DEMONS
AND THE DEVIL
Demons
are evil spirits; fallen angels, who followed the devil in his rebellion
against God.
Lev.
17:7; Deut. 32:17 To whom had
And
what did
[Demons are the
spiritual agents acting in all idolatry.
The idol itself is nothing – Acts 17:18; 1 Cor. 10:18-21; Rev. 9:20 –
but every idol has a demon associated with it who
induces idolatry, with its worship and sacrifices (Vine’s Expository
Dictionary).].
1 Sam.
16:14-16, 23 What or who terrorized King Saul, and who sent it?
What
seemed to heal or remedy Saul and cause the spirit to depart at times?
Why do you think melodic music
often repels demons?
What happened as a result of
this evil spirit coming upon Saul (
What does this tell you that
an evil spirit (demon) can cause a person to do?
1 Ki. 22:20-23, 29 What did the prophet Micaiah tell
King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat that he saw?
Who does it say sent the
spirit, and what would the spirit do to the prophets?
What do you learn about God,
spirits, and people from this passage?
Judges
What
does this tell you about God using evil spirits?
Matt. 8:16, 28-32; Mk. 5:1-13; Lk. 8:26-33 What
characteristics and abilities did these (this) demon-possessed men (man)
have?
And
what do you learn about these demons?
Matt.
9:32, 33;
Mk.
What significance does that
have to you? Why?
Mk.
What significance does that have
to you, and why?
Mk.
Did you ever realize that some
demons are easier to cast out than others?
Why do you think this is so (Eph.
Matt. 12:43-45 When an unclean spirit (demon) leaves a person and
doesn’t find any better place to go and live, what might it do, particularly if
the person hasn’t filled the void in his life with Christ/Holy Spirit?
What do you learn about
varying degrees of wickedness among demons?
[Demons can enter a person’s life especially when he/she is not mentally
fully in control, such as when drunk, hypnotized, under a mind-controlling
drug, practicing transcendental meditation, etc. or when involved with the
occult, such as palm reading, horoscopes, séances, black/white magic, etc. or
when involved with any persistent sin.].
1 Tim.
4:1-4 What does the Holy Spirit say will happen in later times (verse
1)?
What are two of those
doctrines?
What denominations or churches
teach these kinds of doctrines?
What are some other doctrines of demons (false teachings) being
taught today by various denominations and churches?
James.
[Just because a person, church, or religion believes
that God is one doesn’t necessarily mean that they are Christians.].
How does knowing this affect
you, and why?
James.
3:13-16 Besides
being earthly and natural, what else is bitter jealousy and selfish ambition
called?
Why do
you think this is so?
[Demons can inhabit, oppress, or influence a person when he/she is caught
up in any sin, such as those mentioned here, or when
involved with demonic influences, such as rock music, certain martial arts,
etc.].
Rev. 16:13, 14 What are these spirits of demons able to perform, so as
to instigate/provoke/motivate/incite the rulers of the world at the end of this
age to make war against God and Christ?
Have
you ever given much thought about how powerful and deceitful demons are, and why?
Lev.
Why do you think this is so?
2 Pet.
2:4; Jude 1:6; Matt.
Do you think that their
knowing this causes them to work harder at dragging others down with them? Why?
[The
‘Devil’ is the most powerful or leading evil spirit. He is also called Satan or ‘star of the
morning’ (Isa.
1
Chron. 21:1 Who
did Satan stand up against?
Apparently Satan then caused
And how did God incite or move David to number
[The sin David committed
apparently was pride – that of seeing how big and loyal his army was – 1 Chron.
21:8.].
What does this incident seem to show about how Satan attacks a group
and its leadership by getting God angry?
Job
1:7 Where
had Satan been when God began speaking with him?
What does Satan immediately do
after God tells Satan how blameless and upright Job is (1:8-11)?
What does God allow Satan to
do (
What does God again ask Satan (2:2)?
And in
2:3?
What does Satan immediately do
(2:4, 5)?
What does God allow Satan to
do (2:6, 7)?
What does this incident tell
you about Satan, God, and righteous people?
Zech.
3:1, 2 What did God
show Zechariah in a vision (1:7)?
What did the Lord say to Satan
(3:2)?
[Satan, which means
Adversary or Accuser, lives up to his name as you can see.].
Have you ever thought about Satan accusing you of different sins before
God?
How does that make you feel, and why?
Matt.
4:1-11 (Mk.
What (bodily) drive of
Jesus’ does the devil appeal to – vs. 2?
And how does he tempt Jesus –
vs. 3?
How does Jesus resist the
temptation – vs. 4?
What area of life or nature
does the devil next tempt Jesus in – 4:5, 6?
How does Jesus resist the
devil – vs. 7?
What is the third area of life
or man’s nature that the devil tempts Jesus in – vss. 8, 9?
And how does Jesus again
resist – vs. 10?
What does the devil do at this
point – vs. 11?
Have you ever been tempted in any or all of these three areas (the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life – 1 Jn.
Did the devil or demon leave? If so, for how long? And
how did you know?
Has he come back at an opportune time – Lk. 4:13? How did you know?
What did you learn about the devil from these passages?
Matt. 16:21-23; Mk. 8:31-33 What did Jesus say to
Peter, after Peter tried to prevent Jesus from being killed and resurrected?
What does this show you about
who Satan can and does use?
How will knowing that Satan
uses followers of Christ (Christians today) help or affect you, and why?
Matt.
What does that tell you about
what part the devil is playing in hindering some people from salvation (2
Cor. 4:3, 4)?
Lk.
10:17, 18 Who does Jesus say He was watching?
[It may be that in the
mission of the 70, Jesus saw the defeat of Satan, a defeat as sudden and
unexpected to the force of evil, as a flash of lightning.].
What does Jesus say about the
ruler of this world (Satan) in John 12:31-33?
When do you think that this
will take place, and why (Rev. 20:2)?
How does knowing that Satan in
a defeated enemy make you feel, and why?
[Though Satan can’t
prevent a Christian from going to heaven, he can try to wreck his earthly moral
life and cause him loss of eternal rewards.].
Lk.
Have you ever thought that
some people’s physical problems are the result of satanic attack/involvement,
and why?
[If you’ve been to multiple doctors and had multiple tests regarding some
ailment, but they couldn’t find anything organically wrong with you, it may be
a demonically-induced problem.].
Lk.
22:3, 4 What did
Satan do?
What
did Judas then do?
What does this show you about Satan being around and influencing people who are in godly (Christian) circles and places?
Jn.
13:2, 26, 27 What happened after Judas took the
morsel?
Is
this the first or second time now that Satan entered into him?
What
does this show about Satan’s coming and goings?
Has Satan (or a demon)
ever influenced you to betray a godly person?
If so,
did you resist and rebuke the devil, or fall prey to him, and why?
Lk.
22:31, 32 What did Satan demand permission of Jesus to do?
[“You” is in the
plural, meaning all the disciples.].
[“Sifting” means that great
trials await these disciples; a turbulent future].
Did God grant Satan
permission? How do
you know?
How does knowing that God
grants Satan such permission (to greatly try and test a believer) affect
you, and why?
Matt.
25:41 What has been
prepared for non-believers, the devil, and his angels?
How
does knowing this make you feel, and why?
Jn.
What does Jesus say to these
Jews who are interacting with Him?
How does knowing what the
devil is like, and how he uses people (even religious people), affect
you, and why?
Jn.
Do you pray to God that He
keeps Christians, who you know, out of the hands of Satan?
If so,
how often, and why?
Acts
In
what way did this demon-possessed girl greatly annoy Paul?
Was what the girl crying out
true? If so, why do
you think Paul was annoyed?
Though demons might say what
is true, how might they use the truth for destructive ends?
Do you know of religious or church people who say some true things about God, Jesus, the Bible, etc., but whose life and behavior are contrary to true biblical Christianity and, thereby, turn people off to true Christianity?
How does Paul deal with the situation?
Have you ever commanded demons to come out of a person? If so, when, why, and how did you do so?
Acts
What did the man with the evil
spirit say to the Jewish chief priest’s seven sons?
Have you ever realized that
demons can talk to you through a person’s voice box and mouth?
What did the man with the evil
spirit do to two of these sons?
What does this tell you about
casting out demons, and about demons in general?
What affect does this incident
have upon you, and why?
Acts
5:1-4 What did Peter say to a church member (vs. 3), and
for what reason?
[“filled your heart” – controlled/influenced
fully your will/mind].
How did Satan change what
could have been a good thing into being sin?
How does knowing that Satan
can turn your good deeds into sinful deeds affect you, and why?
1 Cor. 5:1, 5 Who did Paul decide to deliver to Satan for the destruction of
his flesh (1 Cor.
How does knowing this affect
your committing a similar sin (or any unrepentant, continuous sin), and
why?
2 Cor.
[It is an advantage to
Satan if either an individual could be driven to despair, or if the peace of
the church could be disturbed.].
What are some of Satan’s
schemes?
2 Cor.
11:12-15 How does Satan disguise himself (vs. 14)?
And how do Satan’s servants
disguise themselves (vs. 15)?
When you think of Satan, do you visualize a red-skinned, pointed-tailed, horned being with a pitchfork, or do you visualize a beautiful, intelligent being, and why?
And how do you view those whom Satan uses as his servants (do you view them as weird and grotesque or as nice and spiritual looking), and why?
Are Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Unitarians and even nice, liberal, humanitarian, church people his servants, and why?
2 Cor.
12:7-9 What was given to the apostle Paul, and why (vs. 7)?
Do you think that God has ever
used Satan or a demon in your life to keep you from becoming proud of
something?
How do you feel about God
using such means to keep people humble?
1
Thes. 1:1;
Has Satan ever thwarted you from seeing other Christians that you have a responsibility for (i.e., your Bible study group members or someone you led to Christ)? If so, how?
Or, has Satan ever kept a godly Christian from visiting, encouraging, or instructing you in the ways of God/the Bible? If so, how?
Or, has Satan or demons kept Christians from attending your Bible study group? If so, how?
2
Thes.
2:7-10 The man of lawlessness’ coming is in accord with what?
Are you now or do you think you will be surprised when religious people (or a person) perform great miracles and yet are false and wicked? Why?
Is there anyone now who claims to do or is doing miracles?
What do you think of him/her/them, and why?
1 Tim.
1:18-20 What did Paul do to Hymenaeus and Alexander, and why?
[Delivered
over to Satan probably means both excommunication from
the church, as well as, bodily suffering and/or disease – Job 2:7; 1 Cor.
11:30.].
Do you fear blaspheming (degrading
God or making yourself to be like God) or disobeying God in any other way?
Why?
Rev.
2:8, 9 Who did these
Jews by birth (but not spiritually) who are a called “synagogue of
Satan”, persecute?
Have you ever thought of
religious, unbelieving Jews as a synagogue of Satan? When, and why?
Rev.
12:7-12 Who was thrown
down out of heaven (vs. 9)?
Who
does Satan deceive (vs. 9)?
Do you know of people, even
religious, church people who are deceived? If so, in what ways or areas?
What is Satan called in verse
10?
And how often does Satan do
this accusing before God?
Did you realize that the sins
you commit now are probably being brought to God against you by the devil?
How does this make you feel,
and why?
How did these believers deal
with it (vs. 11)?
Why does Satan come down to
the earth with great wrath?
Eph.
4:26, 27 What shouldn’t we give the devil by letting our anger linger
and go unchecked?
Do you ever let Satan use you by yielding to his evil suggestions toward someone because you were angry with that person, even if your anger was originally justified?
How do you prevent or how can you prevent your
being used by the devil (Eph.
Eph.
6:11-17 What are we told to do, and why?
What isn’t and what is our
struggle against?
[To “put on the full armor of God” is: to know and believe the truths of
the Bible, to be and do right, to have peace with God because of the gospel,
and to have the security of a right relationship with God in salvation.].
What are you doing both to
protect yourself, as well as, to ward off these demons, and why?
With what will we be able to
extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one?
Do you believe God and the truths of the Bible rather than the lies of demons and, therefore, call upon God for help and power to put out those unholy, skeptical, critical thoughts that crowd into your mind, or the pride, selfish ambition, greed, lust, discontent, deceit, lying, covetousness, etc. that war against your soul?
Or, what do you do when Satan attacks, and why?
1 Tim.
3:6, 7 Why shouldn’t an
overseer (pastor-elder) be a new convert?
What sin might a spiritual
novice elevated to the spiritual position of overseer too quickly commit?
And why must an overseer have
a good reputation with those outside the church?
How would not having a good
reputation cause him to fall into the snare of the devil?
2 Tim. 2:24-26 Why should the Lord’s
bond-servant, with gentleness, correct those in opposition (probably
misguided Christians)?
[These false teachers
and their followers have been snared by the devil through wrong teaching and as
a result are held captive by him to do his will. Wrong teaching and thinking lead to wrong
actions.].
Have you ever been snared by
the devil through believing false or wrong teaching/doctrine?
If so, which teachings?
How did you finally discover
that they were wrong?
Do you know of misguided or uneducated Christians or church people who are doing the devil’s work because they are held captive by him through the acceptance of false teaching?
Are you trying to gently correct them? How?
Heb.
2:14, 15 How did Christ render the devil
powerless?
[“power of death” – man’s fear of death had the
power/influence over them to get them to do Satan’s will by their making wrong
decisions.].
How is this so,
or why was this the way it was done?
James
4:7 When will
the devil flee?
[“to resist” – is to take a stand against; to
counteract by rebuking Satan in the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and by
quoting appropriate Bible verses related to the temptation, e.g., Matt. 4:10.].
How often do you do this? And how do you do this?
1 Pet.
5:8, 9 Why should we
be sober and on the alert?
How should we resist the
devil?
Are you sober and alert? In what way, or how do you do this?
[To be “sober” is to be self-controlled and not failing to be in control
of your mind/thinking due to alcohol, illicit drugs, hypnosis, T.M., etc., and
to be “alert” is to be aware of Satan’s tactics.].
1 Jn.
3:7, 8, 10 Who
is of the devil?
If you claim to be a
Christian, are you habitually continuing to practice sin?
[If you answered “yes”,
you might check yourself to see whether you are even a Christian after all (2
Cor. 13:5), or whether the devil still has control over some areas of your life
as a true believer.].
Is practicing righteousness a
way of life for you? How can
you tell?
1 Jn.
Has satanic jealousy ever come into your mind toward some godly Christian because he/she was obedient to God and you weren’t? If so, did you have hurtful thoughts toward that person?
If so, how did you deal with those thoughts, and why?
1 Jn.
4:1-4 What are Christians told to test, and why?
[“The spirits” refers to the person teaching
religion or the teachings themselves.].
What are two of these tests (vss.
2, 3, 14, and 15)?
Do you ever test the spirits/teachings
of people? If
so, how?
Who is greater in the
Christian than the devil who is in the world?
How does knowing this affect
you, and why?
1 Jn.
How does it make you feel to
know that Satan cannot touch you without God’s permission (e.g., Lk.
Who lies in the power of the
evil one (Satan)? How
does knowing this affect you, and why?
Jude
1:9 Who had a
dispute with the devil?
In
what or whose authority did even this archangel rebuke
the devil?
What
does this tell you about in whose authority we’d better fight the devil?
Is
this your conscious source of authority in dealing with the devil, and why?
2
Thes. 3:3 What does Paul tell the Thessalonian Christians?
Does this mean that God won’t on occasion grant Satan or demons permission to test or sift them as he did Peter and the other apostles (or us), and why?
Dan. 10:1-21 How long had Daniel been
fasting, mourning, and praying because of the message that was revealed to him (vss.
13, 20)?
How come it took three weeks for this messenger of God to get to Daniel with a response, though Daniel’s prayers were heard from the first day (vss. 12, 13)?
How did the messenger from God get past the prince
of
What does this tell you about satanic angels and getting answers to prayer?
Could this be one reason why we might not get answers to some of our prayers as quickly as we would like?
How will knowing this affect your prayer life or you, and why?
Rom.
When will that be?