Demonization

Lesson Outline for July 31, 2025

Demonization

What have you heard, read or seen regarding a person being demonized?

Goal – Introduce how humans, including Christians can be demonized

• Do you think or believe a human can have a demon, a Christian?
• Is there any scripture that says, or demonstrates a Christian can NOT be demonized?
• Possession vs demonization
• Who allows demonization?
• What gives legal right?

 

Hebrew and Greek Terms / Definitions

• Demonized – #G1139 “daimonizomai” under the power of a demon; demonized (ex Rom 3:9,23; 5:12,13; 9:2-3)
• Daimon – “G1142 god or goddess, inferior diety; in the NT evil spirit

The green is the author’s notations in the verses below. Bold text added for emphasis

 

Demonized vs possessed

Understanding the word / term “possessed” vs “demonized” in the Bible’s New Testament

The ancient Greek manuscripts and earliest translations of the Bible did not use the word “possessed.” The word “demonized” or “under the power of a demon” was used and can be referenced in 4th century ancient Greek of the CodexSinaiticus; and the Wycliffe Bible (1392-1395). The KJV (published 1611), the English Tyndale Bible was published in 1535 and use the word “possessed,” and so does the Geneva Bible of 1560. (The Children’s Bread and the Debate of Whether a Christan Can Have a Demon 2^nd Edition, Mark Chase, Parables Publisher, Nov 2021)

This translation and misuse of the word from “demonized” to “possessed” or “possessed by a demon” causes controversy and confusion as religious dogma and doctrine takes front and center over the freedom Jesus Christ has provided, promised and commanded – for Christians too.

So, to recap, the word “possession” was not used in the ancient Greek manuscripts for demonization, but it was what the Tyndale and KJV translators used in their Bible translations, so it stuck, and most people don’t know or even think about these types of Bible items. Lastly, many of the notes and commentaries were integrated well after the late 1700s, such as Darby’s in 1867, 1872, 1884 and 1890; and Schofield Bible was published in 1907, 1917 and 1967 with changes and commentary notes that are not aligned with Hebrew and Greek. Another reason I look at the original text and ask Holy Spirit for revelation – I hope you do the same.

Matt 8:28 ESV – “And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed (daimonizomai / demonized) men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.”

 

Believers are delivered from eternal damnation and have eternal life

Big deliverance

Rom 8:1 ESV – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Rev 20:14-15 ESV – “14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Titus 3:5-7 ESV – “5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

• Believers are delivered from eternal spiritual death
• Unbelievers go to the White Throne Judgement – no eternal life
• Believers go to the Judgement Seat of Christ – 2 Cor 5:10 – eternal life

Christians belong to God

Deliverance (little deliverance) is for God’s Children

1 Cor 6:17-20 ESV – 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Matt 10:5-15 – Jesus sends out His 12 disciples by 2 to minister to the Jews – not Gentiles or Samaritans.

Luke 10:1-12 – Jesus sends out 72 without restrictions on Jew, Gentile or Samaritan.

Mark 7:24-30 ESV – 24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.”

• Who did God deliver in the Old Testament? His children
• We know through scripture God is sovereign and delivers people as He pleases
• Acts 16: 16-24. Paul delivers a woman using divination (witchcraft) –  She was not a Christian, she was a witch practicing divination.
• The woman’s faith and desperation is what moved Jesus to deliver her child
• Deliverance is the bread for God’s children
• God’s children are to be fed first

 

We are tripartite – created in three parts

1 Thess 5:23 ESV – 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit (pneuma) and soul (psuche) and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” See also – Heb 4:12; Luke 1:46-47; Matt 26:38-41

• For more go to this page – https://advancefreedomministry.com/2025/07/01/created-in-gods-image-and-likeness-2/
• Tripartite is important to understand how believers and non-believers are demonized

Gen 2:7 ESV – “then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath (nesama) of life, and the man became a living creature.”

• God breathed life into us at creation – “nesama” breath of life, spirit

 

We are a new creation

Our spirit is reborn, not our soul and body

2 Cor 5:17 ESV – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away (parerchomai); behold, the new has come (ginomai).”

• #G3928 “parerchomai” – to come away, to go forth
• #G1096 “ginomai” To become, to begin to be, to come to pass, to be finished
• John 3:6 our spirit is born-again / regenerated / reborn
• What is not new in us when we are born-again
• Demons have access to our soul/mind and body
• Our spirit is off limits to Satan and demonic forces
• And, we know this from our reality of living in this world – memories, thoughts, sinful desires, emotions, etc

 

Sin still matters

John 8:11 ESV – “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

1 John 1:8-9 ESV – 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

• We sin, sin done against us by those in authority, and ungodly soul ties / relationships
• Physical murder, witchcraft / occult, and sexual immorality seem to provide prompt legal right
• Jesus desires us to be more holy than happy
• Why did Jesus continually repeat and remind us not to sin

 

God and Satan or God and evil cannot be together – really?

What does God’s word demonstrate

Job 1:6-7 ESV – 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”

Matt 4:1-11 / Luke 4:1-13 – Jesus and Satan together at one place

• God and Satan; Light and dark cannot have fellowship, communion be in accord with each other
• God and Satan were present together after Lucifer was cast out of heaven onto earth

 

God grants permission for demonization – sin matters

Demons are granted permission, and given boundaries

1 Sam 16:14-15 ESV – “14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.” (indwelling)

Luke 22:31-32 ESV – 31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (indwelling)

2 Cor 12:7 ESV – “7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” (probably outdwelling)

Matt 12:43-45 ESV – 43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

James 4:6-8 ESV – “6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

• Demons are permitted access to our soul/mind and body – a legal right is given
• Demons have two major functions – enforce curses and produce ungodly / demonic fruit
• Demons are not in a hurry – they are after our generations
• There are consequences for our sin – on earth
• Matt 12 – Jesus explained why we are not delivered all at once in most cases – when we have not repented and moved away from sin, demonization can occur 8X worse
• Peter and Paul had both received Holy Spirit, both were Christians; Job was a righteous man – but not without sin

 

Faith and repentance – two essentials for deliverance

Deliverance is a process; little by little

2 Tim 2:24-26 ESV – “24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”

Act 3:19-20 ESV – “19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,”

2 Cor 7:10 ESV – “10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

Heb 11:1 tells us, “Now faith, is an assurance (substance) of things hoped for, the conviction (evidence) of things not seen.”

Deut 7:22 ESV – “The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.

Exo 23:29-30 ESV – “29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.

• We see no accounts of Jesus delivering the Pharisee from their demons – they were prideful and lacked faith and repentance
• Little by little – deliverance is a process – it’s part of sanctification
• Inner healing is essential – Isa 61:1 “bind up the broken hearted”

 

Refuting common religious philosophy and arguments

Consider and pray

Bipartite – man is body and soul (spirit and soul are one in the same) discussed in lesson and previous lessons – see link above in this lesson

Possession vs demonization – Discussed at intro to this lesson

Denomination doctrine and philosophy – John 8:39-47 The pharisee relied on their lineage and received a harsh rebuke from Jesus Christ – The pharisee may have been the offspring of Abraham, but they weren’t his children

Body is the temple of the Holy Spirit – Temple and Tent of Meeting were three parts

Temple – Holy of Holies, Holy Place and Outer Court Area; Tent – Most Holy Place, Holy Place, Courtyard – God’s Spirit was in the Holy of Holies not the other areas of the temple. Remember there was all manner of sin occurring in the “Outer Court” which was part of the temple

Body as a house – A house has many rooms. Jesus referred to our body as houses, we have doors and rooms in our house. Do you think you have opened all the doors to Holy Spirit?

Jesus took our sin and curse for us – yes, the curse of eternal spiritual death. The curse of physical death still exists. Demons don’t just leave when we are saved. That is why we don’t lose our bad memories, thoughts, addictions of all types, pride.., as a matter of fact pride is one of our biggest addictions

Authority and power over demons – to evict demons from our house.  Luke 10:19, Col 2:15, Mark 16:17

Demons can say the name of Jesus Christ – Act 19:15 ESV – “15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?””

Common indicators for some level of demonization

• Difficulty reading and understanding the Bible and worshipping God
• Detrimental blood line patterns – early death, mental illness, addictions, accidents
• Plaguing thoughts
• Addictions
• Unreasonable fear or rage
• Anxiety and depression
• Unreasonable emotions
• Thoughts of suicide and self-harm
• Constant strife in relationships
• Separation and alienation within families
• Patterns of divorce and / or illegitimate children
• Unexplainable sicknesses
• Sensation of choking or heaviness on the shoulders or chest
• Repeating patterns of failure in life

Last thoughts and considerations

• Deliverance from demons is a miracle / mighty work – Mark 9
• “Deliverance and inner healing are great for everyone else but me, c’mon”
• The battle belongs to the Lord – He is the Deliverer and Healer
• Sin allows the enemy access / legal right to us
• How many sins or plaguing thoughts / actions have you not been able to stop – no matter how much you pray, read the Bible, etc
• Inner healing is essential for deliverance (see our website for more on inner healing)
• Faith and repentance are essential for deliverance
• Sin has consequences – for believers too
• Have you opened up all your rooms to Jesus Christ
• Christians can be saved and be demonized
• Deliverance is a process – Jesus delivers and heals as you increase to keep your territory – just like the Israelites taking the Promised Land

 

Other verses for self-study

Heb 4:12 ESV – “12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  (tripartite)

Luke 1:46-47 ESV – “46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,…” (tripartite)

Matt 26:38-41 ESV – “38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit  indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”” (tripartite)

Psa 23:3 ESV – “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (tripartite)

Job 7:11 ESV – “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.” (tripartite)

2 Cor 5:1 ESV – “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Matt 5:23-25 ESV – “23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.” (Jesus is referring to demonization v 25 accuser is demons/devils, court is where he get legal access – just like Job and Peter, Judge is God, guard is demon, prison is torment)

1 Tim 2:6 ESV – “6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

Mark 16:15-18 ESV – “15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.””

Luke 10:19-20 ESV – “19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Col 2:15 ESV – “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

Isa 61:1 ESV – “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound…”

Mar 9:39 ESV – 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work (dynamis=miracle) in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.”” (dynamis=miracle – Jesus was telling us deliverance is a miracle)