CHAPTER 14
DEVILS CAN POSSESS A CHRISTIAN WHO COMMITS FORNICATION
The devil will immediately start presenting various temptations to Christians after salvation. I am not a legalist, but there are a few things a Christian must absolutely avoid. I believe a Christian cannot be demon possessed unless they invite the demon(s) into their body. Yes, I believe a Christian can potentially become demon possessed!
I know a lot of people are going to say that I do not know what I am talking about, after all doesn’t the Bible say:
GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.
I JOHN 4:4
I do not believe that a demon can possess the body of a Christian who has the Holy Ghost residing in his/her spirit. However, I do believe a Christian can grieve the Holy Spirit and cause Him to leave. In which case, I guess they would no longer be a Christian. The New Testament specifically says that the believer’s body is the temple of God:
KNOW YE NOT THAT YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLETH IN YOU?
IF ANY MAN “DEFILE” THE TEMPLE OF GOD, HIM SHALL GOD DESTROY; FOR THE TEMPLE OF GOD IS HOLY, WHICH TEMPLE YE ARE.
I CORINTHIANS 3:16-17
DEFILE. 5351. Fthi’-ro; ( to pine or waste); properly to shrivel or wither, i.e. to spoil (by any process) or (generally) to ruin (especially figuratively by moral influences, to deprave): - corrupt (self), defile, destroy. (The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D., Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984.)
We see that God takes action when somebody defiles His temple. If you are a Christian, your body is God’s temple. I would like to use the Old Testament as an example again. Remember that the Old Testament contains stories that are object lessons for believers. First, we see an example of the glory of the Lord filling the Tabernacle when the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness and the glory of the Lord also fills the House of the Lord after the dedication of Solomon:
THEN A CLOUD COVERED THE TENT OF THE CONGREGATION, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE.
AND MOSES WAS NOT ABLE TO ENTER INTO THE TENT OF THE CONGREGATION, BECAUSE THE CLOUD ABODE THEREON, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE.
EXODUS 40:34-35
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE PRIESTS WERE COME OUT OF THE HOLY PLACE, THAT THE CLOUD FILLED THE HOUSE OF THE LORD,
SO THAT THE PRIESTS COULD NOT STAND TO MINISTER BECAUSE OF THE CLOUD: FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD HAD FILLED THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.
I KINGS 8:10-11
When the glory of God fills the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament, it serves as an example of the infilling by the Holy Ghost of a Christian after salvation. Second, we see an example of the glory of the Lord leaving the temple:
THEN THE GLORY OF THE LORD WENT UP FROM THE CHERUB, AND STOOD OVER THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE.
EZEKIEL 10:4
THEN THE GLORY OF THE LORD DEPARTED FROM OFF THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE, AND STOOD OVER THE CHERUBIMS.
EZEKIEL 10:18
AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD WENT UP FROM THE MIDST OF THE CITY, AND STOOD UPON THE MOUNTAIN WHICH IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY.
EZEKIEL 11:23
Why did the glory of the Lord leave the temple in Ezekiel’s day?
SON OF MAN, SEEST THOU WHAT THEY DO? EVEN THE GREAT ABOMINATIONS THAT THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL COMMITTETH HERE, THAT I SHOULD GO FAR OFF FROM MY SANCTUARY?
EZEKIEL 8:6
AND HE SAID UNTO ME, GO IN, AND BEHOLD THE WICKED ABOMINATIONS THAT THEY DO HERE.
SO I WENT IN AND SAW; AND BEHOLD EVERY FORM OF CREEPING THINGS, AND ABOMINABLE BEASTS, AND ALL THE IDOLS OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, PORTRAYED UPON THE WALL ROUND ABOUT.
EZEKIEL 8:9-10
In the spirit, God leads Ezekiel deeper and deeper into His temple and shows the prophet that His temple has become a place of idol worship. His people have filled the house of the Lord with idols. The Apostle Paul said that people who worshipped idols were in actuality worshipping devils. See 1Corinthians 10:20. His people were defiling God’s temple and therefore God would not stay! When God leaves, His protection leaves as well. It was not long after God’s departure that the Babylonians destroyed the temple and Jerusalem and led the people of Israel into bondage. This serves as a terrible warning to Christians who believe God will never leave. I believe God when He says:
I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE.
HEBREWS 13:5
God will never leave or forsake us. However, I do believe, we can leave and forsake God. I have heard some preachers say, “Once saved always saved!” However, I do not agree with that doctrine at all. As a matter of fact, I believe it is a doctrine of devils. Many Christians are led to believe that once they are baptized, they can do any abomination that pops into their heads without any consequences, but throughout the New Testament, the church is warned not to grieve the Holy Spirit. I believe when a Christian invites devils into God’s temple … God will leave us!
Who can help us then?
Jesus said there was only one reason a man could divorce His wife and that was for the sin of fornication. See Matthew 5:32. A husband and wife represent Jesus Christ and the Church. Jesus said a man can leave his wife for the sin of fornication without blame because God will also leave a person for the sin of fornication without blame. When a man or woman commits fornication after marriage, they lose all rights to their spouse. When we drink blood, or fornicate, or worship idols after we are saved, we also lose all rights to God’s grace.
FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED, AND HAVE TASTED OF THE HEAVENLY GIFT, AND WERE MADE PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY GHOST,
AND HAVE TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD, AND THE POWERS OF THE WORLD TO COME.
IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY, TO RENEW THEM AGAIN UNTO REPENTENCE; SEEING THEY CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE SON OF GOD AFRESH, AND PUT HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME.
HEBREWS 6:4-6
Why would so many books in the New Testament give us so many warnings, if it is impossible to lose our salvation?
AND GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, WHEREBY YE ARE SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION.
EPHESIANS 4:30
KNOW YE NOT THAT THE UNRIGHTEOUS SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? BE NOT DECEIVED: NEITHER FORNICATORS, NOR IDOLATERS, NOR ADULTERERS, NOR EFFEMINATE, NOR ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND,
NOR THIEVES, NOR COVETOUS, NOR DRUNDARDS, NOR REVILERS, NOR EXTORTIONERS, SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
I CORINTHIANS 6:9-10
“Hold on,” you say, “My preacher says once saved always saved, you mean to tell me if I continue getting drunk and fornicating, the Holy Ghost might leave and I will lose my salvation?”
I never said that … the Bible says that! You see, we always have a choice. Throughout all of eternity we will have a choice, whether to serve God or not to serve God. We do not automatically become automatons once we are saved, we still have free choice. I believe the main purpose God has for allowing sin and rebellion to run its course, is to illustrate to all of His creation the final destructive consequences of rebelling against God.
NOW THEREFORE FEAR THE LORD, AND SERVE HIM IN SINCERITY AND IN TRUTH; AND PUT AWAY THE GODS WHICH