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Angels and demons sound like the stuff of movies and fairy tales. But the Bible demonstrates that there is a real, supernatural world. This supernatural world can interact with our natural world in some frightening ways.
Demons Are Real
The reality of demons is assumed across in the Bible. In the ministry of Jesus, demonic activity became more prevalent. This was probably because Satan understood the nature of Jesus’s mission and wanted to hinder it. In many instances, Jesus encountered and cast out demons.
Mark 9:17-18 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
This passage demonstrates the reality of demons and their ability to harm people. Jesus’s disciples were not able to cast out this demon because of their own spiritual inadequacies, but Jesus was able.
Demonic Activity and Disease
Some people claim that demonic activity in the Bible was not demonic activity, but just different physical illnesses that people in Jesus’s day didn’t understand. For example, some claim that epilepsy was treated as demon possession, but it was simply epilepsy and ancient people didn’t understand this. Jesus healed people with diseases without claiming that demons were involved in those situations, and he cast out demons in situations that didn’t mention any disease or illness. Jesus also worked in situations where there was both demonic activity and physical illness.
Jesus understood the difference between demonic and everyday diseases. Ancient people were not as backward and uninformed as many people today assume. People were often astonished at Jesus’s miracles precisely because they understood miracles are not normal.
Demons Are Active
The Bible also makes it clear that demons are active. Demonic activity didn’t stop with the end of the New Testament. In fact, there is no reason to believe that demons aren’t as active today as they were in Jesus’s time.
1 Peter 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Even today, Satan tries to hurt God’s people. Angered at his defeat by Jesus on the cross, he seeks to take as many people with him as he can into destruction.
Revelation 12:12 The devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.
Christians are commanded to be on guard against the attacks of the devil and of demons.
Jesus Has Victory Over Demons
The good news is that Christians are not alone in their fight against Satan. God has victory and authority over all demons. In his name, we have victory over demons.
Luke 10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
You don’t have to live in fear of demons. You can command them to flee from you in Jesus’s name and they will.
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- There seems to be a fascination with demons and demonic powers in our culture in movies, books, TV, and other media. Why do you think this is?
- Have you or someone you know ever had an experience with demonic powers? Share if you are comfortable.
- Give other examples of how demons manifest themselves in our world today.
- How can Christians defend themselves from demons and the devil?
- Read Luke 10:17. What is the right way for Christians to think about demons?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
