Should the Reality of Demons Scare Us?

With Halloween on the rise and the number of movies and TV shows portraying demonic activity playing regularly on streaming services on movie channels, the idea of demons tends to be at the forefront of believers’ minds during this time of year.

Should we be afraid of the powerful spiritual beings? What does the Bible have to say about them? Do believers have any kind of protection against these powers and principalities?

This article will dive into what the Bible tells us about demons, and how believers can be especially equipped against them, and whether, ultimately, we should be scared about the reality of their existence.

What does Scripture say about demons?

First and foremost, we have to realize Scripture does attest to the reality of demons. Sometimes referred to as fallen angels, we hear them mentioned in verses such as 1 Timothy 4:1, Matthew 8:31, Matthew 12:45, and 1 Corinthians 10:20 to name a few.

Although this article alone cannot dive into all the characteristics of demons, as entire books have been written on the subject, here are the basics:

Demons are angels who turned away from God.

Satan caused one-third of the angels to rebel (Revelation 12:4, Revelation 12:9) and turn away from God. Because of this, these fallen angels will experience eternal separation from God, including the torment of being thrown into the Lake of Fire at the end of time.

Demons will attempt to sway mankind away from God.

Demons have one modus operandi: take as many people down with them as possible. They know they will come to a dire end, so they will attempt to deter as many people as possible away from the message of God’s salvation.

Demons have a sway over the powers on earth.

Scripture mentions demons have influence over certain governments. For instance, Michael and Gabriel fight against the Prince of Persia (Daniel 10:13). The actual prince of Persia was not literally fighting with the angels in a physical sense. Gabriel and Michael were fighting against the ruler in a spiritual sense, meaning a demon had a certain amount of influence over that government. Demons have the ability to infiltrate any powers on earth now such as media, governmental powers, and leaders.

Demons have a limit on power.

Even Satan has to go to God for permission to wreak havoc on Job’s life (Job 2). When Jesus encounters a demon-possessed man, the demons beg to be driven into a herd of pigs (Luke 8:32). Although they have great power, they cannot outrun or outdo the will of God.

Demons can possess nonbelievers.

Jesus encountered many people who were demon possessed. A demon indwelled inside a person and caused them to act not of their own accord. Demons caused these people to act violently (Matthew 8:28-9:1), have seizures that ended in harm (Matthew 17:14-20), go mute (Matthew 9:33), go blind (Matthew 12:22), or shriek loudly (Acts 8:7).

Demons cannot possess believers.

If Jesus lives inside a believer, they cannot be indwelt by a demon. We no longer live under the authority of the powers of Satan (1 Corinthians 1:13-14). For more on this topic, check out this article by Don Stewart from Blue Letter Bible.

Should we be scared of demons?

I would suggest reading C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters for a case study on how best to approach the mindset of a demon. Believers can often put too much or too little stock into the spiritual realm. Too little, and we run the risk of not being vigilant or downplaying the amount of power Satan and his followers can have. Too much, and we can grow anxious about the spiritual realm and forget about God’s overcoming power.

As believers, we shouldn’t be afraid of being possessed. We have been filled with the Holy Spirit and cannot be indwelt by Satan or his forces.

However, we shouldn’t discount their power. With the Holy Spirit inside of us, we have the ability to command these spirits to leave, but we do need to understand that power comes from God alone. On our own, we cannot defeat them.

In short: should we be scared of demons?

No, because God is more powerful than them.

However, we should be vigilant about how they can affect those who do not follow Christ. We need to make every effort to spread the Gospel and be prepared if we encounter demonic activity. The spiritual world happens all around us, and demonic activity occurs more often than we would think.

How can we respond to demonic activity? 

On a personal note, I did, a couple months back, encounter a friend who had been overtaken by a demon. She at first went mute, and then a voice spoke through her that was not her own. I won’t describe the events in detail as they were a bit horrifying and left me with a great deal of flashbacks for a while afterward, but I will describe what we did when we encountered this force.

I was with a fellow believer, and although we were physiologically trembling (a common occurrence when in the presence of a spiritual force) and in quite unknown territory from the mundane day-to-day, we immediately began praying.

I recited Psalm 103 from memory, we repeated the name of Jesus often (as demons tremble at that name), and we prayed over our friend. The demon left her.

On three separate occasions this happened. Afterwards, we would pray over the living space and our friend. We consulted with some spiritual mentors after the events as well for more guidance. 

When I had described the events to other believers, their eyes went wide and they would often utter something along the lines of, “I could never. I would not know what to do in that circumstance.”

Know that prior to those episodes, I was fearful I’d ever end up in a situation like that. I was worried I wouldn’t know the right words to say.

As believers, the Spirit of God will equip you for unknown situations. I didn’t even know I still had the entirety of Psalm 103 memorized or the ability to have peace in a scary situation. God will prepare you if you ever encounter something similar. Continue to connect with Him in His word and pray without ceasing. He will give you the words to say.

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