Oppression Vs. Possession: Settling the Debate

What's up, family, and welcome back to video number three. This is session three of the Deliverance, the Children's Bread course, and we're gonna tackle the most, I would say the single most controversial question in deliverance ministry. Can a Christian have a demon? I have watched this question divide churches, end friendships, and worse, leave demonized believers without help because their pastor told them it was impossible. So let's settle this with Scripture and with the original language and not with theology built on assumptions. The English word possession is the problem. When most people hear demon possession, they picture a person with no control, fully taken over, like the demoniac we talked about in the last course video, living among the tombs. And then they say, well, that cannot happen to a Christian, and they are right, but they are answering the wrong question. Here's the issue. The phrase demon-possessed in our English Bible is translated from one Greek word, damaonizia. I hope I pronounced that right. I don't speak fluent Greek. And daimonizomia does not mean possessed.

It means demonized. So again, that Greek word for possessed in the English, that word for possessed in the Greek is the word daimonizomia, and it's to be under the influence of, to be afflicted by, or to have a demon. That is it. The translators chose the English word possessed, and it created a theological problem that does not exist in the original language. And here's why this matters. Ownership and influence are two different things. Your spirit, if you are born again, your spirit is sealed by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1.13. In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Your spirit is sealed, purchased, owned by God. No demon can possess your spirit once you're born again. That is settled, but you're not just a spirit. You are a spirit who has a soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions, and you live in a body. Spirit, soul, and body. And while your spirit is regenerated out salvation, your soul is being sanctified, and your body is still subject to this fallen world. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 23. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,

and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, 1 Thessalonians 5, 23. Paul prayed for the sanctification of all three parts, spirit, soul, and body, because all three are not automatically perfected at salvation. Your spirit is born again, your soul is a battlefield, and your body is still mortal. A demon cannot own your spirit, but it can absolutely oppress, afflict, or inhabit areas of the soul and body where it has been given legal access through sin, trauma, or generational iniquity. Think of it this way. You own your house, but if you leave the back door open, a rat can get in. The rat does not own the house, but it's in the house, and it's causing damage. Deliverance is not about ownership. It is about occupation. Now, let me give you the biblical spectrum of demonic influence, because this is not an all or nothing else issue. Level one is temptation. Again, level number one, temptation. Every human experiences this. The devil tempted Jesus himself, our Lord and Savior in Matthew 4.

Temptation is external. It is simply a suggestion, an enticement, a thought presented to you. It does not indicate that you have demonization. No, it indicates that you are alive, and the enemy is active. Level two, influence. This is where the enemy's suggestions, his suggestions begin to shape the patterns of thinking. Peter is a perfect example. Look at this, Matthew 16, 23. Jesus had revealed that he would suffer and die. What did Peter do? Rebuked him. And Jesus responded. But he turned and said to Peter, get behind me, Satan. You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men, Matthew 16, 23. Jesus did not say, get behind me, Peter. He said, get behind me, Satan. Peter was being influenced, using, Peter was being influenced, used as a mouthpiece by the enemy. Peter was not possessed, but he was not demonized, but he was being influenced to the point that satanic words came out of his mouth. And this was one of Jesus's closest disciples. Level three, oppression.

This is sustained external pressure from demonic forces. It is heavier than influence. It affects your emotions, your thoughts, your sleep, your peace. Acts 10, 38 describes Jesus's ministry, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with them. Acts 10 38, the word oppressed here in this, this Greek word is the word. And I'm, again, I'm trying to pronounce it right. To exercise dominion against or to overpower is what it means. So the word oppressed is to exercise dominion against or to overpower. This is the devil ex exercising power over people who belong to God. And Jesus healed them. He set them free. If believers could not be oppressed, why is Jesus healing God's people of demonic oppression? Level four demonization. This is when a demon gains has gained access to an area of a person's soul or body and is operating from within. This is where the church gets nervous, but the evidence is both scriptural and experiential. The woman in Luke 13 with the spirit of infirmity, she was called a daughter of Abraham by Jesus himself. She was a covenant woman, a believer, and she had a spirit operating in her body for 18 years. So how does this happen? How does a believer become demonized through what deliverance ministers call, which is the truth, open doors, areas of legal access,

unconfessed, habitual sin. Again, unconfessed, habitual sin. If you are willingly, repeatedly engaging in a particular sin without repentance, you are giving the enemy legal ground to establish a foothold. Ephesians four 26 and 27, be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Look, the word place is topos in the Greek, a specific occupied space. Paul is telling believers, not unbelievers, believers do not give the devil topos, a specific occupied space, a territory, a foothold. If it were impossible for a believer to give the devil access, Paul would have not needed to warn against it. Trauma is another major open door. When a person experiences abuse, violence, or severe emotional wounding, the soul will fracture. The soul will literally fracture. And in that fractured place, a spirit can attach. This is especially common with childhood trauma. Sexual abuse, abandonment, and rejection. The person did nothing wrong. They did not let the devil in, but trauma caused a wound and an unhealed wound becomes an entry point. Occult involvement is a direct open door. Ouija boards, tarot cards, psychic readings, astrology, new age meditation, yoga as a spiritual practice. All of these involve interfacing with demonic spirits, whether the person knows it or not. Deuteronomy 18, 10 through 12 says this, and he makes, the scripture makes it clear, there shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire or one who practices witchcraft or a soothsayer or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer or one who conjures spells or a medium

or a spiritist or one who calls upon the dead for all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord. Deuteronomy 18, 10 and generational iniquity. This is important, which we will cover in depth in session. Five is another open door. Spirits can travel through bloodlines because of the unrepentant sins of ancestors. This is not your fault, but it is your responsibility to close the door. So here's the summary. Can a Christian be possessed, which is fully owned and controlled by a demon and their spirit? No. Can a Christian be demonized, afflicted, oppressed, or have a demonic presence operating in their soul or body? The Bible says yes. And pretending otherwise does not protect believers. It leaves them in chains while telling them they are free. Again, it leaves them in chains while telling them they are free. In our next session, we are going to talk about the difference between a stronghold and a demon, because not every battle is a deliverance issue and knowing the difference is the mark of a mature minister. See you in the next video.