[Child of God]: 416.Articles and Commentaries.Christianity Lite

Talks of spiritual warfare generate different images for different people. Some imagine it meaning the winning of souls to God from Satan. Others take it figuratively to mean evangelism; not necessarily wining people to God from Satan, but just winning people to God. Perhaps the battle is one of trying to prevent yourself from falling into sin. Few people take the concept at face value and literal meaning; that being that we are in a daily battle against Satan and demons.

Denominations aside, creeds aside, the Bible quite clearly and numerously, tells us that demons exist throughout both the Old and New Testaments.

Christians generally don’t like to think of the ‘negative’ aspects of our faith. We like the worship, the fellowship with other people and with God. We like prayer and the comfort that comes from the knowledge of a Father in Heaven that loves and holds us. We don’t like the idea of evil, of Satan, of demons. We like even less the idea that demons are still very real and very active in our world today. Worst of all, that demons are able to attack not only unbelievers, but also Christians.

Demons are the part of Christianity people don’t like to deal with. It forces people to acknowledge the very real, manifest evil in our world. It forces us out of our comfort zones and forces us to see the world as it really is; a truly fallen world, run by the Prince of Darkness and his subordinates. Demons take the concept of evil, and make it very real to the average person who may never experience it. Demons are the boogymen of our childhoods, the monsters in the closet and under the bed in two senses. They are what everyone fears; the real monsters in our world. They are every child’s fears manifested, every person’s nightmare made real. In another sense, demons are equated with childhood stories. They are good stories, a good way to demonstrate the evil in the world, and perhaps we believe in something like demons but not necessarily in the physical manifestation of what we may term a monster.

Those with the gift spiritual discernment would have to agree. I, myself, have been blessed with the gift of spiritual discernment. Yes, that means I see demons. I am not alone in this. Many others have this gift. Now, we are not going to argue spiritual gifts here. Those who wish to believe that such gifts as prophecy, discernment, healing, etc., no longer exist in today’s world, will have many, such as myself who experience such gifts, tell you otherwise. Christians are too happy to go through life on “Christianity Lite” or as a “Christian Agnostic”; maybe these things exist but you aren’t going to worry about it too much.

The fact is, demons are very real and very active in today’s world. They still attack people, Christians and non-Christians alike. They attack spiritually, and when they aren’t able to affect you spiritually anymore, they attack you physically. Yes, you can experience a physical attack from a demon. Don’t believe me? Try having a demon choke you and see how real it is.

Most assume that when a Christian experience trials, or, for those who acknowledge this fact of our faith, demonic attacks, it is because we are doing something wrong, because we are good enough Christians. We must have left a door open somewhere, there must have been something we did to invite these things. The fact is, demons attack Christians, not only if a doorway has been left open, but also when we are doing things right. They want to do anything in their power to get Christians off track, anything to inspire doubt, fear or despair. Demons are the ultimate sadists, and use any techniques available to them. It is the real battle and recognition of it means we have the responsibility to engage in battle. It also means there will be casualties. That is the part that scares most Christians; to not only have to fight the battle but to recognize that we may be wounded in that battle.

How do you fight demons? You don’t, God does. Christ gave His disciples the authority over demons, over Satan himself. Through Jesus’ name, we are given the power to bind demons and to cast demons out of those they possess. (Yes, possession still occurs and much more frequently than most think, and care to imagine.) We have authority over demons in the name of Christ; they have to obey us. It was not just given to the disciples, but also to His other followers. Take the seventy-two He sent out, who “returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’” (Luke 10:17) Is that to say that some demons aren’t more difficult than others? Not at all. After all, Jesus’ Himself tells us that some demons can only be cast out by “fasting and prayer.” (Mark 9:29)

The point is, as followers of Christ we are called to, and have responsibility to fight these battles. Not just in words, but also in practice. Those who are given the gifts of prophecy must speak, those with healing must heal, those with discernment must see, and all Christians with all other gifts of the spirit must also use their gifts to fight in this battle. To deny these gifts is to close the door to them; it is to block God and prevent Him from giving you these gifts. God will only give you what you ask for. If you ask for spiritual gifts, He will give them to you. If you deny spiritual gifts, He will withhold them. If you deny the existence of demons, you open a door for them. If you aren’t able to recognize them, how will you recognize when you are under spiritual attack?

Christians often agree that Satan’s best tactic was to convince the world he doesn’t exist. I would argue that it was to convince Christians that, though he may exist, he isn’t real.