Symptoms: of: Demon Possession

By John Chopores

 

Symptoms: of: Demon Possession;

   (1) The one under demon-power is an involuntary victim. (The willing soul is know as a medium.)

MAT 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. (KJV)

MAT 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. (KJV)

   That is not to say, that sin did not open the door. But, only that the demon will make the person possessed do things that the person does not want to do! I do not think that the "son" in Matt. 17:15 wanted to fall into fire. [It should be noticed, that the person who is "demon-possesion", would never have become this way if, he/she had received Christ as Lord and Savior, and remained in "the Faith"!].

   (2) The chief characteristic of demonomania is a distinct "other personality" within. ( This is different to demon-influence, for in this men follow their own wills, and retain their own personality.)

[WAR. Page 140.].  Cf.Mark 5:7-10 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. ⁸ For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. ⁹ And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. ¹⁰ And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

Luke 8:29. ²⁹ (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man....

 

MAT 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he[1] cast out the spirits with {his} word, and healed all that were sick: (KJV)

[1] aorist indicative active, the "aorist indicative expresses action that is not continuous" [CWSNT. PAGE. 850.].
  

Two possessed with demons

MAT 8:28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two[1] possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs,[2] exceeding[3] fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. (KJV)

[1]  present passive/middle participle, the "present participle expresses continuous or action" [CWSNT. PAGE.855.], these men were probably possessed all of the time!

[2] huerballo, "to throw or cast over or beyond, (i.e. beyond a certain limit.)" [BULLINGER. PAGE 265.]

[3] chalepos, "heavy, difficult; of things, perilous; of persons, fierce, furious" BULLINGER. PAGE. 283.], "hard to do or deal with, difficult, fierce"" [VINE. PAGE. 234.].

 

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. (KJV)
[1] present indicative passive, you will notice that, in the Greek, it is in the present tense (continuous action) and the passive voice. Her "daughter" was continuly "vexed" with a devil, but not of her own will!

"(3) The demons have a longing for a body to possess (Matt. xii.43, viii.31), as it seems to give them some relief, and they enter the bodies of animals as well as men. There are distincty individual peculiarities of the spirits." [WAR. PAGE. 315.].

MAT 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. (KJV)

(Matthew 8:31-32 KJV)

(31) So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. (32) And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

   You will also notice, the harm that the demons do to a body that they enter. cf.

(Matthew 8:31-32 KJV)

(31) So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. (32) And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

MAT 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. (KJV)

 MAR 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. (KJV)

MAT 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. (KJV)

 

 And bring harm to the mind. cf.

MAR 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. (KJV)

 

(4) Demons talk using the organs of speech, and show evidence of desire, fear, and personality.

   You will notice, that, Jesus talked to them as to a person. cf.

MAR 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. (KJV)

   And the demons talk to Jesus. cf.

(Matthew 8:28-29 KJV)

(28) And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. (29) And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

 

(5) Demons seem to have power and information not native to the human they possess. cf.

MAR 1:24 Saying, Let {us} alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. (KJV)

MAR 1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. (KJV)

 ACT 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by[1] soothsaying: (KJV)

[1] manteuomai, "to utter responses as from an oracle, to divine, foretell" BULLINGER. PAGE. 718.].

(Acts 19:14-16 KJV)

(14) And there were seven sons of {one} Sceva, a Jew, {and} chief of the priests, which did so. (15) And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? (16) And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

1SA 28:12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou {art} Saul. (KJV)

 

(6) There is sometimes great changes in the demon possessed person's  behaviour.
MAT 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. (KJV)

 

(7)  Great rage and violent behaviour. cf.

(Acts 19:14-16 KJV)

(14) And there were seven sons of {one} Sceva, a Jew, {and} chief of the priests, which did so. (15) And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? (16) And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

(1Samuel 18:10-11 KJV)

(10) And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and {there was} a javelin in Saul's hand. (11) And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall {with it}. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

 

 

(8) Sometimes will say wrong and evil things about Jesus. cf.
1CO 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and {that} no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. (KJV)

(9) Fear of Jesus cf.

MAT 8:29 And, behold, they[1] cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? (KJV)

[1] krazo, "(a word that imitates the hoarse cry of the raven...) hence, gen. to cry, cry out;used of inarticulate cries from fear or pain, ect." [BULLINGER. PAGE. 196.].


(10) Does not like to hear the truth from the "Word of God" cf. Luke 4:32  And they were astonished at his [1]doctrine: for his word was with power.

Luke 4:33  And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,

Luke 4:34  Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
[1] 1322. didache, did-akh-ay'; from G1321; instruction (the act or the matter):--doctrine, hath been taught. That is, they were "astonished" at His teaching!

(11) Sometimes, physical sickness, and/or handicaps! cf.Mat 9:32  As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

Mat 9:33  And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. Mat 12:22  Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

(12) Many kinds of insanity! cf. Mat 17:15  Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a [1]lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. [1] 4583. seleniazomai, sel-ay-nee-ad'-zom-ahee; mid. or pass. from a presumed der. of G4582; to be moon-struck, i.e. crazy:--be lunatic. If, Demon Possession is the only reason, for total insanity, I do not know! cf. Mat 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 lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

 Some of the ways, a demon can manipulate a human body.

 Can break down the body.

LUK 9:39 And, lo, a spirit[1p] taketh him, and he[1] suddenly[1p] crieth out; and it[2][1p] teareth him that he foameth again, and[3] bruising him hardly[1p] departeth from him. (KJV)

[1] exaiphnes, "suddenly, unexpectedly" [BULLINGER. PAGE. 748.].

[2] sparasso, "to tear, rend; lacerate" [BULLINGER. PAGE. 762.], "donotes "to tear, rend, convulse,"" [VINE. PAGE. 620.].

[3] thrauo, "to break, break in pieces, to break down" [BULLINGER. PAGE. 119.], ""to smite through, shatter,"" [VINE. PAGE. 82.]. present active participle, "

the "present participle expresses continuous or repeated action" [CWSNT. PAGE. 855.].

[1p] present indicative active, the "present indicative asserts something which is occurring while the speaker is making the statement" [CWSNT. PAGE. 857.].

 Can cause the body, to dry up and wither away!
MAR 9:18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and[1] pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. (KJV)

[1] xeraino, "to dry, make dry. Here, pass., to be dried up, wither away" [BULLINGER. PAGE. 585.]. cf.
PRO 17:22 A merry heart doeth good {like} a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (KJV)

 

 Cause it to fall down.

MAT 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. (KJV)

 

 

 

 Any number of demons, can possess an unsaved person. cf.

MAR 16:9 Now when {Jesus} was risen early the first {day} of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. (KJV)

MAR 5:9 And he asked him, What {is} thy name? And he answered, saying, My name {is}[1] Legion: for we are many. (KJV)

[1] legeon, "legion, the largest division of troops in the Roman army, varying at different periods from 3,000 to 6,600. Used for an indefinitely great number" [BULLINGER. PAGE. 449.]. “Latin word (_legio_). A full Roman legion had 6,826 men. ". This may not have been a full legion, for #Mr 5:13 notes that the number of hogs was "about two thousand." Of course, a stickler for words might say that each hog had several demons.” [RWP]. “

 for we are many: as a Roman legion did consist of many, though its number was not always alike: in the time of Romulus, a legion consisted of three thousand foot, and three hundred horse; afterwards, when the city was, increased, of six thousand foot, and six hundred horse; sometimes it was six thousand and two hundred foot, and three hundred horse; sometimes four thousand foot, and three hundred horse; sometimes five thousand foot, and three hundred horse {x}. Some make a legion to consist of six thousand six hundred sixty six; and others make it much larger, even twelve thousand five hundred: however, the number in a legion was many; hence the word is retained among the Jews, and is used for a large number, either of persons or things; as, Mytyz lvm dxa Nwygl, "a legion of olives"“[JOHN GILL].