Can a Christian be ‘Demonized’?

As part of our ministry in deliverance, I have been made aware that there is in the church today a very wide divide when it comes to the notion of Christians being under the influence of demonic spirits. The main reason for this divide is an incorrect translation of one word in the original Koine Greek of the New Testament. This article will explain in simple terms how this one word has created such a misunderstanding that has lead to such a rift in the body of Christ. 

In the Greek of the New Testament, the word 'daimonizomai' expresses  presence of demonic spirits in a person. What this word really means is: 'to be demonized' which simply means 'to be under the influence of a demonic spirit'. The word 'possessed' used throughout the translated scripture, is an incorrect translation of the Greek word  'daimonizomai' and does nothing but create confusion on the subject of deliverance in Christians. The reason is that in English, the word 'possessed' implies total control or ownership. As we know, a true Christian cannot be possessed. This concept of possession, when applied to the relationship between a demonic force and a person, has no support in the scripture or in the original translation of the Greek. 

This is a crucial point because, while a Christian cannot be possessed by a demonic spirit, they can certainly become 'demonized', or 'under the influence of' a demonic spirit. This happens when we are not in control of a specific area in our lives and a demon finds it's way into that area and torments us. Scripture in support of this idea includes the following:

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their deeds.”

This scripture warns us that the enemy is deceitful and can work through people who act like they are following Christ but by their false prophesies, preaching of a different gospel, and by the fruit of their actions we can discover that they are really demonized false apostles.

Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

This scripture also warns us against becoming complacent or apathetic as Christians, explaining plainly that the enemy can demonize true believers. The pat argument amongst uneducated Christians is that sin or a demon cannot exist in the same body where the Holy Spirit exists – and, as this and other scripture points out, is incorrect on two counts.  First, this false security reduces the person of the Holy Spirit to some kind of ‘good force’ and totally takes away His position as the third person of the Trinity. Second, the Holy Spirit (and the entire Trinity) is omnipresent and is constantly at work in the regenerate believer – but the believer is constantly struggling with the old, sinful nature. In other words, just because we are saved doesn’t mean that we are perfected yet. We are constantly at war with the dark side. The idea that the Holy Spirit cannot be in the same space as evil has no biblical merit at all and creates a very weak statement regarding the power of God. God has dominion over all things, that is true, but it is totally up to us as believers to believe in Jesus and to overcome.

In deliverance ministry, we must command the demons to go in Jesus Name. He will not cast the demons out for us because He has given us that authority and He expects us to use it!

Mark 6:7 confirms this to be fact. "And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits"

A perfect illustration of the fact that Christians can be demonized appears in Acts 8, the story of Simon the Sorcerer. This from Acts 8: 9-24:

“Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;  and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts.  But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed."

"Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.  For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

In this scripture we see that Simon, a former practitioner in the occult of magic, had believed and accepted Christ, was baptized in water and observed great signs & wonders. But when he saw the people receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, out of jealousy he offered Peter money to bestow the Spirit on him. Simon had been saved, accepted Christ but there was still an issue. Simon needed deliverance from the occult. He had believed in Christ but still had the heart of an occult sorcerer. He was still a captive to sin even after he had believed and been baptized. A prime example of a Christian being demonized and in serious need of deliverance.

In summary, the argument that many use that "a Christian cannot be demonized" is that the Holy Spirit cannot reside in a person who is being demonized, or that they cannot co-exist in the same person. But the Bible gives many examples where the Holy Spirit was at work in demonized believers. Below is a partial list of scriptures for self-exploration.

Ephesians 6:10-18             1 Thessealonians 2:18           1 Corinthians 10:12-14 
1 Peter 5:8-9                      Ephesians 4:25-27                  1 Corinthians 5:1-5 
2 Timothy 2:24-26             Galations 3:1                          Acts 5:1-11
1 Timothy 4:1-2                 2 Corinthians 12:7 
1 Timothy 3:6-7                 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 
1 Timothy 1:19-20             2 Corinthians 2:10-11 

For more in-depth information on demons and the ministry of deliverance, see the Derek Prince section under the Video Teaching area of this web site.


Be Blessed & Be A Blessing!
 ~Mark Williams, Minister of Healing & Deliverance

Hollis Caravetta-Coleman, Bible Teacher

Hollis is the daughter of a Russian Jew who fought in WWII with the American army. He kept the fact that he was Jewish a secret from her for many years. He even changed his last name to hide the fact that he was Jewish.  As a youngster Hollis was raised in the cult of Christian Science.  Her Christian mother was dying of breast cancer at the time and she had no interest in "her god", being a self-righteous hippy, flower-child artist of the 60's. Hollis was sure that her Charismatic tongue-talking mother had lost her mind, but God chose Hollis and spoke audibly to her in the form of questions directed at her, while traveling on a private plane. Questions like “Why don't you as an artist believe in Me when you see my artistry all over My creation?” One day shortly thereafter,  a friend of her mother’s read Hollis one of the poems she had written and to her total shock and amazement it contained the same question that she had received from the voice on the plane! 

Hollis went to bed that night and prayed for the first time in almost twenty years, "God if you are real, am I a Jew or a Gentile?” At about 2:00 AM Hollis' stepfather knocked on the bedroom door and said that God had told him to tell her, "You are a daughter of Abraham!"  The next morning Hollis accepted Jesus as her savior and her life has never been the same!  The Lord began using her to prophesy the first week she was saved and she has never stopped.

Hollis has been used as a speaker in several countries at large conventions but lately feels that her calling is to the home church speaking and teaching God's Word - with heavy emphasis on eschatology or end times ministry and the coming of the Lord.  

Video Teaching: Bishop Dominiquae Bierman on Replacement Theology

On June 9, 2013, we sponsored the return of Bishop Dominiquae & Rabbi Baruch Bierman to the Word & Worship Center in Miami and were truly blessed. That afternoon teaching is now brought to you in the following four-part teaching on replacement theology. You'll want to take notes during these.

                                                                 Part One

 

                                                                Part Two

 

                                                                Part Three

 

                                                                Part Four

 

Be blessed  and be a blessing!

Charles Carrin: How the Holy Spirit Changes You

On June 2, 2013 we were tremendously blessed by the teaching of Charles Carrin on how, after 27 years of preaching, the Holy Spirit totally revolutionized and rejuvenated his ministry. This is an awesome teaching and testimony for everyone - especially Pastors and ministers.

                                                                   Part one

                                                                  Part Two

Cathie Cotton, Minister of Healing, Deliverance, Prophecy and Intercessory Prayer Team Leader

Cathie has spent the last 25 years in global mission fields planting churches, schools and orphanages as well as feeding the hungry, healing the sick in Jesus' name and bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unreachable. For a dozen years she ministered with Georgian and Winnie Banov's Global Celebration in the trash dumps and ghettos of several countries, with a concentration in Bulgaria. Cathie has also ministered in evangelism and healing with Heidi Baker's Iris Ministries globally.

An extremely anointed Prophetess and Worshiper, Cathie has written and taught the School of the Prophets for established Prophets globally. Cathie is a true worshiper - a 'warshiper' who is extremely proficient in banner worship and Music Ministry. Cathie is a 'minuteman disciple' of Jesus who carries an anointing that is evident 24 hours a day. Cathie is an Evangelist, Teacher, Apostle and Prophet always ready to do battle with the devil.

Cathie and Mark Williams minister together as the powerhouse duo at First Love Missions.

Mark Williams, Ministry of Healing, Deliverance and Intercessory Prayer

Mark is Director and Teacher of the Deliverance Ministry at the Word & Worship Center. As a teen in South Florida, Mark was taught by his parents, Jim & Julia Chandler, who sat under Derek Prince and were sent out by Derek to established a ministry in Jerusalem in the 70's and 80's. They were involved in spearheading the revival of the Feast of Tabernacles in 1980 and lead the first prayer team for the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem throughout the 80's.

In addition to his parents, Mark was taught directly by Derek Prince, Bob Mumford, Don Basham and Mahesh Chavda. A talented musician & composer, Mark landed his first recording contract while still in his teens and, even with these prolific Christian leaders as mentors and teachers, still managed to go 'off the rail on a crazy train'. A prodigal son with a voracious appetite for the word, Mark has been called as an Apostle, Evangelist and Teacher.

Mark has spiritually inherited his mother's ministry in healing, deliverance, teaching and evangelism and is currently mentored by the globally recognized deliverance & healing Pastor (and old friend of his parents) Jim Croft of Derek Prince Ministries in healing & deliverance and leads the deliverance ministry here at the Word & Worship Center..

Together with Cathie Cotton, Mark ministers for First Love Missions in Miami, Fl.

Senior Pastor Cecil Warren

 

Pastor Cecil Warren has been the senior pastor of the Word & Worship Center for 25 years. The church is the former St. Timothy's Lutheran Church of Cutler Bay. Cecil was raised in a Southern Baptist environment but it was when he began attending a Lutheran church that he met his wife Julie. They have three daughters and a son. His daughter Kelley Warren-Augi, is a globally renowned worship leader and lead worship at Catch The Fire, Toronto, formerly known as the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, during the 'Toronto Blessing' years of the 1990's. His wife, Julie, is also the highly anointed worship leader at Word & Worship. 

 Prior to entering the ministry Pastor Warren was a very successful high school football coach and choral director at local Miami high schools during the 70's. Upon hearing the word of God, he attended and graduated from a Lutheran Seminary at the top of his class and became a the Pastor at the largest Lutheran church in Charleston, South Carolina, a church of 6,000 members. It was while serving in Charleston that he and his family began traveling around the South, leading worship at various churches. It was during that time, in a little charismatic country church that he  experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit that caused a hunger for more of the Lord and, in his words, "hasn’t been the same since".

 

Pastor Warren is an extremely anointed Teacher presenting the gospel in ways that are dramatic and intelligent. His concepts for interior decoration for special services are renowned and make the message visible for all ages. When God called him back to Miami, and away from the mega church in Charleston, He gave him a vision of a ministry that would have 200 sent out teachers, ministers and missionaries. Cecil has sent out dozens of people in ministry all over the globe and the Word & Worship Center has come to be known as a Spirit Renewal Center. When the congregation started to consider a new way to identify our ministry the two words that always came to the surface were “Word” and “Worship” - and isn't that really what it's all about?