Demons / Evil Spirits
In this study I’d like us to answer the following questions:
· What are demons?
· Where did they come from?
· What is their purpose?
· Are they present today?
· Are they responsible for the physical and psychological issues that people deal with today?
We won’t look at demon hierarchy.
Eph 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
What do we know about demons?
Demons are spiritual - Matt 8:16
They have knowledge and awareness - Luke 4:34
They are not all knowing - Acts 19:15
They have varying strengths - Mat 17:14021
Their leader (Satan) is on the offence against Christians - Eph 6:10-17
Demons do the bidding of Satan / Beelzebub / the Devil – Matt 25:41, Rev 12:9
Names for their leader, Satan.
Adversary, devil, destroyer, dragon, enemy, evil spirit, great dragon, Lucifer, Satan, serpent, son of the morning, son of wickedness, spoiler, tempter, angel of the bottomless pit, antichrist, beast, Beelzebub, chief of the devils, murderer, prince of the power of the air.
Where do they come from?
One theory is that demons are the offspring of Angels and human women.
Gen 6:1-8 - 1When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. 5 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
They also claim that the Nephilim were destroyed in the flood and that their spirits are demons.
This can’t be true because God specifically set in motion for everything to breed “after its kind.”
Gen 1:11-12, 21, 24-25 - 11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
This cannot be true because Jesus taught that angels / demons are neuter.
Matt 2:29-30 - 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
The more biblically supported view is that demons are fallen Angels.
Satan fell / was hurled from heaven.
Isaiah 14:12 - 12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
Luke 10:18 - 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Some of the sinning angels were bound up waiting for judgment.
2 Pet 2:4 - 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
Others accompanied Satan when he was cast down to earth.
Rev 12:7-9 - 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
There were many angels in Heaven.
Heb 12:22 - 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.
How many were cast down to the earth?
Rev 12:1-91 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
What are demons purpose?
To serve the devil, and to attack us.
What types of attacks do demons stage?
Physical attacks.
· Matthew 9:33 – A spirit that made a man unable to speak.
· Luke 13:11-16 – A spirit of infirmity.
Mental attacks.
· Matt 17:15 – A boy lunatic.
· Luke 8:27 – A crazy or mentally ill person.
Who dealt with demons?
Jesus
· Mark 5:1-12 – A legion of demons left a man and went into a herd of pigs.
· Mark 9:25 – An evil spirit made a man deaf and mute.
· Luke 9:42 – An evil spirit possessed a young man.
The Apostles
· Acts 16:16 – Paul drives out an evil spirit that is harassing him.
The 72
· Luke 10:17 - The 72 dealt with demons.
All of these works are “miraculous,” intended to give credibility to the message, proving that tit is from God?
If miracles have ceased, has driving out demons ceased?
Discussion – How do demons, and especially demon possession relate to the plethora of physical and psychological issues that we deal with today?
· Dementia, Schizophrenia, Tourette’s, Bi-Polar, Run Amuk.
· Birth defects – lame, blind, mute.
· Are their evil people? How does accountability fit into all of this?
Romans 8:38-39 - 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[fn] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In this study I’d like us to answer the following questions:
· What are demons?
· Where did they come from?
· What is their purpose?
· Are they present today?
· Are they responsible for the physical and psychological issues that people deal with today?
We won’t look at demon hierarchy.
Eph 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
What do we know about demons?
Demons are spiritual - Matt 8:16
They have knowledge and awareness - Luke 4:34
They are not all knowing - Acts 19:15
They have varying strengths - Mat 17:14021
Their leader (Satan) is on the offence against Christians - Eph 6:10-17
Demons do the bidding of Satan / Beelzebub / the Devil – Matt 25:41, Rev 12:9
Names for their leader, Satan.
Adversary, devil, destroyer, dragon, enemy, evil spirit, great dragon, Lucifer, Satan, serpent, son of the morning, son of wickedness, spoiler, tempter, angel of the bottomless pit, antichrist, beast, Beelzebub, chief of the devils, murderer, prince of the power of the air.
Where do they come from?
One theory is that demons are the offspring of Angels and human women.
Gen 6:1-8 - 1When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. 5 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
They also claim that the Nephilim were destroyed in the flood and that their spirits are demons.
This can’t be true because God specifically set in motion for everything to breed “after its kind.”
Gen 1:11-12, 21, 24-25 - 11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
This cannot be true because Jesus taught that angels / demons are neuter.
Matt 2:29-30 - 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
The more biblically supported view is that demons are fallen Angels.
Satan fell / was hurled from heaven.
Isaiah 14:12 - 12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
Luke 10:18 - 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Some of the sinning angels were bound up waiting for judgment.
2 Pet 2:4 - 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
Others accompanied Satan when he was cast down to earth.
Rev 12:7-9 - 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
There were many angels in Heaven.
Heb 12:22 - 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.
How many were cast down to the earth?
Rev 12:1-91 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
What are demons purpose?
To serve the devil, and to attack us.
What types of attacks do demons stage?
Physical attacks.
· Matthew 9:33 – A spirit that made a man unable to speak.
· Luke 13:11-16 – A spirit of infirmity.
Mental attacks.
· Matt 17:15 – A boy lunatic.
· Luke 8:27 – A crazy or mentally ill person.
Who dealt with demons?
Jesus
· Mark 5:1-12 – A legion of demons left a man and went into a herd of pigs.
· Mark 9:25 – An evil spirit made a man deaf and mute.
· Luke 9:42 – An evil spirit possessed a young man.
The Apostles
· Acts 16:16 – Paul drives out an evil spirit that is harassing him.
The 72
· Luke 10:17 - The 72 dealt with demons.
All of these works are “miraculous,” intended to give credibility to the message, proving that tit is from God?
If miracles have ceased, has driving out demons ceased?
Discussion – How do demons, and especially demon possession relate to the plethora of physical and psychological issues that we deal with today?
· Dementia, Schizophrenia, Tourette’s, Bi-Polar, Run Amuk.
· Birth defects – lame, blind, mute.
· Are their evil people? How does accountability fit into all of this?
Romans 8:38-39 - 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[fn] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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