Apologeet.nl
Demons in Christians? The Bible says NO!Tom de Wal was WRONG on Demons! Here is the Biblical Truth!
Intro
Is it possible that a follower of Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, can be possessed by a demon at the same time? Dutch public speaker, Tom de Wal says it is. Well? What is it? Yes or no? This is a question that can be confusing and even frightening for many.
Introduction to Tom de Wal
Welcome to my channel, Apologeet.nl Today we dive into a sensitive but crucial topic within Christian theology. Recently, much attention has been focused on the claim that Christians can have demons within them and need to be delivered from them. One of the prominent voices that seems to proclaim this in the Netherlands is Tom de Wal.
In his teaching video ‘How to keep demons from coming back’, de Wal talks about casting out demons. Following Jesus’ teaching in Luke 11:24-26, he then says that we should not leave the house—that is, the deliverd person—empty because then the demon will return with 7, even uglier, demons. So far so good! But what was my surprise? Tom de Wal seems to apply this to born-again Christians. He says the house needs to be filled but not necessarily with the Holy Spirit.
With all due respect to his intentions, this theology, however well intentioned, causes a lot of fear, uncertainty and confusion among believers. My aim today is to critically examine these claims from a purely Biblical perspective. Let’s let the Bible itself do the talking.
Quick Disclaimer
Mind you! My intention is not to bash Tom de Wal as a person. I do not know him personally. My only aim is to correct his public teaching on the demonic. I have seen some other video in which he gives some good biblically sound teachings in which I believe he has good intentions to help Christians to grow in their faith.
#1 — The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
Having said this, let us return to the topic of today. The most fundamental argument against the idea that a Christian can be possessed is the absolute and exclusive indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When a person repents and accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour, that person receives the Holy Spirit.
The apostle Paul is crystal clear about this in
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
And in Romans 8:9-11 it says
Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Here is the crux: the Holy Spirit dwells in the believer. It is theologically and spiritually impossible that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God Himself, would cohabit with a demonic spirit in the same ‘temple’. Two lords cannot own the same house at the same time. The Holy Spirit dispels darkness; He does not share it.
I actually made a video about receiving the Holy Spirit. You can watch it below or you can read the article here.
#2 — The New Creation and the Ownership of Christ
Secondly, through your faith in Christ, you become a ‘new creation’. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Your identity has been completely changed. You have been transferred out of darkness into the Kingdom of Light.
Colossians 1:13-14 confirms this:
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
We have been bought and paid for with the precious blood of Christ. You are no longer the property of darkness, but the property of Christ.
A demon has no right or authority over a true believer. The Bible never teaches that demons can enter the hearts of those who have been bought by Christ and sealed by the Spirit. That would completely nullify Christ’s victory on the cross.
#3 — The Difference between Possession and Burdened, Oppressed and Tempted
Let’s be clear: can a Christian be attacked, tempted, or even oppressed by demonic powers? Absolutely! The Bible warns us about this. 1 Peter 5:8 says:
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The devil and his demons are real and want to harm us.
But, there is a crucial difference between demonic oppression (outside influences, trials, temptations, attacks) and demonic possession (permanent indwelling and control over the person).
A Christian may struggle with obsessive thoughts, fears, or addictions that may have a demonic component, but this does not mean that the demon dwells in the believer. Instead, it may be an intense struggle in the realm of thoughts and emotions, aimed at stealing, killing and destroying the believer’s peace and joy. The Bible then calls us to resist:
James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
We are not victims but victors in Christ. In Jesus’ name, we have authority over demons, which we must exercise.
Actually, Tom de Wal makes another mistake when he says that all bad voices are demons whispering them in your head.
And although I agree with Tom that demons are capable of doing so, I believe we should not discount our own sinful habits. Honestly! Our own sinful habits tend to intervene with our daily Christian routine all the time. Not all bad whisperings come from demons. Many just come forth out of our own worldly desires. Yes, we are saved, and the Holy Spirit will help us to become more and more like Jesus. But no, that doesn’t mean we never have any bad longings whatsoever! Paul is very clear on this, but he also teaches us that we can resist these sinful desires.
Galatians 5:16-18
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Why this is Important — the Dangers of these teachings
Why is this distinction so important? Why do we need to critically examine the claims of Tom de Wal and similar teachings?
#1. It undermines the assurance of salvation: If a Christian can be possessed, where is the assurance of salvation and God’s unconditional love? This sows doubt and fear.
#2. It misplaces the focus: Instead of focusing on sin, forgiveness, sanctification and the power of the Holy Spirit within us, the focus shifts to ‘casting out’ demons as ‘the solution’ to every struggle.
#3. It can lead to abuse and false diagnosis: Any psychological or emotional struggle is then diagnosed as demonic occupation, which misses the real underlying problems and unnecessarily stigmatises and frightens people. Incidentally, this is exactly what we hear Tom de Wal say in his lecture titled: ‘How do you recognise if demons are at work?’
I agree with Tom that there are probably a lot of demon-possessed people walking around in psychiatry. But we have to be very careful about this assessment. We live in a fallen world, a world where people get sick.
#4. It demeans the majesty of Christ: It implies that Christ’s work on the cross was insufficient to fully redeem us, and that the Holy Spirit is not powerful enough to protect His temple. This is an affront to the sovereignty and power of God.
Conclusion & Encouragement
I have heard Tom de Wal say some other things about demonism that I think are incorrect, but for now I’ll leave it at this.
Regarding possession, the Bible is crystal clear: a true believer, who has received the Holy Spirit, cannot be possessed by a demon. We have been bought, cleansed, indwelt by the Spirit of God, and sealed for the day of salvation. This is our assurance and our peace.
Are you struggling with trials, temptations, or attacks? Seek God in prayer, immerse yourself in His Word, and seek pastoral care from mature, Spirit-filled, Bible-believing leaders. The enemy has no control over you; stand firm in the freedom Christ has given you!
Remember: the Spirit Who is in us is greater than the spirit that is in the world. (1 John 4:4). Hold fast to that truth!
I hope this article has brought you clarity and peace. If you found it valuable, please give it a like, share it with others, and subscribe to my channel for more Bible-believing content. Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Heartily wishing you God’s blessing!
