Where are demons today? According to the Bible, demon possession changed after the apostolic age. During the time of Christ and the apostles, demons would possess people and often were cast out, providing a beautiful symbol of salvation. Today, demons are alive and well, but work in a different manner. Please view the video below or view the Bible study to below to find out where demons are today.
Demons during the Post-Apostolic Time
The Worship of Demons (Idolatry)
Demons during the Post-Apostolic Time
The Worship of Demons (Idolatry)
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
(1 Corinthians 10:14-22, see devils in Ps 106:37 and Deut 32:17)
But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
(Psalms 106:35-40)
But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
(Deuteronomy 32:15-21)
Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
(Galatians 4:8)
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
(Exodus 22:20)
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
(Exodus 32:8)
And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
(Exodus 34:16-17)
Devil = kid of the goat (H8163, 59 occurrences usually as an offering in sacrifice):
And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
(2 Chronicles 11:15)
And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.
(Leviticus 17:7)
The Demons and False Doctrine
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
(1 Timothy 4:1-3)
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
(2 Corinthians 11:3-4)
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
(2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
(2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
- Satan’s attempt to limit the Gospel
- But, God used Satan to keep the apostle Paul from being prideful
- Messenger = angel (of Satan) – i.e., demon
- Thorn in flesh – possibly physical ailment (e.g., eyesight – Gal 4:15) or unsaved people (Num 33:55, Eze 28:24)
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
(James 3:13-16)
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
(1 John 4:1-6)
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. (Revelation 18:2)
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. (Revelation 16:13)
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. (Zechariah 13:2)
The Spiritual Battle
However, the use of the word ‘spirit’ when referring to demons underscore the arena to which they are operating: the spiritual realm. Other spirits at the time of Christ, possessed human bodies being evidenced by sickness, palsy, deviant behavior, etc., evil spirits are also referred to as being the motivating force behind false doctrines (1 Tim 4:1) and false ministers. In 2 Cor 11:13-15, the Bible teaches us that just as Satan appears as an angel of light, so too does his ministers appear as ministers of righteousness in order to deceive people. The spiritual realm is where we know God the Father and Jesus Christ, by the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14-16). We are instructed that we must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). It is by the Spirit, that we can understand and know God through the Bible (1 Pet 1:10-12, 2 Pet 1:19-21, 2 Tim 3:16, Eph 5:18 w/ Col 3:16, 1 Cor 2:1-13, Ro 8:9, John 14:26, 15:26, etc.). Therefore, unclean spirits can be understood as those who operate within organized Christian religion that are teaching things contrary to the truth of God. In this sense, they are unclean spirits. 1 John 4:1-3 teaches us that we must test the spirits to see if they are from God. Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus, as the Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, but this is the spirit of antichrist. To understand Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not just agreeing that Jesus was an actual man-God that existed, but it is also to agree that he is the Christ (Prophet, Priest and King). If one does not believe in these three offices of Jesus, he is not saved (1 John 5:1) and he is an antichrist (2 John 7, 1 John 4:3, 1 John 2:18, I John 2:22). The church of Babylon contains many who may ‘believe’ in Jesus because of their decision for Him, but they have not received the faith of Christ (Eph 2:8-9, Ro 3:22, Rev 14:22, Gal 2:20, etc.) which causes them to have faith in Jesus Christ (Prophet, Priest and King) and therefore, born again.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
(Ephesians 6:10-13)
End-Time False Teaching
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
(Revelation 18:2)
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
(Matthew 24:5)
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
(Matthew 24:11)
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
(Matthew 24:24)
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
(Mark 13:22)
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
(2 Thessalonians 2:9-11)
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
(Revelation 13:5-7)
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
(Revelation 13:11-18)
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
(Matthew 24:26-28)
And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
(Luke 17:23-24)
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
(Revelation 20:3)
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
(Revelation 20:7-8)