Replies to '01/05 "Am I Cursed?"'

You're absolutely correct! I couldn't agree more.  

I also want to add that demonic forces don't focus on people of no faith. People who do believe in God and Jesus Christ also experience demonic attacks. The difference is that people who believe that Jesus Christ died in their place, died for their sins, paid that debt for them, etc., are incapable of being possessed. Both God and Satan cannot reside in the same body. I'll try to explain, in Biblical terms, why: 

I'm going to go back to Adam and Eve. Bear with me b/c this requires an explanation. Some people believe this Biblical story is allegorical, but I strongly disagree. Having studied the validity of Scripture for years, I believe the Bible is 100% accurate. I believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16). I understand this to mean that the whole Bible is inspired, in that holy men of God "were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21) to write each and every word of Scripture. So, in other words, God authored the Bible. Some folks may have written it with their hands, but the words are sole property of God. It's like sitting in a courtroom and listening to the discussion while the court reporter keeps a record of every word that is stated. That's essentially what happened with the Bible. God authored it Himself, and others recorded all He wanted to say. God used specific people, who experienced specific things throughout life, to record those things along with His words. 

How do Adam and Eve play a part in who we are today? Well, just as each of us inherits our physical characteristics from our parents (eye color, hair color, etc.) we also inherit spiritual characteristics. Our spiritual characteristics originate with Adam and Eve. Those who know the Bible, are aware that Adam and Eve were created in perfect harmony with God. They walked and talked with God, and God allowed them to live in the Garden of Eden, the most beautiful place ever to exist on earth. Satan, who was cast out of God's presence in heaven, had been banished to earth. He also had access to the Garden. God gave Adam and Eve one command, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). Well, we all know what happened next. Satan went after Eve. Satan first questioned Eve. Eve told Satan she was instructed to not eat or touch the fruit on the tree, and if she did, she would die. Satan then told Eve his first lie: "You surely will not die!" What we know about Satan is that, in serpent form, he was the most beautiful animal in the Garden. He is exceptionally crafty, and He is a liar. Satan uses these gifts to attract people today. First, he appeals to them through sin. Once he gets a hold on them (via their fleshly desires and sinful behavior), he continues to lie to them. His greatest lie of this era is that we don't need Jesus to get to heaven! It's really upsetting to me that so many people believe this lie.  

Satan's second lie Satan told Eve was "God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Lie number two...if Eve ate the fruit, she would be like God. This wasn't a bad objective, because those of us who know Jesus Christ personally want to be like Him. But, it was how she went about becoming like God. She disobeyed God's authority in order that she could become like Him through her own means, apart from God.  

The fruit took on a new appearance to Eve. It appealed to her senses in every way. Eve took the bait, believed the lie, and then she gave the fruit to Adam. Eve believed the lie that sin is good. Sin looked good. Most of us know that sin is usually fun, for a while, but then consequences of our sin come into the picture. So, not only did Eve sin, but she coerced her husband to sin. Now, Scripture tells us that they died. But, they didn't die physically right then and there, on the spot, after eating the forbidden fruit. So, what actually happened? Well, they did in fact, die. They died spiritually. They were no longer allowed to live in the Garden in God's presence. They realized for the first time that they were "naked." So, they realized they were sinful. The spiritual characteristic that Adam and Eve passed down to every person ever born is a dead spirit. We are spiritually dead at birth. It is our inheritance. We don't earn it through our own sin because we are born with it. It's our very nature, as human beings, to quench our fleshly desires and sin. Here is why Christianity is the only "religion" that relies on grace. (I WILL make my point...) Every other religion on the planet focuses on one becoming good enough to exist in the presence of God through knowledge and/or works. Christians rely solely on Jesus. Those of us who believe Christ died for us have come to the realization that we will NEVER be good enough to live in the presence of a holy God. We cannot good-work our way into heaven. If you want more information on whether or not you have sinned, and whether or not you are on your way to heaven, check out www.wayofthemaster.com and take the Introduction quiz.  

So, from a Christian's standpoint, one is born spiritually dead. In order to reconcile with God, one has to come to the understanding that he/she is sinful, by his/her very nature. And, because we are incapable of living a sinless life, we have to accept the grace God has extended to us through Himself in the form of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, according to Scripture, is God. He came to earth for the sole purpose of reconciling each and every human being to God. Jesus accomplished this by literally dying in our place. The wages of sin are death. "Spiritual death." In order that we bring our dead spirits back to life, Christ, who was sinless, died in our place. He sacrificed Himself for us, took all our sin on Himself, died in our place, and in return, gave His spirit to us. Those of us who believe this, and believe Christ died in our place, died for us, receive Him. Our dead spirit is replaced by Jesus' life. That is why Scripture tells us that Jesus is the "way, the truth, and the life" and that no man will ever come to the Father (God the Father) except through Christ. Because no man can get to God without Christ, Scripture tells us that if we refuse to accept Jesus Christ, then God will refuse us. God sacrificed His Son so that we might be reconciled to Him. If we refuse that gift, we refuse God. And, if we refuse God, then we are freely choosing to live without God throughout eternity. We have two choices: accept Jesus' death as full payment for our sins so that we can live eternally in God's presence; or, refuse Jesus' gifts of forgiveness and life. God doesn't send people to hell. People choose of their own free will to go there. 

Now, to make my point. If a person believes in Jesus Christ, their dead spirit is replaced by the very life of Christ. So, if they have that life, and the Holy Spirit resides in them, they cannot also be filled with a demon. Both God and Satan cannot reside in the same body. Satan can tempt, pursue, pressure, and harrass a believer in Christ, but Satan cannot "possess" that person because the Holy Spirit and Life of Christ already possess him/her.