Introduction

1. Is there a difference between Oppression and Possession? 
2. Can a Christian be Oppressed or Possessed?

We know that when a person asks Jesus Christ to be their Savior, then the Holy Spirit indwells the person in the current Dispensation period of what many call the Church Age.  The Holy Spirit is a mark of protection, a guide in life and so much more.  The Holy Spirit will speak to us in what many call our inner spiritual self.  If God gave all of us that ability to receive such a special Gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, then rhetorically is there is a possibility that the Satanic Spirit Realm can also exploit this facet?  Are there scriptures that give us this information?

A Ghost Could Operate?

Around thirty years ago on the way home from work, this author recalls listening to a talk-radio program with a guest PhD speaker discussing the human mind's complexity and simplicity followed by a call-in session for questions and answers.  The guest speaker made a comment that was very interesting which was something to the effect of: "our minds are so simple to operate that a ghost could run them."  The context was surrounding how even when we are asleep, unconscious from head trauma, in a comma or just simply doing daily activities, our brains manage so many things seemingly without effort such as breathing, digesting, pumping blood through our hearts and so much more. 

There is an example of the possibilities of our mind's simplicity when seeing how some people can be hypnotized while others cannot.  This author has been at comedy shows where friends where hypnotized, and these friends did some incredibly funny and unbelievable things while being hypnotized which they would never have done normally.  At one comedy event, on a Caribbean Cruise in 2015, the hypnotist had two people, on stage who didn't speak Mandarin (Chinese), believe they were from China (not Americans) and then had them begin yelling at one another in gibberish (thinking they were speaking Mandarin) because they were told that they were mad at one another after a car crash. 

Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

As mentioned above, we know that with Salvation, we are given spiritual gifts that come from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  In some scriptural references, there are cases that a person received:

1. Increased physical strength, such as Sampson,
2. Greater mental acuity, such as King Solomon. 
3. Guidance, such as Elijah.
4. And of course, external intervention by God in the person's life

Consider David before he became King David, where he killed Goliath.  Did David have great marksmanship or because of God's gift and intervention gave David the ability for the stone to hit the exact spot on Goliath to kill him?

Another example in the Old Testament, which was a different Dispensation where Believers could lose the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, there was one of the Judges of Israel named Samson who had the Holy Spirit inside of him which also gave him supernatural strength.  When Samson, lost his hair through sinful actions which was part of his Nazirite Vow, then the Holy Spirit left him which also cause Samson to lose his supernatural strength.

Worldly Viewpoint

Oppression in defined as cruel and unjust treatment or using control over someone.  There are various degrees of oppression that can be suffered.  The world does not believe in Possession by other entities such as a demonic entity, yet there are movies such as the Exorcist that gained fans and great financial success.

Thoughts Givens to Us that are Not Ours

The scriptures inform us that Demons and Fallen Angels try to influence a person's:

1. Desires,
2. Actions, and
3. Thoughts

by

1. Speaking into our consciousness,
2. Giving us emotional and physical sensations.

We all are familiar with times that a thought enters our mind that we did not know where it originated from.  Many times, it is our subconscious mind reminding us about an appointment, recalling the answer to a question we asked ourselves earlier or simply the process of thinking about anything; but there are times when a thought comes into our mind that did not originate from ourselves. 

There are occurrences in which:

• The Christian and even someone who does not have Salvation, will have the Holy Spirit speak into the consciousness mind to assist in making a choice to recognize Jesus Christ as their Savior and then other times to avoid mistakes and even danger. 
• Satanic Forces will try to influence decisions and actions, by speaking into our consciousness mind to do things which should not be thought and done. 
• Our carnal and selfish nature, will also have us yield to do things which are wrong that hurt ourselves, others and grieve God.  We cannot blame our sinful thoughts and actions solely on the demonic realm.

A few Biblical Scholars have stated that often the portal for a Godly influence is the ear and Carnal portal influence comes from what we see. 

There are many examples in the scriptures that illustrate the capabilities of Satanic Forces regarding the ability to influence thoughts and even manipulate:

• In Matthew 16:23, we learn that Peter, while believing he was saying a positive thing to Jesus Christ, was actually speaking a thought that Lucifer gave Peter.  Jesus Christ speaks directly to Lucifer, ignoring Peter while still looking at Peter.
• In Mark 1:23-26, a man who is possessed with multiple entities, speaks words that are coming from the collective entity.  Notice further that:
  (a) The man had no power over the entities and was required to speak.  This indicates the entity had power of the man's physical body.
  (b) Jesus Christ and the entity could see one another for whom they truly are.
• In Mark 16:9, we hear that Mary Magdalene was changed from a woman possessed with seven demons, dead Nephilim, and had become a follower of Jesus Christ.
• In Luke 1:24, we see that Lucifer, who is a Fallen Angel, entered into Judas Iscariot to control the actions of Judas.
• In Romans 1:24, we learn that there will come a point in a person's life that there is a judgment when God will give a person over to impurity which they will enjoy.
• In 1 Corinthians 5.5, Paul rebukes a man who was practicing immorality without any fear of God by having sexual relations with his father's wife.  The consequence was Paul prays to have this man be given over to the whims of the Satanic powers to end his life, so that he would obtain Salvation.  The clue to this passage is this man had no fear by practicing the adultery, which indicates the man did not have Salvation where he would get before his death.  This was a good thing that Paul accomplished.

Fallen Angels Eidetic and Read Minds?

As evidenced in research into Séance, which is prohibited for Christians because it is consulting Fallen Angels and Demons, there is reports of factual information coming out of the Seance that sometimes gives details on people in the past along with geographical information that no one at the Seance could have known about.  There is also the cases of Clairvoyants consulting on criminal Police investigations that actually yield helpful information.  This demonstrates the Satanic Entities, that are participating, have the ability to deliver with great details anything that they have memory, albeit limited.  Of course, there is also a great deal of deception and false information given in a Seance for the destruction of those involved.  It is mixing truth with deception.

We do not know what mechanics in terms of the biology that occurs when a Fallen Angel or Demon possesses someone or tries to oppress someone.  The question can be can asked if they can read someone's thoughts, since they have the ability to influence and even take-over someone's free-will?  As discussed in the last section of this topic called "Thoughts Given that are Not Ours?", we discover that the scriptures state it is:

• Possible for someone's thoughts to be read when a person is possessed. 
• It is not possible for someone's thoughts to be read when they are marked for protection by God as Peter was certainly not possessed, but Lucifer was able to give suggestions.  This is discussed further in this topic.

There is a remaining point to consider.  God assigns Guardian Angels to those who have or will obtain Salvation.  These Guardian Angels are with us and combating against the Satanic Forces around us.  A Fallen Angel will study people's reactions for signs of weaknesses so that they can be exploited.  In our human capacity to understand, think and recall, we still are no match for the intellectual prowess of a Fallen Angel.  The Fallen Angels will know our weaknesses and also be able to read our reactions to temptations to plot our potential for doing wrong. 

Christians Fighting Against the Principalities and Wickedness

In Ephesians 6:11-12, we learn about the Spirit Realm battle that is going on all around us.   Notice in Ephesians that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood" besides depraved sinful mankind.  In Daniel and other scripture, we are informed that there is a Spiritual Realm with a command hierarchy that many Biblical Scholars equate to a Military Command structure.

The non-Christian world and the uninformed Christians do not understand or believe in the ability of a human being controlled or oppressed by an entity.  These same people who don't believe will accept the premise of a movie where a person is possessed but then will refuse to believe the Biblical explanations. 

Many Christians will believe in the Holy Spirit indwelling but don't acknowledge the possibility of oppression or possession by a Satanic entity. 

Regarding the Christians, who do believe it is possible for Satanic possession and oppression, will not necessarily understand that there is a difference between Demons and Fallen Angels.  It is the opinion of this author the understanding of this topic requires also the understanding difference between Demons and Fallen Angels.

Oppression the Correct Terminology?

For us to understand why Oppression is the correct terminology, we need to look at some points concerning Satanic Forces that try to influence our lives.  While everyone has a sinful nature that is contrary to righteousness that can/will/may sin without the influence of the Holy Spirit, consider these points given to us in many scriptures:

• We have Guardian Angels assigned to us as described in several scriptures such as Psalm 91:11 "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;".  Their presence is to fight against earthly forces and Satanic Forces like Daniel 10 speaks about Michael fighting in the Spirit Realm for him show that there is a serious threat in the Spiritual Realm. 
• We are to put on the full armor of God, as Ephesians 6:11-12 states to us.  "11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
• If we have any proclivities to sin that the Holy Spirit is working inside of us to eliminate them; then the Satanic Forces around will try to make ways for the proclivities to continue.  As a simple example, consider an alcoholic will always be offered an alcoholic drink or a voice will have the alcoholic notice an advertisement showing how fun it is to drink.  This is just not a coincidence.  There is a Rabbinical Expression that says "Coincidence is not a Kosher word.", which means there is something behind all things in our lives that occur.

Below are a few examples in the Scriptures:

Possession in the Scriptures

Possession, as described in the Bible, is when a human being has either a Fallen Angel and/or a Demon(s) indwelling inside their body.  This is a form of cohabitation inside the body that the invading entity is there to the degree of partial control or total control.  The technology on how this occurs is not described.  Additionally, there can be more than one Fallen Angel or Demon inside a human being. 

In the times of Jesus Christ there were many exorcisms, Demons commanded to leave a person.  The most widely known is in Mark 5.  Here is an excerpt:

In another example during the times of Jesus Christ walking with us is in Matthew 15:22-28 where Jesus commanded the demon to leave a person.  Notice in the verse that the daughter is possess by a demon and not a fallen angel.

Sixteen Scriptural Satanic Spirits Named

Many Biblical Scholars state that there are at least 16 specific Satanic Spirit types that either possess or oppress.  It is the opinion of some Biblical Scholars and this author that Demons, unlike Fallen Angels, do not traffic in just one specific area as Fallen Angels.  Demons as discussed above, desire to dwell in a body of a person.

There is a somewhat well-known book from Howard Pittman, which describes his experience of dieing on the operating table, during a medical procedure, before being revived in a Near-Death Experience.  During the period of the Near-Death Experience, he recounts receiving a tour of the unseen world around us along with the 3rd Heaven, where he was told how Fallen Angels specialize in specific areas in a military type command structure.  His book is an interesting read.

This list is from a very well-done researched source called "Strongman's His Name, What's His Game?" by Jerry and Carol Robeson.  It is a free download from many locations on the Internet. 

Possessions Possible for the Christian?

It impossible for a Christian to be possessed as Christians can only be oppressed.  When the Christian invites the Holy Spirit to indwell inside of them then a Fallen Angel of Demon cannot enter that Born-Again Christian as described in many verses such as:

From our earthly perspective, that cannot see into the Spirit Realm, we will never know if someone is truly a Christian, thinks they maybe or just pretending, so we can never definitively state someone is being oppressed or possessed based on external observations.  This author personally knows of many people, who I would absolutely believe they are true Christians but these same people have some very bad habits in their lives.  Some points to remember:

• It is impossible for a Christian to be Possessed because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but they can be oppressed.
• It is possible for a Christian to do some very horrible things where the Christian ignores the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their lives. 

Binding and Loosing in the Scriptures

The terms of Binding and Loosing in the Old Testament scriptures is often misused and applied incorrectly to:

1. Incorrectly: Binding Satanic Forces, stopping health problems in our bodies, stopping poverty from happening
2. Incorrectly: Releasing blessings in our lives.

Binding and loosing in the Old Testament scriptures was a reference which the Jewish people were familiar with because of the Levitical laws:

1. Correctly: Forbidding sinful actions by people which was in a form of legislative laws
2. Correctly: Permitting specific actions by people that were not to be considered sins
3. Correctly: Require punitive punishment for legislative laws, that also were identified as sins, to have judicial consequences.
4. Correctly: Allow the judicial consequences be forgiven or released from consequences.

In the New Testament, we were introduced to a higher law unto God, that superseded many of the Levitical laws and requirements as Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Laws:

Many Christians are familiar with Matthew 18:18-19, but fail to read the context from Matthew 18:15-19 where the verses 18 and 19 are dealing with the method that Christians should handle a sinning fellow Christians.   This passage has nothing to do with:

• Incorrectly: Speaking to Satanic Forces and binding the Satanic Forces
• Incorrectly: Speaking to Satanic Forces to be healed from sicknesses and diseases.
• Incorrectly: Speaking to the entire Spiritual Realm of God to receive financial blessings.

Therefore we must take the whole Word of God on instructions in dealing with getting freedom from our own sinful natures that have influences from the Satanic Forces that are always around us.  Donald Barnhouse had a remarkable quote: "None of in five years will think more highly of ourselves than we think of ourselves now."  This meant that as we mature in our Christian Lives, then we will continue to recognize areas in our lives that require improvement and also how sinful we can be with our sinful natures from the Fall of Adam and Eve's consequences.

Can We Be Freed from Oppression or Possession

Can we be freed from Oppression and Possession? The answer is yes:

1. Through our own admonition and self control to live as Jesus Christ would have us to live.
2. It may require the assistance of other Christians in prayer and the laying on of hands to command Fallen Angels and Demons to leave. 
3. For us to pray and enter planned food fasting / abstinence for a period of time that does not interfere with obligations that fasting would jeopardize like a place of employment.

All of us Christians have the Holy Spirit which gives the authority to cast out or send away Fallen Angels and Demons, which the scriptures also state may require fasting from food.   

It is the opinion of this author and the advice:

• Without exception, every single person on this earth is and will always be the target of Satanic Forces.  For the Christian, we can resist and the evil influence will leave (James 4:7). 
• We all must remain daily in a program of hearing the Word of God through reading the Scriptures, listening to Broadcasts of Messages and meeting with other Christians to help us remain strong, perceiver and to help us with future challenges.
• There are very dedicated groups that are reachable through most likely your Church or through Internet Searching to assist in the most hardened and evil situations.  

Regarding the Scriptural evidence, of many, consider one case where Jesus Christ tells His Apostles that they could not cast out a demon possessed young man because it required prayer and fasting.  Note that the Apostles at this point also did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit because they had not received Him yet, which many Biblical Scholars point to the book of Acts for the time when everything changed for the Apostles authority over spiritual matters of the Satanic World.

Additional Steps of Overcoming Possession and Oppression

Possession and Oppression is a Strong Hold that is both Spiritual and Physical.  Assistance from other Christians are absolutely required.  Possession:

Solutions to Avoid Oppression

There is only one way to be protected against the attacks of the Satanic Realm and that is to use the Word of God against a thought. 

• The more we spend time reading the Scriptures and learning lessons from the examples of faithful people of God in the Old and New Testaments, then we will be able to withstand the influences as Ephesians 6:11 command us to do. 
• When we are faithful to do the correct things in our lives then we will feel, see and know the reality of God in our lives that rewards us for living righteously.

The armor of God as described in Ephesians 6:13 - 19 is:

• Belt of truth - which means we should always speak and act in truth.
• Breastplate of righteousness - which means we are to make sure our actions are pure and good where we acknowledge our righteousness is because of Jesus Christ.
• Feet fitted with readiness of the Gospel of Peace - which means for us to use, remember and evaluate everything with the Word of God.
• Wear the Helmet of Salvation - which means our minds will be able to discern the negative suggestions from our fallen nature and Satanic Influences.
• Pray always in all occasions - which means we should always be in constant contact with our God.  This is walking in Faith and always knowing God is omnipresent and aware of our thoughts where we can rely on the Holy Spirit to help us which is sometimes recalling a Scripture and other times the simple voice saying that is a bad or good idea.
• We need to also keep in mind one more area, that is not part of the armor of God references in the Ephesians. It is for us to remember the points in Hebrews and other Epistles which remind us that we are working for rewards in heaven and we do not want to have any regrets at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  This will motivate us in the use of the armor. 

Notice in Matthew 4:1-11 how Jesus Christ handled the temptations that were given to Him by Lucifer.  These were real temptations where Lucifer was first trying to get Jesus Christ to do anything other than the will of God the Father and then to take another path other than the road leading to the Cross.  Jesus Christ is using multiple aspects of the Ephesians 6 armor analogy.

What to read next?

What is Salvation?  Is it possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  What is Grace and Mercy?  Is there an Age of Accountability?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?