The Realm of Demons

Because Satan is limited to one location at any one time, he has to use his evil agents to carry out his purposes. Satan and his agents are well organized with varying ranks and varying degrees of responsibility. Demons comprise the lower orders and cause the bondages in human lives. We seldom deal directly with Satan; rather, we deal with him indirectly through evil spirits.

The terms "demons" and "evil spirits" are synonymous and are being used interchangeably.

The Origin of Demons

Scripture does not tell us the origin of demons. However, various speculations have been put forward. For example: fallen angels; disembodied spirits from a pre-Adamic creation; and spirits of the unnatural offspring of angels and human women prior to the flood in the days of Noah.

I do not lean to any theory as to their origin, excepting that I do not believe they are fallen angels.Acts 23:8-9 makes a distinction between spirits and angels.

We may speculate as to the origin of demons, but if the Scripture is silent, it is not necessary for us to know. What we do know is that demons are real and we have been given the means to be victorious over them.

2. The Personality of Demons

Demons are living, intelligent beings. They are not merely indistinct forces affecting human lives. Their personalities are totally corrupt, bearing the likeness of Satan, and fulfilling his wicked purposes. They want to spoil the divine likeness of man made in the image of God.

It seems, however, that they are disembodied. They have their own personalities, but no body in which to live. They crave, therefore, to indwell human beings in order to be able to express their personalities more fully.

They display personality characteristics: will, knowledge, emotion, speech, and self-awareness.

(a) Will

Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, "1 will return to my house from which I came."- Matthew 12:43-44

Demons make decisions. They can choose. "I will return to my house." Many times in counseling sessions, I have heard demons cry out through people's lips defying the commands to go with cries such as, "I will not go! I will never go!"

(b) Knowledge

And just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are - the Holy One of God!" - Mark 1:23-24

Although the world of man was slow to know the identify of Jesus, the Son of God, the unseen spirit world knew. "I know who You are - the Holy One of God!" Evil spirits have knowledge. We see this also in Acts 19:15:

And the evil spirit answered and said to them, "I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"

(c) Emotion

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. - James 2:19

The word shudder in Greek means "to bristle, to shiver, to have the hair on end." Demons express much emotion, whether the person indwelt by them feels it or not.

When Philip went to Samaria and preached Christ to the people, we read: For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed" (Acts 8:7). "Loud voice" indicates emotion.

In deliverance meetings I have held, all sorts of manifestations have been experienced. One could never doubt that demons express emotion. They are afraid of believers exercising their authority in Christ.

(d) Speech

And whenever the unclean spirits beheld Him, they would fall down before Him and cry out, saying, "You are the Son of God!" And He earnestly warned them not to make Him known. - Mark 3:11-12

In this passage the demons clearly and loudly spoke to Jesus who then commanded them not to make Him known. Demons often speak through people, especially during times of deliverance.

One day when I was praying for someone in a deliverance service, a demon vented its hatred at me and spoke harshly through a normally quiet and gentle person: "I hate you! I hate you and all that you stand for!" These were strange words to be coming from someone who was a good friend and with whom we enjoyed a good relationship. Obviously the words were not coming from the person, but from the demon.

When this happened, it highlighted the source behind opposition and bitterness that Shirley and I were at that time encountering from a small group of people in the church because we had disciplined one of their number for continuing in a sin that was affecting harmony in our music team. The words of the demon confirmed that it was not so much the people who were speaking against us (although they were willfully involved), but that there was flak coming through them from a demonic source.

(e) Self-Awareness

And crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What do l have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!" For He had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And He was asking him, "What is your name?" And he said to Him, "My name is Legion; for we are many. - Mark 5:7-9 When Jesus asked the spirit its name, it replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." The spirit was aware of itself and knew its name. Every spirit has a name and knows its function.