Demons and Fallen Angels

Demons are disembodied spirits that are at work virtually everywhere in the world today. They are evil in nature, and are obedient to Satan, their ruler. In the Bible they are also known as “evil spirits” or “unclean spirits”.

There are a number of theories about their origin, but the Bible doesn’t make it absolutely clear. Many believe they are fallen angels who fell when Satan, formerly Lucifer, rebelled against the Lord God in heaven. This theory has the problem that demons seem to be earth-bound spirits that walk, and cannot fly, unlike angels. There are fallen angels, who presently occupy positions of influence and authority over the earth in a kind of Satanic hierarchy, and are referred to in the Bible as “principalities and powers” (Ephesians 6:12). Earth bound demons are the “foot soldiers” in Satan’s kingdom, and they are the ones we deal with on a day to day basis, whether we realise it or not.

Some speculate that demons are the spirits of former inhabitants of earth who rebelled against God – possibly the results of the offspring of fallen angels and women in the days before the flood (see Genesis 6). The Bible doesn’t tell us and we don’t have to know. What matters is to know how to deal with them, and overcome them, as they are everywhere, and they enjoy making our lives miserable, if they can.

It may be that when God judged the snake in Genesis 3 and said it would crawl on its belly that this translated into a loss of power for many fallen angels. Its impossible to say with total biblical authority.

Characteristics of demons

They have all the characteristics of personality. They are evil, malicious, deceptive and never to be trusted. We can see that demons possess the following:

Mind

“Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:23, 24)

Demons have knowledge and are able to come up with things to say. The knowledge that demons have explains the source of knowledge at work with “psychics” and other occultists. It explains the knowledge of past events and places that supposedly confirms the false doctrine of reincarnation.

I remember one time while in the U.S.A. a young man I was with suddenly turned to me with only the white of his eyes showing, and a strange voice said to me , “I know who you are”. Demons have knowledge.

Will

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ ” (Luke 11:24)

I remember as a child saying things to myself like “What will we do now?”. It was as if the demons in me were having some kind of conference. Demons are self-willed beings who seek to impose their will on the will of man.

Emotions

“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!” (James 2:19).

Demons definitely fear God and God’s power. On the other hand, they have pleasure in seeing people suffer. Anyone who is that way is so because they identify with the demons in them.

Identity and Self-Awareness

“Then He asked him, ‘What is your name?’ And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”

Demons usually operate in groups. They know who they are and they know their names and functions. Sometimes demons change their functions.One spirit said, “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” (2 Chronicles 18:21).

Sudden and major changes of events can cause some demons to change their function or activity. Most of the time, however, they continue with what they have been able to do successfully in the lives of people.

Capacity to Speak

Many of the above examples reveal the capacity of demons to speak. Sometimes they use a human mouth to speak through, but most of the time, they operate by planting their thoughts in the minds of people. The subtlety of this is that they usually do this in such a way as to suggest that the the thought from them was really from the person himself! For example, a demon may cause the thought to come in your mind, “I don’t feel like praising God”, or “I wonder what is on T.V.?”.

Summary

Demons are real. Their activity accounts for many of the things that are happening today.

Demons are spirit beings with the principle characteristics of personality. Some are stronger than others, but all of them are totally corrupt and evil in nature. They never do any good. Any apparent benefit obtained through them via occultism is always just something to gain trust so they can do you and others far greater harm in the future. They are unsatisfied beings who desire to use and abuse you. They don’t feel satisfied without a body to inhabit and through which to express their evil natures. God, on the other hand, is the source of goodness and life and who desires to give of Himself to you, and see you grow up to become like Jesus Himself.

Don’t allow demons to get the upper hand in your life. Let us do all we can to destroy their influence by drawing near to God and letting God fill us and show us the way.