I don't generally
write about this subject. From what experience and study I do have,
those who actually know anything about it know that it's something
you hope you never have to encounter, and are never allowed to forget
if you do.
The first thing that
needs to be understood about demons is that they're insane. Another
way to put it is that they're clinically psychotic and unstable. And
they have a grudge against human beings so malevolent that it defies
reason.
The second thing
that needs to be understood is that they're virtually everywhere, and
they're always whispering little suggestions trying to get us to
engage with them. As we agree with these insidious little
suggestions, said demons gain a bigger foothold in our thoughts,
feelings, and practices. “To whomever you offer yourself as a slave
to obey, you are that one's slave whom you obey.” Most of the time,
this leads to mere confusion and a wasted or destroyed life. But in
some cases, it leads further to oppression, and then possession.
It doesn't seem like
demons can take possession of someone without their agreement or
permission in some way, whether it was obtained on the sly or not. If
you agree with a demonic suggestion, any demonic suggestion no matter
how innocuous it may seem, you risk opening yourself up to a world of
hurt as even the smallest “joining of minds” with one can throw
open the floodgates as it pushes more and more. If you give an inch,
a demon will take a lightyear if it can get away with it. It also doesn't appear that those being influenced by demons are aware of it unless the thing has taken full possession.
One thing I and
others have noticed, is that when a person is being influenced by a
demon to attack a Christian in some way, there is always something
different about the expression in the person's eyes. It's hard to
describe except that it seems more malevolent and off balance
somehow. This is especially true in full possession, as well as a
possible change in the person's voice.
Exorcising a demon
doesn't guarantee that demon will be gone for good. Remember, the
person had to “join minds” or agree with the demon in some way in
order for it to begin to influence that person to the point of
oppression or possession. That initial agreement in terms of thought
or feelings may not have changed just because the thing was chased
away. Once it has been thrown out, the formerly influenced person has
to turn away from that agreement and close that open door. This is
often psychologically easier said than done because that agreement
can come from personal trauma and deep pain which the demon can then
exploit with suggestion. Battle against demonic influence is an
ongoing process, not a once for all proposition. Put simply, they
don't give up without a fight, and they don't just go away. Once they
are aware of a weakness, they will continue to exploit it until it is
no longer a weakness. Then they will look for another one. Be
prepared for a long and drawn out, possibly life-long fight.
Demons will usually
attack those whom they deem a threat, and leave those whom they don't
alone. Often, by leaving a Christian alone, this will cause a puffed
up head as the Christian is able to abstain from various sins. This
puffed up head becomes pride, and then the man has done all the
demon's work by destroying himself this way spiritually for the
demon. Thus you see a number of Christians who seem to have no
problems, and become increasingly assured of their own personal
godliness or spirituality.
If a demon is
consistently repelled by a Christian through prayer and ascetic
practice, it will turn on those who are close to the person and try
to force a reaction through that close friend or loved one. Barring
this, I've seen them influence pets and other animals to become
unexplainably aggressive or hostile.
In Scripture,
neither Jesus nor his Apostles went looking for demons to cast out.
If one happened to approach and start shouting who He was, or in the
case of St. Paul, start giving unauthorized endorsements, then they
exorcised it. They also did so when requested. But otherwise, they
left them alone if the demons left them alone. The Gerasene Demoniac
in Mark is instructive in this matter as Jesus even had compassion on
the legion of demons in the man and granted their request, malevolent
though they may have been.
Furthermore, in the
book of Acts, not just anyone could perform an exorcism using Jesus'
name. There is an instructive passage in Acts 19:13-16 regarding
this. The only ones in Holy Scripture who are seen doing this seem to
be either Jesus Himself, of whom the demons were terrified, or the
Apostles, principally St. Paul, whose name the aforementioned demon in
Acts 19 recognized. Exorcism was also practiced in the Pre-Nicene
Church on a regular basis when the need arose by more than one member
of the Church, but again, they didn't go hunting neither did they
knowingly provoke a fight.
The only people whom
demons seem to recognize as having the authority to order them around
are those who are close to Jesus Christ in faith and practice.
Invoking His Name isn't enough. You have to actually be following and
obeying Him as He taught in self-denial, love, constant prayer,
humility, and Grace. Even in these best of circumstances, it is a
dangerous and serious thing to attempt. You're dealing with an eons
old, very powerful, psychotic spiritual being who despises you and
has it in for you. A Christian who is in any kind of sin is in
terrible danger if they attempt it. A Christian who is not remaining
in Christ is in terrible danger if they attempt it, regardless of who
they are or what manner of holy orders they keep. From my
understanding, there have been priests who have ended up possessed
because they hadn't taken their relationship with and obedience to
Christ seriously enough.
I can't stress
enough that the only human being a demon is actually afraid of is
Jesus Christ Himself. If a person is not closely joined to Him by
agreement with Him, by obedience to Him, and by remaining in Him,
they will toy with that person, they will deceive that person, they
will use that person's weakness, especially their pride, against them
to destroy that person and they will enjoy doing it.
I write this,
hopefully, to sober up the person who thinks that they're “all
that” and thinks that they can just walk in and cast out a demon in
Jesus' Name (as some Christians seem to teach these days). You have
no idea what you're walking into, and once you stir up that hornet's
nest... demons have long memories, don't forgive, and don't give up.
