What Are Demons?

A friend and myself have been studying deliverance and are puzzled by the question, ” What are demons? ”

We used to think they were the fallen angels that sided with satan. But according to 2 Peter 2:4 those angels are in chains until the time of judgment.

Do you have an answer to this? We would appreciate any light you could shed on this subject. My friend has been trying to learn everything she can to help her with her husband who has backslidden from the church and together they have a calling as deliverance ministers.

Thank You.

Your brother in Christ.

HBC’s response:

At Hegewisch, we have a scripture posted on the wall which quotes Mark 16:16-18. I’ll print a portion of it here for clarity:

Mark 16:17
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (KJV)

The question to ask is, “Who is called to cast out demons?” If we look at the above verse, we see that “these signs shall follow them that believe.” What is one of these “signs” this is talking about? Well, the next sentence says, “In my name shall they cast out devils.”

So a “sign[s] that follow[s] them that believe” would be casting out demons. Coming back to the original question, “Who is called to cast out demons” this passage would lead us to answer this question with, “them that believe.” Who is “them that believe”? Comparing Scripture with Scripture, we look at the following:
Acts 5:14
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. (KJV)

1 Tim 4:12
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (KJV)

Based on Acts 5:14 and 1 Timothy 4:12, believers would then be another word for Christians. Agree?

Then who are believers? Well they’re Christians? So these “signs shall follow them that believe” would the refer to signs that follow EVERY Christian.

You won’t find the “gift of casting out demons” listed in the gifts of the Spirit over in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. You’ll find “discerning spirits” but you won’t find “casting out spirits” which is another function all together–realizing that the demons are there versus casting them out which is putting that discernment’s feet to the pavement.

And I say all this, just to drive a point home that it is in Jesus’ name that we cast out demons. It’s not by a special gift we’ve been giving. It’s not because we’re someone special. It’s in Jesus’ name that “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11) (KJV).

In deliverance sessions, we state that verse to the demons…that they have to kneel before Jesus Christ because it says EVERY knee shall bow. The demons hate that.

The Bible also says that “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: …And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Eph 1:20-21;2:6)

This last passage says that we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies…that God has raised us up to sit with Christ, spiritually, far above Satan, far above the demons…meaning that from where we sit with Christ, in His name, we have authority over the demons. In Jesus’ name, “I command you to come out and go where Jesus would have you go” we often say.

The focus, the name that causes the demons to tremble, is not our name, it’s Jesus’ name. Remember in Acts? The demon said, “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” (Acts 19:15). (KJV)

How did the Jews in Acts cast the demons out?

Acts 19:13-14
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you BY JESUS whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. (KJV)

It’s only in His name, the name of Jesus, that anyone casts out demons.

So if it’s in Jesus’ name, and the casting out of demons is a sign of those who believe in Jesus, it would follow, that there are no “special deliverance ministers” but that in His Precious Name, that we cast out demons, that all the glory, honor and praise may go to Him who is perfect, not to any of us who might consider ourselves “elite” or “special.” We’re just sinners saved by grace, given a Name above all names by which we come unto salvation, by which we pray to our Father, by which we heal the sick, and by which we cast out demons. The focus is on Jesus Christ, and Him alone.

“Being called into the deliverance ministry” is kind’a sad that we have to refer to it this way, because any believer, even a 9 year old, can cast out demons, because it’s all in the name of Jesus. Who delivers? Remember that passage–

2 Tim 4:18
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (KJV)

Besides, remember the book of Joshua, another name for Jesus? Joshua means the Lord Deliverer. How about these passages?

Matt 6:12-13
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (KJV)

Rom 7:24-25
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (KJV)

2 Cor 1:9-10
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; (KJV)

Gal 1:3-4
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:(KJV)

2 Pet 2:9
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (KJV)

Salvation is also another word for “deliverance.”

Who saves? God saves. Who delivers? God delivers.

So who are we? What is our role, biblically?

We cast out demons, In His Name. He delivers. We just speak His Word which will not return to Him void.

Am I beating a dead horse here?

I just want to make sure that it is clear that deliverance is free to all believers, because it does not rely on the person, their faith, how special they are, how blessed they are, all of us can cast out demons, In His Name because it is He who delivers, so the burden is on Him, not us. We just have to be obedient to speak His word, and He follows up and proves His word true. That’s all.

So with all that said, demons are evil-angels, fallen angels, all one in the same. If you’ll study a little closer regarding those angels bond up in chains, you’ll find that those angels in chains are the angels which had sexual intercourse with man kind over in Genesis which God destroyed their offspring through the flood.

Here’s an excerpt from Nelsons Bible Dictionary:

ANGELS, FALLEN

Heavenly beings or divine messengers created by God who rebelled against Him and were cast out of heaven. The lord or prince of these fallen angels is Satan <Rev. 12:7-9>. Fallen angels, or messengers, continue to serve Satan; but their power is limited. Judgment awaits them in the future <Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:9>. The fallen angels referred to in <2 Peter 2:4> and <Jude 6> are possibly the beings referred to as “sons of God” in <Genesis 6:1-4>. There is no real distinction between fallen angels and DEMONS.
(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

One third the angels rebelled against God when Lucifer thought he could become “like the Most High God.” God, not being able to have iniquity, or sin, in his presence since He is Holy, cast Lucifer to earth with the one-third the angels before there was light on the earth and water covered the globe. Lucifer’s name was changed to Satan and the fallen angels, we now refer to as demons, or evil-spirits. These evil spirits have been judged in that they will be cast into the lake of fire at the end of time, but until them as they await their judgment, they are bent on doing evil and destroying as much as they can before they are incinerated.

All this is in Genesis, Ezekiel, Matthew, etc. There are some really good books you can pick up which will walk you through the Bible regarding demons. One is “Satan: His methods and his motives” by Lewis Spery Chafer, founder and president of the Dallas Theological Seminary. Another excellent book, is “Battling the Hosts of Hell” by Pastor Win Worley, our former pastor who went home to be with the Lord in December 1993. One other excellent book is “War on the Saints: the Unabridged Edition” by Jesse Penn-Lewis with Evan Roberts, Evangelist during the Welsch Revival. There are many more, but these three are great resources. The best three I think exist in the entire world today. They are very Biblical, and very precise. Hope you enjoy them.

You can pick any of those books up at our bookroom at www.wrwpublications.com. or visiting the church’s web page at www.hbcdelivers.org and skipping over the the WRW Publications bookroom by clicking on the option at the bottom of the menu on the first page.

Also, I’ve done some short essays at www.hbcdelivers.org if you’ll click on the question mark, it will take you to the Frequently Asked Questions pages on Deliverance where I’ve cited topics such as “This is all new to me–where do I start?” or “Can a Christian really have a demon” or “Where can I find deliverance material (books, audios, etc)” and many other subjects.

Hope this answers your question and gets you started on some places you can go research stuff out for yourself.

I’m not a pastor or anything, but from experience, one thing about the husband I thought I’d suggest to your friend–don’t push him. He’ll only rebell all the more. The Lord can take care of him. She’ll have to be a godly example that Christ will magnify and Christ will bring all men unto Himself wherever He be lifted up (”And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”–John 12:32). Although, this scripture is in reference to how Jesus would die, it also applies in the symbolic sense as well.

We have a lot of videos in the bookroom I’m sure he’d be interested in, “What are you saving yourselves for?” by Win Worley is an excellent start, as well as ANY topic on Jezebel, “Hogs versus Heaven”, “Getting a haircut in the Devil’s Barber Chair”, “Suffering for Jesus or Stupidity”, “Swimming in Satan’s Sewer”, “The Cross of Calvary”, “The Gadarene Demoniac”, “Binding and Loosing” and many, many more that are sure to grab his heart and get him turned onto the Lord once again.

I hope I haven’t bent your ear.

If you have any further questions, I’ll try to find out the answer, or steer you in the right direction to find out more on your own.

We’ll be praying for you.

HBC

Tags: FAQ, Questions

By Admin in Questions on October 14, 2011