The Religion and Philosophy Room
The New Testament's Demons Are As Real As It Gets.
By JAG
August 31, 2021
They are bodiless spirits of fallen angels. They strongly desire to get
back inside a body ~ and the bodies of pigs will do just fine.
How can we be certain they are bodiless spirits? Because if they had
bodies of their own, they wouldn't be begging to be allowed to use the
bodies of pigs. "The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs."
{Luke 8:32) (same in Mark 5:9-13}
Once upon a time I was puzzled reading about demons ~ in the New
Testament I mean. They also made me just a wee bit uneasy. Are demons
really real? The Bible is the inspired inerrant word of God, I never doubted
that, but we're living in modern times and there has to be some other
explanation. Wrong. Demons are as real as dogs, dolphins, and daffodils,
and here is what I think happened:
There was war in heaven. We know that. We've read about it in Rev. 12:7-9.
In that war . . .
Michael and his good angles killed the physical bodies of Satan and his evil
angels and sent their bodiless spirits hurling down to earth ~ where they now,
apparently crave above all else, to get back inside a body and they'll even beg
to be allowed to enter hogs if its that or nothing.
Let's take a minute and read Rev. 12:7-9 together:
"Then war broke out in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon,
and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they
lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled to the earth ~ that ancient
serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to
the earth, and his angels with him."
So there was War in Heaven . . .
And this is what Jesus said about that war:
"I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven." {Luke 10:18}
In Rev. 12:9 the Apostle John said the same thing like this:
"Satan "was hurled down . . . He was hurled to the earth."
Jesus' disciples said to Him: "even the demons submit to us in Your name"
{Luke 10:17}. Upon hearing that Jesus immediately came back with "I saw
Satan fall like lightning from heaven." {Luke 10:18}
So?
So there is a direct connection between demons on the earth and that
War in Heaven where Satan was kicked out and hurled like lightning
to the earth.
Moreover . . .
Demons, now spirits without bodies, hate their present condition. They need
to occupy bodies so they can meaningfully interact with their surroundings.
They find living without a body to be extremely unpleasant.
And even pigs will do . . .
Again, "the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs" {Luke 8:32}
And they actually did that.
Jesus gave them permission and then "they went into the pigs." {Luke 8:33}.
Being inside a body keeps them out of the Unpleasant Void. When they are not
occupying a body, they are in a place they don't want to be. They call it The Abyss.
"They begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. {Luke 8:31}
(The NIV capitalizes the word Abyss.) They're smart enough to avoid The Abyss, if
they can.
The New Testament's demons are persons with intelligence that can carry on a
conversation. They did exactly that with Jesus in Luke 8:26-33.
And they know how important the Lord Jesus is:
"A demon-possessed man . . . [shouted] what do You want with me, Jesus, Son
of the Most High God?" {Luke 8:27-28}
And demons can feel pain and they want to avoid it. One demon said to Jesus, "I beg
You don't torture me." {Luke 8:28}.
The New Testament's demons know that Pain is in their future.
"What do You want with us, Son of God? [the demons] shouted. Have You come
here to torture us before the appointed time?" {Matthew 8:29}.
Here is a comforting thought . . .
God protects His people from demons:
Christians cannot be possessed by demons. We have the Holy Spirit
living within us {1 Cor. 6:19}. and He protects us from the Evil One.
The power of The Cross, the Resurrection, and the Exaltation {Jesus
now being seated at the right hand of Almighty God} has secured
eternal redemption for we who believe in the Lord Jesus as our
Savior. Thank You Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit for loving us,
for saving us, and for protecting us from the Evil Ugly One.
Demons are sentient beings {able to perceive and feel things}. They
are self aware. "I beg you not to torture ME", said one demon. {Luke
8:28}.
More than one demon spirit can occupy the same human body. "What
is your name?", asked Jesus. "Legion", he replied because many demons
had gone into [the man]." {Luke 8:30}
So what can we conclude from all this?
(1) Demons are looking for susceptible people to occupy. They need a
body.
(2) Being fallen angels, they're no more mysterious than angels. We
don't find angels to be hugely mysterious. We understand a lot about
who they are and what they do. Demons are the spirits of fallen angels
who followed their leader Satan in rebellion against God and like Satan,
were kicked out of heaven and hurled bodiless to the earth where they
began searching for humans susceptible to being demon possessed.
Their bodies were killed during the War in Heaven and they don't like
being in that condition. They crave bodies so they can escape The Abyss
and remain on earth interacting with the much more enjoyable aspects
of human life.
How about now? Do demons occupy humans today, 21st century?
I think they do.
Why is it hard to believe that Charles Manson was demon possessed? Nine
murders in four locations. Cult leader of the Manson Family who had
mesmerizing control over approximately 100 followers. You ever looked into
the eyes {pictures} of Charles Manson? Spooky. Scary stuff.
How about Jeffery Dahmer the Milwaukee Cannibal? A serial killer, sex offender,
and murderer who dismembered 17 men and boys and ate some of them. Dahmer
was also into Necrophilia {sex with dead people . . . with corpses}
So?
So why is it difficult to believe that Jeffery Dahmer was demon possessed?
And what about the "Rev." Jim Jones and what happened in Jonestown
in Guyana? 918 people drank cyanide-laced Kool Aid and laid down to
die under the captivating control of demonic Evil "Rev." Jim. You ever
read "Our Father Who Art In Hell: The Life And Death Of Jim Jones"?
Don't. It's not pretty.
Why is it difficult to believe that Jim Jones was demon possessed.
And how about the world's criminally "insane" murderers, torturers,
and rapists ~ locked away in maximum security cells. How many of
them could be occupied by the spirits of Satan's fallen angels?
And why wouldn't they be?
[]
Epilogue.
It was noised abroad that some Christians actually put the personal blame
on Charles Manson, Jeffery Dahmer, and Jim Jones for what they did and
had the nerve to label it as sin against the God of the Bible.
"Listen", said Sly Sigh-Chiatrist, "we don't like the Bible, or the God of the
Bible, or the concept of personal sin."
"That's exactly right, we surely do not", replied Cunning Sigh-Chologist,
"so let's invent some pseudo-intellectual gobbledygook medical-sounding
terminology to befuddle the easily-befuddled masses."
"That's a splendid idea", cooed Sly Sigh-Chiatrist, "how 'bout 'borderline
personality disorder' and 'psychotic disorder' and here's a really good one
'schizotypal personality disorder'. Will these get the job done?"
"Yes, I think they will", replied Cunning Sigh-Chologist, "and let's add 'psychosis'
and 'schizophrenia' to the list. The masses will swallow our science-sounding
bafflegab hook, line, and sinker. Gullibility flows strong and thick 21st century."
"I love it", smirked Sly Sigh-Chiatrist, "and then the masses will have to come
to us and give us their money for our therapy treatments and our pills."
"Exactly", grinned Cunning Sigh-Chologist, "and at the same time we can get
rid of the outdated notions of God and personal sin."
"Okay then", smiled Sly Sigh-Chiatrist, "let's do it."
And so they did.
[][]
Agree?
Disagree?
Thoughts?
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Originally Posted by BenjaminO
