Satan's Demons...
The Scriptures indicate that the work of Satan is accomplished by a host of spirit beings called "demons". The meaning of the Greek word daimonion is demon. Daimonion, occurs about sixty times in the gospels, Acts and Revelation. "Demons" are "unclean spirits" and also "evil spirits".
The original King James Version regularly translates daimonion as "devil". This has led to endless confusion. The English word devil is actually derived from the Greek word diabolos, which has no direct relationship with daimonion. Diabolos means "slanderer". In all but three occurrences in the New Testament, it is a title of Satan himself. In this sense it is used only in the singular form. There are many demons but only one devil.
Satan is given this title because his primary activity is to slander- that is, to defame a person's character. First and foremost, Satan defames the character of God Himself in the Garden of Eden, when he suggested to Adam and Eve that God was not treating them fairly by withholding from them the knowledge of good and evil. Second, Satan defames the character of all those who in any way represent God. This is his primary weapon against the servants of God. All the main translations subsequent to the KJV have observed the distinction between diabolos and daimonion, and have translated diabolos as "devil" and daimonion as "demon".
Unfortunately, there is another area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations. The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament. The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize , which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence". In the New Testament this verb occurs only in the passive form: "to be demonized". In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils". Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.
The problem with this form is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership. To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon. But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "to subject to demonic influence".
Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance. It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence". It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by a demon", or worse still, to say, "You are possessed by the devil".
Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession. Personally I believe that every born again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him. It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.
On the other hand, a born again Christian can be subjected to demonic influences. Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not come under the control of the Holy Spirit. It is these areas that may still be subject to demonic influence.
The child of God is warned that he is faced with certain spiritual enemies (Eph. 6:11,12). First the devil is named, then refrence is made to "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places". Also, there is mention made of "the prince of the power of the air, the spirits that are now at work in the hearts of the sons of disobedience" (Eph.2:2). It seems clear enough that the warning includes the mulitudes of demons who join in the warfare Satan is waging against God and the people of God.
These beings possess non-material bodies. Yet, they are personalities, as Satan is a personality. They operate above the laws of the natural realm and are invisible. As spirit beings, they have an intellectual nature and seem to possess superhuman knowledge. Without doubt, they are present in certain spiritistic phenomena for ocultic purposes of today. They masquerade as spirits of the departed through channelers.
As to their moral nature, like their head they are evil and depraved. This is in contrast to the angels of God, who are sinless. The moral depravity of demons is shown in Scripture by the harmful effects some of them produced in their victims (mark 1:26; Luke 4:35). Fleshly uncleanness and base sensual gratifications are the result of demon influence over the human personality. Demons figure largely in the moral collapse of any people who yield to gross sinfulness.
Our Lord had many bouts with the demon world. Demons seemed to know who He was (Mark 1:24); they acknowledged Him as God's Son (Mark 5:7); they obeyed Him (Matt.8:16); they sought to conceal His Saviourhood ( I John 4:1-3).
This host of evil creatures opposes God's purposes and hinders man's welfare. Eventually, all demons will be consigned to the lake of fire and brimstone, along with Satan, where they will be Tormented forever (Matt.25:41; Rev. 20:10).
The Scriptures indicate that the work of Satan is accomplished by a host of spirit beings called "demons". The meaning of the Greek word daimonion is demon. Daimonion, occurs about sixty times in the gospels, Acts and Revelation. "Demons" are "unclean spirits" and also "evil spirits".
The original King James Version regularly translates daimonion as "devil". This has led to endless confusion. The English word devil is actually derived from the Greek word diabolos, which has no direct relationship with daimonion. Diabolos means "slanderer". In all but three occurrences in the New Testament, it is a title of Satan himself. In this sense it is used only in the singular form. There are many demons but only one devil.
Satan is given this title because his primary activity is to slander- that is, to defame a person's character. First and foremost, Satan defames the character of God Himself in the Garden of Eden, when he suggested to Adam and Eve that God was not treating them fairly by withholding from them the knowledge of good and evil. Second, Satan defames the character of all those who in any way represent God. This is his primary weapon against the servants of God. All the main translations subsequent to the KJV have observed the distinction between diabolos and daimonion, and have translated diabolos as "devil" and daimonion as "demon".
Unfortunately, there is another area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations. The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament. The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize , which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence". In the New Testament this verb occurs only in the passive form: "to be demonized". In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils". Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.
The problem with this form is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership. To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon. But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "to subject to demonic influence".
Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance. It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence". It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by a demon", or worse still, to say, "You are possessed by the devil".
Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession. Personally I believe that every born again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him. It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.
On the other hand, a born again Christian can be subjected to demonic influences. Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not come under the control of the Holy Spirit. It is these areas that may still be subject to demonic influence.
The child of God is warned that he is faced with certain spiritual enemies (Eph. 6:11,12). First the devil is named, then refrence is made to "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places". Also, there is mention made of "the prince of the power of the air, the spirits that are now at work in the hearts of the sons of disobedience" (Eph.2:2). It seems clear enough that the warning includes the mulitudes of demons who join in the warfare Satan is waging against God and the people of God.
These beings possess non-material bodies. Yet, they are personalities, as Satan is a personality. They operate above the laws of the natural realm and are invisible. As spirit beings, they have an intellectual nature and seem to possess superhuman knowledge. Without doubt, they are present in certain spiritistic phenomena for ocultic purposes of today. They masquerade as spirits of the departed through channelers.
As to their moral nature, like their head they are evil and depraved. This is in contrast to the angels of God, who are sinless. The moral depravity of demons is shown in Scripture by the harmful effects some of them produced in their victims (mark 1:26; Luke 4:35). Fleshly uncleanness and base sensual gratifications are the result of demon influence over the human personality. Demons figure largely in the moral collapse of any people who yield to gross sinfulness.
Our Lord had many bouts with the demon world. Demons seemed to know who He was (Mark 1:24); they acknowledged Him as God's Son (Mark 5:7); they obeyed Him (Matt.8:16); they sought to conceal His Saviourhood ( I John 4:1-3).
This host of evil creatures opposes God's purposes and hinders man's welfare. Eventually, all demons will be consigned to the lake of fire and brimstone, along with Satan, where they will be Tormented forever (Matt.25:41; Rev. 20:10).
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