When Jesus came to the Gadarene demoniac (a man in Gadarenes who was demon-possessed), He had a conversation with the legion of demons. They begged Jesus to send them into the swine herd nearby—and 2,000 pigs immediately ran off a cliff and drowned.
So not only could a single human soul house 2,000 demons, but animals can also be possessed (at least in this one brief encounter; whether it has happened at any other time, I do not know).
I don’t know all the rules for demons or for spiritual warfare. But I know they are real, and I know how to beat them: by PRAYER and FASTING (See Matthew 17:21).
Another rule is that humans usually “invite” these lying spirits into their lives. How? By their actions: by praying to them, by “channeling,” by all kinds of occult practices, like Ouija boards and palm reading and fortune tellers and psychics, and the kind of yoga and meditation that involves turning your mind “off” and opening it to other spiritual voices. There are many, many ways people invite personalized forces of evil into their lives.
Another big one is drugs and other mind-altering substances. Drugs that open the mind to all sorts of highs and hallucinations also open the mind to demonic powers. That’s one reason many drug users never recover. (The Greek word in the New Testament often translated “sorcery” is “pharmakia” from which our word “pharmacy” is derived, and includes: drugs, spells, potions, and poisons. When you hear of a witches’ brew, you should think of today’s illicit drugs.)
So if demons really can possess someone, why haven’t you ever seen it? There may be three reasons:
1) In the USA, the demonic forces stay powerful by staying hidden (their greatest power is that most people do not believe they exist);
2) Demons do not reveal themselves all the time. A demon-possessed person will seem normal most of the time, and demons will only appear when the demon is most active, such as causing the “host” person to engage in evil, or when a Christian confronts the person about Jesus and the demon becomes uncomfortable enough to reveal himself and try to scare away the Christian;
3) Finally, Americans with the most obvious cases of demon possession always end up locked away in mental hospitals, unseen and forgotten by the world.
My point?
Don’t assume demon-possession is not real just because you have not seen it. Demons are real and they will destroy you if given the chance.
You are in a spiritual battle. You will win by prayer and fasting and by taking on the full armor of God, Ephesians 6:11-18.
ΑΩ
Household Words: 