Symptoms of possible demonic influence or attack
If you or a loved one have noticed some or any of the sudden physical or emotional symptoms or changes, listed below, in your thinking or behavior, you may be under demonic influence or attack.
Demonic manifestations or influences can come about in many forms and for many reasons. When they happen they can be disruptive and possibly harmful. Satan is our enemy. He will use any opening we give Him. I encourage you to examine the below list carefully and don’t consider yourself to be immune from the influences of a demonic attack.
The purpose of this teaching is to help you understand if you have a door open through which Satan and his helpers, the demonic, can enter, they can cause problems in your life. They will use any opportunity we give them to accomplish their goals. Which is to mess with our thinking, make us sick and even kill us. It isn’t a 100% complete inventory or assessment, but it will give a lot of guidance.
First of all, the devil hates Christians and He will do anything within His power to ruin our testimony. He is the great deceiver and the great tempter. He will use any one, at any time, to try and destroy us or a loved one. But if you are a saved/born again Christian–always remember. The spirit within you is more powerful than anything the demonic can through against you. If you have the right tools.
You don’t have to be oppressed by the demonic. You can live free.
Sin being allowed to gain a stronghold in our life is the most common cause for demonic attack. Any Christian can come under attack by demonic forces. Any repetitive sin in our life is an opening for an demonic stronghold to take hold and become fertile ground for the devil. Honest repentance of any sin in your life and forgiveness of all who have hurt you, should rid a Christian of these unwanted pests.
Sin in our life is the primary reason why the demonic can take a hold of us and try to influence us.
Certain anti or non-Christian activities we involve ourselves in can also be a direct cause. Often unknowingly. We may get involved with them for seemingly good reasons. But the results of contrary or non-biblical activities can be harmful and even devastating.
Demons are real. We have to face the fact that the spiritual world does contain demonic beings. And they are not your friends. They want you sick, confused, fearful, angry, not in the Word, isolated and maybe dead. For sure they do not want you worshiping the one true God. They don’t want you in true worship to Jesus Christ. The Jesus Christ of the bible. The only one through which we can be saved.
As stated above, two of the ways the demonic can take hold or influence a person is through repetitive, unrepentant sin or through an activity that opens a doorway for the demonic to come in. Drug abuse is another example of this. There are many others, like the idol worship of Buddha or the adoption of non Christian tenants and bringing them into our faith. We will be discussing additional doorways or reasons in future postings.
The following is a partial list of the symptoms of demonic influence and attack. By examining them you should be able to get a sense if you or your loved one is being affected. Please consider them thoughtfully and prayerfully. Any one of them may be a reason for concern. But there may be medical causes. Real medical issues, that need the attention of your doctor, may be the source of your problems. It is when one suffers from multiple symptoms that we can be relatively confident that the demonic is involved.
There are many reasons or possible causes of demonic attacks. The person being attacked may be involved in some sort of activity that is allowing or inviting the spiritual negativity in. It may be caused by someone close to you, that may be opening a spiritual doorway. It also could be the result of a demonic curse or jinx of some sort. We’ll be covering many of the possible sources of spiritual attacks in a later posting. It is not necessarily important that you try to determine the source of the harassment. Dealing with it in the proper way can eliminate it and protect you in the future.
If you are concerned, I have authored an ebook on this very subject. Entitled: The Biblical Spiritual Warfare Manual. It is almost 200 pages of biblical guidance on How-To protect yourself and your family from the evil that is rising up during these days of the end.
*You can check it out here.
The below list is a partial list of changes in behavior or thinking that can occur after one has started or been involved in an activity that opens Satan’s doorway. But we should also understand that these same symptoms may have a medical cause. If any of these are particularly bothersome, controlling or persistent it is always recommended that you see a medical doctor.
Symptoms that might indicate the presence or influence of any demonic entity.
This list should be used as a general guide only. There lots of articles on this subject in the Spiritual Warfare category and complete listings in the Spiritual Warfare Training Course and the Biblical Spiritual Warfare Manual.
(Not possession for a Christian! A saved Christian can not be possessed in the terms and how the secular world thinks or uses the word.)
- Thinking thoughts “that are not you.”
- Having sudden depression.
- Having suicidal thoughts.
- Having fits of anger or rage that are unusual for you.
- Feeling hopeless.
- Your pets start acting differently around you.
- Your close friends start questioning your thinking or behavior.
- Anxiety that cripples you
- Excessive fatigue.
- Toxic unexplained smells like burning sulfur.
- Irrational fears, panic attacks or phobias on a regular basis.
Further Symptoms of demonic control or attack.
- Not being able to do what you know is good or right.
- Feeling like you are being pulled to do the wrong thing.
- Feeling like you are being pressured to do something you don’t want to do.
- Hearing voices or thoughts in your head that are negative, persuasive, or commanding you to do something.
- Deep or severe personality changes like fear or wanting to be isolated all the time.
- Suddenly having creepy or scary feelings.
- Recent feelings that an area, like in your house, there is something heavy, depressive or oppressive.
- Feelings of being under attack or threatened when others don’t.
- Finding it hard or impossible to pray.
- Finding it harder or impossible to spend time with Christian brothers or sisters.
- Sudden and unexplainable anxiety.
- Sensations of being attacked in bed.
- Being alone in a room and getting bumped hard.
- Words blurting out of your mouth that you are sure you weren’t thinking.
- Sudden development of Lupus or or other auto immune system disease.
If you have just one of the above symptoms it could be caused by many things and we do not want you to get alarmed. Some medical conditions can cause similar conditions. It could be from a new bad habit or an encounter with a sinful situation or circumstance. If this is true, you know what to do. Repent and move on with your life. Trust Jesus.
Here is a video presentation on 29 signs of demonic oppression.
If you have or are experiencing multiple symptoms from the above list or if one of the above mentioned symptoms is causing problems in your life it may be time to take action. You are very possibly under a demonic influence or attack.
Most of these attacks occur from sin in our lives, lifestyle issues or incorrect teachings. All of these can be dealt with so that you are free from the evil thoughts or influences. But they must be dealt with. Repentance is the answer to our own sin and self deliverance and spiritual warfare works most of the time. Please refer to the Spiritual Warfare category onsite.
Please remember to consult your doctor to make sure there aren’t any physical or serious mental or emotional issues that need addressing.
There is another category of demonic attack that we need to be aware of. if the symptoms started AFTER you started practicing a new type of meditation or any other non biblical activity I encourage you to address the issue immediately. Stop doing what you are doing NOW. Eastern meditation is a New Age Fad that has swept through thousands of churches. It is is one of the most popular fads of the new millennium, within the christian church community.
There are known relationships between eastern or non biblical meditation and demonic influence. The proponents don’t tell us about those. You are going to want to see your pastor, of course. But before you start making appointments, I would recommend that you bring this to the Lord in prayer and visit with a trusted Christian friend about it. Have both of you open up your bible and do some research. Pray together and seek the truth.
If it was your pastor that got you involved in this activity you may want to bring your Christian friend with you to discuss it with the pastor. He or she may not know the great negatives that are present in these types of activities. Pray for the pastor before you meet with Him or Her. Pray that the Lord pours out His spirit of truth and wisdom upon them. Bring your bible to the meeting and ask the pastor to show you what the word says about the activity in question. In this final age in which we live, we cannot afford to be placing our trust on the wisdom of man or a faddy program that is outside of God’s Word. We need the truth and guidance of the Word. The Eternal Word!
If you answered one of the above symptoms in the positive it isn’t necessarily a demonic attack. It is very possibly sin in your life that needs addressing. However, it may be. Prayer and discernment are going to have to be relied on. If you have two or more of the listed symptoms I would strongly suggest that you get some “bible based” spiritual warfare help and consider visiting your family physician.
In prayer and under the authority of Jesus Christ the demonic must flee and Jesus reveals the truth. If you find yourself unable to pray right about this or if you believe it is severe enough of a problem- get some help. Call a Christian prayer partner or Deliverance minister.
Tens of thousands have taken our Spiritual Warfare Training Course and developed the spiritual tools to become free and an overcomer over all the evil affecting them. Contact a Christian minister who has real life experience in spiritual warfare.
In the presence of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ, the demonic MUST flee. Praying for forgiveness through repentance, in the name of and under the authority of Jesus Christ should rid a believer of any of these. If you are a saved Christian, not just a good church member Christian, you have the spiritual authority, in God’s world, to command the demonic to leave. Pray often. Pray earnestly. Immerse yourself in the Word of God.
The Joseph Plan has a special gift for all users of this ministry. It is a 15 page special report to help you assess your spiritual condition. It is a teaching directly out of the Word of God that will help you to be In His ways. I call it the “Rapture ForeWarning Advisory”. This biblical assessment will also help you to determine if you have allowed any sin and thus demonic entity to take up residence and form a spiritual stronghold from which it can operate in your life. It addresses the “Works of the Flesh”. The teachings or accepted norms of society, that when allowed into our lives can be strongholds from which the demonic can influence us. See here.
If you find that you have been providing access to the demonic, you should take immediate steps to correct it. Remember, the God we worship is greater than all other spiritual entities out there. Jesus Christ is the most powerful name in the universe and under His covering and protection you will always be kept safe. There is no need to panic. Prayer by a believer conquers all. If you are realizing any feelings or emotions that are destructive toward yourself or others, we recommend you see a medical doctor as soon as possible also.
There are two very powerful prayers posted that should give you the ammunition to fix this problem. Yes, this is a problem that through out history the Lord has dealt with many times. If You Believe and stop doing the activities that allowed them in and pray, these symptoms should subside soon. You are in our prayers.
Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Ephesians 1:19 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.
Once again, if any of the symptoms listed above are extreme or threatening to you or others-Call your doctor and confer with a Christian spiritual warfare minister immediately and pray together for the Blood of Jesus to intercede, protect and to give you wisdom and direction. https://thejosephplan.org/category/spiritual-warfare/
If you have concerns about the possibility of you being under demonic oppression or attack, you are invited to do some heavy study in our free Spiritual Warfare Training Course. Taken by tens of thousands. Available on the blue bar at the top of this page.
I also encourage you to spend some time in the Deliverance Central section of the site. See here. And Deliverance Central Resources in the posts section here.
You may also like these other articles on An Enduring Faith!
https://thejosephplan.org/2012/03/is-centering-prayer-satans-doorway/
https://thejosephplan.org/2012/03/purpose-ly-driven-away-from-the-bible/
https://thejosephplan.org/2012/02/contemplative-prayer-and-new-age-spirituality-in-the-church/
https://thejosephplan.org/2012/03/test-the-spirits-vision-and-dream-interpretation/https://thejosephplan.org/2012/01/the-gospel-of-jesus-christ/
https://thejosephplan.org/2011/12/make-sure-youre-saved-please-make-sure-today/
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My friend, Are you confident where you are going to spend eternity when this all ends? There is an end for all of us some day. Some of us maybe today.
There is only one way to know and be assured– Ask our Father in heaven in Jesus Christs’ name in prayer today!
Are You Saved from damnation,the eternal fate of so many? Are you sure? Ask Him. Find out and be assured.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.
When we ask the Lord, in Jesus Christ’s name, He assures us with His peace and understanding. If for any reason you question your salvation, go to a quiet place, alone, and talk to Jesus. Repent of your sins and commit your life to Him. Then go to a bible believing church and get baptized.
He is faithful! He always listens and always responds!
The Salvation Prayer (click here) is in the Blog in the right column of this page. You can walk without fear. Start nurturing An Enduring Faith, today.
Visit the Joseph Plan Blog and be blessed. There are scores of articles for you to enjoy.
If this teaching blessed you please like or tweet it to others. There are so many in need. The modern church doesn’t teach this important topic. I guess it’s so they don’t offend their pew sitters and cut down on their offerings.
But if you are blessed by these types of teachings, you can help. The Joseph Plan is a private ministry of my wife and myself. We are supported by those who are blessed. There is a safe, donation portal on the main menu bar at the top of this page.
May God Bless You and keep you safe from the evil one!
Pastor Thomas Holm
The ministry of The Joseph Plan
I would like to get involved with your men’s group and with the special informational section part of your site as you described.
Hi, I have been struggling with pornography and masturbation since I was 12 years old. After I got saved it stopped for a while but then it resurfaced again, so I still battle with this sin, which is not an everyday sin like when I was not saved, but every one or two weeks I am under attack for a couple of days watching porn and masturbating, I get this desire to do it even though I know is wrong, I suffer with this situation, I cry to God for forgiveness but then I fall into it again. I tell my Pastor but when I tell him he gets all upset, He tells me that this repeated sin is holding my blessings and promotion from God and that is time to mature already, I have been a Christian for 15 years now and I have not been able to radically overcome this sin. I am a salesman and every time there is a drought without signing a contract my Pastor tells me that this is happening because of repeated sin of pornography and masturbation so the enemy have a stronghold on me, he tells me that this demonic spirits can attack me financially because of my sexual sin. I am single, so I don’t know if lack of sex has something to do with it. My Pastor tells me that this is inequity and has nothing to do with me not having a woman and to stop abusing God’s grace because God can get tired of my sin and the consequences could be disastrous. I don’t know what to do, please I need help overcoming this sin.
I have written extensively on the subject of meditation and the demonic influences involved Kaiju.
Simply use the search bar at the top of the website and search for meditation or eastern religions.
We live in a spiritual world and all of us must guard our selves from these influences.
Unfortunately, there are many “Christian” churches today involved in these practices. Very sad and unhealthy for all that partake.
Meditating ON the Word of God only briongs us closer to good and all that is good. Try that instead.
Psa_119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
1Tim_4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
OK, now you’ve lost me. Meditation isn’t worship in any way, shape or form. There were a lot of vague statements there. No offense.
But we need to remember, it is access to the demonic, regardless of our intentions. So says The Word of God. Regardless of what one calls it it is still idol worship. All eastern meditation provides an entry way for the demonic.
“Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods.”
–Jeremiah 16:20
Concerning those who cannot understand why men would bow down to a rock or a piece of wood, it all has to do with demonic power: behind every rock, stone and piece of wood or metal worshiped, there is a demon.
“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.”
–1Corinthians 10:20-21
When men use an idol, the pieces of rock, stone and metal an illegitimate supernatural power is accessed. In short, they worship idols because idol worship (in the short term) works for them. It can provide short term peace.
Idol worship is specifically forbidden by God and all those who disobey receive judgements.
You are in our prayers.
Pastor Thomas
Hi Hazel, It sounds like a lying or deceiving spirit was involved. Or a spirit of confusion.
Have you taken our “Spiritual Warfare Training Course”? It is an eight lesson course that will give you the answers to correct and/or defeat the enemy.
It’s free and you can sign up off the blue bar at the top of every page.
God Bless
Pastor Thomas
Hi, ty for the above. I WS at work yesterday n suddenly felt a burning sensation on my back which I never felt before n called the name of Jesus it stopped. But just after my colleague who is head of one of our depts came over lecturing about a mistake I made n in explaining the why n the how, n he was not listening to me. I was acknowledging my mistake. It was like he did not understand n I know I did the exact opposite of what I had to do. I replied to him angrily. So I was wondering whether I was under spiritual attacks.
Ty for replying back.
2 things:
1. This article is very well written and makes some great points. A little “preachy” at times, but good.
2. Nobody worships Buddha. Buddha never claimed to be a god, never wanted to be worshipped, and never made demands. And, I know I’m probably going to get crap for this, but out of all existing religions, Buddhism is the only one that has consistently preached AND practiced peace. No one kills in the name of Buddha.
Thanks for taking the time to write all of this. I enjoyed it. 🙂
It’s easy to tell someone to slow down but I don’t know if you were ever in the Masons or had a father who was in the Masons but those folks are serious (they perform blood sacrifices) and they will never get out of Free Masonry. I know my dad won’t he will be a Mason forever and nobody will ever change his mind. He has been in the Masons since he was 15 and he is a 33rd degree Mason. My little brother saw his certificate and he made 33rd back in the 1980’s or 1970’s. Nobody can convince my daddy to leave the Masons because he won’t do it. He must have made some sacred oath to them that is bound by death. He is a very manipulative, controlling and scheming person and knows a lot of people because he is a charmer. He is subtle as Lucifer was. I am like the lady above. I know my father is praying curses on me. Every time I see 10:21 on the clock because that is the number of our address. I know he is working witchcraft against me. My Dad got introduced into the Masons by his great uncle who later left it but my dad’s great Aunt was Eastern Star and when she died my mother found some of her hair that that great Aunt was using to perform witchcraft on her. My mother who was never accepted by this controlling and tongue lashing woman had become an alcoholic because of this. Free Masonry is running the churches nowadays so who are you going to go to for deliverance?!!! I know of one church in Louisiana and they have the Free Masonry symbol etched in the cornerstone of the church. I would never attend that church!!!!!!!! I wish I could burn it down, hang most people in it and run the rest out of town under penalty of death. That is not the first church that I have seen with the Free Masonry sign on it. I think that I remember seeing another one in Virginia. I can’t remember where it was exactly. I am very anti-Mason. I would not marry a Mason, kiss a Mason, have sex with a Mason and if I found out that I was dating a Mason I would drop him like he was never in my life in the first place with no remorse. If I was stupid enough to get with a Mason I would use him and get all that I could get and then trash him in the end. We need to resurrect the Anti-Mason party and run these people out of the country!!!!!!!!!
Signed a military Vet who is very, very, very, very Anti-Mason
I took a look at your blog Glen. Very nice. Good Work and I encourage every one to check it out.
It is video based and delivers a powerful message.
Pastor Thomas
Great article. I am a born again believer in Jesus Christ. I used to film demons and our Lord gave me a message concerning the rapture. I would be interested in your insight on my blog: aliesrevealed.blogspot.com. God bless you. Jesus is Lord.
Contact me Carleen. We can take care of this.
Have you taken the Spiritual Warfare Training Course onsite?
Write please- ministry(@) thejosephplan.org
God Bless
Pastor Thomas
Please help me. I’m a female in my mid 30s. I was in my room one night just laying there. Something came in and sorta rushed me for no reason! I was laying down and up and behind me a horrific gorilla noise said something and my eyes closed…I went out of it,then I’m in a dark circular dungeon that was underground, there was a dingy light strip at top…maybe just enough for me to see. There was a demon in there with me,I was scared and in such pain. The reality of this was more real then this world. I refused to observe to much but caught glances. It was part man but ears and feet weren’t. Charred black and ashy. HATE. Actually this thing had not a drop of pleasure. It may derived an ounce out of torturing me,idk. I was chained up with cuffs naked and you bet he was having sex with me…I had no control or fight. We are prey. My instinct told me that I was in purgatory. All I could do is spirituallying fight. It had my body and boy that pain was 20x worse here. This and I say this to any naive,is not a movie, it wasn’t an experience. Let me put it this way, think of someone you protect, you would rather them then you go there. Humanly,I can say I’d never do that but if you knew. It was trying to kill me!! I haven’t went to the doctor yet, but I’m so confused. The situation caused aftershock of delusions. I didn’t have them intil after!! Does anyone recommend anything…I feel bad leaving this because I’m unsure of what God wants of me? I need guidance.?should I go to a church and talk about it, a retreat, am I in trouble? Maybe I should shut my mouth about this and focus on recovery? I need a mentor here.
Your email is being returned Vanessa. Please write me at ministry(@)thejosephplan.org
Pastor Thomas
I just tried posting something but it hasn’t posted yet. Could you please contact me…indylo221@yahoo.com
Thank you Pastor
I was saved by JESUS in August 2012. I was delivered from MANY DEMONS and LEGIONS. Had a ton of creepy stuff/bad luck happen all my life before I got saved. The demons manifested and I vomited uncontrollably,twitched, seen things no one else could, spoke in other languages and much more. It was very similar to the movie the exorcist. I was awake during the entire process. It lasted several hours needing multiple people to help free me from this. It was scary enough to stop me from doing witchcraft. I never knew it was classified as witchcraft but hypnosis, tarot cards, pychics , new age stuff, even down to the music and figurines I had was ALL DEMONIC. I also had many soul ties, and generational curses that were broken. I suffered from severe anxiety, embarresment, SHAME!!, hate, allergies and so much more. I always thought I had God and would go to heaven before my experience but I had a one way ticket to hell. None of my prayers got answer but the one I made 3 days before the deliverance. Without knowing I said the sinners prayer and asked Jesus to help me to find what religion he wanted me to go to. During the excorsism I couldn’t even say the name Jesus when I wanted to. It was terrible!! JESUS is so good!! He is now my best friend and 1st love! I’ve learned so much. I do go to church regularly. I was also told I was a prophet by prophets, Ibe always had dreams. Most that were demonic before now I get messages. I left the church I received the deliverance from because I began seeing ugly things in a particular woman. A woman who was a “prophet” the moment she bagan speaking in tounge I had move away from her, I had several dreams about her showing her doing witchcraft, and choking me, I asked God to continue to showme if this was him speaking to me. And it began to imcrease other people close to me told me of things they were seeing about her after I asked God. I was ridiculed and rejected by the pastor amd some members of the congragation. Where they once held onto the very words u spoke until I began to see things in her. He told me i needed a deliverance again. But I do not do the things of my past. I still do have love for that church and the people there I pray for them all the the time. I have MANY dreams. And the majority of them come true. I still do not have peace about this. I ask God to forgive me all the time if I have made a mistake by accusing this woman. Please help me understand this better. I’ve been to many pastors and not many of them have much to say. I also do not believe that the gift of tounge I have is from God. My son who is 5 has has confirmed that through prophesy and I want to get rid of it. I do not speak it out load but it happens in my dreams. I would love your help Pastor. Please contact me. Thank you!
This teaching has been used by one small group in our church and is now being brought into the others.
The Joseph Plan is in our prayers.
Please refer to our post entitled- “Can a Christian have a Demon”.
It is a matter of schematics. For our purposes we use the term possession to mean total control. The term oppressed is used to mean affected by or influenced.
A Born Again Christian cannot be under “Total Control” of a Demon or demonic spirits. Both answers can be right with the definitions understood.
Pastor Thomas
Yes indeed demons can possess good Christians. Haven’t you ever heard of Emily Rose? Usually what you think is just demonic oppression is actually possession…..that’s how they stay hidden. But do not fear, demonic possession is rarely as terrifying as you see in the movies and Christ is stronger, so you will win. How do I know? I’ ve been possesed multiple times and the church has helped me get rid of them each time.
Write me Penny. ministry (at) thejosephplan.org
Pastor Thomas