Ownership

 July 2, 2024

“Do you think a Christian can be possessed by a demon?” 

Now THAT’s an interesting way to begin a conversation! Without divulging the circumstances that led to this interchange of ideas, let me say right off the bat: NO! I do not believe it’s possible. The reason is really quite simple: When a person repents of their sin and confesses Jesus as Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within that person. Paul, in Romans 8:9 says, “If anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” In 2 Corinthians 6:14, he asks somewhat rhetorically, “What do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

To say this doesn’t deny that a Christian can be oppressed by demonic influence. For example, child sexual abuse often opens the door to longstanding oppression both spiritually and emotionally. But possession is something else. Look at it this way: If I invite you to my house for dinner, you are in my house. Take it a step further. Suppose you come to visit; you have the run of my house for a week, or a month. But that doesn’t mean you own the house; it is still my possession, and I can kick you out anytime I choose. 

Possession means ownership; the Christian belongs to God, not to the devil or his minions. We can certainly be oppressed; habitual sins perpetrated by ourselves or others can open the door to all sorts of evil that may take considerable effort to expel. But the fact remains that for the Christian, God is our owner. Our bodies, Paul says, are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We belong to Jesus Christ; our job is to be responsible tenants, in part by not inviting into God’s house that which would defile and destroy it. The Enemy of our souls would like nothing less than to gain entry and convince us that he is the new owner. But he is a liar. He owns not even a molecule of the one who has given ownership to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Can a believer be oppressed by a demon? Certainly. That’s their job. Can a believer be possessed? Only by God.