Could A Demon Be Living Inside Me?

When demons are living inside someone, they can control a person. But when demons are external, they can seek to influence a person.

I want to explain this using an example of a thief. When a thief breaks into someone’s house, the fact that they are inside does not mean they are the owners of the home.

In the same way, when a Christian has a demon inside them, it doesn’t mean that the demon owns that Christian. It simply means that a demon is inside of them, and it needs to be driven out of that believer.

The Bible uses words like “possessed” to describe this, but the original language really means “demonized,” meaning “being under control of a demon.” So, to answer a very common question: yes, Christians can have demons.

Can Light and Darkness Co-Exist?

Now some of you may be asking, “Well, the Bible says the light and darkness cannot coexist together, so how can Christians have demons?”

First, the Bible doesn’t say that. Instead, it says that light and darkness don’t have fellowship.

 ^“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?”

2 Corinthians 6:14-15

Righteousness and lawlessness don’t have communion with one another because they are opposites. This verse is used to support the idea that Christians should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. However, just because it warns against it, it doesn’t mean that it cannot happen. Most of us know a Christian who is yoked with an unbeliever. It’s not something that Christians are incapable of doing.

Further on, Paul says that light and darkness don’t have communion with one another just as righteousness and lawlessness doesn’t have fellowship. Paul is not saying righteousness and lawlessness can’t cohabitate. He is saying that they cannot have a covenant because if a Christian and non-Christian couldn’t coexist then how could we evangelize unbelievers?

Instead, this verse is saying that we as believers shouldn’t go into covenant with them.

In essence, darkness cannot drive out light, but light can drive out darkness.

Lawlessness cannot overcome righteousness, but righteousness can overcome lawlessness. Demons cannot overcome Christ, but Christ, in a Christian, can drive out demons.

Read this: The Difference Between Strongholds & Demons

How to Know If You Have a Demon

1. Notice who has more control

When people realize they have demons, one of the tell-tale signs is control. In such cases, the demons that are merely external, influence demons on the inside of the person. They control a certain area of their lives. Now, to what degree they control a person depends on the kind of demons, the kind of legal right, generational curses, soul ties, and the kind of access that the person has given to them.

There could be extreme levels of control where a demon has a much larger control over someone’s life compared to another person with demons. To be clear, we don’t see a clear distinction in the New Testament between oppressed and possessed. In the New Testament, it uses one common language “demonized–meaning controlled by a demon.” Derek Prince, whom I respect, said that the word has nothing to do with ownership, instead, it has to do with control. Meaning that when a Christian or a non-Christian has a demon it’s about control not ownership.

Let me give you an example. A number of years ago, we had a girl living with my wife and I. She was at home one time while we were hosting a service in a park, and when she had stepped out, she forgot to lock all the windows. When we came back home, I felt a gust of wind in the house and I realized that a window was left open. Not only was it open, but someone had gone through all our stuff. Everything was turned over, but thankfully nothing was taken–except the car. And to make things worse, the car was not ours!

Similarly, just because the thief that had broken in found himself inside our home at one point that night, it didn’t mean he suddenly became the owner. In the same way, a Christian can have demons if they live their life continuously in sin. It doesn’t mean that demons necessarily own them, simply that they have a level of control or influence over an aspect of their life.

You can be speaking in tongues, going to a Pentecostal church, your dad can be a pastor, and none of that will stop demons from coming in–only holiness will.

It doesn’t mean that those demons will own you. It just simply means that they will torment you and harass you, but it doesn’t have to be like that.

2. Use the Gift of Discernment

The gift of discernment – This gift doesn’t just discern evil spirits, it also discerns God’s spirit, angels, and a human spirit.

3. Do You Manifest During Prayer?

If a demon manifests when prayer is being offered – Now, in the story of the two men in the tombs, Jesus comes on the scene and when He arrives, these man were bound with chains, living among the tombs, naked and hurting themselves.

When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.

Matthew 8:28

And when Jesus goes, they start to manifest demons. Similarly, there are many people that have demons but because nobody ever addresses it or teaches them that there is a solution, they go all their life on medication trying to control their compulsive thoughts.  

4. Keep An Eye Out For Demonic Activity

Through demonic activity – These two demon-possessed guys were naked, lived among tombs, they were seized and bound with physical chains which they broke, and they self-harmed. That’s pretty much enough symptoms or signs to tell that you have company (unclean spirits.) When you have intrusive thoughts, hear voices that speak to you in third person, or if you notice paranormal activity–all of these are signs that you most likely have a demon.

Even if you don’t manifest, you still need to be delivered.

I pray that this was a blessing to you. If you feel like you may have company, check out this video to break curses off of your life.