What Can We Know About Demons?
1) Direct Answer
Demons are real, personal, unclean spirits. They are under Satan’s rule, they seek embodiment, they deceive, torment, and oppress, and they war against the Word of God. They fear the Lord Jesus Christ and are subject to His Name. A born‑again believer, sealed with the Holy Spirit, cannot be demon‑possessed, though he can be attacked or oppressed. Their end is judgment, and they cannot cross the Blood of Jesus Christ.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- What they are:
- The Bible calls them “unclean spirits” and “devils” (demons): Mark 1:23–27; Matthew 10:1.
- They are many and have ranks: “We wrestle… against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness, spiritual wickedness” (Ephesians 6:12). A “legion” spoke from one man (Mark 5:1–13).
- They are persons without bodies, they speak, reason, and beg (Mark 5:7–12). They seek rest and embodiment; when cast out, they wander and try to return to an empty life (Matthew 12:43–45). They can even enter animals (Mark 5:13).
- What they do:
- Deceive and teach error: “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). A lying spirit can influence prophets (1 Kings 22:21–23).
- Imitate the supernatural: a spirit of divination operated in a girl until the Name of Jesus drove it out (Acts 16:16–18).
- Afflict bodies and minds: Jesus rebuked a “spirit of infirmity” (Luke 13:11–16), a deaf and dumb spirit with seizures (Mark 9:17–27), and even rebuked a fever (Luke 4:39). The Scripture says people were “oppressed of the devil” and healed by Jesus (Acts 10:38).
- Their limits and defeat:
- They know Jesus and tremble (Mark 1:24; James 2:19). They begged not to be tormented “before the time” (Matthew 8:29).
- Authority is given to believers: “In My Name shall they cast out devils” (Mark 16:17). “I give you power… over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19).
- The devil is one being, not omnipresent; demons are many (1 Peter 5:8; Mark 5:9). They are driven back by the Word and the Blood (Matthew 4:1–11; Revelation 12:11).
- A believer sealed by the Holy Spirit belongs to God; the wicked one cannot lay hold of him to possess his soul (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 1 John 5:18; John 10:28–29).
- Open doors and resistance:
- Sin, bitterness, and occult involvement give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:26–27; 2 Corinthians 2:10–11; Deuteronomy 18:10–12; 1 Corinthians 10:20).
- We overcome by repentance and renouncing darkness (Acts 19:18–19), submitting to God and resisting the devil (James 4:7), standing in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–18). Some cases require prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Demons are not imaginations; they are real spirits because they speak, know, fear, choose, and obey when commanded in Jesus’ Name.
- They crave bodies; an “empty house” is a target. Therefore deliverance without being filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word invites a worse return (Matthew 12:44–45).
- Not every sickness means possession, but all oppression and bondage trace back to Satan’s kingdom. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, so healing and deliverance are part of His victory (1 John 3:8; Acts 10:38).
- A Christian can be tempted or oppressed, but cannot be demon‑possessed in the soul when sealed by the Holy Spirit. Keep the door shut by walking clean, keeping the Word, and staying filled with the Spirit.
4) Reinforcing Counsel
- Expose and renounce all hidden works of darkness.
- Do not argue with demons; command them in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Keep your “house” filled—daily Word, prayer, worship, and obedience. The devil cannot cross the Blood line. Stay under the Blood, and stand on the Word, and the enemy must flee.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Demonology
53-1112 §39
...The heavens has just testified of Me. The earth has testified of Me. Judas testified of Me. The Roman soldier testified of me. The Father testified of Me. Now you've got to know that I'm here to fulfill the Word of God." Hallelujah! Every demon knowed He was there when He was on earth. They screamed and hollered, "We know who You are--the Holy One of God." They knew Him--even the preachers didn't. They knew who He was. And then they screamed, "Let us out." He said, "Why didn't you repent?" Slam went the door. On do...
Questions and Answers
59-1223 §53
Now notice. He was so possessed of that evil spirit, and that spirit had him so close till... Them demons knowed their time had come, because they had met love, see. And they said, "We will try him." Now, notice what taken place. He said, "Why, we know who you are. Why you in that little bitty body like this, little frail-looking fellow?" Said, "Why are you coming like that?" Said, "We know who you are. You're the holy one of Israel, and why do you...? [Now watch! If you don't believe that there's a future torment...
Early spiritual experiences
52-0713A §7
...of the Holy Ghost. I believe that a man has got to be born again, or he's still a sinner. I believe it's only through the grace of God that he's called, in the Holy Ghost. We do not receive the Holy Ghost by faith believing. It's the free gift of God given to us by God's grace. That's where I differ with my own church. The church that I come from, the Baptist church. They said, "You said you receive the Holy Ghost when you believe." I said, "That's contrary to the Bible." Paul said in Acts 19, he had those Baptist...
Early spiritual experiences
52-0713A §27
Don't think I'm excited. But, I've got to a place that you can't listen to nobody. You got to listen to God. Let every man's word be a lie. I know more about that now than I ever knowed in my life. It don't make any difference what people say, it's what God says, if it compares with the Word, then it's so. If the goods is there to produce it, because God testifies of His gift. You listen to the preacher, some time, you get yourself in trouble, some of them anyhow. Notice. There they was all muddled up in their doct...
Demonology
53-1112 §22
...t days..." Of course them demon spirits is arising. Sure they are. They've always been here. They will be until Jesus comes. And they live right in people, and people don't know it. They give them unclean habits, and sicknesses, and diseases, and all kinds... Everything's caused by spirits. Deafness is a spirit. Did you know that? The doctor says the nerves went dead, but what made them go dead? What made it go dead? The Bible said, "When the deaf spirit come out of the man, he could hear." Is that right? So, it's...