CHAPTER 2. THE GREEK WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE DEMON POSSESSION.

1. "IN an unclean spirit." "En pneumati akatharto." Mk.1v23. 5v2.
The adjective "akathartos," "unclean, foul," is used 22 times in the New Testament to describe the demons who possess people. In Mk.1v23. 5v2., "with an unclean spirit;" "with" is "en, "IN;" a person who is possessed with an unclean spirit, is also immersed "IN" an unclean spirit." There is no such thing as possession of part of a person; a possessed person not only has an unclean spirit in them, they are also surrounded and immersed "IN an unclean spirit." A Spirit filled Christian is immersed in the beautiful presence of THE HOLY SPIRIT; a demon possessed person is immersed in the defiling presence of AN UNCLEAN EVIL SPIRIT. A Christian cannot be, "In Christ," and be "in an unclean spirit" at the same time; nor can a Christian be baptised in the Holy Spirit and be possessed by an unclean spirit at the same time. God and an unclean spirit cannot coexist together in the same body. Christ has no agreement with demons. 2Cor.6v15,16. Paul affirms that we are the temple of God, and that God dwells and lives in us, and walks in us; as He promised in the prophets. Lev.26v11,12. Is.52v11. Ezek.20v34. 37v27. 2Sam.7v8,14. Demons tremble at God's presence with and within a Christian, and fear and fly. James.2v19.

God emphatically warned Peter three times not to call anyone who He had cleansed, common or unclean, "akathartos." Acts.10v14,15,28. 11v8-10. These very strong admonitions, should warn us not to say that Christians can have unclean spirits in them; for God Himself affirms that Christians have been cleansed by Him. Paul also states that Christians are cleansed by God. In 1Cor.6v9-11., Paul informs the Corinthians, that "the unjust shall not inherit God's kingdom," but adds; "And such were some of you; but YE ARE WASHED, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD." "Washed," is "apelousasthe," the aorist middle of "apolouo," "to wash off, or away, to wash thoroughly." The aorist tense shows the decisive action at the point of salvation; and the preposition "apo," in the compound, shows the complete washing away of our sins "from" us, by the Holy Spirit at salvation.

Paul also writes in Tit.3v5., that we are cleansed by the Holy Spirit's purifying power. God has saved us by washing us through the cleansing bath, "dia loutrou," of regeneration, ("palingenesias," only here and Mt.19v28. See Acts.3v21.);, and by the renewings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has bathed us, cleansed us, and renewed us at our conversion; and those who say that He allows demons to remain in us when He cleanses us, or after He has cleansed us, charge Him with folly.

Christ Himself tells us in Jn.13v10,11., that after the cleansing bath of regeneration, only our feet need to be washed; "He that is bathed, ("leloumenos," the perfect passive participle of "louo," "to bathe") needs only to wash, "nipto," his feet, but is completely clean," "katharos." the perfect tense EMPHASISES THE ABIDING STATE OF GOD'S CLEANSING. In these daily washings of our feet, we are "to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God." 2Cor.7v1. As we confess our sins and walk in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us, "katharizo," from all sin. 1Jn.1v7,9. We are washed from our sins and protected by the precious blood of Christ. 1Pet.1v18,19. Rev.1v5. 7v14. 12v11,12. All the apostles, except Judas, were cleansed by the Spirit and the Word. Judas was unclean ("akathartos"); being defiled by, bitterness through thwarted ambition, slander, insatiable greed, and finally by betrayal and apostasy, which allowed Satan to possess him. Jn.6v66-71. 12v4-6. 13v2,26,27. 15v3. Mk.14v10,11.

The noun, "akatharsia," "uncleanness," is used in the papyri of a woman who is living a filthy, unclean and evil life, of a filthy house; and a wound that is infected, putrifying and exuding pus. ("Akatharsia" occurs in Mt.23v37. Rom.1v24. 6v19. Gal.5v19. 2Cor.12v21. Eph.4v19. 5v3. Col.3v5. 1Thes.2v3. 4v7. and Rev.17v4..) Dare anyone say that the Holy Spirit would allow an unclean ("akathartos") spirit to share the body of a Christian with Him? A Christian cannot be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT and be possessed by an EVIL SPIRIT at the same time. Demons fear, tremble, and flee from the infinite greatness, ineffable purity, and holy majesty of God that is with a Christian. James.2v19. 4v5-7. The Almighty God who is within us, is infinitely greater than he that is in the world, and He has come to abide with us for ever. Jn.14v16,17. 1Jn.4v4. We have not received the spirit of bondage to fear Satan, death, and judgement; we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Heb.2v14,15. No evil principality or power can separate us from the love, presence and power of God, in Jesus our Lord. Rom.8v14-39. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" God's protective guardianship of us is a present and continuous fact.

2. "HAVE an evil spirit." "Echo," "to have, to possess."
People possessed by demons are said to "HAVE," "echei;" or "HAD," "echon." a demon, in the following Scriptures. Mt.11v18. Mark.3v22,30. 7v25. Luke.4v33. 7v33. 8v27. (13v11. Note v13, Jesus prayed for, not exorcised; so it appears to be an external afflicting demon, as in the case of Job) Jn.7v20. 8v48,52. 10v20. Acts.16v16. and 19v13.. John Baptist was accused of "having" a demon. Mt.11v18. Lk.7v33. Israel's religious leaders said Christ "had" an evil spirit which did his miracles. Jn.7v20. 8v48,52. 10v20. Our Lord warned that this was blasphemy, and that they were in danger of committing the unforgiveable sin. Mk.3v22,28-30. Is it not a sin to say that Christians are possessed?

3. "To be POSSESSED by a demon." "Daimonizomai." See APPENDIX.
The word "daimonizomai," means, "to be demonised, possessed and under the control of a demon." It occurs in Mt.4v24. 8v16,28,33. 9v32. 12v22. 15v22. Mk.1v32. 5v15,16,18. Lk.8v36. and Jn.10v21. The word "demonised," is always used in the Scriptures, of a person who has a demon within them, it is never used of temptation or oppression by a demon from outside a person. The exorcism of the Gadarine demoniacs in Mt.8v28-34. Mk.5v1-20. and Lk.8v26-29., shows that the word "demonised," is synonymous with "having a demon," or being "in" a demon. The man "in," "en," an evil spirit, is said to be "demonised." Mk.5v2,15,16,18. The demons are said to "have gone out" of the man in Mk.5v13.. In the same event in Lk.8v27,29,33., our Lord spoke to the demons in the man who "had," "echon," demons, and commanded them to "come out from," the man. In Lk.8v33., "out from," is "apo;" whereas Mk.5v8. uses "ek," "out of." Luke states in Lk.8v30., that many demons had entered "into," "eis," him, and v36 says he was "possessed of demons." So "having a demon," being "in a demon," and being "demonised," are terms that speak of total demonic possession and control.

To sum up, demon possessed people are said to "have," "echon," a demon that dominates and controls them, Lk.8v27.; they are "in," "en," a demon, Mark.5v2.; demons are said to have entered "into," "eis", them, Lk.8v30.; and when exorcised, demons are said to have "gone out," "exelthonta," and "out from," "apo," them, in Lk.8v33.; or "out of," "ek;" a person, in Mk.5v8.. They are also said to be "demonised," Mk.5v2,15,16,18. Matthew tells us in Mt.8v28., that there were two men who were demon possessed, "duo daimonizomenoi," "two possessed with demons;" whereas Mark.5v2. reads "en pneumati akathartoi," a man "in an unclean spirit;" and Luke.8v27. reads "tis echon daimonia," "one having demons." Matthew tells us two men were possessed, Mark and Luke concentrate on the most notorious case of demon possession. The village was some miles Southeast of the city of Gadara, in the country of the Gerasenes, so it could be called after both Gerasa or Gadara.

4. "To be VEXED with unclean spirits."
In Lk.6v18., we read that those who were vexed with unclean spirits were healed; "vexed" is "ochloumenous," from "ochleo," "to vex, disturb, or trouble." In Acts.5v16. all those who were vexed by unclean spirits were healed. The Syrophenician woman told Jesus that her daughter was badly demonised, "kakos daimonizetai:" this shows the terrible distress caused by demons. Demons can also torment from the outside; king Saul was troubled by an evil spirit, even though he was not possessed by it; David's anointed sacred music drove the evil spirit away. 1Sam.16v14-23.

5. The OPPRESSED of the Devil. Acts.10v36-38.
When Peter preached to Cornelius and his friends, he said, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the Devil, for God was with Him." We see.

"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power."
"Anointed," is "echrisen," the first aorist active of "chrio," "to anoint:" from which "Christos" is derived; Jesus was the Messiah, the promised "anointed one" of the prophecies. Acts.2v6. Is.11v1-5. Jesus received this anointing for ministry at Jordan, when the Holy Spirit came upon Him. Mt.3v16,17. John.3v34. Lk.3v21.22. 4v1,2,14. Heb.1v8,9.

"Who went about doing good," "Hos dielthen euergeton."
"Dielthen," is the aorist active of "dierchomai," "to go through, or pass through, to go about from place to place." The travelling that our Lord did was truly amazing, and the pressure that this put upon Him was absolutely enormous. "Euergeton," is the present active participle of "euergeteo," "to do well, to do good;" it is from "eu," "well," and "ergon," "work." The substantive "euergetes," which means "benefactor," see Lk.22v25., was used as a title of Ptolemy, "Ptolemy Euergetes," and it was used by other Hellenistic kings. The Lord Jesus was the only one who really deserved this title, it beautifully describes His totally sacrificial ministry. Christians who have a ministry of healing to those who are oppressed by Satan, are doing good.

"And healing all who were oppressed by the Devil."
Vincent says, "The 'and,' 'kai,' has a particularising force: doing good, 'and in particular,' healing." Robertson says, "And healing (kai iomenos). And in particular healing." The main emphasis of our Lord's ministry was healing. The Lord Jesus healed, "all who were being oppressed;" "pantas tous katadunasteuomenous:" the present passive participle of "katadunasteuo," "to exercise power against someone, to oppress, to exploit, to dominate someone."

Satan uses his powers to dominate and oppress mankind with sickness and numerous other ills. 2Tim.2v26. Satan is the evil potentate, "dunastes," who dominated a dominion of death until Jesus destroyed Satan's power by His death on the cross. Heb.2v14. "Katadunasteuo" only occurs here and James.2v6., where it is used in the present active indicative of the rich oppressing the poor.

"For God was with Him," "hoti ho theos en met autou." These words are used in John.3v2. by Nicodemus of the Lord Jesus; and by Gabriel of Mary, and of John Baptist in Lk.1v28,66.; and of Joseph in Acts.7v9.. This Scripture shows that Jesus did His miracles by the Holy Spirit's God's anointing, and not by His own power. Is.11v1-15. 61v1. with Lk.4v18. Jn.5v18,19,30.

N.B. 1. Peter uses "oppressed" to cover all of Satan's activities against mankind.
It has become common practice for Christians to use Peter's word "oppressed," in Acts.10v38., to speak of the attack of evil spirits from outside the body; however, Peter uses "oppressed" to speak of all of Satan's evil activities against mankind. The ministry of Jesus delivered all who were being oppressed by Satan, as John states; "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil." Hallelujah! 1Jn.3v8.

N.B. 2. Satan's attempts to corrupt, afflict, and cause pain to God's Creation.
The Scriptures inform us that evil angels have the power and ability to create human and animal bodies. Exod.7v8-13,22. 8v7. Gen.6v4. Jude.v6. In Lk.10v19., Jesus links creatures, like snakes and scorpions, that cause pain and death, with the power of the enemy. Is our Lord saying that Satan has created some of these harmful animals? Satan is also called by the name "Beelzebub," "the lord of flies," or "lord of dung and filth;" one could easily believe that mosquitoes, which cause so much sickness and death, are a creation of the Evil One. Our Lord and His Church rebuked sickness and disease in the same way that they rebuked demons, and they are certainly looked upon as enemies of the desire and will of God. Jesus indicates that many of the evil things in creation have been created by the malignant minds of evil angels. I cannot believe that a good God has created viruses like German measles, which leave children deaf and blind; and many other hurtful things, that cause pain and death to mankind. Some bacteria have a useful and essential function in nature, like those that take part in the nitrogen cycle; but others can be very definitely called evil. It is quite conceivable that evil spirits, who delight in sadism, would desire to create evil things to cause mankind suffering and death, they certainly have both the desire and ability to do so. Heb.2v14.

Paul states in Rom.8v19-23., that the whole creation has been groaning in pain, and that is has been subject to "unreality." The word for "unreality," is "mataioteti," which means, aimlessness, futility, vanity, the inability to reach a goal, or achieve results. Eph.4v17. 2Pet.2v18. We see in Is.11v5-9., that when Jesus returns the violence will go out of the creation; the wolf will lie down with the lamb, and the lion will eat straw like an ox, and the effect of God's blessing and presence will be health and blessing forever. Is.65v17-25. Rev.21v1-8. 22v1-7.

N.B. 3. The importance of having a correct terminology and genuine revelation gifts.
If we use Paul's descriptions of the attacks of Satan and his angels upon us; and define them as "fiery darts" and "energisings;" we shall have a greater precision in our terminology about spiritual realities, and this will aid us in our spiritual warfare, and save us from wrong diagnosis in spiritual matters. We need both a correct theology on spiritual warfare, and a genuine operation of the revelation gifts of the Holy Spirit, if we are to accurately discern those who are really possessed by evil spirits, from those who are being attacked by demons that are outside of them.

6. The Effects of Demon Possession and Oppression.
a. Derangement.
The father of the boy with an evil spirit, told Jesus that the demons within the boy had tried to injure or kill the child by throwing him into fire and water. Jesus warns us that we have to live close to God to expel this kind of powerful sadistic demon. Mt.17v15,21. All the demon possessed people in the New Testament were quite incapable of normal living and were manifestly deranged. This is why someone said of Jesus, "These are not the words of one who is possessed by a devil." Jn.10v20,21. They said that a demon possessed person did not speak or act like Christ did. Demon possessed people do not manifest the fruit of the Spirit, and go round singing hymns, praising God, and manifesting God's gifts and declaring His wonderful works. Can anyone seriously suggest that a born again, Bible-loving, God-fearing and Spirit-filled Christian, can have demons within them? The demoniac of Gadara shows what real demon possession is like; he broke chains with supernatural strength, he was naked in the tombs, he cut himself with knives, and had no rest, crying in anguish day and night. The demons within him wanted to live in the dark, in the tombs, rather than see the glory of God in creation. The demons found sadistic pleasure in causing the man continual misery, pain and torture. This is what real demon possession is like.

N.B. World leaders are dominated by Satan and the evil principalities and powers.
The domination of world leaders, who are the "vessels of wrath" that Satan uses as his instruments in the rule of the world, is quite different from the possession of the people that Jesus exorcised. The heads of the beast, and the other instruments of Satan, have the cunning and ruthlessness of the serpent. Their plans are made with the aid of Satan's evil intelligence, and like Herod and Judas; they, without cause, murder the holy and the innocent. Mt.2v16. Jn.15v20-25. Satan-inspired leaders like Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler, Stalin and Antichrist, build their plans on the dead bodies of millions. Antichrist will care nothing for the death of billions of people to obtain world-wide power and position. These ruthless, brutal and merciless leaders, show the ultimate in derangement, they kill the people of God, and fight the living God to His face. This kind of domination and control is totally different from the possession seen in the Gospels, for it is to fulfil Satan's desire for world dominion and worship. These evil leaders carry on the normal affairs of life, but they plan with evil intelligence, and have the irrationality of the evil mind, and are void of true wisdom and love. These leaders are dominated by lies and deceit; and when they co-operate with Satan in their evil plans and acts, they manifest the derangement, and share the judgement, of the Satan-dominated life and mind.

b. Sickness.
The Scriptures reveal that demon possession can cause sickness and mental derangement, and when Jesus cast out these demons the people were healed. Mt.9v33. 10v8. 17v14—21. Mk.1v24-27. 16v17. Lk.8v32. 11v14. 13v32. However, very few sicknesses are caused by demon possession; and Mt.4v23,24., warns us not to confuse physical sicknesses like epilepsy and lunacy with demon possession. Sickness through demon oppression is caused by the operation of evil spiritual power on the human body. This occurred in the case of Job, who was certainly not possessed by demons. The woman with "a spirit of infirmity" in Lk.13v11., was not exorcised by Jesus, He laid hands on her and healed her; this shows that it was the evil spiritual energy from a demon that had made her sick, not possession by a demon. The primary cause of sickness is the sin of Adam, which deprived mankind of the tree of life. Gen.3v22-24. The restoration of the tree of life will guarantee the eternal health of all God's redeemed creation, in both the New Heaven and the New earth. Rev.22v1,2,17.

c. Moral Corruption.
Demons serve Satan from fear, they attempt to corrupt mankind and energise the children of disobedience. Eph.2v1-3. Mt.12v26-28. They incite to slander, idolatry, and false doctrine, 1Cor.10v20,21. 1Tim.1v4. James.3v5,6,15.

d. Accidents, War, Robbery and Injury.
Storms, lightning and warring Sabeans and Chaldeans, were sent against Job by Satan; however, he had to get permission from God to do this. God's restraint upon the evil plans of the powers of darkness, is a fact of Scripture and history. 2Thes.2v7. Nations like Babylon, which were under the control of Satan, have found that the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, even when the vilest of angels and men rule over them. Dan.2v21. 4v17. 5v21.

7.. The Various Kinds of Possession and Control by Evil Spirits.
The Scriptures reveal that demons possess people for the following evil purposes.

a. The evil spirits who possess and torment people for sadistic pleasure.
The Gospels reveal that the demons in the people that Jesus exorcised,; got their pleasure and enjoyment, out of the permanent sadistic torture of their victims; like the demoniac of Gadara; or the people that Jesus delivered from demons, who were blind, dumb or sick through demon possession.

b. The evil spirits who possess people to do lying wonders to deceive people.
Occultists call upon the powers of darkness to give them spiritual power, they believe they are using these demon powers, but they are really being used by demons and Satan. These occultists are like Jannes and Jambres, the magicians of Pharaoh, who opposed Moses, and hardened Pharaoh's heart by doing miracles through the power of Satan. Beware! Signs like this still occur today. Exod.7v11,22. 8v7,18,19. 9v11. 2Tim.3v8. See. Dan.1v20. 2v2,10,27. 4v7,9. 5v11. The purpose of demonic control over occultists is different from normal possession; demons aim to impress and corrupt people into occultism, idolatry and immorality. These occultists also experience.

Demonic revelations while conscious.
Occultists have counterfeit revelations from evil spirits, sometimes without the loss of their senses, like Balaam, who went into trances and had visions. However, when he tried to curse the children of Israel, God made Balaam prophesy His words, and made him bless them. Numb.23v23. 24v4,16. Is.8v18-20.

Demonic revelations while unconscious.
Spiritualist mediums who have become Christians inform us, that when they were mediums and went into a trance, they lost consciousness, and had no recollection of events that had transpired while they were in the trance. When they came out of the trance, they had to be told what they had said, and what had occurred in the seance. This total loss of consciousness, is quite different from the revelations given to Christians by the Holy Spirit, who are conscious in their visions. The "ekstasis" visions that Peter and Paul had in Acts.10v10. (11v6.), and Acts.22v17., are amongst the most overpowering visions that are given to Christians; but Christians are conscious in them; indeed, they have an heightened awareness of consciousness, which cannot be experienced by an ordinary person. The noun "ekstasis," is from the verb "existemi, and shows that "they were carried out of the normal senses of sight and sound, to behold the vision given by God."

These "ekstasis" visions are quite different from the "horama" vision of Cornelius in Acts.10v3.; Cornelius viewed the vision through his senses; whereas, Peter was taken out of the range of his human senses to behold the vision, by divine revelation. Jesus gave Paul an "ekstasis" vision of Himself, while Paul was praying in the Temple; and warned him to leave Jerusalem quickly, because the Jews would not receive his testimony; and told Paul that He was sending him to the Gentiles. "Make haste, and go away with speed out of Jerusalem: because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me." Paul desired to win the Jews, and argued that they would listen to him; so our Lord had to order him away; "Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles." Acts.22v17-22. These were critical visions, that directed them to go to the Gentiles with the Gospel, and changed the direction of the whole Church.

c. The evil spirits that possess and dominate the rulers over the nations.
Satan can dominate world rulers by injecting his thoughts into their minds, However, at critical points in history, Satan has possessed evil world rulers, and others, to make sure that they perform his will. This took place when Satan possessed Judas and drove him to Israel's religious leaders to betray Jesus, and for a second time in the upper room when after the morsel of food, Satan again entered into Judas to drive him to the act of betrayal in the garden. Lk.22v1-6. Jn.13v26-31. 18v1-12. N.B. v2,3. Having used Judas, Satan destroyed him, by attacking his mind with guilt, until he committed suicide. Mt.27v3-10. Acts.1v15-20,25. Paul informs us that we can counteract the Satanic energising of world rulers, and those in authority, through prayer, and directs us to make this the first priority in our prayers. 1Tim.2v1-8. Eph.2v1-3. Dan.10v1-21.

N.B. Only apostate Christians can be possessed by demons.
The doctrine that a person can be partially demon possessed is quite unknown in the New Testament. Satan tempts all Christians, but this is quite different from being possessed, controlled and dominated by a demon. Jn.14v30. The apostles had been corrupted by religious tradition, false prophecy and nationalistic pride, and fear of men caused them all to fail and forsake the Lord, but only Judas became possessed by Satan. Mk.8v15-17. It was a long time before Satan could possess Judas; it took years of bitter slander against Jesus, continual theft from the poor, and the final act of apostasy, when with cold-hearted malice, he deliberately betrayed the Lord Jesus for greed. Luke.22v1-6. John.6v70. 12v4-6. 13v2,27.


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