How Can We Tell If Someone Is Demon-Possessed?

The Bible's Answers to Man's Questions

Matthew 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Matthew 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Mark 5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Luke 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

There was a time when people were all to ready to accuse those who acted differently than they did of being demon-possessed. The Jewish leaders even accused Jesus himself of having a devil, or demon (John 8:48, and others). In medieval times, accusing someone of witchcraft, which was inspired by demons, sometimes a convenient pretext to rid oneself of enemies. In our times, though, most people dispute that there is any such thing as demons at all, and behavior once attributed to them is ascribed to mental illness, perhaps due to a chemical imbalance. If we believe the clear witness of scripture, though, demons are as real as bacteria or viruses or any other causes of human catastrophe.

Just because someone is being influenced by demons doesn't mean they are possessed by them. Demons can influence our thoughts and behavior from the outside, and Christians especially are subject to such attacks. Like their master, Satan, demons can suggest ideas and motives in an attempt to turn us away from God. Christ's temptation in the wilderness is the prime example of this. Also, the Devil can try to influence us through circumstances, or through the actions or words of others, as he did with Job. For those who don't know Christ, he bends his effort to keep them away; for those who do, he tries to destroy their witness or render them powerless. A Christian cannot be demon-possessed, because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and no demon can live in the presence of God's Spirit. It is possible, though, for a Christian to be so tormented by demons that they can appear to be possessed.

That still leaves the basic question. To be "possessed" by a demon means, literally, to be owned by one. The demon, or demons, control the mind, body, and emotions of the person they inhabit. If they so desire, they can cause the person to indulge in bizarre, self-destructive behavior, like the Gadarene demoniac, or the boy who was often cast into the fire (Mark 9:22). Demon-possessed people have been known to perform prodigious acts of strength, or affect physical objects around them. There is one primary mark of demon possession, though, that never varies: no one who is demon possessed can praise Jesus Christ as Lord. Even many who are not possessed by demons can, and do, curse God, but these can also praise him with a lying voice. Unless it is in a sneering, mocking way, though, no demon-possessed person can give praise to God. If the person uses particularly vile ways of cursing God, they may well be possessed, but that is no guarantee.  The passage above from 1 Corinthians does give some very specific guidance about the spiritual sources of blessing and cursing Christ, but that does not mean that every one who curses the Lord is possessed, or that everyone who mouths words in praise of him belongs to him (Matthew 7:21-23).

It is beyond the scope of this short article to discuss how demons can be cast out, but there are things they cannot endure: the name of Jesus, his shed blood, and anything or anyone that is holy. God gives his children discernment, and one of the things we can discern, or should be able to, is the presence of demons in another human being. There may be evidence in the eyes (often a reddish tint), or in behavior, or in speech. Dealing with such people is dangerous, and no one who is not spiritually qualified should take on a demon directly without specific guidance from the Lord. There are godly people with a particular ministry of deliverance, but all of us can pray, and, if the occasion demands it, fast as well. Some demons, Jesus said, will come out only in response to prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:29).

Demons look for weak spots. They can come into someone's life during a time of emotional or physical weakness or stress, or through a gateway opened by occult practices, such as Ouija boards, horoscopes, or fortune telling. We should never let ourselves be preoccupied by them, but neither should we pretend they don't exist. I firmly believe that some of history's great monsters, like Hitler and Saddam Hussein, were, or are, demon possessed. To deal with our enemy, we must know him.

I've already mentioned two ways we can always use to help someone who is demon-possessed, by praying and fasting on their behalf.  We should always enlist the help of other believers, especially our pastor.  If we're not Christian, this avenue is closed, but only until we give our lives to Christ.  If Satan can use the spiritual bondage of others to keep us away from Christ, he will.  Until our own spiritual house is in order, including unconfessed sin in our lives, we cannot hope to help others through prayer and intercession.  The following suggestions are not intended to be a specific plan of action, nor is any promise or guarantee attached to them.  It seems to me, though, in the understanding that the Lord has given me, that these are sensible admonitions and warnings:

• Always seek professional advice, before taking any action on your own, or asking for specific action by others.  This should include, first or all, your pastor, and / or counselors with a ministry in deliverance.  If the person poses a danger to himself or herself, or to others, seek help from the police.  We should never place ourselves in potential or real physical danger out of some misguided sense of spiritual pride or fear of being thought weak.  Although therapy and medication don't treat the underlying cause of spiritual bondage, they may be successful in controlling the symptoms while spiritual solutions are sought.
• Enlist the help of family members and friends, especially your church family.  Christian love, Paul wrote, includes bearing the burdens of others (Galatians 6:2).  None of us, as believers, need ever try to bear our cross alone.  In casting our burdens on other believers, we are casting them on Christ, on his body, as he commanded, and taking up his burden, which is light (Matthew 11:28-30).  There is great power in unified prayer (Matthew 18:19).
• As important as it is to seek medical help, don't allow yourself to be convinced that there is no such thing as demon possession, and that the person's only problem is some mental illness, especially schizophrenia.  The Bible makes it quite clear that demons can cause both physical and mental problems, as in the stories mentioned above.  I know of people, some quite close to me, who have schizophrenia with none of the extreme spiritual manifestations discussed above.  I do believe that mental and physical illness can weaken us to the point that demons can find a point of entry into our lives.  Just because someone has a diagnosed mental illness, though, doesn't rule out spiritual causes to his or her problems.
• Beware of charlatans.  These include psychics, who may claim they can drive the evil spirits away, or "into the light".  These are instruments of Satan, and Jesus himself said that Satan cannot drive out Satan (Matthew 12:25-26).  Some paranormal "practitioners" rely on talismans like candles or burning sage to "purify" or "cleanse" a house.  It is sometimes to Satan's advantage to make it appear that such methods and devices work, because that makes people more receptive to his other lies.  Some "exorcists" may wear the guise of Christians, and claim to have delivered many people from demonic bondage.  Don't accept their word at face value, or the recommendation of a friend.  Research the self-appointed exorcist and any organization he represents on the Internet, and ask your pastor to consult his own sources.  If your pastor is the one performing the exorcism, check into past deliverances he claims to have done; talk with the people involved.  For something as important and potentially dangerous as a proposed exorcism, there is no such thing as being too cautious.
• If you, and the person's other family members or close friends, do decide that an exorcism should be done, and you're confident the exorcist is credible, exercise all possible precautions.  What these are depends on the personal circumstances involved (sex, age, location of residence), and on the advice given by the exorcist.  If the exorcism is successful, don't stop there.  As Jesus said, a demon driven out of a person may go away for a while, but if he comes back, and finds the "house" of the person's mind, "clean and garnished", but empty, he will bring several of his buddies along and set up house again.  The person ends up worse than they were before.  No one is truly delivered from the bondage of sin, in whatever form, until they have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in their life.  Make every effort, and enlist the help of your pastor and others, to lead the delivered one to Christ.
• If all attempts fail, and the man or woman, or child, remains in the control of a demon, or demons, don't give up.  Continue to seek God in prayer, and continue to seek the comfort and support of others.  Ultimately, the Lord may give you a stop in your spirit, and instruct you to cease praying.  Until then, never give up.  Remember that Abraham was 100 years old before the Lord gave him his promised son, and Israel waited 400 years without a prophet, until the promised messiah came.  Find a book that records all of God's promises in Scripture, and remember what Abraham said about God's promises: Roman 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.  Once you have God's assurance that something will happen, including the deliverance of someone who is demon-possessed, hold tight to it; God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).  As your own faith grows stronger, you will see prayers answered you never thought possible.

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