How can you tell....

[col311]

Between a demon Oppressed person and a demon possesed person. This guy I know has backslideded and he's not sure if he ever was a true christian. There's no qustion about it, I know for sure that thier are demons bothering him, I just don't know if they are surrounding him or if they are possesing him.
Either case the demons are preventing him from "receiveing" when he goes to church. he finds it impossible to have enough faith to get rid of this. he finds it impossible to focus on God.

He thinks that his faith is completely gone. he certainly doen't have enough faith in God to heal him that's for sure!


Help!:help :crutch

[carmen]

If he's not saved, I would stop worrying about demon possession or oppression and begin worrying about him accepting Christ. If he doesn't do that, nothing else really matters in the end.

[LostOrFound]

I question my salvation from time to time, but satan can get you to do that. Doubt is the most powerful weapon Satan has. Whenever I get like that, it just makes me want to read the bible more. I think 1 John I believe, was written solely for the purpose of being sure of your salvation (correct me if i'm wrong) Might want to get him to re-read that.

[Shaloma]

when the devil gets you down and reminds you of your past....remind him of his future....

[col311]

If he's not saved, I would stop worrying about demon possession or oppression and begin worrying about him accepting Christ. If he doesn't do that, nothing else really matters in the end.



He says that he has accepted Christ in the past, but that he lost his faith. What should he do?!

[carmen]

He says that he has accepted Christ in the past, but that he lost his faith. What should he do?!If he isn't saved, he needs to accept Christ. The past doesn't matter at this point. If he's not saved, he's not saved.

Is he familiar with the plan of salvation, and how to accept Christ as Lord? Sit down with him and open a bible, and go through the verses with him to lead him to the Lord, if that's what he wishes to do.

[James122]

Between a demon Oppressed person and a demon possesed person.

A demon may cause victims to be mute (Matthew 9:32-33), be blind (Matthew 12:22), have seizures (Matthew 17:15-18), have supernatural knowledge (Acts 16:16-19), or demonstrate violence or superhuman strength (Matthew 8:28-29; Acts 19:13-16).


.

[carmen]

A demon may cause victims to be mute (Matthew 9:32-33), be blind (Matthew 12:22), have seizures (Matthew 17:15-18), have supernatural knowledge (Acts 16:16-19), or demonstrate violence or superhuman strength (Matthew 8:28-29; Acts 19:13-16).These are certainly things that could indicate demon possession, but we have to keep in mind that there could be other explanations for them as well. They don't necessarily indicate that a person is possessed :):

[nanato3]

A saved person cannot be demon possessed..........but I think most of us have been demon oppressed........if your friend had been truely saved then he could not have lost his salvation.......I believe that he needs to accept Christ as his SAVIOUR....... then begin his walk again.......

[kristine]

I agree with many of the posts above. He is probably oppressed not possessed. I dated, seriously, a young man who believed he was atheist. He had grown up in a church but stopped believing in God. His favorite author was Mark Twain --- "Letters From Earth," I believe that's what it was called. Anyway, it was a mockery to Christianity.

I did not open up the Bible and talk about salvation. I did tell him about my healing and on many occassions, pointed to the things I believed were evidence of God. More than anything, I set an example. Had I opened a Bible up to show him passages, he would have rejected it RIGHT AWAY. That was not the way to handle him!!!

When we visited his folks, once a month, I would trick him into going to church. After a year or so of this, he opened up and finally believed. His faith was so powerful, he was a teacher to me! When I needed help, he could quote the Bible in a heart beat!

As far as real demon possession is concerned, I *believe* I have seen 3 people who were possessed. Two of them were very close to me. The 3rd one tried to abduct me from a department store. Now, the look in his eyes were like something I have never seen before. He didn't glare or look hateful, just incredibly EVIL. Very scary experience but the Lord helped me out of the situation ---- long story.

The other 2, the ones I was close to, were similar but very different. The one young man was a very close friend of mine in high school. I knew him before and after the possible possession. During the possession, he had been dabbling in the occult and using himself as a medium for spirits. When I told him I didn't believe in that stuff, he glared at me. The glare was not your normal angry glare. It was like a "demon" was peering at me through his eyes. :freaked. I KNEW something was there and that my friend was not ---- for a few moments. He went to a priest and was helped in this matter. It took 3 months. I KNOW he did not have mental issues or psychological problems. He was VERY NORMAL before and immediately after. Today, he is 54 yrs. of age and has NEVER had this happen again. He is an upstanding citizen, good Christian, a husband, father and grandfather. Also, he is not on any medications for mental disorders ---- just the usual stuff for old age. :laugh

I have been around and seen many people through the years. I have seen those with serious psychological disorders. As a young girl, my mother took me out to the State Hospital on a regular basis. She was a volunteer worker and didn't want to be alone, sometimes. I learned, quickly, what was normal looking and not!!!! The area I was in, the people were not dangerous but VERY CREEPY! Not once, did I ever see one I believed to be possessed. I felt nervous, at times, but NEVER REALLY SCARED.

When I looked at the 3 people, I'm refering to, ---- they REALLY SCARED ME! I just, somehow, *KNEW* there was a demon involved.

To be fair, I can only say that 1 of the 3 was *possibly* truly possessed. The other 2, I can't speak for. It's just something I *FELT* very strongly.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Continue to set an example for this person. Get him to church, if you can. Talk about God in a calm way. Don't Bible thump! This could possibly push him further away. Like a fisherman with a fish on the hook, reel him in slowly. And finally, pray pray pray for God to guide you in all of this.

[Helen]

The idea of 'accepting' Christ is probably not a good one. The Bible says nothing about 'accepting' Him, but about BELIEVING. And that is not simply just intellectual acknowledgement -- it means trusting Him with your life. And then you are killed and given a new life inside. Your old nature is done away with.

This is a WHOLE lot more than simply saying some 'magic words' about 'accepting Christ' and then expecting life to get rosy or something.

His Kingdom is NOT of this world, and we can't expect it to look like it might be! But the inner peace and joy which accompanies being born again does indeed transcend the pain and sorrow and difficulties we do have here on earth. A born again Christian has moments of doubt (What if this is all a cosmic joke?), but then when those times come, one must peel back all the extraneous stuff and remember "just Jesus." Him we know. Him we trust. Him we believe.

Then the rest sorts itself out inside our hearts and minds. Sometimes quickly, and sometimes only bit by bit.

But when you are born again you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9) and He takes charge of transforming you into the likeness of Christ Himself (Romans 8:28-30), and He WILL finish the good work He began (Phil 1:6). So we can rest in His care.

It is possible for our minds to cause us times of questioning and doubt, but anyone indwelt by the Holy Spirit will find these times comes less and less as more and more time is spent with our Lord in Bible and prayer and just daily living. So 'losing faith' altogether is not something a born again Christian is capable of doing.

But it is very possible for someone to lose the emotional charge they had if they thought that all they had to do was respond in church or say some special 'sinner's prayer' upon being coached, or similar. If the person you are worried about never reached the point where he looked at his own heart and wanted to sort of spiritually throw up, then why did he 'accept Christ'?

There is one caveat I would suggest here. If the person is in his very late teens or early to mid-twenties, then that person is at the exact right time to be wrestling with God and come to an adult decision about Him. If that is what is going on, then simply wait, pray, and answer what questions you can.

[WisdmInTheWorks]

Between a demon Oppressed person and a demon possesed person. This guy I know has backslideded and he's not sure if he ever was a true christian. There's no qustion about it, I know for sure that thier are demons bothering him, I just don't know if they are surrounding him or if they are possesing him.
Either case the demons are preventing him from "receiveing" when he goes to church. he finds it impossible to have enough faith to get rid of this. he finds it impossible to focus on God.

He thinks that his faith is completely gone. he certainly doen't have enough faith in God to heal him that's for sure!


Help!:help :crutch

I have/am in a very similar situation. It is not IMHO oppression or possession. It may not even be whether or not he has redeciated his life the Jesus Christ. The problem may very well lie within him and only something he and God can deal with. It could be he hasn't truely forgiven himself or it could be he hasn't forgiven someone else even though he thinks he may have. There is a very deeper issue here and it could very lie within himself.

I suggest talking with rededicating his life to Jesus during an alter call, talking with the pastor about his walk and backslidding. I also suggest fasting and prayer for insight to the cause and solutions to the problem.

Please refer your friend to Psalms 113

Psa 117:1 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
Psa 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

[col311]

I agree with many of the posts above. He is probably oppressed not possessed. I dated, seriously, a young man who believed he was atheist. He had grown up in a church but stopped believing in God. His favorite author was Mark Twain --- "Letters From Earth," I believe that's what it was called. Anyway, it was a mockery to Christianity.

I did not open up the Bible and talk about salvation. I did tell him about my healing and on many occassions, pointed to the things I believed were evidence of God. More than anything, I set an example. Had I opened a Bible up to show him passages, he would have rejected it RIGHT AWAY. That was not the way to handle him!!!

When we visited his folks, once a month, I would trick him into going to church. After a year or so of this, he opened up and finally believed. His faith was so powerful, he was a teacher to me! When I needed help, he could quote the Bible in a heart beat!

As far as real demon possession is concerned, I *believe* I have seen 3 people who were possessed. Two of them were very close to me. The 3rd one tried to abduct me from a department store. Now, the look in his eyes were like something I have never seen before. He didn't glare or look hateful, just incredibly EVIL. Very scary experience but the Lord helped me out of the situation ---- long story.

The other 2, the ones I was close to, were similar but very different. The one young man was a very close friend of mine in high school. I knew him before and after the possible possession. During the possession, he had been dabbling in the occult and using himself as a medium for spirits. When I told him I didn't believe in that stuff, he glared at me. The glare was not your normal angry glare. It was like a "demon" was peering at me through his eyes. :freaked. I KNEW something was there and that my friend was not ---- for a few moments. He went to a priest and was helped in this matter. It took 3 months. I KNOW he did not have mental issues or psychological problems. He was VERY NORMAL before and immediately after. Today, he is 54 yrs. of age and has NEVER had this happen again. He is an upstanding citizen, good Christian, a husband, father and grandfather. Also, he is not on any medications for mental disorders ---- just the usual stuff for old age. :laugh

I have been around and seen many people through the years. I have seen those with serious psychological disorders. As a young girl, my mother took me out to the State Hospital on a regular basis. She was a volunteer worker and didn't want to be alone, sometimes. I learned, quickly, what was normal looking and not!!!! The area I was in, the people were not dangerous but VERY CREEPY! Not once, did I ever see one I believed to be possessed. I felt nervous, at times, but NEVER REALLY SCARED.

When I looked at the 3 people, I'm refering to, ---- they REALLY SCARED ME! I just, somehow, *KNEW* there was a demon involved.

To be fair, I can only say that 1 of the 3 was *possibly* truly possessed. The other 2, I can't speak for. It's just something I *FELT* very strongly.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Continue to set an example for this person. Get him to church, if you can. Talk about God in a calm way. Don't Bible thump! This could possibly push him further away. Like a fisherman with a fish on the hook, reel him in slowly. And finally, pray pray pray for God to guide you in all of this.

I had a chance to read this post, and I thank you for it. However I don't have the time to respond right now. It would have to wait until monday.


thank you God Bless.

[carmen]

The idea of 'accepting' Christ is probably not a good one. The Bible says nothing about 'accepting' Him, but about BELIEVING. And that is not simply just intellectual acknowledgement -- it means trusting Him with your life. And then you are killed and given a new life inside. Your old nature is done away with.Sometimes it's so hard to say something exactly right :doh :lol.

My point is the same as yours....the guy needs to have Christ as Lord and Savior, and that's the crux. My apologies for not defining it as well as perhaps I should've :):. I never in any way meant to imply that he needed to say some "magic words." I agree with all your post, Helen.

[Harley]

...Either case the demons are preventing him from "receiveing" when he goes to church. he finds it impossible to have enough faith to get rid of this. he finds it impossible to focus on God.

He thinks that his faith is completely gone. he certainly doen't have enough faith in God to heal him that's for sure!


Help!:help :crutch
first off - to be sure demons cannot keep god's elects from receiving salvation.
second, not enough faith to heal? ...heal from what? ...is there a direct and inverse proportion between faith and healing?

bottom line is john 5:24 - has he believed what jesus said?

[AWorker4Jesus]

Col311, if you're comfortable with it... take him through the Law (the 10 commandments) and remind him that we are all guilty of breaking God's law and deserve to go to hell. Remind him that God loved us so much that He gave His only son Jesus Christ to pay the price for those sins and keep us from going to hell if we repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ.


http://www.livingwaters.com/wdjd.shtml
:praying