Can a Christian Be Demon Possessed? No, and Here's Why

Can a Christian be possessed by a demon?

This has been a question that has been posed by many believers because of many experiences that people have had with people who say that they are Christians. 

But, experience does not determine Theology and doctrine, God does.

Evidence #1 : Born Again Christians Have Been Translated from the Authority of The Devil To The Kingdom of God and His Son

Colossians 1:13-15

¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:¹⁴ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:13-15)

The Scriptures declare that we have passed from death to life and that we're no longer under the power or control of the devil who takes people (unbelievers) in the world captive as the he wills.

Indeed, the Scripture says that we as believers are to submit to God and resist the devil. 

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

An unbeliever does not have the capacity or the ability to resist the devil in the way that a believer does, because, remember, the unbeliever is taken captive by the devil as the devil wills.

Fruit of The Spirit includes self-control but demonically Possessed Are Under the control of The Devil.

And if we know anything about those who are demon-possessed is that they are taken captive as that demon wills, and they are not their own. 

2 Timothy 2:25-26

²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:25-26)

When a demon takes over a person, that person is not in control. 

They're not the one leading the show. It's the devil or that demon that's leading the show, but in the case of the believer, this is never the case. 

Additional evidence of believers being completely free of demonic possession in the Bible

• Nowhere in Scripture is a demon cast out of a born-again believer, nor do we see the ministry of deliverance from demons for New Testament, born-again believers. 
• Believers have self-control as evidence of being born again. 
• The Epistles are almost silent about deliverance from devils. The reason for this is that believers do not get demon-possessed. 

Again to the believers, the Apostle Paul admonishes the believer to submit to God and resist the devil, implying that it's not a case where the devil can take the believer at his will. 

This is very important. 

Evidence #2: The Greater Cannot Be Overcome By The Lesser

Spiritually speaking, the greater cannot be overcome by the lesser! The Greater overcomes the weaker. This is why The Lord Jesus and believers cast out devils, unclean spirits or evil spirits! 

1 John 4:4

⁴ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Do Christians Need Deliverance? The Answer is No.

The second thing that I believe is important is we as believers are possessed by the Holy Spirit. People don't think about being born again as being possessed by the Lord, but we are the Lord's possession, as the scripture says, but also declares that it is no longer I that lives, but Christ that lives. in me. And so, our life is not our own, our life is the Lord's, however, the Lord doesn't take control, or take over without us cooperating because we are the Lord's possession. 

1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1Peter 2:9)

As The Lord's possession, we have to humble ourselves or yield ourselves for Him to take over. That's why the Apostle Paul was saying, I work out my salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Why? 

Because we have a judgment that is to be had at the judgment seat of Christ, where we shall be rewarded for the things that we've done in our body, whether they be good or bad. 

And so there's fear there because of that, but a believer cannot lose his or her salvation.

The only things that are good are the things that are done by God Himself. That's what the Lord Jesus said. 

Why do you call Me good? Only God is good (Mark 10:18). 

And so for us to do good works, God has to do these works in us. So we have to yield to God for Him to do these good works, we don't yield to the devil. 

Evidence #3: God doesn't cohabitate with the devil.

2 Corinthians 6:15-16

¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (2 Corinthians 6:15-16)

 No, He takes complete possession. He takes over. The believer is possessed by God Himself.

What we have to understand is that being possessed by The One who delivers, The Holy Spirit, automatically means that we have been delivered from any demonic possession. Let me share this with you. 

The Bible says that God has translated us from the power or the authority of darkness.

Colossians 1:13-15

¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:¹⁴ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:13-15)

Does The Holy Spirit Possess Us As Believers? Yes, He does!

It's impossible for a demon to possess a believer, because the believer is the house of God. The believer is the temple of God. The believer is the possession of God. 

You remember the Lord Jesus was talking and he shared about demons coming out and then going to find seven spirits more wicked than they are. And then going back to their house or the body.

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45)

 This is not the case for the believer. 

Evidence #4: We are the house of God. 

Hebrews 3:4-6

⁴ For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.⁵ And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;⁶ But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:4-6)

And the one who delivers, and casts out spirits, is the One who dwells in us. 

²⁸ But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. (Matthew 12:28)

1 John 4:13

¹³ Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (1 John 4:13)

And the authority that devil had to to use as he willed has been removed. That authority has been removed. And so when the Lord Jesus came on the scene, that's why he was casting out devils, because, hey, this is a new time-period and the authority the devil had would be no more by faith in The Lord Jesus. And of course, when we're born again, The Lord dwells within us by faith in Him.

So it is literally impossible for a believer to be possessed by a devil, demon or an evil spirit. 

We can no longer be the house of devils for we are the house of the living God. 

That's what the Lord Jesus did when He delivered us from the authority of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His Son, so it is not possible any longer for a person who's saved to be possessed by a demon. Notice salvation is deliverance, but a permanent one!

God delivered us from the authority of darkness and then He translated us into His Kingdom. To be born again is to be delivered and translated! The translation made the deliverance permanent for we're seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1) and His Kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, who dwells with in us, and who delivers (Matthew 12:28)!

Can a believer sin? Yes, that sin is in the flesh. The true born-again believer,in particular, the new creature does not sin, however because that new creature is in God and God is in the new creature.  And the illustration of this is seen in John, when it says that someone who is born of God does not sin. 

1 John 3:9

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 John 3:9)

But of course, we know believers do sin, and we have an advocate, so it's talking about something very specific, it's talking about the spiritual part of the believer, which is created after God, the Lord from heaven. And so the believer, when he or she sins, sins in the body, but it is not the new creature that sins, because God circumcised the new creature from the flesh, separating the new creature from the body of sins that is in the flesh. 

¹¹ In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:¹² Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

So the believer, if that believer, doesn't humble themselves and resist the devil and submit their bodies as a living sacrifice unto God, as Romans 12:1-2 talks about, can sin, but that believer himself or herself is not possessed by a devil, because God has possessed them when they were born again, and not only that, they have possessed God when they were born again.

1 John 3:9

¹⁵ For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.¹⁶ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:¹⁷ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.¹⁸ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (1 John 3:9)

Conclusion: 

Since there is no Scripture for a believer being possessed in the bible, and the impossibility of this since we've been possessed by The Holy Spirit until the day of redemption, a born again believer/Christian cannot be possessed by a devil, unclean spirit, or evil spirit for He who delivers dwells within us, and we in Him (1 John 4:13).