Answer

Demons are not permitted to come and take over a person soul if they have accepted God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. They can however oppress them; that's why we need discernment to rebuke it. You can only cast out demons when given the Authority.

But I got to tell you, the stronghold demon in my life gave a fight before he was cast out of me. The time of my total deliverance came not when I asked Jesus Christ to come in my life but two weeks later at a women's retreat.

Prophet Rita Fidele discerned the demon and told it to leave. When that happened my whole body shook and I let out a horrible scream. Demons don't like to be found out, they'll dig deep within a person's soul.

Though I too find it hard to believe, that even when I was born-again that there was a demon still present; for how can God's Spirit and Satan's spirit be in me at the same time?

We would have to ask ourselves if one can be saved without God's Spirit working in us? Can a person actually be saved and then turn their back on God and loose their salvation? I am only saying this because many Christians lack the Authority over their stronghold of sin and do not always walk a life that pleases God.

Also there is a fear to step out and move in the supernatural. What causes that? Is it possibly the direct result of a lack of faith and believing Satan's lies that we don't have the authority? Why can't we believe for miracles and for strongholds to be cast out like Jesus did? Afterall, when Jesus did these things he got instant results.

Christians don't seem to have a problem with the kind of faith that it took to truly believe in Him for the salvation of their souls and yet will struggle with the 'other stuff' that we are all called to do. I too struggle at times with this but I have noticed that the closer I walk with God, the more 'stuff' I get to do.

Going back to my given situation, maybe since I was still a young Christian with not much of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the fact that strongholds are harder to cast out was the reason why I wasn't totally delivered when I became born-again. I was so fragile then. I have asked God to show me how was it possible that there was a stronghold demon still in me, even though I was saved through Jesus Christ?

We always have to revert back to how Jesus himself dealt with demon possessed people. He didn't doubt or play games with them (like Catholic priest do), he just took authority over it and demanded it to leave.

The example to this is in Matthew 17: Shows that Jesus' disciples couldn't drive out this stronghold demon, though Jesus did it with no problem. He did however say, 'that this kind takes much prayer (& fasting)' and earlier he stated that his disciples lacked the faith to cast it out.

If 'we' are not walking in God given Authority by the power of the Holy Spirit, then 'we' will have to get in the presence of God in order to do the job right. Prophet Rita Fidele walks in the spirit in a mighty way and was able to take care of the situation. But how come the other Christians in my church didn't take care of the situation? Was it because they were not called or was it a lack of unbelief and discernment?

Not everyone walks in all the gifts spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12 (4-12). Not everyone purifies that which contaminates body and spirit; perfecting holiness out of reverance for God. (II Corinthians 7:1)

Words spoken in Authority and righteous living before God need to be sent in dealing with strongholds. Since God will not allow His kids to be bound, He does send out those who can get the job done like Jesus did.

[ Login to reply ]

sandyquill on

Re: Answer

If I am understanding you, here, then, this demonic presence was part of your life before you ever accepted Christ as your Savior? Before you asked him into your heart?

Being oppressed by a demon and being possessed are very different. We are constantly hunted, as Christians, and when our weaknesses are made known, we are attacked there for this is indeed a spiritual battle and our enemy is an expert tactician. Of course he goes for the weakness in us.

[ Login to reply ]

serenityx2u on

Re: Answer

Yes. I was demon possessed at an early age. I did ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins and to come in my life when I was 17 after the Gospel was explained to me for 2 hours.

I had a supernatural experience following when the light of God came upon me. No one could take that away from me, even Satan who would still whisper in my ear and say that God didn't exist. I knew in my heart that I met Him that day and so Satan was shut up.

Now I can only share what happened to me. I got saved at 17 years old but fell away because of no solid teachings from my Catholic Church. So I got hung up in a cult called The Way International for 2.5 years.

God got me a new job and I met a true Christian brother. He fasted and prayed for me. Then brought Scriptures to back up the difference between Christianity and The Way. Even though the devil was in my head saying, 'Don't listen! Don't listen! Leave! Flee! Hit him!' I still listened because I knew this man was a Christian. Though at the time I thought I was a Christian. I was truly on fire for God.

I have had so many supernatural encounters both in the demonic and in the Presence of God that it's so hard to list them all. That's why I am being directed to write a book.

Anyways, I am trying to make a long story short for the sake of the topic: Can a Christian have a demon in him/her? For me it was yes. I am not talking about oppression, I know what that is.

Though I had a born-again experience when I was 17, my true conversion happened 10 years later. The last demon (stronghold) to leave my body was two weeks after my conversion at that women's retreat.

Have you ever seen a demon come out of a person? It was without doubt, that those that were at our church's womens retreat that day knew what was happening. I knew nothing of the episode.

[ Login to reply ]

velvetdreams on

Re: Answer

If all believers walked in the authority Jesus gave us/ gives us the world would be a much different place. I always find it interesting that the "other stuff" is much more widely accepted and accomplished in what we call "third world" countries. Perhaps it is equally a shortage of faith AND an expectation in human intellect & ability. In the bush, for example, there may not be a physician handy, so it's God or nothing. Here, we go to the doctor, then pray if medicine can't deal with it.

As for the demonic oppression/possession issue, I have heard it explained several times this way. When we invite Jesus into our hearts, He comes into what we might think of as the livingroom. He cleans it up little by little, being gracious and merciful toward our weakness. But even when He's done, that is just the living room. He possesses ME, but there are still several rooms to which He has not yet been invited. He knows our weakness, our frailty, and knows exactly when we were/are/will be able to handle what He seeks to do in us. Nothing is instantaneous except that we turn around and begin to walk toward Him instead of away from Him. This is why the Philippians are told to work out their salvation not with "works" but in obedience and trust. Yes, the moment we invite Jesus into our lives, we are "saved" from ourselves and our sinfulness, but we must continually seek Him and let Him grow us into His likeness.

So ... we are each "delivered" periodically. Sometimes we are aware of it, other times He works without our knowledge, because He is God!

[ Login to reply ]

serenityx2u on

Re: Answer

You had many good things to say about the situation....that the "other stuff" is much more widely accepted and accomplished in what we call "third world" countries and....Here, we go to the doctor, then pray if medicine can't deal with it and...to work out their salvation not with "works" but in obedience and trust.

I also remember my Pastor saying, 'that there are many rooms that God has access to but until you hand over the key to that one room that you are holding on you will never be free to that which binds you in sin'.

Please see my response to Sandi.