References (MKJ)

Demons
Possessions by Demons – Modern King James Version

1) Possession, Torment, and Deliverance Accounts

Narrative: These passages show direct demonic oppression/possession and the authority of Jesus Christ to cast out unclean spirits. They also show that deliverance produces visible fruit: clarity of mind, restored speech, restored peace, and restored function.

Saul

1Sa 16:14  But the spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah terrified him.
1Sa 18:10  And it happened on the next day the evil spirit from God came on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as at other times. And a spear was in Saul’s hand.
1Sa 18:11  And Saul threw the spear. For he said, I will strike David even to the wall. And David drew back out of his presence twice.
1Sa 19:9   And the evil spirit from Jehovah was on Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David played with his hand.
1Sa 19:10  And Saul thought to strike David even to the wall with the spear. But he burst forth from Saul’s presence, and he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

Two men of the Gergesenes

Luk 8:26 And they sailed down to the country of the Gadarenes, which is across from Galilee.
Luk 8:27 And He going out onto land, He met a certain man out of the city, who had had demons a long time, and put on no clothes, nor stayed in a house, but among the tombs.
Luk 8:28 And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him and said with a loud voice, What is to me and to You, Jesus, Son of God the Most High? I beseech You, Do not torment me!
Luk 8:29 (For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had seized him. And he had been kept bound in chains and in fetters, and he broke the bands and was driven into the deserted places by the demons.)
Luk 8:30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is your name? And he said, Legion; because many demons had entered into him.
Luk 8:31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
Luk 8:32 And there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain. And they begged Him that He would allow them to enter into them. And He allowed them.
Luk 8:33 And coming out of the man, the demons entered into the pigs. And the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake and were choked.
Luk 8:34 And those feeding the pigs, and seeing the thing, fled. And leaving, they reported to the city and to the farms.
Luk 8:35 And they went out to see what had been done. And they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had departed sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
Luk 8:36 Also those who saw it told them how the demon-possessed one was healed.
Luk 8:37 And all the multitude of the neighborhood of the Gadarenes were seized with a great fear, and asked Him to depart from them. And entering into the boat, He returned.
Luk 8:38 And the man out of whom the demons had gone out begged Him, desiring to be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying,
Luk 8:39 Return to your own house and declare what God has done to you. And he went his way and proclaimed throughout all the city what great things Jesus had done to him.
Mat 8:28 And when He had come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, two demon-possessed ones met Him, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one might pass by that way.
Mat 8:29 And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with You, Jesus, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?
Mat 8:30 And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine, feeding.
Mat 8:31 And the demons begged Him, saying, If You cast us out, allow us to go away into the herd of swine.
Mat 8:32 And He said to them, Go! And when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea and perished in the waters.
Mat 8:33 And those who fed them fled. And going into the city, they told everything, and what had happened to the ones who had been possessed of demons.
Mat 8:34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged that He would depart out of their borders.
Mar 5:1 And they came over to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.
Mar 5:2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately a man with unclean spirits met Him out of the tombs,
Mar 5:3 who had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one could bind him, no, not with chains
Mar 5:4 because he had often been bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nor could anyone subdue him.
Mar 5:5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying and cutting himself with stones.
Mar 5:6 And when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped Him,
Mar 5:7 and cried with a loud voice, and said, What is to me and to You, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I adjure You by God not to torment me.
Mar 5:8 For He said to him, Come out of the man, unclean spirit!
Mar 5:9 And He asked him, What is your name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion, for we are many.
Mar 5:10 And he begged Him very much that He would not send them outside the country.
Mar 5:11 And a great herd of pigs was feeding near the mountains.
Mar 5:12 And all the demons begged Him, saying, Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.
Mar 5:13 And immediately Jesus allowed them. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the pigs. And the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea (they were about two thousand), and were choked in the sea.
Mar 5:14 And the ones who fed the pigs fled and told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
Mar 5:15 And they came to Jesus and saw him who had been demon-possessed, and had the legion, sitting and clothed and right-minded, the one who had the legion. And they were afraid.
Mar 5:16 And those who had seen told them how it happened to the one who had been demon-possessed, and about the pigs.
Mar 5:17 And they began to beg Him to leave their borders.
Mar 5:18 And when He had come into the boat, the former demoniac begged Him that he might be with Him.
Mar 5:19 However Jesus did not allow him, but said to him, Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and has had mercy on you.
Mar 5:20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all marvelled.

Two dumb Man

Mat 9:32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a dumb man, who had been demon-possessed.
Mat 9:33 And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb one spoke. And multitudes marveled, saying, Never was it seen like this in Israel!
Mat 9:34 But the Pharisees said, He throws out demons by the ruler of the demons.

The blind and dumb man

Mat 12:22 Then one who had been demon-possessed was brought to Him, blind and dumb. And He healed him, so much so that the blind and dumb one both spoke and saw.
Mat 12:23 And all the people were amazed and said, Is not this the son of David?
Luk 11:14 And He was casting out a demon, and it was dumb. And it happened as the demon was going out, the dumb one spoke. And the people marveled.

The daughter of the Syrophoenicain

Mat 15:22 And behold, a woman of Canaan coming out of these borders cried to Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.
Mat 15:23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us.
Mat 15:24 But He answered and said, I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me!
Mat 15:26 But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children’s bread and to throw it to dogs.
Mat 15:27 And she said, True, O Lord; but even the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ tables.
Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith! So be it to you even as you wish. And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Mar 7:25 For a woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of Him and came and fell at His feet.
Mar 7:26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-phoenician by race. And she begged Him that He would cast the demon out of her daughter.
Mar 7:27 But Jesus said to her, Let the children first be filled. For it is not right to take the children’s loaves and to throw it to the dogs.
Mar 7:28 And she answered and said to Him, Yes, Lord, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.
Mar 7:29 And He said to her, For this saying go, the demon has gone out of your daughter.
Mar 7:30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon had gone out, and her daughter lay on the couch.

The lunatic child

Mat 17:14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying,
Mat 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and grievously vexed; for oftentimes he falls into the fire, and often into the water.
Mat 17:16 And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mat 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him here to Me.
Mat 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and he departed out of him. And the child was cured from that very hour.
Mat 17:19 Then the disciples came to Jesus apart, and said, Why could we not cast him out?
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief. For truly I say to you, If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Move from here to there. And it shall move. And nothing shall be impossible to you.
Mat 17:21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
Mar 9:17 And one of the crowd answered and said, Teacher, I have brought my son who has a dumb spirit to You.
Mar 9:18 And wherever he seizes him, he dashes him. And he foams and gnashes his teeth and pines away. And I spoke to Your disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not.
Mar 9:19 He answered him and said, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me!
Mar 9:20 And they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, the spirit immediately convulsed him. And he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming.
Mar 9:21 And He asked his father, How long ago has it been since this came to him? And he said, From childhood.
Mar 9:22 And oftentimes it has cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.
Mar 9:23 Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.
Mar 9:24 And immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.
Mar 9:25 And seeing that a crowd is running together, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter no more into him!
Mar 9:26 And the spirit cried out, throwing him into convulsions, and came out of him. And he was like one dead, so that many said, He is dead.
Mar 9:27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
Mar 9:28 And He entering into a house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast him out?
Mar 9:29 And He said to them, This kind can come out by nothing except by prayer and fasting.
Luk 9:37 And it happened on the next day, they coming down from the mountain, a huge crowd met Him.
Luk 9:38 And behold, a man cried aloud from the crowd, saying, Teacher, I beseech You, look on my son, for he is my only-born son.
Luk 9:39 And lo, a spirit takes him, and he suddenly cries out. And it throws him into convulsions, with foaming, and with pain departs from him, bruising him.
Luk 9:40 And I begged Your disciples to cast him out, and they could not.
Luk 9:41 And answering, Jesus said, O unbelieving generation, one having been perverted, how long shall I be with you and endure you? Bring your son here.
Luk 9:42 And as he was still coming, the demon violently convulsed and tore him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the child and delivered him again to his father.

Mary Magdalene

Mar 16:9 And when Jesus had risen early the first day of the Sabbath, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.
Luk 8:2 and also certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities; Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven demons,

2) Christ’s Authority Over Demons, and What Demons Confess

Mar 1:23 And in their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
Mar 1:24 saying, What is to us and to You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know You, who You are, the Holy One of God.
Mar 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet, and come out of him.
Mar 1:26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him, and crying with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Mar 1:27 They all were amazed, so as to question among themselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? For He even commands the unclean spirits with authority, and they obey Him.
Mar 3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried, saying, You are the Son of God!
Mar 3:12 And He strictly charged them that they should not make Him known.
Mat 8:29 And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with You, Jesus, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?
Luk 8:28 And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him and said with a loud voice, What is to me and to You, Jesus, Son of God the Most High? I beseech You, Do not torment me!
Jas 2:19 You believe that there is one God, you do well; even the demons believe and tremble.

3) False Accusations, Opposition, and Claims About Demons

Narrative:These passages show that spiritual authority is often challenged by accusations and confusion. They also establish that not every claim of “deliverance ministry” is approved by Christ.

Mat 9:34 But the Pharisees said, He throws out demons by the ruler of the demons.
Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard, they said, This one does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.
Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.
Mat 12:26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?
Mat 12:27 But if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
Mat 12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
Mat 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, unless first he binds the strong one, and then he will plunder his house.
Mat 12:30 The one who is not with Me is against Me, and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.
Luk 11:15 But some of them said, He casts out demons through Beelzebub the chief of the demons.
Luk 11:16 And others, tempting Him, sought a sign from Heaven from him.
Luk 11:17 But knowing their thoughts, He said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And a house divided against a house falls.
Luk 11:18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons through Beelzebub.
Luk 11:19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
Luk 11:20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, no doubt the kingdom of God has come on you.
Mat 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!
Joh 7:20 The crowd answered and said, You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?
Joh 8:48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, Do we not say well that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?
Joh 8:49 Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
Joh 10:20 And many of them said, He has a demon and is insane. Why do you hear him?
Joh 10:21 Others said, These are not words of one who has been possessed by a demon. A demon is not able to open the eyes of blind ones.

4) Authority Given to the Disciples

Narrative:These passages show delegated authority under Christ. The pattern is consistent: proclamation of Christ, submission to His name, and deliverance by His power.

Mat 10:1 And when He had called to Him His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.
Luk 9:1 And He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.
Mar 3:15 and to have authority to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons.
Mar 6:7 And He called the Twelve and began to send them out by two and two. And He gave them authority over unclean spirits,
Mar 6:13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed many who were sick with oil, and healed them.
Mar 16:17 And miraculous signs will follow to those believing these things: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak new tongues;
Mar 9:38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out demons in Your name, and he does not follow us. And we forbade him, because he does not follow us.
Mar 9:39 But Jesus said, Do not forbid him. For there is no one who shall do a work of power in My name who can lightly speak evil of Me.
Mar 9:40 For he who is not against us is for us.
Luk 9:49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out demons in Your name. And we prevented him, because he does not follow us.
Luk 9:50 And Jesus said to him, Do not prevent him, for he who is not against us is for us.
Luk 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us through Your name.
Luk 10:18 And He said to them, I saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightning.
Luk 10:19 Behold, I give to you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the authority of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20 Yet do not rejoice in this, that the evil spirits are subject to you, rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.

5) Deliverance in the Early Church

Narrative:These passages show deliverance continuing after the resurrection, under Christ’s name. They also show the danger of using the Lord’s name without true authority and relationship.

Act 5:16 And also a multitude came from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick ones, and those being tormented by unclean spirits, who were all healed.
Act 8:7 For out of those having unclean spirits, many came out, crying with loud voice. And many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.
Act 16:16 And as we went to prayer, it happened that a certain girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by divining.
Act 16:17 The same followed Paul and us and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are announcing to us the way of salvation.
Act 16:18 And she did this many days. But being distressed, and turning to the demonic spirit, Paul said, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out in that hour.
Act 19:12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons from his skin being brought onto the sick, the diseases were released, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Act 19:15 But answering the evil spirit said, Jesus I know, and I comprehend Paul, but who are you?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit resided leaped on them, and overcoming them he was strong against them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded.

6) The “Empty House” Warning After Deliverance

Narrative:These passages teach that casting out is not enough by itself. A person must be filled with the Lord, the Word, and obedience, or the last state can become worse than the first.

Luk 11:24 When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walks through dry places seeking rest. And finding none, he says, I will return to my house from which I came out.
Luk 11:25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and decorated.
Luk 11:26 And he goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in, they dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walks through dry places seeking rest, and finds none.
Mat 12:44 Then he said, I will return into my house from where I came out. And when he has come, he finds it empty, swept, and decorated.
Mat 12:45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and live there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so it also shall be to this evil generation.

7) Evil Spirits Sent to Stir Strife or Deceive

Narrative:These passages show that spiritual conflict can include division, deception, and judgment—not only possession. The Bible presents evil spirits as active in fomenting trouble and spreading lies.

Jdg 9:23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. And the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
1Ki 22:21 And there came forth a spirit and stood before Jehovah and said, I will entice him.
1Ki 22:22 And Jehovah said to him, With what? And he said, I will go forth and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said, You shall entice him and succeed also. Go forth and do so.
1Ki 22:23 And now, behold, Jehovah has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and Jehovah has spoken evil concerning you.
1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 

8) Judgment, Restraint, and the Unseen Realm

Narrative:These passages point to final judgment and restraint of fallen angels, showing that God governs the unseen realm and that punishment is real and appointed.

2Pe 2:4 For if God did not spare sinning angels, but thrust them down into Tartarus, and delivered them into chains of darkness, being reserved to judgment.
Jud 1:6 And those angels not having kept their first place, but having deserted their dwelling-place, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of a great Day;
Mat 25:41 Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Rev 9:1  Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 
Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 
Rev 9:3  Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 
Rev 9:4  They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 
Rev 9:5  And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 
Rev 9:6  In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 
Rev 9:7  The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 
Rev 9:8  They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 
Rev 9:9  And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 
Rev 9:10  They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 
Rev 9:11  And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 

Rev 9:20  But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 

Zec 13:2  "It shall be in that day," says the LORD of hosts, "that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land. 

9) End-Times Demons and the Dragon

Narrative:These passages show demonic spirits active in deception and in gathering men for judgment, and that the dragon and his angels were cast down.

Rev 12:7 And there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels warring against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels warred,
Rev 12:8 but did not prevail. Nor was place found for them in Heaven any more.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, the old serpent called Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14 For they are spirits of demons, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that day, the great day of God Almighty
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen! And it has become the dwelling-place of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a cage of every unclean bird which has been hated,

10) Demons Connected to Idolatry and False Worship

Narrative:These passages show that demons are not only connected to affliction, but also to idolatry and counterfeit worship—spiritual compromise that opens doors to darkness.

Deu 32:17  They sacrificed to demons, not to God, To gods they did not know, To new gods, new arrivals That your fathers did not fear. 

Psa 106:37  They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons, 
Psa 106:38  And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood. 

1Co 10:21  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. 
1Co 10:22  Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? 

11) Core Warfare Framework for Believers

Narrative:These passages summarize the believer’s posture in spiritual conflict: standing in the Lord, discerning spirits, and rejecting demonic deception.

The Whole Armor of God

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 
Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
Eph 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 
Eph 6:13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 
Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 
Eph 6:15  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 
Eph 6:16  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 
Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 
Eph 6:18  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 
Eph 6:19  and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 
Eph 6:20  for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 

Test the Spirits

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 
1Jn 4:2  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 
1Jn 4:3  and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 
1Jn 4:4  You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Wisdom from Above

Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
Jas 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Jas 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

A Final Word on Discernment and Authority

Scripture makes clear that demonic forces are real, active, and opposed to mankind. It also makes equally clear that they are defeated, judged, and subject to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no power in man, no ritual, and no knowledge that prevails over them apart from Christ.

The Bible warns that not all wisdom, insight, or spiritual experience is from God. Some is earthly, sensual, and demonic (James 3:15). The test is not signs, experiences, or claims of authority, but fruit. Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy, and produces righteousness.

Deliverance, healing, and freedom are not ends in themselves. They are signs that point to obedience, humility, and a life submitted to God. The enemy seeks division, fear, pride, and confusion. The Spirit of God produces peace, clarity, repentance, and faith.

Jesus Christ did not give His authority to glorify men, but to free captives and restore lives. Any work done in His name must align with His character, His Word, and His purpose. Where Christ reigns, darkness flees — and where wisdom from above is practiced, the door remains closed.