What Shall We Call The?

The adult Sunday School class my wife and I attend has adopted the helpful practice of providing name tags. After the first service every Sunday we head for our classroom, and dutifully pin on our name tags. I suspect most folks there know us by now. But it’s a nice practice, and really helpful to a person like me who has always had trouble remembering names.

I can’t help thinking, though, that it would be nice if Satan’s demons came equipped with name tags. That’s because most folks in deliverance ministry really want to know the names evil spirits are equipped with.

Are demons named in Scripture?

That’s an interesting question. In Bible times evil spirits wore names like “the Baal of Peor,” or the Dagon (the fish-god of the Philistines) or Ra (the sun-god of the Egyptians). We know this because the Old Testament states that sacrifices made to pagan deities were actually made to demons ( ).

If you look at Jewish literature of the two centuries before Christ, you’ll find those writings are filled with the supposed names of not only demons but also of angels. And the assumption is that if you call on a god or an angel by his name you have a much better chance of gaining his attention and getting something you want. Actually, if you look at the neo-pagan religions that are growing so rapidly in the United States and the West, you find the same phenomenon. Call the deity a pagan worships Goddess or Green Man [as they do], it’s still a name adopted as a “front” for a demon.

But we don’t find evil spirits named in this way in the Gospels, or the epistles. And those in deliverance ministry who have spoken with and expelled demons don’t use either a demon’s “front” name or personal name. Instead deliverance literature refers to evil spirits by their function. And deliverance ministers cast them out using “functional” names. For instance, an evil spirit that feeds on anger and causes rage is called “spirit of anger.” And an evil spirit that fastens on a person with a rebellious spirit and exaggerates that trait would typically be addressed as “spirit of rebellion.” Do these spirits have personal names? Almost certainly. Each evil spirit is an individual, just as much an individual being as the angel Gabriel or the fallen angel now known as Satan [a functional name that means “accuser”!) who was once known as Lucifer.

What it seems to boil down to is that if demons and evil spirits have personal names (and I expect they do), we don’t have any way to know what those names are. And we have no need to know them!

How did Jesus name-tag demons?

If anyone would have known the personal names of demons it would have been Jesus. But there is no record of Jesus ever addressing an evil spirit by its personal name. Instead when Jesus cast out a demon he either addressed it as “evil spirit” (Mark 5:8) or by a specific function, as “you deaf and mute spirit: (Mark 9:25). In either case the demons knew perfectly well who Jesus was commanding. And they were forced to obey him.

It seems just as unnecessary for us to know or use the personal names of demons. While demons still masquerade as the deities of those who are lost, what’s important to believers is how we experience them. An evil spirit who is tasked with creating self-hatred is, for all intents and purposes, the demon self-hatred. When addressed by his function, the demon knows who we’re speaking to. And when such a demon is commanded in Jesus’ name to leave an individual, the demon knows very well that he must obey.

Why then should we name-tag demons?

Name-tagging demons is really more for our sakes than to let demons know we’re speaking to them. One way we are alerted to the presence of demons is by their behavior. Yes, maybe we’ve always had a temper. But when we find ourselves constantly loosing control of our temper, and becoming furious at the least slight or opposition, it’s probably wise to wonder if a “demon anger” has attached itself to our temper. Yes, we may be especially vulnerable to a particular temptation. But if we find ourselves unable to think of anything else, and compulsively fixated on our temptation, we should ask ourselves whether a “demon lust” (or whatever the temptation is) may be present.

Understanding that demons are name-tagged by their function is an important tool we can use in diagnosing a demonic presence, as well as in challenging a demon to reveal its presence as we prepare to cast it out.

By diagnosing and naming problems with which we struggle we have clues to the possible influence of evil spirits in our lives, or in the lives of others.
So feel free to pin name tags on demons. They won’t like it. They’d rather remain unrecognized. The trouble for them is that they reveal both their presence and the functional “name” every time the act to influence us. We just need to be alert. It’s true that our sin nature is sufficient cause of even the most blatant of sins and dysfunctional behaviors. But it’s also true that the sins and behaviors with which we struggle the most may indicate a demonic presence, and that part of God’s solution for us may involve deliverance.

The Origin of Demons

The apostle Paul pictures the “heavenly realms” as the abode of spirit beings. These rulers, authorities and “powers of this dark world” are the “spiritual forces of evil” against which believers must stand (Eph. 6:12). And the Gospels are filled with references to demons who infect humans and cause various illnesses and difficulties. Clearly demons exist. But nowhere in the New Testament are we told exactly what these spirit beings are, or where they came from.

Two theories

In first century Judaism there were two prevalent theories. The first was built on Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, which were understood to describe the transformation of the angel Lucifer into the Prince of Darkness, Satan. According to this theory, the demons and evil spirits which all ancient peoples believed populate the spirit world, were angels who had followed Satan in his great rebellion against the Creator.

The second theory was built on the Genesis 6 reference to Nephalim, who were the offspring of the “sons of God,” understood as angels, and human women. According to this second theory, demons are the disembodied spirits of these half-breeds who died in the subsequent Genesis Flood.

No other theories were offered then, or later. While in the first century the ghosts of humans were supposed to remain nearby for a time, and often supposed to harm the living, this was a pagan theory and not common in Judaism or early Christianity.

We’re left, then, if we wish to be biblical in our search for the identity of evil spirits, to ask whether either of these ancient theories has additional support in Scripture. We very quickly discover that the second theory is given no additional support beyond the Genesis 6 story from which it is drawn. But the theory that demons are fallen angels—angels who sinned with Satan when he fell—does have considerable New Testament support.

Six lines of evidence

1. Evidence that some angels fell with Satan

A statement in Revelation 12 pictures Satan as an enormous red dragon and refers to his tail sweeping “a third of the stars out of the sky and flinging them to earth (v.3). As angels are sometimes referred to in the OT as “stars” (cf. JOB 38:7), this reference is often taken as evidence that a third of the angels God created followed Satan in his rebellion. This interpretation is commonly supported by Rev. 12:7, which describes “the dragon and his angels” at war with Michael and God’s angels in heaven. A similar reference to “the devil and his angels” is found in Matthew 25:4.

2. Evidence from parallel expressions

The devil “and his angels” are linked in Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 12:7. A parallel expression is found in Matthew 12:24, where reference is made to “Bellzebub [a name for Satan] and his demons.” In these expressions “angels” and “demons” are parallel, and thus arguably the same.

3. Evidence from parallel activities

The Bible pictures demons as seeking to enter and control individuals (Matthew 17:14-18; Luke 11:14,15), something which Satan also does (Luke 22:3; John 3:2). In the same way evil angels are seen joining Satan to war against God, just as are demons (Mark 9:17-26; Revelation 9:1-11).

4. Evidence from essential being

Angels are called “spirits” in Psalm 14:4; Hebrews 1:14). Demons are also called “spirits” (see Matthew 8:15; Luke 19:17).

5. Evidence from personhood

Both angels and demons are referred to by personal pronouns, indicating that both are persons (Luke 8:28, etc.). While members of a class, both angels and demons are revealed to be individuals.

6. Evidence of personhood

Like angels, demons can communicate with us and are pictured as having emotions, intelligence, and other marks of personhood (Luke 8:31, etc.) As above, angels and demons are each pictured as individuals in Scripture.

Conclusion

While any one of these lines of evidence might be challenged, it’s difficult to imagine that six distinct lines of evidence which support the same conclusion, are likely to lead to an erroneous conclusion. In short, there is enough Scriptural evidence to conclude with some confidence that the demons of the Gospels and the powers of the Epistles are in fact angels who rebelled against God

While we can say this with some confidence, whether our conclusion is right or wrong has little impact on biblical demonology. Whatever their origins, there clearly are supernatural beings who are engaged with Satan in an invisible war against God and human kind. The good news is that Satan and his followers are defeated foes, and that as we follow Scriptures guidelines we can meet, and defeat them today.

Breaking Soul Ties

When Lance married Sheri he felt a tremendous relief. He’s been promiscuous before he was converted, and had “fallen” a couple of times after his conversion. He saw himself as oversexed, but knew that marrying Sheri, a very attractive woman, would help him solve his problems. The trouble was that even though their sexual relationship was healthy, Lance was still attracted to other women, and found himself thinking about some he’d known before his marriage.

Karen was frustrated and angry with her mother. She felt mom was always butting into her life. It was one thing when Karen had been a teenager, and consulted mom about everything from what to wear to how to plan her day. Karen was 33 now, a successful businessperson, who was totally capable of making her own decisions. But mom couldn’t see it, and was always offering unwanted advice. It was so bad that Karen found herself reacting with hostility to almost everything her mother said, even though it was obviously devastating to her mother.

What do these two situations have in common?

Soul ties.

A “soul tie” is often defined as an unhealthy and/or ungodly emotional attachment to a person or organization. Such a tie significantly affects a person’s attitudes and relationships, and may open a door for demonic oppression. One of the most common soul ties is established by sexual relationships outside of marriage. Even a platonic emotional attachment to one’s “first love” that leads to day dreaming about him/her or wondering what life would be like if married to the first love rather than the spouse, can indicate a soul tie. Another common soul tie is fashioned between parties in a co-dependent relationship, such as a dominant parent and a child who remains dependent into adulthood. It is also possible to be soul tied to an organization when commitment to that organization involves making oaths.

Most deliverance ministers view such relationships as involving making a covenant which God honors, even when the covenant made is ungodly or sinful. Deliverance calls for choosing to break the soul tie, using a prayer such as the following, adapted from several sources.

——————————————-
Prayer

Father, in the Name of Jesus, I submit myself completely to You. I confess all of my emotional and physical soul ties. I choose to forgive each person with whom I have an ungodly soul tie. I ask You, Lord, to forgive my involvement in any ungodly soul tie. Lord, I receive your forgiveness. Thank You for forgiving me and cleansing me.

I choose to forgive myself for this involvement. I will no longer be angry with myself, hate myself, or punish myself.

Lord, I break my ungodly soul ties with ______________. I release myself from him/her and I release him/her from me. As I do this, Lord, I pray that You would cause him/her to be all that he/she can be. I ask you to help me become all that I can be.

Lord, please cleanse my mind from all memories of ungodly unions so I am totally free to give myself to You and to my spouse.

I renounce and cancel the assignments of any evil spirits attempting to maintain these ungodly soul ties.

Lord, thank you for restoring my soul to wholeness. I choose to walk in holiness by Your grace. In he name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen

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Often people laboring under soul ties are completely unaware of them, and may even deny their existence. But breaking soul ties can release us from unhealthy patterns of thinking and responding that hold us in bondage.

June 22

Lilly Dale NY, a town just outside of Buffalo, has been a gathering place for mediums for over a hundred years. Today the town boasts forty women who will “put you in touch with the other side,” conveying messages supposedly sent by loved ones. According to the interview conducted by Matt Lower on Today, some 25,000 people a year pilgrimage to Lilly Dale to consult one of its mediums in hopes of contacting a loved one who has died.

FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA

Just finished teaching a week long 3-credit course at California State Christian University on The Spirit World. We spent six hours each day exploring what Scripture says about angel and demons, Satan’s schemes directed against believers, and the resources God provides that enables us to stand against the devil and his demons. The highlight of the week was a visit from Dr Charles Kraft, who answered questions on his book Deep Wounds, Deep Healing, and then ministered to one of the students, freeing her from the pain of many deep wounds and from demons who had attached themselves to those wounds.

As a culminating experience the students served as counselors at the Friday evening/Saturday FREEDOM WORKSHOP which followed. Several had a chance to pray with and minister freedom to others who attended the workshop.

CSCU provides practical training in ministry for pastors and other adults who have a heart for ministry. Their courses lead to an accredited ministry degree that blends classroom work with real-life experience, as the Spirit World class did for the dozen or so students who audited or who took my class for credit.
The class was audio and video-taped, and now that I’m home I’ll be working on a proctor’s guide. CSCU partners with other educational institutions, and with churches or groups of churches that want to provide training within the context of their own congregations. This is exciting, because it means the video-taped courses are be available world-wide. And those who wish to can work toward an accredited graduate degree while remaining in their own localities. I’m really excited about the potential for this model, bringing university level classes to the local church, for training working or retired men and women for ministry. This model, which has students learning in local groups, seems to me to have far greater potential than the distance learning models that rely on computer contact and individual learning.

The Friday evening/Saturday FREEDOM WORKSHOP was also audio and video taped. My workshop was not a part of the course, but provided a setting in which the students could see what I’d been teaching applied in a ministry setting. It also gave the students an opportunity to minister one-on-one to those who wanted inner healing or prayer for deliverance. As readers of Demondope know, I’m making this workshop available at no cost for sponsorship by churches or groups of churchs. The FREEDOM WORKSHOP not only ministers to Christians, but is a powerful attraction for those in the community who are looking for freedom from their own pains and compulsions. In the near future I’ll make a video of at least one one hour session of the Workshop available on line or on CD.

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Freedom Workshops

 Satan’s Out to Oppress Us

He’s intent on making our lives frustrating and unproductive. And he’s devised some really effective schemes that do just that. But, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “we are not ignorant of his [Satan’s] schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). In fact the Bible describes a “full armor” that God provides to enable us to defeat Satan’s schemes and to withstand his efforts to oppress us.

That’s what the FREEDOM WORKSHOP is about. It’s about the armor that God provides for Christians. The FREEDOM WORKSHOP involves an intensive study of the book of Ephesians, where Paul describes God’s armor. But more than that. It’s a true workshop. It’s a time not just to learn about the armor of God . . . but to actually put the armor on!

The Armor of God Makes a Difference.

I’ve taught the Workshop twice now, although over a period of six weeks.. Here are some comments:

   “It’s a life-changing and mind-changing experience.”

   “For the first time I really understand how to use each piece of God’s Armor in everyday life, not just some theological concept.”

   “The workshop and content were fantastic.”

What’s in the Workshop?

The Workshop is a Friday evening, Saturday experience. Each segment involves an explanation of one of Satan’s schemes, an exposition of a passage in Ephesians that reveals a life-changing truth that serves as a piece of God’s armor, and then an experience of actually putting that armor on. Here’s a typical workshop schedule, with each segment titled with the freedom that understanding and wearing God’s armor provides.

Friday Evening, 7:00-9:30

   Sources of Spiritual Oppression

   Freedom from Inadequacy

Saturday Morning  8:30-11:30

    Freedom from Anxiety

    Freedom from Bitterness

Saturday Afternoon  1:00-3:30

    Freedom from Addictive Sins

    Freedom from Family Failings

Can I Go to a FREEDOM WORKSHOP?

Better yet, a FREEDOM WORKSHOP can go to you! I’m hoping to conduct a couple here in Raleigh, but have yet to approach churches here about sponsoring a Workshop. In addition I hope to give a few weekends to put Workshops on in other places.

I plan to make these Workshops available to sponsoring churches or organization at no cost other than travel and lodging expenses. If a group wants to sponsor a workshop as a fundraiser, I have no objection as long as it’s made clear the income goes to the sponsoring group rather than to me. While I have a limited number of weekends to devote to this ministry, I’ve become convinced that Paul’s teaching on the Armor of God in Ephesians is vital to the body of Christ today. I feel responsible to do whatever I can to make that teaching known.

Brochures Available

I’ve also developed a promotional brochure that explains the workshop. If you’d like a copy or two, just send me your address and I’ll drop them in the mail.

I appreciate your prayers.

Where Did the Demons Go?

At first glance the Epistles. like the Old Testament, seems to say little about demons. But in fact both the Old Testament and the Epistles contain more information about these fallen angels who serve Satan than most realize.

The problem in each case is caused by shifts in terminology. In the Gospels the hostile spirit beings who oppress humans are called “demons” or “evil spirits.” We’re used to thinking of them in those terms. And too many, noting these terms aren’t found outside the Gospels, conclude that evil spirits aren’t really a concern of Christians today. In fact both the Old Testament and the Epistles have much to say about hostile spirit beings who, like Satan himself, are our implacable enemies.

The Old Testament terminology

The key to understanding the role of evil spirits in the Old Testament is Deuteronomy 32:17, which reviews Israel’s failings and states, “They sacrificed to demons, which are not God – gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not know.”

Moses is telling us that the “gods” worshipped by pagans in ancient times were in fact evil spirits, demons. The Apostle Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 10:20, where he warns believers living in a pagan society that “the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God.”

Evil spirits have masqueraded as deities from the beginning, and evil spirits have been the powersbehind every religion other than that of the God revealed in Scripture and in Jesus Christ.

The terminology may differ. Demons may not be called “demons” or “evil spirits” in the sacred text. But Baal, Ashtoreth, Dagon, and those of the other deities worshiped by the peoples surrounding Israel are demons. If we want to know what the Old Testament teaches about demons all we need do is explore the beliefs and practices associated with the deities of ancient peoples. There is abundant material in the Old Testament and the literature of the ancients to help us understand the impact demons have had on human history and culture.

Terminology in the New Testament Epistles

A similar shift in terminology has led those who read the Bible today to assume that there’s little or no mention of evil spirit beings in the Epistles. This is because the supernatural beings called “demons” and “evil spirits” in the Gospels, terms familiar to first century Jews, were called by other names in the Hellenistic culture of the wider world.

In cities like Ephesus supernatural beings were know by terms that conveyed the idea of power. Thus Paul writes, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesiansa 6:11).

Anyone reading these words in Paul’s time would have known exactly what the Apostle is saying. The believer is engaged in a cosmic struggle with evil supernatural beings. Although they are native to a different [heavenly] realm, they have a dread impact on life in “this dark world.” These “rulers,” “authorities,” and “powers” included the deities the people worshipped, as well as other spirit beings the ancients viewed as hostile.

Looking into the literature of the first century and inscriptions from that era, we understand the grip that fear of these supernatural being had on men and women then, and we can understand why the culture turned to magic in a desperate attempt to manipulate the beings who were believed to exercise a determining influence on the lives of individuals.

When we understand these shifts in terminology, we realize that the whole Bible, not just the Gospels, speaks about evil spirits and their impact on human experience.

The Old Testament may name them “gods.” But they are demons. The New Testament letters may call name them “authorities” and “powers,” but they are demons. Today neopagans may speak of “the goddess” or “the green man,” and may encourage others to welcome “spirit guides.” But by whatever name they are called, they are demons. And we need to both understand how they operate, and the resources God has provided to enahle un to stand against them.

A Look Ahead

If we identify the times in the New Testament where power words identify evil spirits, we find that there are at least 17 New Testament passages that contain teaching on demons. Far from being silent on this subject, the New Testament epistles speak to it frequently.

That’s the challenge I’ll be taking up in subsequent posts on demondope. We’ll go together to each passage, explore the epistle’s teaching in its context, and see what it is that God wants Christians today to understand about the invisible war between good and evil that is being fought today.

A war in which God’s people are called to play a significant part.

Look for these future posts under the title, “Principalities and Powers: Demons in the Epistles.”

Jesus on Demons, #5

Each Gospel contains at least one saying by Jesus about demons. In this series we look at those comments to see what we can discover.

Satan’s Passionate Desire

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  (Luke 22:31,32)

The Context

As the last supper concludes the disciples fall to wrangling again about who will be greatest. Jesus rebukes them, pointing out that he intends each to have a significant role in his kingdom. He then turns to Simon Peter and reveals a hidden reality. Satan has demanded access to Peter, to “sift him as wheat.” Peter protests. Whatever others may do, Peter will stick with Jesus, though it costs him his life. At this point Jesus predicts that before sunrise Peter will deny him three times.

Observations

1. “Satan has asked” The devil and his demons attack Jesus’ followers, and the more dedicated we are to the Lord the greater Satan’s passionate desire to have at us. Why bother with those already in his kingdom? Satan wants to get at those who follow Jesus, who threaten his grip on other human beings.

2. “Satan has asked.” We come under satanic attack only when God permits it. Satan must ask permission from God to harass any of God’s people. We see this also in the Book of Job, where Satan complains that God placed a hedge of protection around that Old Testament saint.

Let’s never become discouraged when we’re under attack. Satan intends to harm us. But God intends good to result from any effort demons may mount against us.

3. “Sift you like wheat” In biblical times stalks of wheat were arranged on a flat, hard piece of ground and then beaten with flails. It was a violent process, as the stalks were pounded again and again, until the straw was bent and bruised and the heads and kernels of grain were separated from the stalks. In a real sense, Satan was asking permission to tear Peter apart!

4. “Sift you like wheat” Threshing was a necessary step in the process of harvesting. Once the kernels of grain had been separated from the stalks, the farmer collected them and tossed them in the air. The “threshing floor” was not only selected for the hardness of the ground, but also for windiness. As the grain was tossed in the air the wind blew away the useless husks, leaving only the useable kernels.

5. “But I have prayed for you, Simon.” Jesus doesn’t say that Satan’s request was denied. What Jesus tells Peter is that he has prayed “that your faith may not fail.” The central issue is not whether demons may be behind seemingly destructive events in our lives. The central issue is our response to those events. What counts is whether or not our faith remains strong, or fails.

6. “But I have prayed for you, Simon” Jesus prayed for Peter, by name. That’s how he prays for each of us, by name, as individuals, and in view of the particular attacks Satan launches against us. Satan knows our vulnerabilities and sees our flaws. But Jesus knows us best of all, and provides just the support we need.

7.  “When you have turned back” Peter did fall away. The series of denials that he was even acquainted with Jesus was an overt rejection of the Lord. Yet Peter had been sincere when he promised to accompany Jesus even if it should cost him his life. Peter was committed, he knew he was committed, and he believed that commitment was enough. What Peter didn’t understand was his own weakness, a weakness that each of us shares. It hurts when we make choices that are in effect a denial of Jesus and our love for him. It can be devastating to our notion of who we really are. But failures may be necessary to bring us to rely on God rather than on ourselves.

8. “When you have turned back” Peter’s denials that night didn’t fix his destiny. They revealed his weakness, but they did not rule out the possibility of recommitment and return. True faith may dim, but an underlying trust in Jesus, which Peter had, will not fail. That kind of faith is a gift from God, sustained by Christ’s prayers. The Gospel truly is Good News. Good News that though we may fail Christ he will not fail us, and that our turning back is a matter of “when,” not a question of “if.”     

9. “Strengthen your brothers” Peter was the acknowledged leader of the 12, the first on every list of disciples, the most outspoken of Jesus’ followers. Later Peter would be the first to preach the Gospel to Jews, and the first to share it with Gentiles. God had a role for Peter to play despite the weakness expressed in that night’s denials. Peter did turn back, and spend the rest of his life strengthening his brothers.

Let’s remember when, like Peter, we fail ourselves and the Lord in some significant way, that the rest of our life can still count. It’s not that we have failed in the past, but what we will do with that “rest of our life” that should concern us