Should we be afraid of satan?

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Throughout scripture, we are warned not to ignore Satan’s devices and to understand how he works. We aren’t to live in fear as such but we should be mindful of his ways.

He is not omnipresent meaning he is limited to one place at a time but he is fast. Therefore, the idea that whatever is going on in your life is specifically Satan’s doing is inaccurate. There are, however, a host of demons who serve him throughout the world, but they are primarily working through the evil system of this world.

In most cases, Satan controls the fallen race of people, and the entire world falls under the influence of the evil one.

In the Bible, he is described as running around as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour, not in some kind of personal encounter, but rather by creating an environment that becomes solicitous to evil.

There are 3 basic ways in which he drives / influxes the world system which is described in 1 John 2:16.

1 John 2:16 (NKJV)

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

It doesn’t take much to see what is happening on television today. Check out advertising, films, and any form of media to see how much it targets the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of self-sufficiency or worldly accomplishments..

Christians must understand that it is unlikely that we will personally fight Satan; however, scripture promises that even if we do, Satan will flee from us if we resist him.”

James 4:7 (NKJV)

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The Bible does not tell us to constantly look out for him and then flee from him. Instead, it tells us to resist him with the Word and the armor of God and he will flee from us.

In Ephesians 6:12, it is said: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principles and powers.” However, the solution is also found in the same chapter. And it doesn’t tell us to get our demons exorcised with Christian exorcism, neither does it instruct us to cast the demon out. It simply says, “Put on the whole armor of God,” (Eph 6:11) with the breastplate being righteousness (Eph 6:14).

It is important to live a righteous, Spirit-filled life and to trust in God’s sovereign power. There is no reason to chase Satan around and talk to him, but we should avoid him and his operations at all costs. By setting our affections on things above, by loving Christ, and by dwelling on His Word, we can protect ourselves from his schemes.

In addition, we don’t have to fear satan because of who lives in us (the Holy Spirit) is greater than he who lives in the world, and when you belong to God, no one can take you away from him.

Therefore, we do not need to worry about him.

Spiritual Warfare

True vs False Spiritual warfare

Hedge of Protection

Generational Curses

Do we have the same Authority same as Christ?

Exorcism

Binding Satan

Can a christian be Demon possessed?

Can Unbelievers be demon possessed?

To what extent is Satan the ruler of the world?

Can satan hear our prayers and thoughts?

how do we deal with Satanic oppression?

True Spiritual warfare

To what extent is Satan the ruler of the world?

Journey for truth

To what extent is Satan the ruler of the world?

Satan gets a lot of credit in the world today as many things are directly attributed to him such as natural calamities and the support for this comes from the passage about Satan’s claim of authority during Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness;

Luke 4:6 (NKJV)

And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

It is difficult to know what kinds of physical things we can attribute to Satan. We could make the assumption that demons are capable of doing some physical damage (for example, they threw a boy in the fire again and again (Mark 9:22), caused some people to become blind (Mathew 12:22), dumb (Mathew 9:32), and deaf (Mark 9:25), etc.). This means that satan could have the capability of doing some of these things, so we should not limit his abilities in that sense.

But primarily satan exercises control over the physical world through ideologies. In most cases, Satan utilizes earthly systems to exercise his control (movies, music, corrupt governments, pornography).

Today’s earthly systems is just a reflection of Satan’s strategy, since it is becoming more chaotic and anti-God.

Ephesians 2:1-2 attributes Satan’s influence as the “prince of the power of the air.”

Ephesians 2:1-2 (NKJV)

1. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

2. in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

The word “world” (kosmos) does not refer to the physical creation but rather to the values and systems (ways of doing things). Paul here is inferring that the world is following the leadership and design of Satan, who is the “prince and power of the air.”

Satan currently rules this world, and he will continue to do so until the Lord casts him out (John 12:31).

At this present age, satan and his demons will continue to dominate, pressure and control every person who is unsaved. However, this doesn’t mean that all unsaved people are possessed by demons at all times, but that they are knowingly or unknowingly subjected to satanic influences.

Unbelievers in their spiritual dead state (Ephesians 2:1-2) share the same sinfulness and rebellion against God as Satan, so they are naturally susceptible to his influence and leading.

As a tactic, Satan would prefer to stay hidden and make you believe he does not exist or have any influence over you. This is something that made Jesus’ ministry interesting because He exposed satan.

When Jesus went to the synagogue, Satan was already there (in hiding) and nobody knew it. But when Jesus showed up, the demons (in the people) began screaming at Him. Their cover was blown because He knew they were there.

For the most part, demons today hide (although rural areas sometimes show obvious evidences of their presence).

While Satan exerts significant influence over the world’s systems, ideologies, and the unsaved, his power remains limited and subject to God’s sovereign control. He operates within boundaries established by God, as illustrated in the book of Job, and his strategies often rely on deception and subtlety rather than overt displays of power.

For believers, this underscores the importance of standing firm in God’s truth, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, and remembering that ultimate victory belongs to Christ. Though Satan seeks to manipulate and dominate, his reign is temporary, and his defeat is certain under God’s sovereign plan.

Spiritual Warfare

True vs False Spiritual warfare

Hedge of Protection

Generational Curses

Do we have the same Authority same as Christ?

Exorcism

Binding Satan

Can a christian be Demon possessed?

Can Unbelievers be demon possessed?

Should we be afraid of satan?

Can satan hear our prayers and thoughts?

how do we deal with Satanic oppression?

True Spiritual warfare

Can Unbelievers be demon possessed?

Journey for truth

Can Unbelievers be demon possessed?

Unbelievers can be demon possessed, but the question is to what degree or to what extent.

Our first step is to understand that there are only two possibilities, either you belong to God’s family or you belong to Satan’s family.

When Jesus called the leaders of Israel, “children of the devil” in John 8, He was basically saying, “If you are not a child of God, you are a child of the devil.” In other words, if God is not your father, Satan is your father.”

According to 1 John 5:19, the whole world is under the control of the evil one. The only question is how much and to what degree.

Every unbelieving person is under the influence / control of Satan, whether that person has one demon or several, it is just a matter of degree and manifestation – whether it is directly or through the world systems and ideologies

Today, demon possession in unregenerate people is far more extensive than we can understand.

It might not be what we see in biblical times, when they threw themselves into fire and causing havoc. But rather, they are more subtle – occupying souls but behaving in a way consistent with the culture.

The satanic powers are driving a lot of mainstream media and influencing people’s world views without anyone being able to identify them.

Demons may have even evolved to such a degree that they can keep themselves contained or hidden for their own purposes.

Ultimately, whether an unbeliever is overtly possessed or subtly influenced by Satan, the reality remains that without Christ, they are under his dominion.

This understanding highlights the importance of sharing the gospel, which alone has the power to break spiritual bondage and bring people into the kingdom of God.

Our focus should remain on proclaiming Christ, who alone offers freedom, redemption, and eternal life.

Spiritual Warfare

True vs False Spiritual warfare

Hedge of Protection

Generational Curses

Do we have the same Authority same as Christ?

Exorcism

Binding Satan

Can a christian be Demon possessed?

To what extent is Satan the ruler of the world?

Should we be afraid of satan?

Can satan hear our prayers and thoughts?

how do we deal with Satanic oppression?

True Spiritual warfare

can a christain be demon possessed

Journey for truth

Can a christian be Demon possessed?

The answer is no.

Experts in spiritual warfare incorrectly assert that Christians can be demon possessed and that exorcising demons is part of sanctification (spiritual growth).

Such claims are based on subjective experiences rather than on God’s word. Neither does the Bible contain a clear example where a demon could ever invade or inhabit a true believer, nor does it contain any instance in which a true believer was rebuked, bound, or had a demon cast out of them.

Every demon-possessed person recorded in the Scriptures was an unbeliever.

Defining demon possession.

Understanding possession and influence is the first step to answering this question.

Demonic possession (ownership) occurs when a demon takes control of a person, sometimes even controlling their voice or body. Demonic influences are external and include temptations and deceptions.

Although true Christians can struggle with the influence of the evil one, they cannot be possessed because they have been delivered from darkness to light. Here are some facts from the scriptures concerning deliverance:

Colossians 1:13-14 ~ We are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to His Son.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ~ We are the temples of the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 6:14-16 ~ The indwelling of the Holy Spirit could never cohabit with demons.
1 John 4:4 ~ He who is in you is greater.
Ephesians 1:13-14 ~ We are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

These verses affirm that true believers are securely in Christ, protected by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and shielded from demonic possession. Through the power of God’s Spirit, believers are delivered from darkness, marked as His own, and guarded by His sovereign hand.

Additionally, how can some Christians who claim to be possessed explain their “experiences”? And if it is not demon possession then what is it?

There are several possible explanations for this phenomenon:

There is a possibility that the acclaimed Christian is a false convert.
There is the possibility that the person may be oppressed or under undue influence, but not possessed.
This could simply be a distraction or a deception caused by Satan to draw attention away from God’s glory.

As Christians, we should refrain from being referred to as possessed because that word implies ownership, and we have already been purchased (1 Peter 1:18-19).

While demons are often out of sight, they can also wrestle hand-to-hand with us (Ephesians 6:12), but only if Christians allow them to.

The idea of chasing after demons relentlessly is a pointless exercise since we have no direct control over them. We learn in Acts 19 that the sons of Sceva tried to drive away the demons using the name of Jesus, but the demons said to them, “Jesus we know, Paul we know, but who are you?” So it is pretty evident that we don’t have power over demons and it isn’t our domain.

As Christians, we are responsible for proclaiming the truth of God in order to destroy all error.

Spiritual victory is not achieved by exorcism, but by obedience and confession of our sins. There is no difference between having a demon and being disobedient since the solution is the same. We are to repent of our sin, turn from it and walk in God’s will.

What about the spirits who came back with seven others?

Matthew 12:43-45 (NKJV)

43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Often, this verse is quoted to emphasize that even if a demon spirit leaves, they can return. But what is the context of these verses?

After describing the demon’s return with “seven other spirits more wicked than himself,” Jesus concludes by stating, “So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” This implies that Jesus is not merely addressing individual possession but is using this as a metaphor for the spiritual state of the nation of Israel. Despite their temporary outward reformations, their rejection of Christ left them spiritually empty and vulnerable to even greater judgment.

In Mathew 12, Christ rebukes those who followed Him simply for the sake of witnessing signs and wonders. Jesus, instead of responding with spectacular signs and wonders, addresses their need for salvation.

Like the house in the parable, many people today appear to have their lives in order. However, in reality, they have not trusted in Christ as their Lord and Saviour. In other words, their souls are unoccupied by the Holy Spirit, which means they are still open to demonic invasion (as opposed to those whose bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit ~ 2 Cor. 6:16).

When Christ intervenes in a person’s life (1 Peter 1:5), he or she is kept by the power of God and as a result the evil one cannot touch them (1 John 5:18).

1 Peter 1:5 (NKJV)

who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 John 5:18 (NKJV)

We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

Spiritual Warfare

True vs False Spiritual warfare

Hedge of Protection

Generational Curses

Do we have the same Authority same as Christ?

Exorcism

Binding Satan

Can Unbelievers be demon possessed?

To what extent is Satan the ruler of the world?

Should we be afraid of satan?

Can satan hear our prayers and thoughts?

how do we deal with Satanic oppression?

True Spiritual warfare

Binding Satan

Journey for truth

Binding Satan

There are many Spiritual warfare experts who believe that by just saying the right words we will be able to limit the power and influence of Satan over people and places (territories).

In their view, we should bind Satan from any attempt to influence our church services or disrupt our evangelistic plans.

They cite scriptures such as Matthew 18:18 and Matthew 16:19, but in neither of these passages do we find Jesus teaching on spiritual warfare. The correct context has to do with church discipline and how to deal with a situation when one brother sins against another.

The expressions “bind and loose” were common Jewish legal idioms, and Jesus used them here to teach the disciples that what they announce on earth is something that has already been determined in heaven. To bind means to forbid, refuse or prohibit. To loose meant to permit or allow.

As Spirit-filled men, Peter and the other disciples were divinely guided to discern and declare what God had already permitted or prohibited in heaven, ensuring that their earthly judgments were in alignment with God’s sovereign will.

When the apostles bound something or forbade it on earth, they were carrying out the will of God in the matter. Likewise, they were fulfilling God’s eternal plan when they loosed something or allowed it on earth.

The apostles were given the unique capacity to exercise church discipline when one brother sins against another. It was a corporate responsibility given to the apostolic group, whose decisions and actions were considered divinely directed.

Refer to the below NASB translation which gives a more complete understanding of the text:

Matthew 16:19 (NASB)

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

While it is true that during Jesus’ ministry He did cast out demons the purpose was mainly to display His messianic claims by showing that He had power over demons.

But do we possess the power to bind Satan as some have claimed to do so?

No, there is no Biblical justification for such practice and neither is the practice consistent with scripture. Let’s consider some facts about binding Satan:

The Devil in the Bible is described as a roaring lion

In 1 Peter 5:8, it is explicitly stated that Satan roams around free, as a lion does. If this is true, then it would mean that we do not have the authority to bind him since he “freely” moves about.

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

It is Christ who will ultimately bind Satan.

Scripture makes it clear that Satan will only be bound during Christ’s second coming, when He binds him for a thousand years in the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:1-3 (NKJV)

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

Michael the Archangel did not bind Satan even though he could have.

The Archangel Michael did not bind Satan even when he had the opportunity, knowing that God alone was responsible for binding him.

Jude 9 (NKJV)

Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Concluding remarks

When Jesus was speaking to the apostles (in Mathew 16:19 & 18:18), He was telling them that they had a special task on earth as their words of authority would reflect God’s will for the church.

Jesus did not say that God would obey everything they did on earth, but that they should do whatever God has already willed to take place on earth. The church does not get man’s will done in heaven; instead, it obeys God’s will on earth.

Every time any man preaches the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, he is using the keys.

In particular, the keys refer to binding and loosing. During their preaching in various areas, the apostles held the keys of the kingdom, and as Jesus built His Church, people would either be freed from their sins (forgiven) or shackled in their sins (remain unforgiven)

Lastly, here are two statements from prominent preachers exposing the subject of binding the devil.

Voddie Baucham – “Do the rest of the churches know ya’ll got satan, this week? and do you let him go every week? If you can bind him, then I’m just gonna go on record here, and say you can keep Him.”

Justin peters – “Find the person who keeps letting Satan back out and bind HIM.”

Spiritual Warfare

True vs False Spiritual warfare

Hedge of Protection

Generational Curses

Do we have the same Authority same as Christ?

Exorcism

Can a christian be Demon possessed?

Can Unbelievers be demon possessed?

To what extent is Satan the ruler of the world?

Should we be afraid of satan?

Can satan hear our prayers and thoughts?

how do we deal with Satanic oppression?

True Spiritual warfare

Exorcism

Journey for truth

Exorcism

Exorcism is correctly classified as a “sign & wonder” in the New Testament. The extra ordinary miracles done by the apostles were grouped together in these verses; ~ Acts 5:12-16 / 8:6-7 / 16:16-18 / 19:11-12.

Here are some important things to consider regarding exorcism in the New Testament;

The book of Acts covers a period of 30 years and only mentions exorcisms four times throughout the book. It was not as though the apostles were running around doing countless miracles daily.
Not all Christians practiced or were able to do this. It was performed only by the apostles and those closest for the purpose of authenticating the ministry.
Everyone who had power over demons also had the power to heal the sick and raise the dead.

We need to compare the above facts with that of today’s spiritual warfare ministries that pretend to perform signs and wonders on a regular basis, teach a watered down gospel message, provide temporary psychosomatic healings (while they definitely fail to raise the dead) and command all its followers to practice the same thing.

Moreover, there is a lot of uncertainty and speculation surrounding the methods and practices concerning exorcism, which makes one wonder how much of this is actually useful?

For instance, how do you know how to exorcise a demon? There are no details / instructions in any of the epistles about how to exorcise a demon like;

What to say?
How to say?
How to prepare for it?
Should we hold a cross?
Should we sprinkle oil?
How long will it take?
How many demons are involved?

But how do the Spiritual experts claim to do the exorcisms if the Bible has no details?

They claim it is mostly learned through their experience.
They proclaim Christian mantras like pleading the blood of Jesus or claiming the power of Christ (when there is no biblical precedent for doing so).
They rebuke Satan by binding him with the blood of Jesus, which when they claim weakens the spiritual forces.
They hold a cross figure towards the person possessed.
Some pastors also claim to have interviews with satan to find out their weaknesses, or they talk to ex-satanists to identify cracks in the Satanic kingdom, some even refer to books written by other spiritual warfare experts.

But what does the Bible say about this matter? And are we to trust men or the word?

Should we be afraid of satan?

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