Introduction: Complicating a Simple Truth
There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
I really believed if I fell asleep that night it would be worse than death. I heard a voice in my head that was not my own while feeling as if a demonic army was attempting to force its way into my body. Little did I know it was already inside me.
I had been a Christian since childhood. I was saved, baptized, and tried my best to live a moral life. Up until that point, I even believed I was mature in my Christian faith. But I was wrong. I made the mistake of confusing knowledge about Christ with Christian maturity and did not understand until much later that these are very different concepts. It was all “head knowledge” and no “heart knowledge” with me. Seventeenth century mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal recognizes this distinction when he writes, “It is the heart which experiences God, and not the reason. This, then, is faith: God felt by the heart, not by the reason.”1
The road to recovery after that terrifying night was the most difficult thing I have ever endured. It created very real emotional scars that took a long time to heal. Now, on the other side of that waking nightmare, I can finally look back and know beyond a doubt that God was doing something truly meaningful in my life. The intense suffering I experienced was a crucible that burned away all my spiritual impurities from deeply held but thoroughly incorrect notions about God. In short, the Lord was reshaping the foundation of my entire life. Even in our moments of deepest agony, we can take comfort knowing that God is working to do something wonderful which we may not recognize at the time. Still, recovery after severe trauma is often a slow and painful process. A huge challenge when recovering from the trauma of demonization is finding someone who understands the problem.
I believe very few churches in the United States—the country where I live—know how to effectively minister to a demonized individual.2 This is unsurprising because relatively few people in the United States have ever knowingly encountered anyone with a demon problem. Many people see such problems as the domain of abnormal psychology or the stuff of Hollywood movies and ancient superstitions. Because contemporary skepticism toward this issue is so dominant, the reaction a demonized person receives is often some variation on outright disbelief, skepticism, mocking, rejection, or indifference. Online voices are no better.
One website, which I will not identify here, goes so far to say there is no way a Christian could ever become demonized. In its view, a demonized “Christian” is proof that person was never saved in the first place. Those are harsh words based on a very narrow (and problematic) interpretation of Scripture. The presented argument contains no compassion nor any sense of empathy for those who are in the midst of deep suffering. These are the words of someone who has never dealt with this problem up close. In an ironic parallel to Matthew 9:11 (cf. Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30), this online resource tacitly wonders aloud why it should bother indulging anyone who both claims Christ and claims to suffer from demonization. Faced with a situation like that, the suffering Christian might reasonably think credentialed books about demons would be a viable alternative to learn how to manage a demon problem. Except… not really. Not the ones I read.
There are thousands and thousands of books on demons. Many are written by authors who identify as Christian. The problem, however, is these authors frequently view Scripture as an insufficient resource. Because no book in the Protestant canon lays out a detailed procedure for driving a demon out of its victim, authors commonly fill in the “gaps” with non-biblical information and anecdotal procedures based on highly suspect biblical interpretations. There is an entire industry built on the back of this authorial license. Many of these books self-identify as part of the deliverance ministry genre and often share specific doctrinal viewpoints that do not always make much sense when compared with the rest of Scripture. While there is surely some sound teaching to be found within this genre, I personally found very few examples in the books I read. These authors frequently do not even agree with one another. Most begin with a foundation built on Jesus but inevitably offer unique advice that contradicts advice from other authors. This is a strong clue that perhaps the answer to a demon problem is not found in the bestseller section of a popular bookstore. Attempting to resolve a real spiritual crisis with advice not originating from Scripture only makes the original problem worse.
Is Exorcism a Science?
It is surprisingly easy to fall into the belief that exorcism is a science. I certainly did, thinking surely there are subject matter experts with impressive credentials who can clearly explain demonization. Contemporary authors who write books on demons often present themselves as just such an authority figure. They write about extensive laws and taboos said to determine what actions will or will not result in demonization. Some even go so far as to specify which books, movies, games, and music genres they believe will open a “door” that invites a demon to indwell its victim. The authors mostly do not identify exorcism (or deliverance) as a science, but they do describe it in terms of repeatable processes and procedures.
Do this, incur a demon. Do that, expel a demon. These rules greatly appealed to my analytical thinking at a time when I desperately needed answers and did not have the Christian maturity to recognize genuine truth. These types of books seem like a lifeline to those who have no idea how to deal with the situation they are facing. But is this pseudo-scientific, process-and-procedure approach actually sound advice? Is demonization guaranteed unless we abide by some esoteric rule book? Must a demonized person find an expert versed in secret exorcism techniques in order to have the best chance at freedom?
A survey of books written about the care and management of a demon problem raises even more questions. Is a demonized person meant to seek out specially formulated prayers? Are there ancient tools, blessed jewelry, or religious incantations that will drive a demon out of its victim? It may come as a surprise that the Bible does not support any of those assertions. Of course, I did not know that. Not at first. It was only after my condition did not improve upon using technique after technique from many different books did I realize something was off. The demons making my life miserable had put down stakes and were not budging an inch (although they pretended to leave many times).
Common opinions also failed to produce any wisdom that could help my situation. Skeptics effectively argued that my problems were all in my head, and one person even suggested that I make a video recording of myself in the throes of demonization as proof of what I was experiencing. Sorry, no. Others said I just needed to cast those demons out “in the name of Jesus.” I tried that. Many, many times. Jesus’s name is not an incantation to control demons.3 A few people believed I did not have enough faith. I had enough faith, certainly bigger than a mustard seed (cf. Luke 17:6; Matt 17:20). Unconfessed sin? I confessed everything I knew to confess. Generational curse? No. That is not even a biblical concept4 (cf. Ezek 18). My problem was also not the result of some “cursed object,” “evil spell,” or “portal to a demonic realm”—all ideas I encountered at one time or another. None of this advice contains any actual wisdom.
The Short Answer to Demons
So what is the real way to resolve a demon problem? The solution is plain and simple: A personal relationship with God including genuine faith and heartfelt prayer. We must also wait on God’s timing. Additionally, it is crucial to know what the Bible teaches and what God expects of us because there are no secret skills and no professional exorcism prayers that can ever replace this understanding—but we only know that when we know what Scripture teaches. Nothing else but biblical understanding and the personal application of its truths can put us on the path to a deeper relationship with God.
I fully recognize this solution will seem overly simple to some people and downright unbelievable to others. A reaction like this does not make the answer wrong, but I do understand it. I really do. The answer I am now giving would have been entirely unsatisfactory to me when I needed it the most, like an uninspired suggestion given by someone who does not have the real answer. I would have seen it as a trite, off-the-cuff response rather than a valid solution to a serious problem. Where is the intricate methodology? Where are the religious experts? In short, I would have been unable to accept this answer when my demon problem first began. I only recognized it as the truth after many months of intense biblical study, and to my embarrassment, I only spent time doing that after exhausting all my other options. This was a clear mark of my Christian immaturity. Yet I can confidently say that here is all we really need to know:
- God alone is sovereign.
- God alone has the power to constrain what demons can and cannot do.
- Faith in God and heartfelt prayer to Him are highly effective.
- God works on His timetable and not ours.
It looks simple because it is simple. But knowing the answer and believing the answer are two entirely different concepts, particularly when demons are doing horrible things, obscuring clear thinking, and making life miserable. I have been there. Like the disciple Thomas, I had to—metaphorically speaking—put my fingers into the nail wounds in Jesus’s hands and my hand into the wound in His side before I could believe. The resurrected Jesus said to Thomas that those who believe in Him without needing to see Him are blessed (John 20:29), but that does not mean those who need extra reassurance are somehow forsaken. Not at all! Thomas needed that reassurance, and Jesus gave it to him. Jesus was very patient and kind with him. Thomas wanted to believe but needed a little extra help to push him across the finish line. I suspect I am not the only “Thomas” out there.
The rest of this book goes into great detail to prove these points. It contains everything I learned about demons and is the product of two years of intense research, writing, and experience. It is important to point out that while this book does include some of my firsthand experiences, I will never make recommendations based on personal anecdotes that do not align with Scripture. Scripture always gets the final say. I debated for a long time whether I should even include my personal stories but prayerfully concluded they may help someone else avoid the same mistakes that I made.
I strongly encourage readers to be like the people of Berea, “examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things” are true (Acts 17:11 NASB). Search Scripture and see how this book compares to Scripture. It takes a little more work than a casual read, but ultimately, each of us is personally responsible for determining what we accept as the truth.
The prophet Amos once said, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel’” (Amos 7:14–15 NASB). Amos was not a professional prophet, nor was he ever trained to be one. Nevertheless, God called him away from his vocation and gave him a very different task than what he had known. The Lord also called me away from the vocation I know and gave me a very different task to write this book for His people. Because of my experiences, I have a distinct viewpoint that I hope will be helpful for my brothers and sisters in Christ. I am neither a pastor nor a professor. I am also not a practicing exorcist. What I am is a devout Christian who has lived and studied this topic for roughly two years so that readers of this book do not have to take similar time away from their responsibilities to repeat the same research.
Worldly Advice Is Not Always Good Advice
There is a mountain of worldly advice that says faith and prayer are woefully inadequate to resolve a demon problem. My goal is to convince readers that faith and prayer is enough. Look, demons are maliciously dishonest. They have fooled many intelligent people over the millennia because they are very good at telling lies that sound true. How else could Satan convince Eve in Genesis 3 to take a bite of the forbidden fruit? Eve knew it was off limits. She did not wake up that day counting the ways she was going to disobey God. It just sort of happened after a certain shifty serpent dangled a bit of dishonest temptation in front of her eyes. A simple, crooked question—“Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” (Gen 3:1 NASB)—set off a chain of events ending in tragedy for the first couple. Satan asks us a similar question: “Is trusting God really enough to stop demonic oppression?” How we answer that question says a great deal about our relationship with God.
He is not a passive observer who commands us to handle our demon problems on our own. I learned that the hard way and will share more about the mistakes I made that lit my life on fire. Later, we will discuss what it means to encounter a demon in an unbelieving world. We will also see how God views demons. He sets rules in place that demons cannot violate, at least not without suffering extremely terrifying consequences. Then, we will take a look at what Satan and his demons are capable of doing to us. They are angels—albeit evil angels—which means they are finite, created entities with specific capabilities. Only God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, which just means that God is very, very powerful and nothing else is on His same level.
Nevertheless, demons are strong. They are also deceitful, and there are times when humans get wrapped up in their lies and fall for satanic miracles or the lure of demonic power. The consequences are never pretty. We will explore these topics in greater depth as a prelude to understanding what it means when we sin. From there, we will look at common doctrinal errors among exorcism and deliverance ministries before exploring a biblical approach to exorcism. Demonization can be a frightening experience that leaves emotional scars. Yet, just as Jesus walks with us through the fires of demonization, He also walks with us through the ashes of recovery. We are never alone, even when we feel that God is very far away. The book will close with advice and pointers for those who are newly serious about their Christian faith. And for those who have a pressing need for quick advice on what to do when confronted with demonization, refer to Summary Recommendations for a Demoniac at the end of this book.
This book seeks to clarify what the Bible really says about Satan and his demons. Some things we know for certain. Other things we can intuit based on what Scripture says. Throughout it all, remember to search the Scriptures daily to prove every claim made in this book. One painful blunder I made was to be content with biblical illiteracy. That mistake is just one of many that plunged me into the most excruciating experience of my life.
- Blaise Pascal, Pascal’s Pensées (Urbana, IL: Project Gutenberg, (1958) 2006), § 278, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/18269/18269-h/18269-h.htm.↩
- The word demonized is not a word found in most Bible translations. Demon possessed is more commonly the phrase of choice in English renditions. This phrase, however, connotes demonic ownership of the person a demon inhabits, which is a highly problematic interpretation of the original Greek language. See Chapter 7 for a broader discussion of this topic or the Glossary of Common Terms to better understand what words like demonized mean in the context of this book. Not every English dictionary contains a definition of demonized that matches this meaning, but some do—like The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language. See: HarperCollins Publishers, “Demonize” (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, n.d.), https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=demonize.↩
- See Chapter 11 to learn more about common misconceptions associated with exorcism.↩
- See Chapter 11 to learn why Christians need not fear generational curses. See Chapter 9 to learn why there are no more covenantal curses for the Christian believer.↩