Robert Jeffress - The World of Demons
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever felt an inexplicable weight of oppression falling on your shoulders? For no logical reason, you start feeling depressed, and there’s nothing you can do to shake that feeling. Or have you ever been in an argument with another person that escalated, becoming tenser and tenser, hotter and hotter? You said things you shouldn’t have said, things you could never take back. It’s almost like there was an invisible third party in the room, motivating that argument, trying to push it beyond the right boundaries. You just felt as if someone was egging you on during that argument.
Or perhaps you’ve experienced this sensation: have you ever been having a great day, checking items off your to-do list, when suddenly, out of nowhere, a fear crept into your mind, a «what if»? And no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t rid yourself of that fear. Or maybe you’ve found yourself in this situation: out of nowhere, a temptation presents itself that if you didn’t know better, you would think God had designed it, as it offered exactly what you felt you needed at that very moment. If you’ve had any of those experiences before, if you’ve ever found yourself in those situations, you have come face to face with a world of demons.
Now, wait a minute, Robert. Aren’t you kind of over the top in saying that? I mean, depression, anxiety, arguments, temptation, aren’t those all the result of our natural fallen desires that pull us toward sin? Well, partly that’s true, but not completely. Last time, we saw in the temptation equation, James 1:14, each person is tempted when he is carried away. That means to be drawn with an inward power. We are carried away to sin, but it doesn’t stop there. We are carried away and enticed. That word means hooked. It’s a fishing term. Just like a fisherman puts the right bait in front of a hungry fish, causing it to bite, not knowing there’s a hook hidden within the bait that will destroy it, someone on the outside is taking advantage of our inward desire toward sin and dangling the right piece of bait at the right time.
Who is that adversary tempting us? Who is enticing us? Up to this point, we’ve labeled him as Satan, our adversary, the devil. But remember, Satan is not God’s opposite. We think he is, but he’s not. He’s not omniscient. He doesn’t know everything. He’s not omnipotent; he’s not all-powerful. And he’s not omnipresent; Satan cannot be in more than one place at a time. Therefore, it’s not just Satan who dangles the bait before you. He can only fish from one pond at a time. He has minions—multitudes of minions—we call demons—who are doing his work. Today, we’re going to explore what the Bible teaches about the world of demons.
Now, I know some of you are getting your email ready to send me: «Pastor, on Vacation Bible School Sunday, we’ve got our kids here, and you’re going to talk about demons? You’re going to scare the bejeebers out of them!» Let me tell you something: your children are going to hear about demons, anyway. Someone called me this week and told me they had taken their kids to see the number one movie in America, The Smurfs. And even in The Smurfs, there are references to demons and wizards. The fact is, they’re going to hear about demons in movies, video games, television, and from friends. They might as well hear the truth about demons. That’s what we’re going to look at today from God’s Word. What does the Bible tell us about demons?
First of all, let’s discuss the existence of demons. I know some people roll their eyes when you talk about demons. They think of demons the same way they do Satan. They’ve seen him caricatured as that guy in the red suit with the pitchfork stabbing people in the backside. They view demons the same way; they’re portrayed in secular culture as comic book figures, little creatures that sit on our shoulders, whispering sweet temptations into our ears. We trivialize demons. We talk about a person’s inner demons as if demons were nothing more than our weaknesses. But as our friend Chuck Swindoll says, demons are neither funny nor phony; they are real forces that we need to understand if we’re going to win in spiritual warfare.
One of the most basic passages about demons is Ephesians 6:11–12. It has served as the foundation for our series. Paul writes, «Put on the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes, the methods of the devil.» Now, get this—verse 12: «For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness.» Notice the plural nature of these words. Our struggle isn’t against a singular ruler or power or force. It’s plural: rulers, powers, forces. This references Satan and his demons. If Satan is the brain of the operation of evil, then demons are the brawn he uses to fulfill his mission.
So, what do we need to know about demons? Let’s turn to God’s Word. First of all, let’s look at demons in the Old Testament. There are not many references to demons in the Old Testament, but when they are mentioned, they are referred to in terms of false gods. Look at Deuteronomy 32:17, which talks about the Israelites: «They sacrificed to demons who were not God, to gods whom they had not known, to new gods who came lately, whom your fathers did not dread.» When the Israelites began worshiping Asher, Baal, and Molech, they truly believed they were worshiping alternative gods. They didn’t realize that behind those false gods were real demons. Let me say this as clearly as I can: behind every false religion in the world today is a demon. Demons inspire false religions. Psalm 106:37-38 states, «They even sacrificed their sons and daughters to the demons and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.» Again, the Israelites didn’t think they were worshiping demons; they believed they were worshiping a real alternative God to Jehovah. But behind every false god is a real demon.
The majority of references to demons are found in the New Testament. Every writer of the New Testament, with the exception of the author of Hebrews, mentions demons. For example, do you know what the first book of the New Testament written was? Not Matthew. It was James, the letter we studied a few months ago. James talks about demons while addressing Jewish Christians. He said in James 2:19, «You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and shudder.» That Greek word for «shudder» means for the hair on your neck to stand up; that’s what it refers to. Why did he say that? These Jewish Christians thought that merely believing the right set of theological facts made them Christians. If you simply believe the right things in your head, that makes you a Christian. James countered, «No, demons believe all the right things. Demons are very orthodox in their theology.»
The most basic doctrine of Judaism was the oneness of God. Deuteronomy 6 states, «Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one God.» So, these Jewish Christians thought they were saved because they believed that. James said, «You believe God is one? Congratulations! The demons believe that as well, and they’re terrified.» If James were writing to Gentile Christians, he might say it this way: «You believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Congratulations! The demons believe that as well.» As we’ll see in a moment, they immediately recognize Jesus as the Son of God.
Listen, if you don’t hear another thing I say today, hear this: you can believe that Jesus is the Son of God. You can believe that he died on the cross for the sins of the world. You can believe that Jesus rose again on the third day. You can believe all those things and still go straight to hell when you die. Demons believe those things. They believe in the deity, the crucifixion, the resurrection of Christ. They believe it more than you do, more than I do, because they were eyewitnesses to all of those events. If intellectual belief is what makes you a Christian, then demons will be in heaven. Does anybody expect to see demons there? No. There’s a difference between belief and saving faith. John Walvoord, the president of Dallas Seminary when I attended, once said, «My fear is that we’re turning out students with many beliefs but few convictions.» There’s a difference between a belief and a conviction. A conviction is something you believe with all your heart, something you depend on.
It’s not enough to believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died and rose again. We must come to a place where we believe it enough to trust that fact—and that fact alone—to save us. To have faith means to lean on, to depend upon, to put your whole weight upon. Only when you reach the point in your life where you say, «God, I know I’m a sinner. I know Jesus died for me, and I have no hope except for what he has done for me. I’m trusting in him and him alone,» are we saved. But demons have never done that, and they never will.
The first reference to demons is found in James 2:19. The last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, also discusses demons. We don’t have time to look at this, but briefly consider Revelation 16:13–14. John describes the battle of Armageddon: «And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon—that’s Satan—and out of the mouth of the beast and the false prophet three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are the spirits of demons performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world to gather them together for the war of the great day of God.» At the battle of Armageddon, the major nations of the world will assemble on the plains of Megiddo in Israel—a place many of us have visited. The world forces will come to do battle against the Antichrist. What will lead them to come to that one place? John says it was demons—demonic activity. Interestingly, the scripture also states that it was God who released the demons in order to deceive the nations into waging war at Armageddon.
The majority of references in the New Testament occur during the Gospels, which record the life of Jesus Christ. There has never been a time in history, and I don’t think there ever will be, when demonic activity was as present as it was during the time of Jesus Christ. Why did Christ’s coming stir up so much demonic activity? Just think about it: the invasion of the Son of God on planet Earth, which Satan believed belonged to him, represented a threat to Satan and his kingdom. Satan and the demons wanted to do everything they could to prevent the Son of God from accomplishing his plan of redemption. So, they unleashed their arsenal of spiritual attacks against him. You find many references to Jesus dealing with demons. By the way, I have to say this: Jesus not only talked about demons; he talked to them. Now, if demons aren’t real, if they’re merely crude first-century attempts to explain the origin of evil, then Jesus should have been locked up in an insane asylum for talking to beings that didn’t exist. But Jesus believed in the reality of demons.
Well, where do demons come from? Where did they originate? There is no Bible verse that explicitly tells us the origin of demons, and so people have formulated different ideas. Some believe that demons are the souls of non-Christians who have died. Others believe demons arose from an unholy union described in Genesis 6 when the «sons of God» cohabitated with what are called the «daughters of men.» Some think they are angels who left the domain of heaven and had sexual relations with women, producing demons as offspring. They relate this to Jude 6, which discusses angels who left their abode and dwelt among humans. That may be the case when we study Genesis next year. However, I personally believe the most logical explanation for demons is that they are angels who chose to follow Satan—Lucifer—in his initial rebellion against God, described in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14. I say «apparently» because, again, there’s no scripture stating that demons are fallen angels.
Now, I know some of you Bible scholars out there are eager to point out Revelation 12:9. No, I haven’t forgotten it. This is where we get the idea that demons are fallen angels. John writes, «And the great dragon that is Satan was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.» Remember, John wrote this around 90 AD. It’s true that he possibly could reference the fall of Lucifer prior to Genesis 1:1 when Lucifer fell. Perhaps he indicates that a group of his helper angels chose to join him in rebellion. However, the context of Revelation 12 isn’t something that has already happened—John is looking forward to the midpoint in the tribulation. Revelation 12 recounts a war in heaven that takes place after the first three and a half years of the tribulation, where Satan is cast out of heaven to earth. Revelation 12:4 states, «And he swept a third of the stars of the angels with him.»
You might think, «Well, what is Satan doing in heaven?» The Bible indicates that’s his primary residence at this moment. Revelation 12:10 tells us he is accusing the brethren—meaning you and me—before God day and night. That’s where he was in Job 1 when he was making his case against Job to God. So, perhaps he loses his temporary access card to heaven and is cast out of heaven. We can’t be dogmatic about it, but we can definitively say this: Satan has a group of helpers; they are referred to as his angels (Revelation 12:9). These helpers are also called demons in the Bible. Matthew 12:24 states, «When the Pharisees heard this, they said, 'This man'—referring to Jesus—'casts out demons only by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.'» Think of it this way: not all angels are demons, but all demons were angels at one time. Thus, we know, although we can’t pinpoint it exactly, that there is a legion of spiritual beings who help Satan accomplish his purposes.
Now, let’s briefly discuss the personality of demons. These are not merely forces or ideas; they are actual beings. Turn to Luke 8:27 for a moment. This is the passage we read from earlier. «When Jesus had come out onto the land, he was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons and had not worn clothing for a long time; he was not living in a house but in the tombs. Seeing Jesus, he cried out, fell before him, and said in a loud voice, 'What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.'» There was a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and the demons implored Jesus to permit them to enter the pigs, and he gave them permission. The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
Someone jokingly remarked that this was the first instance of «deviled ham» in history. I’m unsure about that, but this story raises numerous questions, doesn’t it? Who was this man possessed by multiple demons? What had he done to expose his life to such demonic possession? Can Christians today be possessed by demons? Can they be influenced by demons? Those are all great questions we’re going to address next time. But one thing this passage reveals about the personality of demons is this: demons are actual beings. They aren’t just ideas or inanimate objects. Something referred to as a being must possess intelligence. Demons have intelligence; this pulpit has none; it has never had a thought in its life. But demons are filled with intelligence; they are aware of what is happening around them. They recognized Jesus as the Son of God.
Secondly, demons experience emotion. This pulpit has never felt anything; it has never been happy or sad. Demons were fearful that Jesus would send them into the abyss, a temporary place of punishment for demons. They have emotions. Thirdly, demons have a will. This pulpit never wakes up each day and plans its schedule; beings have a will, and the demons had a will. They did not want to go to the abyss and devised an alternative plan for Jesus to send them into the pigs. They ultimately submitted to God’s plan. Lastly, demons have names. The chief demon in this man, Luke 8:30, is called «Legion,» a term taken from the military—one legion consisted of 6,000 Roman soldiers. To be an actual being, you must have a mind, a will, emotions, and a name.
Now, perhaps the most important aspect of demons is their purpose. What do they exist to do? Well, it’s simple: they are here to do Satan’s will. Matthew 12:24 refers to the devil and his demons; temporarily, they are under Satan’s control to fulfill his two-fold objective. Remember, Satan has one desire for those of you here or watching who are not yet Christians: he wants to blind and bind you so that you will never trust in Jesus to be your Savior. He wants to keep you in his servitude and ensure that you never escape from spiritual slavery. He desires to take you to hell when you die. That is his goal for you. How does he achieve that goal? Primarily through false religion.
Remember, we saw that in the Old Testament: behind every false religion, there is indeed a true demon. And that’s true today, regardless of whether the false god is named Baal, Asher, or Molech, or if it’s called Buddha or Allah—these are all demonic deceptions meant to keep people from the truth.
I want you to turn to Galatians 1:8 for a moment. Paul exposes this satanic plan and the methods that Satan and his demons employ to carry it out. In Galatians 1:8, Paul writes, «But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached, he is to be accursed.» The Greek word for «accursed,» anathema, means eternally damned. If anyone preaches a religion different from the one we proclaim, Paul states, «Let that person be damned.» What was the gospel Paul preached? That salvation comes by faith in God’s grace alone. Any deviation from that is of the devil, and a person deserves to be condemned for teaching it.
Sometimes, the false religions Satan utilizes are shrouded in darkness, like witchcraft and sorcery, voodoo, and other dark religions. I recall a previous church I served where we sent a mission team to Africa, just as our church does. There were 108 people on that trip, and one of our men was witnessing to an African woman caught up in witchcraft. As he began discussing Jesus, she interrupted, saying, «The spirits will not allow me to trust in Christ.» She was speaking the truth; she was bound by demonic influence. Sometimes, it’s obvious with false religions like witchcraft, but other times, Satan is more cunning in his tactics. He creates alternative gospels, alternative sets of so-called spiritual facts—an alternative God—and deceives people into believing it’s actually the same God, just worshiped in different ways.
Notice what Paul says about those kinds of religions: «If we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to what we have preached, he is to be accursed.» Do you realize that the two greatest deceptive religions in the world today are leading millions of people straight to hell? Both claim they were given by angelic revelation. Consider Islam for a moment. Islam is a deception from Satan. Muhammad, its founder, claimed that from 610 to 632 AD, the angel Gabriel came to him and provided the information that became the Quran. That was angelic revelation. Islam’s worship of Allah is not Christianity. Allah is not merely another name for God; Allah is a false god. Muhammad was a false prophet, and the Quran is a false book promoting a false religion. However, they claim it’s from God.
Now think about Mormonism: in 1827, a charlatan claimed that the angel Moroni—who in the world is that? —came to him and revealed the location of the golden tablets. Joseph Smith discovered those tablets and used them to publish the Book of Mormon in 1830. Mormonism may sound appealing, but make no mistake: the Jesus of the Bible is not the Jesus of the Book of Mormon. One is the true Jesus; the other is a false Jesus. Their teachings about salvation and the role of works constitute a false religion. Paul asserts, «Even if an angel from heaven should preach this gospel to you, do not believe it if it is contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ.»
Sometimes, Satan employs dark religions like witchcraft and voodoo. Other times, he adopts seemingly logical ideologies that are, in reality, completely different from the truth, such as Islam or Mormonism. But other times, Satan operates with more subtlety, using respectable religion but twisting it just enough to deceive a person. This is precisely what Paul was addressing in Galatians 1:8.
He wrote this because a group called the Judaizers had infiltrated the Galatian church, peddling this message: «Oh, faith in Jesus Christ? Yes, that’s important. Jesus is the Son of God. He died for the sins of the world. He’s coming again. He rose again from the dead. We believe all of those things. Having faith in Christ is crucial for salvation, but it’s not quite enough. You must also have faith in Jesus Christ and keep the Old Testament law to be saved.» Paul declared, «Let that person who teaches such things be damned.» When you assert that Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation but not sufficient, that is heresy, regardless of its source. It may be from a respectable pastor dressed in fine clerical robes, but if he preaches that, he is a false prophet.
That message may emanate from a denomination or church that has been around for centuries. It may appear respectable with good people, but if it is not proclaiming that salvation is by faith in God’s grace alone, it is a false religion. Listen, if you want to get straight to the point about other religions, if you are part of another denomination or church and are unsure of its beliefs, go to your pastor or priest and ask this simple question: «Reverend, what must I do to go to heaven when I die?» Just pose that question. If he hesitates, saying, «Well, that’s an interesting question—there are many different ideas—tell me what you mean about heaven,» then get out of that church. You are in a false church with a false prophet or a false pastor.
There is one answer to that question: «What must I do to be saved?» The answer is: «Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.»
Not just intellectually—trust in, depend upon, cling to, and make your only hope Jesus Christ and him alone, and you will be saved. That’s what the Apostle Paul said. No, there is only one gospel, and it is built on God’s grace. Not only should you ask the pastor or priest—ask yourself that question: what am I depending on to save me when I die? When I stand before God, and he asks me, «Why should I let you into my heaven?» do you have a good answer? If it hinges on you and your good works, you will miss heaven; the only right answer is: «The only reason I’m going to heaven is by the grace of God as demonstrated by Jesus Christ when he died for me.»
Satan will do everything he can to keep you from that gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:4 states, «For Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the glory of Christ.» That’s his plan for unbelievers. Did you know demons also have a plan for you? They understand they cannot rob you of eternal life; they know they cannot take your soul forever to hell, but they want to steal your privileges from God during this life. They aim to deprive you of your joy, peace, contentment, family, reputation, and witness for Christ. They have a plan to achieve these ends, and it’s a plan we’ll discuss next time when we explore what demons want to do to you.
Let’s bow our heads together in prayer. It’s no accident that you’re here today. I will ask that nobody leaves for any reason that might disturb what God is doing in this place. God has brought you here. He has brought you here to tune into this message today to offer you the only lifeline, the only way to heaven—and that’s through faith in Jesus Christ. If you would like to receive God’s unconditional gift of forgiveness, I encourage you, whether you’re here in our worship center or watching or listening to this broadcast, to pray this prayer in your heart to God, knowing He’s listening to you. Would you pray this?
«Dear God, I know I have failed you, and I’m truly sorry for the sins in my life. But I believe what I’ve heard today—that you loved me so much you sent your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me, to take the punishment I deserve for my sins. Right now, I’m trusting in what Jesus did for me—not in my good works but in what Jesus did for me to save me from my sins. Thank you for forgiving me, and help me to live the rest of my life for you. In Jesus' name.»
Now, with every head bowed and every eye closed, if you prayed that prayer today and truly meant it with all your heart, would you raise your hand briefly? Yes. Others. Yes. Yes. Yes. Father, I thank you for those who have trusted in Christ today. I pray that you would give them the assurance that they have done the one thing your Word tells us to do. May they grow in the faith and knowledge of Christ, for it’s in his name we pray. Amen.