Can Believers Be Demon Possessed?
Q: Is there any biblical proof that a believer can have a demon? We know believers cannot be possessed. So were all people who had a demon cast out of them in the Bible unsaved?
A: I believe that the Bible teaches that a believer cannot be demon-possessed. There are Christians who love the Lord and who aren’t stupid who would disagree with me about my opinion on this. Demon possession can’t happen to a believer. Here’s why: the believer is the purchased possession of Jesus Christ. You are bought with a price (see 1 Corinthians 6:20).
One way to understand demon possession is that a person is so afflicted and so dominated by a demonic spirit that the demonic spirit is residing inside of them. To me, that’s a critical difference. I believe that Satan can do a lot of damage to a believer from the outside. But it’s unbiblical to say that a demonic spirit can live and dwell inside a person who is also indwelt by the Holy Spirit. To say so would nullify the Bible’s promise that believers can resist the devil and he will flee from them (see James 4:7). That’s the promise to believers.
Now, I do believe that Christians can be demon-harassed, demon-deceived, browbeaten, and shouted at metaphorically by demonic spirits. Demons can do a lot of damage, but I don’t believe they can possess Christians.
I also think that most Christians tend to underestimate what Satan can do against believers, apart from demonic possession. He can attack, assault, and deceive believers without having to possess the person.