Demon oppression is the external work of demons upon the mind that breaks the will of the person and prepares them for demon possession. It is done from the outside as evil spirits take things imagined and real and work upon the person’s mind. It is a campaign of tormenting harrassment designed to completely possess and eventually destroy the human being.
Demon oppression often follows temptation and deception that has led the person into sin or adverse circumstances. As pointed out in the chapter on temptation and deception, many things can be used to bring a person to this place. Some with a strong constitution and the sympathetic help of others can sometimes overcome the milder forms of oppression. However, severe oppression is just one step from demon possession.
Those being oppressed suffer seasons of mental anguish and great depression. They may be restless, miserable, fearful, and melancholy. Still others are vexed with anger, jealousy, and tormenting passion. Some cases become manifest to those who know the person. Still others hide their true condition for a long time while they pretend everything is alright.
With diabolical wisdom the oppressing spirits, through the power of suggestion, cause the person to camouflage his true condition. The victim is not aware that those pressing thoughts which fill him with gloom and despair are from an evil spirit. His delusion is so complete that he is positive his troubles are real. Not aware of the source of his trouble, he cooperates with the demon in keeping his condition hidden from others. Consequently, he continues to think and brood, think and brood, while his mind comes more and more under complete control of the demon.
However, the type of effect upon the mind would depend on the nature of the demon. A demon of jealousy or resentment might eventually drive a person berserk. Many of these senseless rampages of murder are caused by the constant pressure of this type of demon upon the mind. This is also true of rape and other acts of violence committed by deranged people.
Other demons might drive the person into a state of hopeless despair and eventual suicide. Still others may just take over an area of the person’s life and then begin to manifest their nature through that person. The idea that all demon-possessed people become raving lunatics is far from the truth.
The mind goes from partial and temporary influence by the demon to eventual complete possession. Complete possession simply means the person has lost the will and strength to resist and can no longer control his mind. At this point the whole human vessel comes under complete control of the spirit. Using the body vicariously, the demon now begins to manifest his own evil nature through the personality of the person he indwells.
Being intelligent spirit beings, demons purposely find it expedient to hide their presence in varying degrees much of the time. This is why demon-possessed people are more or less normal part of the time. But the demon is there and will rise and take control as the occasion demands.
This is why some people you may have known manifest extremely different attitudes or personality traits at different times. They seem like two different people and indeed they are. At one time the person’s own spirit is in control and at another time the demon is in control. This is why the medical term schizophrenia, which means split personality, is often applied to demon-possessed people.
Some cases of demon possession are so complete that the person’s own mind is completely blotted out while under demon control. As one who comes out of a hypnotic trance, they do not remember a thing that took place while under the demons’ control.
This is also what takes place when a spiritualist medium goes into trance under the control of the demon called the guide. It is complete surrender of the human will to the demon. In such cases the demon has complete control of the whole human vessel and can project his own nature and personality through the person as he pleases.
The last type of demon possession I want to mention is perhaps the worst of all. In this case the person is so filled with evil spirits that he goes completely insane. Some of these poor wretches become the habitation for literally hundreds of demons. These are, often, the padded cell cases that must be confined in some mental institution until death.
There are really only two ways evil spirits gain an entrance into human life. One is moral and the other is constitutional. The lack of moral scruples is the point of entrance in one and a general weakness of will power and mental capacity is the other. The first is tempted and led into sin and subsequent demon possession. The issue with the second type is not moral but a general weakness in not being able to face the responsibilities of life.
Through our depraved nature we have all inherited certain weaknesses. With one person it is one thing and with another something else. Were it not for these weaknesses evil spirits could not tempt and invade human life. Never doubt for a second that the demoniac world knows all about our weaknesses. A demon we were dealing with in a married woman told us, “She has her weaknesses and always has had.”
These are the points of attack the enemy will concentrate on and through which he will enter if he can. Like a master military strategist he will keep probing and tempting until he gains an advantage through some weakness. This is why we must put on the whole armour of God if we are to stand in the evil day.
Without the whole armour of God on you are no match for this enemy. The very piece of armour that you leave off is where the enemy will attack. We must realize there are two spirit forces at work in the earth to possess man. One is good and the other is evil. There is no middle ground or neutral place; we are on one side or the other.
Through the ministry of God-called men and angels, God’s people are being transformed into the image of his Son Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13, 2 Corinthians 3:18 and Hebrews 1:13-14. Through the ministry of Satanic inspired men and demons, the unsaved are being transformed into the image of Lucifer. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 2 Timothy 3:13, Psalms 78:49.
Because of these two forces at work in the earth at the same time, proper association becomes a vital factor. We become like those we associate with. We not only impart what is in us but we receive what is in others. Fellowship and communion with the righteous is a must for God’s people. According to Paul, there can be no fellowship and communion with the unrighteous. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
Actually, demon spirits do more damage working through human vessels than any other way. There is far more weight and influence when a human being speaks Satan’s lie than when it is whispered into our beings by a disembodied spirit. This is because the testimony of the person is added to the demon’s testimony thus giving two witnesses.
This is the chief way evil spirits beguile and seduce unsuspecting humanity. This is how millions of young girls have been led step by step into sin and shame. They didn’t see the evil spirit of lust indwelling that handsome young man. All they could see was his flashing smile, wavy hair, and athletic physique. No, they would have never believed that one of Satan’s demons was, with diabolical cunning, leading them into a trap.
The truth is, the young man himself is not aware he is under the control of an evil spirit. All he knows is that he burns with insatiable sex desire which he must gratify. Prodded and goaded by this spirit he seeks one conquest after another.
This spirit working through another girl can also lead your girl or boy into a life of sin and shame. Never forget that demons are intelligent, evil, spirit beings, that are constantly seeking to convert someone so they, too, will become a habitation for devils.
All life, whether good or evil, seeks to reproduce itself. This is true in the spiritual realm as well as the natural. Demons, being spirit, enter the spirit of man and seek to control him through his own human spirit. This is why the demon controlled person thinks the thoughts of lust, jealousy, hate, and envy are his own. He is not aware his own spirit has received these evil thought waves from a demon. Thinking it is himself, he willingly cooperates with the demon in transmitting the evil seed by audible voice to another person’s spirit.
This is how Satan’s evil seed or word sown in the heart of a human being, takes root, springs up and brings forth death. James 1:13-15. As man is used by God to sow the good seed of eternal life he is also used by Satan to sow the evil seed of death. Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43. And a person doesn’t have to be demon possessed to be used by a demon in this way. Even good sincere Christian people are often used in this manner to sow Satan’s seed of evil. A good example of our being used by the Lord one moment and by the devil a few minutes later is found in the life of Peter the apostle. Matthew 16:15-23.
This is the reason proper association is necessary for those who want to avoid the snare of the enemy. This is also why Paul said, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Ephesians 6:16.