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No. A Christian is already possessed by Jesus. This point of confusion/contention, however, has theologically paralyzed the church. Demon "possession" is a confusing and misleading term. Certain translations of the Bible refer to a person being "possessed by a demon," but the word referring to possession is not present. The Greek words used, daimonizomai ("to be under the influence of a demon") or echein daimonion, ("to have a demon") may be better translated as being "demonized." Possession implies ownership, and demons own nothing. The New Testament views demons as squatters or invaders of territory that does not belong to them. A burglar can trash my home but that doesn't make it his. Demonization is defined as being under the influence of one or more demonic spirits. This continuum of influence can range from mild to serious, even life-threatening. The Bible tells believers to stop giving a place to the Devil in Ephesians 4:27, suggesting at least a minimal association with a demonic spirit. Acts 5 says that Satan "so filled" Ananias and Sapphira, two members of the early church, that they lied to the Holy Spirit, an involvement major enough that God struck them dead (a particularly effective, but not recommended form of deliverance). So Christians may not be "possessed," since they belong to Christ, but they can certainly be demonized, or "under the influence" of demons. For such situations, deliverance is the biblical remedy. —David W. Appleby is president of Spiritual Interventions, Inc. in Lynchburg, Virginia, and author of It's Only a Demon (BMH, 2009); adapted from our sister publication Leadership Journal, © 2012 by Christianity Today. For more articles like this, visit www.LeadershipJournal.net.
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Marco Saavedra
I totally agree, Christians cannot be possessed by demons.
Colin W
The author's position reflects my own. I can never understand how Christians embrace the idea that they can be demon possessed while the spirit of Christ lives within them. Are they implying that the demon(s) can "bind up" the Strong Man of the house?
Anonymous
This has long puzzled me thanks for sharing. I have something to build on now.
Brenden Price
Um, excuse me but I've been baptised and I'm a true believer of God and have accepted Jesus Christ in my heart and know he is my savior but yet I've been Possessed twice. So I'm very confused on why I have been.
Anonymous
In the OT we have the story of Job, in the NT there is not ONE exsample of a BORN AGAIN believer being possessed. Just because a person says they are a Christian does not mean they are; 75% people in the USA or more profess being a Christian our popular movies, life styles, and politics prove that cannot be true. Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira these are two classic exsamples of hypocrisy among christians who fake their "spirituality to impress others, the Church is full of such people John 17:12-14 New Living Translation (NLT) 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me.[a] I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. 13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
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