With all the talk these days of demons and deliverance, how would I know if you had a demon? I’m going to give you five ways to detect if you do. Of course, there are hundreds of ways that demons enter. But I have broken this down into the five areas demons most generally attack the human condition. This applies in every culture on every socioeconomic level. What I’m saying isn’t exhaustive. If you want more illumination on this, go to boblarsonuniversity.org and check out our educational track on demons, deliverance, and exorcism.
Here, then, are the five most common areas where evil spirits strike, especially Christians.
- FAITH: Demons attack belief systems of faith. These tactics are obvious. Try to read your Bible and you suddenly get sleepy or distracted. You may find yourself questioning time-honored scriptural truths. You doubt, like Eve, when the tempting serpent questioned God with the words of Genesis 3:1: Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’? (AMP) Such distractions may be human querulousness or deception by the devil.
- HEALTH: John 10:10 says that Satan comes to kill. Not all sicknesses, diseases, and infirmities are demonic, but many are. The devil may exploit bodily weakness to make them worse. He can also be the cause of physical maladies. Luke 7:21 says of Jesus, “He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits” (NKJV). Here we see the connection between illnesses and casting out demons. Demonic diseases often come on suddenly, have no medical explanation, and don’t improve with any medication. Don’t automatically assume that any illness is demonic, but there’s no harm in praying for healing if it is the work of evil spirits.
- FINANCES: Not every lack of money is the work of demons, but generational curses are often centered on this theme. An ancestor made a deal with the devil, perhaps the demon god Mammon, and successive progeny never seem to have enough or always lose what they gain. Education, hard work, industriousness help to mitigate this curse, but the devil often seems to keep the tormented Christian from realizing their fullest potential. Malachi 3:11 declares that the Lord will rebuke the devourer for the sake of those who are faithful in giving to the Lord. Conversely, Satan can claim the right to steal what should belong to a Christian by destruction and wasting.
- EMOTIONS: Often the unhealthy emotions of an individual provide a way for demons to infect the mind. Anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, rejection, and self-loathing are emotional examples of places where demons can reside. These negative spiritual strongholds if not confessed and healed will remain an opening for evil spirits. Ephesians 4:31 says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (ESV). Failing to do so invites demons to dwell in the soul of one who has not surrendered their whole mind and their emotions to the Lord.
- CALLING: Do you feel like you never seem to achieve your real purpose in life. You have a nagging sense that there is more you could do for the Lord. You have the talents and skill, the education and will, but real success eludes you. You wonder, “What is my calling in the body of Christ?” It could be that you have not yet spiritually matured to receive your destiny. Or ego and selfishness could be in the way. It also might be a demon blocking your future of blessing and service in His Kingdom. Ephesians 4:1 recognizes that each Christian has a divine purpose as Paul implored those reading his words, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (NKJV). If you can’t find your calling, you may need deliverance from demons before you realize your divinely created purpose.
As I said, this list is not exhaustive and it isn’t the final word on the ways that demons attack. But if you find yourself afflicted in one or more of these area of life, you may need to consider getting inner healing ministry and perhaps even exorcism prayers. It is likely the only way you’ll detect if you are supernaturally hindered by demons. If you are afflicted in one of these five areas, prayers of deliverance can set you free. We’re here to help so don’t put off reaching out.
