Demonic possession is what I call “proprietary possession,” the devil’s copyrighted claim to your life. First the word “proprietary.” As an adjective it means “ownership.’ As a noun it means “owner” or “proprietor.” It’s another way to describe what those in deliverance ministry call “legal rights.” That’s the concept which teaches that the devil cannot invade anyone, including a Christian, unless he has the right — does he have ownership claims. If so, where and when did he stake such a claim? Proprietary possession is like having intellectual rights, as referred to in law. Intellectual property is the intangible creation of human intellect, like a song, a novel, or a work of art. In business we think of this as patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and trademarks. What has this to do with spiritual warfare? Much.
If a Christian engages in something which the devil has trademarked, a practice which Satan claims as his intellectual (spiritual) property, the believer’s engagement in this matter runs the risk that the devil will enforce his rights by a proprietary claim. Demonic possession can result. In practical terms, this can happen when Christians engage in things such as yoga, qigong, tai chi, Enneagrams, acupuncture, energy healing, reiki, etc. Study the history of these indulgences, as I have, and you’ll quickly realize that the origins of these practices are connected to occult and pagan belief systems. That legally tarnishes their use in a renovated, spiritually reconstructed context.
Some Christians may argue that their intent wasn’t evil, and consequently the devil can’t use such things to bring spiritual oppression. Think again. Try driving your neighbor’s car without permission and give the flimsy excuse that you needed transportation to go to church on Sunday. Your intent was not to commit theft. You had a spiritual purpose in mind. When your neighbor reports you to the police will the authorities care about how you intended to use the car? No, it was stolen property! You violated the proprietary right of the owner.
If Hindus designed yoga postures to emulate gods or developed devotional poses as a means of calling upon spirit beings, do you have the right to violate that spiritual trademark? If a shamanic healer is seeking to redistribute your chi energy for health and longevity, based on Chinese Buddhist beliefs, can you violate that spiritual copyright and escape spiritually unscathed? If the Enneagram personality types were developed by the likes of mystic occultist George Gurdjieff and psychotropic drug advocate Claudia Naranjo, can you convert the nine Enneagram personality types into benign behavioral characteristics?
When the devil has patented something, Christians had better beware. Approach with caution. As Isaiah 5:20 declares, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Avoid violating occult proprietary rights which may lead to demonic possession. Don’t let the devil file a spiritual lawsuit of copyright infringement on your life.
