. So the question becomes, were illnesses related to demon possession only in New Testament times? If so, do we have any Scripture to show that this was the case and that there was a cessation for some reason.

You brought up a good point and that is…did demons only “speak up” in the presence of Jesus? …though that point doesn’t touch on the demons that were cast out without speaking.

In addition, what of the other people who cast out demons? Many will say to Jesus on the last day, didn’t we cast out demons in your name? (see Matthew 7:22). Later in Matthew a command was given to His disciples to cast out demons, raise the dead, etc etc… (see Matthew 10:8). Again, was this only for NT times? How did these demons manifest themselves? How were people to know a person was demon possessed? Is there any link between “illness” and demon possession? I haven’t run across any Scripture that suggests demons operate differently today than they did in NT times.

At any rate, I really don’t have any answers yet but it is an interesting subject.

AMDG

BA on Mon, 19th Sep 2005 18:39


Jeff,

Another question I have is where do we draw the line on our perceptive experience and God’s Sovereignty and spiritual realities?

Is the weather controlled by natural events? Are sickness and disease caused by known agents?

Accumulation of moisture creates a rain cloud, a breakdown in a high pressure causes a hurricane to turn a certain way, this disease is caused by a certain virus, that sickness is caused by a certain bacteria, etc etc…

AMDG

Bobby on Tue, 20th Sep 2005 11:29


Well if your a “Sovereignist” in the camp represented by folks over at Challies.com or Pyromaniac, to be consistent, if one applies the same logic they use to get to their view on the ordo salutis (order of salvation)–then equally God is totally/causally in control of all weather and sickness (some call this “meticulous providence”). But most of them, I think, would’nt agree with my characterization–Another conclusion, of their kind of logic, makes God the “author of evil” (i.e. to display His redemptive character–so a 5 pt-Calvinist would say).

I believe God “USES” the consequences of a “Fallen” world to accomplish His purposes, i.e. destructive weather patterns, sicknesses, etc. In other words, I think God has given man and all of creation over to the “forces” and consequences of sin (i.e. disorder, chaos, destruction). To me this is what God’s Wisdom is all about in I Corinthians 1:17-25, He is able to “break into” this fallen world, and “use” the destructive forces and consequences of sin (i.e. the death of the cross) to “birth” redemption (resurrection) for man and all of creation (Rom 8).

Of course all of creation is sustained by God’s word (Heb 1:3), but creation at this point is in futility and rebellion towards Him (Rom 8). Your question comes back to the age old debate of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Talk later!

BA on Thu, 22nd Sep 2005 12:31


Bobby,

I believe God is 100% Sovereign over everything, including weather.

However, I don’t have a problem with the “author of evil” thing as some do. See my article on judging God. Sin (and “evil” for that matter) are not applicable to God.

I don’t think there is anything in the Scripture that teaches that God is “hands off” of anything. In fact, I think we see quite the opposite. Man has invented this “hands off” theology so that it agrees with their mind in their judgement of God. The problem is they are missing the mark completely in doing so.

Lamentations 3:37-38
Amos 3:6

AMDG

Bobby on Fri, 23rd Sep 2005 02:19


I’m just saying to follow the logic, a 5 point sovereigntist follows, relative to salvation–leads one to conclude that indeed God decreed the “Fall” thus He decreed evil (i.e. supralapsarianism).

To say that evil and sin don’t apply to God, of course, is the scriptural reality–but the logic provided by typical classical theists leads to the conclusion I speak of above.

I don’t think God is “hands off” either. But there is no necessary relationship between God being “sovereign” and His “direct” causal control over every happen-stance that occurs in nature or “super-nature” for that matter. In other words, God can, in His sovereignty, create “space” for events to take place apart from His character (holiness) that He is “NOT” primarily “directing”; rather “free agents” are (i.e. people).(How else does one understand anything that is “anti-thetical” to God and His purposes?). This in no way under-cuts God’s sovereignty nor does it imply that God is not in control or no longer sovereign. After all He uses, instrumentally, what would be meant for evil (anti-thetical to Him) and destruction to undermine that which would seek to oppose and thwart Him–that is an amazing display of sovereignty to me!

I agree with your idea of “judging God”, I also like the terminology, “harnassing God” to express the concept you are getting at. But, given the fact that we are humans, means that we must speak and articulate with the aparatus of language and logic that we have been given. Even you are making judgements about God, when you are arguing against making judgments of God–it seems the issue really becomes, are we making “right” judgments or “wrong” judgments about God.

Off subject, Brian, where are you at in relationship to the oncoming Hurricane Rita? I know you’re located in Texas somewhere, my “stat-counter” over at Mixed BAG shows your server hitting from Corpus Christi–are you located in one of these gulf cities in the Texas area? Be safe!

Bobby

BA on Fri, 23rd Sep 2005 09:56


excellent comments, as usual

I definitely need to think about that approach.

I am in Corpus so we are out of the woods on this one for now. I was prepared to leave though and the city had issued mandatory evac on Wed, but lifted it yesterday when Rita started to take a more NW path.

AMDG

Bobby on Fri, 23rd Sep 2005 14:54


Good to hear you will be spared the brunt of the storm, but I’m sure your city will be involved in providing shelter and provisions for those less fortunate. I’ll pray the churches in your area might use this as an opportunity to extend the loving hand of our Savior to those in need of both spiritual (gospel) and physical restoration.

It is good to be able to rest in the fact that God is completely in control of this situation, and that He is able to redemptively bring good out of death and destruction.

Bobby

Christendom Blogosis » Blog Archive » Healing & Faith - Demons & Sickness (Demon Possession) - Intro on Thu, 16th Feb 2006 13:55


[...] I briefly touched on some of the subject matter in this post. I wanted to go over it in a bit more detail and also add “faith” into the equation. [...]

Soterios on Tue, 11th Nov 2008 14:32


Evil spirits entice men into sin, so that they can enter the soul and darken (corrupt) it. When the soul undergoes progressive corruption it results in a deterioration of physical health, beginning in the mind, which is spiritual. This eventually alters chemistry in the physical brain. Many mental illness develop as the person ages and often begin in adolescence when young people experimenting with activities which society deems harmless, but which the bible warns us is sinful. Very often the illnesses run in families, as sin is generational and is passed down as an inheritance, operating like a curse in certain family members.
The wages of sin, are disease then death.

The degeneration of the soul is laced with suffering, but God offers us a path of spiritual healing via “the forgiveness of sins”, which slowly regenerates and revives the soul. In order to walk this path, we have to abstain from sinful activities and live a clean life founded upon God’s word. Many people fail to receive this healing because they go back into sin and so their actions counteract the work which God tries to bring about in them.

I can tell you from personal experience that depression is most definitely a sin illness. A better name for it, would be spiritual oppression. Those especially at risk from depression are the spiritually sensitive people who are Satan’s primary targets.

I always recommend that people read this book which is written by a psychiatrist who by the use of clinical hypnotherapy techniques, discovers demons afflicting her chronically ill patients: It is serious wake up call for mental health professionals and patients who are too afraid to confront the truth.

“Remarkable Healings” by Shakuntala Modi

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