The World of Demons

Have you ever felt an inexplicable weight of emotional oppression? For no logical reason, you felt depressed and could not shake that feeling, no matter how hard you tried?  

Have you ever engaged in an argument with another person that went further than either of you intended? Tempers flared hotter, and the words became more vindictive than the situation warranted. It was as if there was a third person in the room, egging on the conflict beyond reasonable boundaries. 

Have you experienced one of those really productive days when you were rapidly crossing off items on your to-do list, when suddenly an alien thought entered your mind that filled you with fear? As hard as you tried to think about something else, you could not rid yourself of the thought that had seized control of your emotions. 

Have you been ambushed by a temptation that seemed to come out of nowhere? If you didn’t know better, you would believe that God had brought this enticement into your life because it seemed so custom-designed to your individual tastes. 

If you have experienced one or more of these situations, then you have come face to face with the world of demons. You might be thinking, “Now, Robert, isn’t that a little bit over the top? After all, aren’t depression, anger, fear, and temptation the product of our fallen nature?” The Bible does attribute many of our problems to the gravitational pull toward sin that resides within each of us.  

Without that inherited (as well as cultivated) taste for those things outside of God’s will for our life, we would never be tempted to snap at immoral relationships, selfish agendas, or greed-based pursuits. Nevertheless, someone has to choose the specific bait that appeals to us and determine the right time to place it before us. Up to now, we have identified that someone is our adversary, Satan (the literal meaning of “Satan” is “adversary or opponent”).  

But Satan is not God’s equal. Unlike God, Satan has not always existed. He was created by God at a point in time. As a creature that does not possess the attributes of unlimited knowledge, he is not all-powerful, and he is not able to be in more than one place at a time.

So if Satan is not the one tempting us, who is? Fortunately for the devil, he does not have to be everywhere at once. He has an army of minions called “demons” to assist him in his plot to create a rival kingdom.  

1. The Existence of Demons (Ephesians 6:11-12)

If you are like most people, you are probably a little skeptical about the subject of demons. Like Satan, demons have been caricatured as comical figures sitting on our shoulders, whispering sweet temptations into our ears.

Other people trivialize their existence by referring to people’s “inner demons,” as if demons are nothing more than someone’s less admirable impulses.

But as Chuck Swindoll says, “Demons are neither funny nor phony.” The Bible teaches that they are formidable spiritual forces under our enemy’s domain who are intent on fulfilling their master’s plan for our destruction. 

In Ephesians 6:11-12, the plural references to “rulers,” “powers,” and “forces” indicate that Satan is not alone in his battle against believers. If Satan is the “brain” behind the operation, then demons are the “brawn.” They are the devil’s foot soldiers, executing his plan.  

If indeed our primary struggle is against these demons, then it would seem logical that we would gather as much intelligence about them as possible so that we could successfully defeat them. 

2. The References to Demons

• Demons in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37-38)
• Demons in the New Testament (James 2:19;  Revelation 16:13-14)

3. The Origin of Demons (Revelation 12:9; Matthew 12:24)

Because the Bible does not explicitly tell us the origin of demons, some have speculated that they could be the spirits of non-Christians who have passed away. Others trace their beginning to the immoral union of the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” described in Genesis 6. Some speculate that demons represent the spirits of an entire race of people that preceded Adam and Eve, who were destroyed because of their rebellion against God.

Revelation 12:9 reveals that Satan has a group of helpers referred to as “angels”—perhaps because of their origin. In other passages, Satan’s minions are described as “demons.”

Since the Bible uses the terms “angels” and “demons” interchangeably to refer to Satan’s helpers, it would seem a logical assumption that they are one and the same. Not all angels are demons, but all demons were once angels.

4. The Personality of Demons (Luke 8:27-28; 32-33)

Demons represent the “spiritual forces of wickedness” who are aligned against us. But they are more than just forces or concepts. They are actual beings who possess many of the same attributes we do. Luke 8:27-28; 32-33 is one of the many encounters Jesus had with the demonic world.

Who was this man who was possessed by a multitude of demons? What did this man do to cause these evil spirits to feel at home in his body? Is it possible for Christians to be controlled by demons? We will save the “Can Christians be demon-possessed?” discussion for another message.

However, instead of focusing on the man himself, let’s begin by examining the personality of these demonic forces who had seized control of this individual. 

• Demons Possess Intelligence
• Demons Experience Emotions
• Demons Have a Will
• Demons Have Names

5. The Work of Demons

Since demons are under the authority of Satan (“the devil and his angels”), it only makes sense that their purpose is in alignment with Satan’s purpose. They assist him in building a shadow kingdom that rivals and, hopefully, will one day topple God’s kingdom. They are responsible for executing Satan’s carefully conceived “schemes” that involve both unbelievers and believers.

• Toward Unbelievers (1 John 4:1-3, 6)

Demons work overtime to blind non-Christians to the liberating truth of the gospel so that they remain in bondage to Satan. However, knowing the “religious” bent that even unbelievers have retained as a result of being created in God’s image, the enemy tries to redirect a non-Christian’s desire to worship something greater than himself away from Jesus Christ.  

Several years ago, in my previous church, our associate pastor led 108 of our people on a mission trip to Africa. He wrote about one of our members who was attempting to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with an African woman who was deeply involved in witchcraft. The African woman abruptly cut our member off and said, “The spirits will not allow me to trust in Christ.” 

Counterfeit religions that bind and blind unbelievers so that they cannot accept Christ are not limited to third-world countries. Demons also inspire religious systems in our culture that may have very respectable denominational titles attached to them.  

False teaching that blinds people to the gospel may be wrapped in fine clerical robes and articulated through the voices of educated and refined ministers. But don’t be fooled. If any teaching contradicts the biblical message that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone, then that religious system is demonically inspired.

Any religion—regardless of its name and history—that refuses to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the unique Savior of the world is an instrument of Satan who has “blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Full Passage: Psalm 106:37-38; Ephesians 6:12