Demons, malevolence of

Demons are opposed to the person and work of God and seek to lead human beings, including believers, away from him. For this reason, believers are forbidden to be involved with them.

Demons harm individuals

Demons cause torment and pain

Saul's torment: 1 Samuel 16:14–16, 1 Samuel 16:23, 1 Samuel 18:10–11, 1 Samuel 19:9–10; Matthew 15:22, Matthew 17:15 parallels Mark 9:18–20, Luke 9:39–42 the boy with an evil spirit; Mark 5:5; Luke 6:18, Luke 13:11; Acts 5:16, Acts 19:16 the seven sons of Sceva

Demons cause dissension

Judges 9:23–25

Demons cause illness and handicaps

Mark 9:17–27 parallels Matthew 17:14–18, Luke 9:37–42 See also Matthew 9:32–33; Luke 11:14, Luke 13:11

Demons are deceitful

Demons inspire false prophets

1 Kings 22:21–23 parallel 2 Chronicles 18:21–22

Demons incite war

Revelation 16:13–14

Demons lead people away from God

1 John 4:1–6 See also 1 Timothy 4:1–2; Revelation 16:13–14

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time. You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.

The inspiration of pagan religions by demons

Pagan gods are identified as demons

1 Corinthians 10:20–21 See also Deuteronomy 32:16–17; Psalm 106:36–39; Revelation 9:20

No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

Demons inhabit ruins of pagan cities

Revelation 18:2

All involvement with spirits and mediums is forbidden

Leviticus 19:31 See also Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:6, Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:10–14; Jeremiah 27:9

You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

Witchcraft is identified as a work of the sinful nature

Galatians 5:19–20

Involvement with sorcery or witchcraft is futile

Isaiah 47:9 See also 1 Samuel 28:7, 1 Samuel 28:14–20; Isaiah 8:19–22, Isaiah 19:3–4, Isaiah 47:12–15; Nahum 3:3–4

These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.

Examples of renunciation of the work of demons

Acts 19:19 See also 1 Samuel 28:9; 2 Kings 23:24

And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.