Born again, regenerated believers are not vulnerable to demon possession since they have the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Only unbelievers are vulnerable to demon possession. There are 2 physical manifestations of demon possession:

• Demon induced mental illness (Mark 5:1-5).
• Demon induced physical illness (Matthew 8:16, 9:32-33).

3 BONA FIDE MEANS FOR REMOVAL OF DEMONS:

• Satan's personal intervention or decision to leave the body of a person he possessed (Matthew 12:24).
• Direct Divine intervention or command to the demons to leave the body of a person the demons possessed (Mark 5:8). Personal decision of the person possessed to believe and accept the Gospel.
• The baptism of the Holy Spirit automatically kicks out the demons from the body of man they possessed (1 Corinthians 3:16, 9:32-33).

There is no Christian Exorcism in the Bible because exorcism is a pagan ritual. The Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples CAST OUT demons to authenticate their divine calling, (as proof of being servants of God) The Jews were looking for a sign of their calling. The Greek verb for CAST OUT is ekballo, which is used in all account when the Lord Jesus Christ or His disciples CAST OUT demons. The term exorcism is used in the Scripture in reference to cultic and demonic activities.

The verb exorkizo, the derivative of English noun EXORCIST, and the Greek noun  exorkistes, and its cognate verb horkizo, is used in reference to religious fakers who attempted to expel demons by uttering mysterious incantations (Acts 19:13-17, Matthew 7:22-23).

The Bible used EXORCIST for pagan Jews who attempted to evict demons by religious oaths and rituals. Exorcism is never an indication of salvation or a sign of God'we're we're s approval or sign of spirituality. Exorcism and deliverance ministries are out of line with God's plan.

THE APPARENT SUCCESS of those who engage in exorcism can be attributed either to the cooperation of Satan to leave or direct involvement of demons to evacuate the body of a person, or just a big hoax.

Pseudo Christians and religious unbelievers are using exorcism as a heretical sign of divine favor and Pseudo spirituality to deceive the ignorant of Bible doctrine. The Lord Jesus Christ warned that religious fakers who exorcise have no part with Him (Matthew 7:22-23). Even the devil is an exorcist.

The vast popularity of the modern exorcists is just preparation where they will mushroom. Satan has just begun empowering his fake healers like the nuns and priests, the miracle workers, the cultic healers. The priority of the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles was the proclamation of the Gospel and the teaching of Bible doctrine not exorcism. There is no command for the Church Age believers to heal the sick, to lay hands, or to function as an exorcist. We are commanded to 'press on toward the goal of spiritual maturity.

It is interesting to know that the most popular term “daimonizomai” translated to English as demon possession is not found in the Scripture but used by Josephus (Antiquities 8.47). The common Synoptic construction is daimonion echein translated *to have a demon. Demonic possession in the Synoptic accompanies physical and mental affliction attributable to the possession, nakedness, metal anguish, and masochism (Matt. 8:28-33; Mark 5:1-10; Luke 8:26-39); inability to speak (Matt. 9:32; 12:22); blindness (Matt. 12:22); lunacy (Matt. 4:24; 17:15; Mark 9:17).

Other noticeable characteristics of those who were demon possessed include superior or supernatural knowledge (James 2:19), the ability to foretell the future (Acts 16:16), and superior or uncontrollable strength (Matt. 8:28; 17:15; Acts 19:16).

.  The cultic rite of exorcism took on a variety of forms such as prayer, fasting, laying on of hands, burning of roots, or the sprinkling of holy water. One crucial and vital element to the cultic exorcism was the invocation of the name of Jesus Christ until the demons leave the demon-possessed was popularized by Tertullian (155-220 A.D.).

He claimed that demon would tell the truth about himself and was made to obey the commands of the exorcist (Apology 6, 23). The cults incorporated exorcistic (demon expelling) or apotropaic (demon repelling) rites into their ecclesiastical rituals of exorcism. Prior to baptism into Catholicism, a candidate might endure certain rituals designed to cleanse him from demonic infestation associated either with "original sin" or idolatry and the eating of food offered to idols (Clementine Recognitions 21.71).

The candidate for exorcism might also be required to make public renunciation of Satan, his angels, and his ways, while the baptismal water itself would be exorcised and consecrated. The sign of the cross was also used as an apostrophic device.

Conclusion: The entire ceremony and ritual of exorcism adapted and practice by so-called Christians today is not from the Scripture but from paganism cults. The rituals and ceremony of exorcism is quite different from the biblical method of casting out of demons. The entire ritual and rites of exorcism is contrary to biblical method of casting out demons. Demonism has nothing to do with material things.

The demons are never afraid of material things that have no power by itself like the crucifix, holy water, baptism by sprinkle, and the sign of the cross. In the same way, genuine spirituality has nothing to do with our physical posture, with our position in the church, with the length of time as member of a church, or church involvement.

These religious fakers (exorkistes) attempted to expel demons by uttering mysterious incantations and employ the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in commanding the demons to leave the body of the possessed can only succeed under the power of Satan.

Spiritism in the recent years have tremendously increased and developed into a widely recognized religious practice  Modern psychic phenomena such as levitation, apports, telekinesis, automatic writing, horoscope, astrology, extra sensory perception, and most psychic materializations activities are associated with demonic possession or demonic influence.

Some ignorant Christians employs the confession of an individual's faith in Christ as Savior, the confession, repentance and renunciation of the occult involvement. It is notable that this emphasis on the deliverance from demonic possession is not consistent with the New Testament method of casting out demons. These reflect the open deviation from doctrinal truth of the Bible.

The Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles simply commanded the demons to leave the bodies of the possessed who immediately obeyed. The rite of exorcism took on a variety of forms in the evangelical churches such as 40 days prayer and fasting, the laying on of hands by the church elders, the anointing of oil, and commanding the demons to leave in the name of Jesus Christ.

The spiritual ability to cast out demons is no longer available to the Church Age believers because it is no longer needed, it has ceased and now consider as historical gift. Therefore, the power and ability to cast out demons today is definitely not from God, in the same way, the power to exorcist demons in the past and as well in the present is from Satan (Matthew 12:25-28). Some  so called demon possession are actually mental illnesses or diseases.

Church Age believers are not commanded to cast out demons, and in no way under obligation to hunt for demons. The goal and objective of our spiritual life is spiritual maturity and not to become "demons busters" or popular exorcist. There is no spiritual reward for casting out demons by the reversionists believers (Matthew 7:22-23). Exorcism is  the manifestation of demonic power and casting out demons is the sign of deep rooted reversionism, ignorance of Bible doctrine, and showroom of arrogance.

Copyright ©2003-2007  J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries