Question: Can Christians become demon-possessed?

Question: We’ve heard much about demons and deliverance lately. Some have even suggested that good solid long-term Christians with the Holy Spirit inside can also be inhabited by demons. I’m confused—what is your take on this question?

Response: I don’t believe that demons can inhabit a Christian along with the Holy Spirit, but they can have a powerful and debilitating influence. As for the remedy, the Bible never directs exorcism at believers, but truth.

For example, in John:8:31-32 [31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; [32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
See All..., Jesus said that the truth that comes through His Word is what sets us free. And the parable of the sower and seed in Matthew 13, concerning the seed that fell by the wayside and was devoured by the birds of the air, He explained that the Word can be taken out of the heart by Satan if those who received it do not understand it. There are too many conversions based upon emotion, with the truth imperfectly imparted and explained, and thus not believed. The battle is between the truth of God and the lie of Satan, and those who refuse the love of the truth will indeed be given a strong delusion to believe the lie.

We live what we really believe with deep conviction, and that is only possible when there is a thorough understanding. Rebuking Satan, as you point out, is of no value and is actually unscriptural. At the same time, I have spoken with those who can recite amazing stories from experience but when I asked for either biblical doctrine or example, they can give neither. Typically, they say we must therefore look to experience.

But experience that has no example in the Bible is dangerous indeed and should not be relied upon. Of course, the Bible doesn’t include every kind of experience man is subject to, but for something as important as demonization of Christians, the Lord would surely give us careful direction. The fact that the Bible contains many examples of the demonization/deliverance of unbelievers, yet not one example involving a believer, is practically conclusive evidence against the alleged modern experience of the latter. And to say that the Bible doesn’t specifically state that a believer can get cancer, therefore it need not state specifically that a believer can be demonized simply doesn’t follow.

Moreover, I can tell of believers who were confused and harmed by allegedly being exorcized. It seemed real and convincing to them at the time, involving even the manifestation of other voices speaking out of them. Looking back on the experience later, however, they concluded that under the power of suggestion they had been hypnotized to act that way but that in truth there had been no demons involved (though hypnosis can open us up to demonic influence).

Others say that demonization is no different (for a believer), than falling into sin. If that is the case, why are there no examples in Scripture, when there are plenty of examples of believers sinning? It simply cannot be shown from Scripture that demonization is theologically in the same category as falling into sin.