3 Ways Demonic Powers Are at Work in 2023

The Bible repeatedly addresses the activities of demons, the devil, Satan, and the powers of darkness. Interpretations and beliefs about these entities may vary. Some believe the demonic powers are mere metaphors for speaking about things we don’t understand. Others believe the ancient people created the idea of spiritual beings to describe evils in the heart of humankind. However, the most natural reading of the scriptures would indicate that there are fallen and evil beings in unseen places that war against righteousness in the cosmos and on earth, potentially through intermediaries. 

Saint John of the Cross speaks of “the three enemies which are world, devil, and flesh” (Prologue, Dark Night of the Soul, 1577-1579). It seems these are not three different enemies but three interrelated enemies whose temptations stem from ethereal places. That is, cosmic powers work through the world–nations, politics, social systems, etcetera–and through individual human fallenness. Or, you might say, demonic activity manifests in the world through corporate and individual entities. 

Here are three things the Bible says about demonic activities pertinent to contemporary events. I’ll leave much of the analysis of current events to your imagination, as my intent here is merely to demonstrate ways demonic powers are still on the job. 

Deception and False Teaching:

“Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth.” (1 Timothy 4:1–3, CSB)

The Bible warns about demonic influence leading people away from the truth and promoting false teachings and doctrines. Here’s my question: Which false teachings and doctrines stem from the demonic realm, and which are the product of human weakness and fallibility? As humans, we make mistakes. Our logic is imperfect. When a church splits over doctrine, is it because the devil wants to divide Christians, or is it because of human weakness? I say both. But, when a Calvinist and Evangelical Arminian argue about the doctrines of grace, is that because of human fallibility or the demonic? I cannot be certain in this case, and so I think wisdom is needed before we call out teachings as demonic. I am, however, certain that a pattern of departure from orthodox Christian truth will follow the pattern of demonic activity in the scriptures. 

One place demonic teaching has been clear for some time now is on the topic of gender identity. “​​God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female” (Genesis 1:27, CSB). Adam and Eve were created as God’s imagers, yet different in their sex and gender expressions. That is for compliment, not diversity–in case anyone may argue that further differentiation of gender expression leads to godliness. For in creating two sexes and genders, Yahweh said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him” (Genesis 2:18, CSB) and “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28, CSB), a task requiring no more or less than two genders with corresponding sex. 

Throughout the scriptures and the literature of the Ancient Near Eastern world literature, you will see homosexuality, transgenderism, and male effeminacy corresponding to both wicked practices and the worship of Pagan deities (demonic powers). That is no coincidence. Today, Christian churches, most recently, megachurch, North Point Community Church under the leadership of Andy Stanley, are statedly separating the traditional definitions of male, female, and marriage from the practice of Christian love within the church. That means they will still give lip service to the doctrine when asked but not practice it. I assume that means baptism and membership are open to those in unrepentant sexual sin. It will be interesting to see how they tackle licensing and ordination and for how long they will continue in their doctrinal ambiguity. Clearly, the teachings of demons have taken root at North Point and many other churches that have compromised orthodox doctrine.  

Oppression and Possession:

“Then the news about him spread throughout Syria. So they brought to him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. And he healed them.” (Matthew 4:24, CSB)

Biblical demons can oppress and possess individuals, causing various physical, mental, and spiritual afflictions. Christians should still believe in cases of demonic possession and oppression today, as the scriptures provide no argument for the ceasing of demonic activity. However, we should be mindful of demonic possession and oppression and deal with it biblically and graciously. 

Demonic possession refers to a state in which an individual's body, mind, or spirit is believed to be controlled or inhabited by a demonic entity. In possession cases, the person may exhibit abnormal behavior, speak in strange voices, display supernatural strength, or have altered consciousness. The possessed person loses control over their actions and thoughts, with the demon taking over. Exorcism rituals are often performed to remove the possessing entity and free the individual from its influence. In the Ancient Near Eastern world, it does not seem that people are accidentally possessed, but they undergo ritual rites to invite the demon. In the New Testament, however, unclean, evil, and chaotic spirits seem to possess those who do not invite the spirits, even children. In the historical record, the latter type of possession is unique to the first advent of Christ, in which the spiritual world tried to thwart God’s redemptive plan through the murder of God’s Messiah–an effort that failed in the resurrection and ascension of Christ. For this reason, I’m hesitant to acknowledge possession in the case of those who do not invite demons. However, I wonder if there is a correlation between drug use (sorcery), occultism, and demon possession, as this seems a viable means for inviting demonic powers. 

Demonic oppression, on the other hand, is a less severe form of spiritual influence. In cases of oppression, a person is believed to be harassed, tormented, or somehow influenced by demonic forces from the outside. This influence can manifest in various ways, such as persistent negative thoughts, chronic feelings of fear or despair, unexplained physical ailments, or a series of unfortunate events. Unlike possession, the oppressed person retains their own will and identity but experiences significant challenges due to the perceived external spiritual attack. Oppression should not be seen only negatively, as if the individual’s well-being is at stake. Often, oppression takes the form of ideological influence. For example, in Daniel, the prince of Persia (demon) seems to have ideological sway over the empire's activities under Cyrus’s Kingship.

I see this pattern playing out in modern politics. Inevitably, opposing political parties will call every new president the antichrist or say he has the spirit of the antichrist. Why? Simply because their political ideology differs, is therefore wrong and thus demonically inspired. We should be careful here. It is assumed that demons influenced politics in the Ancient Near Eastern world. That seems likely to be true today. Demonic powers can control nations and attempt to control the flow of history through social and political movements–a definite theme in the book of Daniel. But, we should reserve questions about possession for particularly heinous social and political maneuvers such as the recent Hamas attacks on the state of Israel. My concern is not so much the land war but the heinous nature of the attacks. At whatever point we attach demonic influence to faulty human thinking and/or sinfulness–whether possession or oppression–as Christians, we must do so graciously. 

Temptation and Spiritual Warfare:

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.” (Ephesians 6:12, CSB)

The biblical authors wrote of spiritual warfare, where believers are encouraged to put on the whole armor of God to resist the schemes of the devil and his demonic forces. That is often interpreted as an ongoing battle against temptation and spiritual attacks based on the elements of the armor addressed in the following context. 

We have a saying, “to call a spade a spade.” The expression from Plutarch's Apophthegmata Laconica means to call something “as it is” by its proper designation. It means to speak truthfully, frankly, and directly about a topic, even if you are blunt or rude. There is a virtue and a sin in this pattern of expression. Some Evangelical Christians will take the side of virtue. They don’t want to be rude, neither do they call out the sin. Others will rudely call out the sin, rejecting the virtue. The Christian task is to express virtue while calling out sin. 

When the Apostle Paul wrote Ephesians, he certainly meant for us to call out the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of darkness that underlie human activity. But we shouldn’t forget that we’re also criticizing human imagers of God when we criticize demonic ideologies. Demonically inspired sinfulness doesn’t justify our sinful behavior against them–in fact, that’s precisely what the demons want. 

Paul was not merely speaking of human rulers. There seems to be different levels of demonic powers–a pantheon of demons, if it's helpful to see it that way. Higher levels of demons (princes, as in Daniel, for example) work on higher-level human institutions, but the chaotic spirits go to work inspiring general human sinfulness, as we see in the Gospels. In that way, we should not be quick to accuse others of demonic activity, remaining unaware of our own sin. Spiritual warfare works on many levels, from political and social structures to tempting individuals towards sin and defective thinking.

Conclusion

Demonic forces continue to weave their influence through the intricate tapestry of human existence. Deception and false teaching persist today in an era of misinformation, leading people astray from truth and understanding. Oppression and possession, whether viewed as spiritual or psychological phenomena, haunt the hearts of those vulnerable to their power, reminding us of the persistent struggle against unseen adversaries. The battleground of temptation and spiritual warfare extends far beyond ancient scriptures. It infiltrates every avenue of human history, even our rapidly changing world, where the battle for righteousness continues.

Saint John of the Cross' insight into the interconnectedness of the world, devil, and flesh underscores the multifaceted nature of our spiritual battle. It is not merely an archaic concept relegated to the annals of history but a living reality, manifesting in the corporate structures that govern our societies and the individual struggles that persist in daily life. When we recognize spiritual adversaries, we should use discernment to combat the subtle influences that seek to lead us away from Christlikeness. 

Remember, a pattern of departure from orthodox Christian truth will follow the pattern of demonic activity in the scriptures. We should be mindful of demonic activity and deal with it biblically and graciously because demonically inspired sinfulness doesn’t justify our sinful behavior.