Demons and mental problems

By John Chopores

 

Some (if, not most) of the mental problems, of the unsaved, are caused by the direct activity of Satan and his demons!

 Cf. Mat 15:22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is ^[1]grievously vexed with a devil. [The Greek word for "grievously" is "kakos", it can mean; "miserable, to be ill"].  

 Mat 17:15  Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. [The Greek word for lunatic" is "seleniazomai" it means; "to be moon-struck or lunatic"]. 
Mark 5:2  And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

Mark 5:3  Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

Mark 5:4  Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

Mark 5:5  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Mark 5:6  But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

Mark 5:7  And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. Mark 5:2  And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Mark 5:8  For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

Mark 5:9  And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

Mark 5:10  And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

Mark 5:11  Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

Mark 5:12  And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

Mark 5:13  And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

Mark 5:14  And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

Mark 5:15  And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. [You, will notice that, after, Jesus cast out the demons, the man is in his right mind!]. Mark 5:18  And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

Mark 5:19  Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Mark 5:20  And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
[Please note, that the KJV word "devil" (with a small "d") is the same as our word "demon"].

 

To deal well with the problems caused by demons, a person should have the spiritual gift of the discerning of spirits!

Discerning of spirits-

1CO 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another ^[2]discerning of spirits; to another {divers} kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: (KJV)

The Greek word for "discerning" is "diakrisis"; it means "a distinguishing, discerning, judging". So we see that we do need to do some judging, that of spirits.  But we are not to judge in pride, but while depending on God to help us.       

" discerning of spirits--discerning between the operation of God's Spirit,  and the evil spirit" [JFB].

 

   You will notice, that the Devil, can give visions! Cf. Luke 4:6  And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. So, we are to test the spirit(s), by the Bible, and the voice of the Holy Spirit! Cf.1 John 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 John 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1 John 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John 2:20  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.  [Some visions are from God, we need to see if the vision is in line with the Bible].
   Also, the Devil, can take many forms Cf. Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 Cor 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is [1]transformed into an angel of light. Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

[1] 3345. metaschematizo, met-askh-ay-mat-id'-zo; from G3326 and a der. of G4976; to transfigure or disguise; fig. to apply (by accommodation):--transfer, transform (self); to change. "from meta (3326), denoting change of place or condition, and schematizo (n.f.), to form, which is from schema (4976), shape, outward form. To tranform, change the outward form or appearance of something." [CWSD. PAGES. 972-973.].

   Also, Satan can speak directly to a person!

Cf. Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

John 13:2  And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

 

So can different evil spirits, speak to a person. Cf. 2 Chronicles 18:20  Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?

2 Chronicles 18:21  And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.  

 

Some of the odd voices telling people to do odd and evil things could be the voices of evil spirits! Maybe even Satan himself!

 

However the good news is that Jesus can heal mental problems!

Cf. Matthew 4:24  And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

 

And the more people are healed (by the power of God) of mental problems, the more the fame of Jesus Christ is spread! Cf. Luke 5:15  But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. [The Greek word for "healed" is "therapeuo", it means; "to heal, cure, restore to health"].   

We also see that when many people are healed by God, some of them also get to hear the Word of God!