The Radiant Mission
The Radiant Mission
139. Are Demons Real? Understanding the Unseen Battle at Work Today
We explore the biblical reality of demons as active spiritual entities, not fictional metaphors, that work against God's people. Understanding their nature, tactics, and the authority believers have through Christ empowers us to recognize spiritual warfare without falling into fear.
• Demons are the disembodied spirits of Nephilim seeking hosts to influence and oppress
• Scripture repeatedly shows Jesus confronting and casting out demons throughout his ministry
• Modern demonic activity often works through false teachings, fear, addiction, and entertainment glorifying darkness
• Pharmakia (the Greek word for sorcery) connects substance use with opening spiritual doorways
• Fascinating parallels exist between parasitic infections and demonic oppression
• Born-again believers cannot be possessed but can still experience spiritual oppression
• Christians have authority through Christ to resist demonic influence
• Standing firm requires truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, God's Word and prayer
If this episode gave you insight, encouragement or clarity, share it with a friend. For more foundational teaching on spiritual warfare, check out episodes 3-6, and episode 138 on Satan's reality. Stay connected on Instagram and Facebook @theRadiantMission or on YouTube by searching for Rebecca Twomey.
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Hello and welcome back to the Radiant Mission podcast and Coffee Talk, where we are diving into real, faith-based conversations that help you start your day rooted in faith. Faith-based conversations that help you start your day rooted in faith. If you've been following this series, then you know we've been exploring deep spiritual questions like who is God, who is Jesus? And, in episode 138, is Satan real? That last episode laid the foundation for today's discussion. We explored Satan's fall, the watchers from Genesis 6, the Nephilim and how spiritual warfare is active in the world today. But Satan doesn't work alone, and that leads us to today's question Are demons real? Are they still at work in our world and, if so, what can we do about it? So first, what are demons?
Speaker 1:In scripture, demons are often called unclean spirits or evil spirits. They're not fictional and they're not metaphors, and they're really not something to joke about either. They're very real and they're actively working against the people of God. As we mentioned in episode 138, many Bible scholars believe that demons are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim, the hybrid offspring of fallen angels and human women described in Genesis 6. When the flood destroyed their physical bodies, their spirits remained. These spirits are restless, corrupted and deeply opposed to God. In Luke 11 24, when an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Demons desire a body, a host. In Matthew 8 31, demons begged Jesus to send them into a herd of pigs rather than be cast into the abyss. They don't want to wander. They want to influence, oppress and deceive. So let's talk a little bit about where do demons show up in the Bible.
Speaker 1:Demonic activity is all over scripture. In the Old Testament we're warned against sorcery, necromancy and idol worship, all of which are tied to demonic spirits. In Deuteronomy 18, verses 10 through 12, it says not to practice divination or consult with the dead. In Psalm 106, verse 37, they sacrifice their sons and daughters to demons. In the New Testament, jesus often cast out demons and in Mark 1.34, he healed many who were sick and cast out many demons.
Speaker 1:Demons caused physical and mental torment, deception, violence, self-harm and confusion, and that hasn't stopped. Just because demonic activity today looks more subtle or maybe it just seems more subtle, it doesn't mean that it's not happening. So how do demons operate today? In modern Western culture, the enemy has shifted tactics. Instead of an outright possession, demons often influence through false teachings and new age beliefs, confusion, fear and isolation, addictions and compulsive behaviors, bitterness, trauma or hidden sin or unforgiveness, and an entertainment that glorifies darkness. In 1 Timothy 4.1, we're warned the spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Demons are active wherever they are invited through rebellion, pride, compromise and curiosity about darkness.
Speaker 1:Next, demons and pharmakia spiritual deception through substances. So let's talk about something the Bible addresses but we rarely hear discussed, and that is pharmakia. The Greek word appears in the New Testament and it's where we get the word pharmacy. But biblically, pharmakia isn't just medicine. It refers to sorcery, witchcraft and the use of substances to alter the mind or connect with the spiritual realm. Galatians 5.20,. Idolatry and sorcery or pharmakia are mentioned. And then in Revelation 18.23, we're told that all nations were deceived by sorcery, and again that word is pharmakia.
Speaker 1:In the ancient world, potions, incantations and hallucinogens were often used in rituals to summon spirits. The purpose opened the mind to quote higher knowledge, but it wasn't coming from God. And even today, many occult practices still use drugs to contact spirit guides, but these guides are demonic, no matter how beautiful or loving they appear. We also live in a society heavily dependent on pharmaceuticals Some helpful, sure, but many substances alter the mind, weaken our spiritual defenses and blur the lines between sobriety and spiritual danger. 1 Peter 5.8 says Be sober-minded and alert, and we're called to stay clear-headed for a reason Demons take advantage of a mind left unguarded. Not every pill is evil, not every prescription is demonic, but anything that opens spiritual doors outside of Christ needs to be approached with wisdom and prayer. And if you want to hear more about pharmakia in particular, go back to episode 41. We discuss it in. I believe it's 41, 42, and 43.
Speaker 1:But something else that I want to throw out there is that as believers, we are certainly called to be set apart, as we know, and sometimes it can become easy because we are in the world and we're in society and we don't want to be too different. Right, we're going along or we have been programmed into certain mindsets when I say not every prescription is demonic, sure, but some of them are, and I just want to encourage you this is a kind of a sidestep to this conversation I want to encourage you to be sober-minded when it comes to what you are taking or injecting into your body, if human or animal cells are inside of that vial that you're going to shoot into your own blood, and we're told that the life of the body is in the blood, something you may want to look into, a hole you might want to go down. Let's talk about another hole. That's kind of interesting and that's with demons and parasites a physical, spiritual parallel. This is something I found really interesting as I started to study demonic activity and it might sound kind of unusual, but many have noticed something really interesting that there is a striking parallel between demons, or demonic oppression, and parasites. So think about it.
Speaker 1:Parasites feed off of a host, silently at first, and then gradually weaken it. They often go unnoticed while draining life and energy. They can affect your mood, behavior and even thoughts, especially the gut brain parasites, and they thrive in the dark and toxic and unclean environments. Likewise, demons seek to inhibit and influence people. They often operate through deception and secrecy. They attach themselves to areas of spiritual darkness, sin and trauma. They attach themselves to areas of spiritual darkness, sin and trauma. Deliverance ministry sometimes reports physical manifestations during spiritual deliverance, such as vomiting, twitching and sudden release, not unlike what happens when a parasite is purged from the body. While this connection isn't doctrinal, it's a powerful analogy and it may point to the deeper connection between our physical and spiritual health.
Speaker 1:That brings us to the big question can christians be possessed by demons? Here's a question I get asked a lot. And if you're a believer in jesus christ, truly born again and skilled with the holy spirit, you cannot be possessed. You are God's and nothing can snatch you from his hand. We're told in Ephesians 1.13 that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. In 1 John 4.4,. Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.
Speaker 1:But that doesn't mean that you can't be oppressed spiritually, harassed, mentally or emotionally, influenced by lies or unhealed trauma, or vulnerable to spiritual strongholds when sin is left unchecked. That's why Paul warns us in Ephesians 4.27, do not give the devil a foothold. So how do we stand firm in Christ when we're up against a battle like this? We don't fight demons on our own strength. We fight with the authority of Jesus. Luke 10, 19,. I have given you authority to overcome all the power of the enemy. James 4, 7,. Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. And Ephesians 6 outlines our armor the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit and prayer. So stay submitted, stay rooted and walk in the light. You don't need to fear the enemy, you just need to recognize him and resist.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining me for this coffee talk. Yes, demons are real, but you don't need to fear them. You need to be aware and stand firm in Christ and remember the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you and Satan and all of his minions. They have already been defeated. Last, I have a few questions for you to reflect on as you are going through your week. Do I recognize areas where the enemy may have influence in my life or thinking? Am I staying grounded in truth or entertaining lies? Are the spiritual doors I need to close through repentance, forgiveness or prayer, and do I believe in the authority I have in Jesus? If this episode gave you insight or encouragement or clarity, share it with a friend. And if you have missed any of the past episodes in Coffee Talk series, I invite you to go back and listen, especially last episode 138, is Satan Real? And for even more foundational teaching on spiritual warfare, definitely check out episodes three through six, where we first explored what it means to be in a spiritual battle and how to stand firm in your faith.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for tuning in and for being on this journey. If you would like to stay connected outside the podcast, you can join the mission on Instagram at the Radiant Mission, facebook at the Radiant Mission Podcast. Or if you wanna watch in video format, you can find us on YouTube by searching for my name Rebecca Toomey, t-w-o-m-e-y. And today I'm going to close with Romans 8, 38 through 39, for I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Wishing you a radiant week and I'll see you next time. Bye everyone.
