The Three Types or Levels of Demonization

Matthew 17:21, This kind [of demon]. There are different kinds of demons that influence humans. The Testimony of Yeshua speaks of being “possessed with a demon” or “demons,”  “vexed with a demon,” or “severely possessed with a demon” (Matt 4:24; 8:16, 28, 33; 9:32; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32; 5:15, 16, 18; Luke 8:36; John 10:21). 

All these ideas are expressed by the Greek word daimonizomai meaning “to be under the power of or possessed by a demon, or demonized.” There are levels of demonization.

The Bible reveals that demons can influence humans (e.g. from fiery darts of Satan shot at the saints by which he attempts to influence them [Eph 6:16], by lying to humans [1 Kgs 22:22–23], through unclean spirits [e.g. Matt 12:43; Mark 1:23, 26; 3:30] and by literally living in or possessing a person. The latter is the most extreme form of demonization. In this passage, a demon lived inside of a child (v. 18), and when Yeshua rebuked the demon, it came out of the child.

When a person is possessed with a demon, prayer and fasting may be necessary on the part of the deliverer to cast out the demon. This is because the deliverer has, to one degree or another, himself been weakened spiritually by faithlessness and perverseness and therefore lacks the spiritual power and faith to cast out the demon (vv. 17, 22), or because he has been negatively influenced by those around him who are this way (v. 17), and thus has been weakened by his spiritual environment. This is why Yeshua, at times, had to put the spiritually weak and faithless people out of the room before healing a sick person (Mark 5:40). Prayer and fasting energizes a person spiritually by afflicting the soul (the mind, will and emotions) and forcing it into conformity with the word, will and Spirit of Elohim through which one gains the spiritual power to accomplish supernatural feats such as  casting out demons.

When Yeshua speaks of “this kind” of demon (v. 18). What did he mean? What kind of demon? The Bible reveals that there are various levels and types of evil, satanic spirits (e.g. Eph 6:12). The Book of 1 Enoch teaches and second temple Jewish sages based on this that demons were the disembodied spirits of the nephilim (see Gen 6:2–4), who after their human bodies died continued to live (as ghost-like figures) roaming in search of a body (human or animal) or object to possess (1 Enoch 15:8–10). This may be what Yeshua is referring to here.

With regard to the origin of demons, the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia under the articles entitles “Demonology” states,

The speculation regarding the nature and origin of these demons and their leaders led as early as the second pre-Christian century, in those fragments preserved under the name of the Book of Enoch, to the story of the fall of the angels (Enoch, vii.-viii.; lxix.). Like Beelzebub, or Lucifer (Isa. xiv. 12; compare Slavonic Enoch, xxix. 4), two hundred ‘Irin or “watchers” fell, attracted by the beauty of the daughters of men (Gen. vi. 4); only tradition obviously differed as to the leader of the rebellious host, whether it was Azazel or Shamazai. At any rate, they acknowledged the supremacy of Satan (liii. 3, liv. 6), though occasionally many satans are mentioned (xl. 7 et al.), and these fallen angels became “the evil spirits” (xv. 8, xix. 19) who taught mankind all the arts of deception, witchcraft, and sin (vii.-viii., lxix.). But their children, the offspring of this mixture of an earthly and a celestial race, became, when slain, the hybrid race of disembodiedspirits or demons doing the work of destruction until the Day of Judgment (xvi. 1). 

 

Battling a Kundalini or Serpent Spirit in a Loved One

I just got a email from a bereaved wife whose husband has come under the kundalini spirit.  He was a believer in Yeshua, even following the Torah, to one degree or another, but has now turned to Eastern, new-age and Hindu practices including trying to awaken the kundalini (or coiled snake) spirit in himself through Hindu practice (such as meditation and breathing exercises) in order to experience spiritual enlightenment. The wife pleaded for advice on what to do. She is a Messianic, Torah-believing saint and is at wit’s end on what to do. Below was my response to her. Perhaps this will help someone who is in a similar situation. I would also appreciate any thoughts and insights (based on the Scriptures) some of you may have who have dealt with this demon spirit.  Natan
The kundalini or serpent spirit (in Greek, puthon or python;  see Acts 16:16) is a demon or fallen spirit that is trying to inhabit a human body. It goes back to the worship of Baal in Canaan and the religion of the nephilim. That’s another discussion. Elohim was so opposed to Baal worship that he instructed the Israelites to perform genocide on the Baal worshipers in the Promised Land. This is a very rebellious, wicked and perverse spirit.
I suspect that spiritual doorways were opened sometime in the past for this evil spirit to come into your husband, and he either never really repented of them or never knew about them. They can hide undetected for a long time and become “a familiar spirit,” since they meld in with the person’s personality.
This evil spirit could have been generationally passed on down due to ancestral sin, or his own sins (dabbling in the occult, etc. when young), or it could have been picked up somewhere along the way in his Pentecostal church experience. Now I’m not against the Pentecostal or Charismatic movements in the church. I spent time there and was greatly blessed. I was baptized in the Spirit in my living room in 1990 and then received a fuller immersion in the Spirit at a Foursquare church in 1992. I was in several P. and C. churches between ’92 and ’98 and experienced a lot—including the good, the bad and the ugly. For example, some of the things  going on in Toronto in the early to mid-‘90s was very new age. Same with the so-called revivals in Florida a little later. I was in some meetings where men were trying to “make things happen” instead of letting the Spirit lead along biblical lines. This is very dangerous and can lead to spiritual witchcraft. I even saw videos of Copeland and Hagen come under some sort of bizarre spirit and they both slide out of their chairs like snakes and with their tongues doing the snake thing. Do I need to mention the bizarre and demonic manifestations at some Todd Bently meetings? I could go on. My research shows that the focus of these meetings was more on manifestations and not on the genuine work of the Ruach including repentance, holiness/righteousness, and obedience to Yeshua and his commands. Perhaps you husband picked something up in that arena.
Whatever the case, your husband is under the great delusion of lying spirits.
The kundalini spirit or any other evil spirit is difficult to deal with, since we don’t have the authority to go against a person’s will; i.e., if they want the spirit in them it makes it difficult to cast it out. We can cast it out against their will in Yeshua’s name by the Spirit, but it will only come back in stronger later, since the person didn’t fill the spiritual void left in them when the demon was cast out with Yeshua (Matt 12:25–30 and 43–45; Luke 11:14–26).
This is where prayer and fasting come in—to determine the will and battle strategies of Elohim on how to combat this evil in your spouse.
When praying, cover your prayers in the blood of Yeshua (Rev 12:11), so the enemy won’t hear the plans, and thus be able to mount a defense against them.
Do intercessionary repentance for your husband as Daniel and Nehemiah did for the Jews. YHVH heard and answered them. Pray that YHVH will give him the gift of repentance. Pray and do spiritual warfare against the lying and deluding spirits that are deceiving him.
Also, you can remit his past sins as Yeshua gave his disciples (and us) the authority to do in John 20:22. What is the purpose of this? As I understand it, we can remit the past sins of someone so that their sins are no longer holding the person down such that they can’t even help themselves spiritually since they are so burdened down due to guilt, shame, fear, rejection, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, delusion or whatever. This will potentially enable them to be able to see the true reality of their situation and come to repentance and faith in Yeshua.
As I study the Scriptures on spiritual warfare, I see Yeshua and the disciples only openly rebuking demonic spirits that are actually manifesting at that moment. Everything else was done by prayer in the name of Yeshua, not on the battlefield, but before the throne of Elohim through Yeshua our Great High Priest there in heaven’s courtroom. The reason I mention this is that I see many spiritual warfare advocates literally shouting and yelling at the devi, which isn’t a scriptural thing to dol. Where is this in the Bible? Yes, when on the battlefield, and when confronting a demon, Yeshua gave us the authority over all of Satan’s powers (Luke 9:1; 10:19; Mark 16:17). But when not actually on the battlefield, but in prayer, we must go to the the courtroom of heaven and appeal to the Father as the Righteous Judge through Yeshua, our Advocate or spiritual attorney or Great High Priest. These distinctions and perimeters are important to know, so that we follow heaven’s protocols thus insuring greater success in our battles against the evil one.
Finally, despite all of our best efforts, if the person we’re interceding for and spiritually warring over does not want to leave their sin, repent and turn to Yeshua, there is little or nothing we can do, since they have free will to make their choices including rejecting Yeshua and following Satan/Baal straight into the lake of fire. That being said, we need to pray for ourselves, so that we will know what to do. If it’s a spouse, Yah will either give us the his strength and grace to endure the situation, or, if it gets too bad so that person becomes abusive and begins to persecute us, it may be necessary to depart the marriuage for good. These are all difficult choices that must be made through much prayer, fasting and seeking the will, the heart and the leading of the Father through his Set-Apart Spirit.
 

18 Attributes of a Demonic Spirit

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Mark 5:1–20, The Gadarene demoniac. This encounter between Yeshua and this demon-possessed individual teaches us about the characteristics of one who is tormented or even possessed by an evil, unclean spirit.

  1. One with an unclean spirit is “unclean in thought and life” (Mark 5:2).
  2. Such an individual may have a pre-occupation with things relating to death and dying (Mark 5:3).
  3. They may possess superhuman strength thanks to the aid of the demon in him (Mark 5:4).
  4. They may act wild, and unable to be restrained (Mark 5:4).
  5. They may be prone to fits of shouting loudly (Mark 5:5), shrieking or making a shrill cry (Mark 9:18).
  6. They may cut themselves, or resort to other acts of self-mutilation (Mark 5:5) or self destruction (e.g. burning oneself by fire, Matt 17:15; Mark 9:22), or attempts at drowning (Mark 9:22).
  7. The demoniac may possess supernatural knowledge (Mark 5:7).
  8. The demon can speak through the demonized person (Mark 5:7), or cry out (Mark 9:26).
  9. A demonic spirit wants to possess or inhabit something; if not a human, then an animal (Mark 5:12), or a house, an objects like idols or books (Acts 19:19).
  10. They may be clothed improperly or scantily (Mark 5:15).
  11. They will not a possess a “right [sound, self-controlled, sober]” mind (Mark 5:15).
  12. A demonic or an unclean spirit may cause convulsions or spasmodic contractions, bodily contortions within a person, or cause a person to be hurled to the ground (Mark 1:25; 9:18, 20), wallowing or rolling around on the ground (Mark 9:20).
  13. Epileptic-type seizures or madness can be some symptoms of demon possession (Matt 17:15).
  14. A demoniac may foam at the mouth (Mark 9:18, 20).
  15. A demoniac may grind or gnash of the teeth (Mark 9:18)
  16. A demonic spirit can cause one’s body to waste away, dry up or become rigid (Mark 9:18).
  17. Demonic spirits can accompany people as they come into the congregation of YHVH (Mark 1:23; Luke 4:33).
  18. A demonic spirit can make one to be mute or unable to speak (Mark 9:17).
 

What Are Some Symptoms That a Person Is Tormented by Demons?

Mark 5:1–20, The Gadarene demoniac. This encounter between Yeshua and this demon-possessed individual teaches us about the characteristics of one who is tormented or even possessed by an evil spirit.

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  • One with an unclean spirit is “unclean in thought and life” (Mark 5:2).
  • Such an individual may have a pre-occupation with things relating to death and dying (Mark 5:3).
  • They may possess superhuman strength (thanks to the aid of the demon in him, Mark 5:4).
  • They may act wild, and unable to be restrained (Mark 5:4).
  • They may be given to fits of shouting loudly (Mark 5:5), shrieking or making a shrill cry (Mark 9:18).
  • They may cut themselves, or resort to other acts of self-mutilation (Mark 5:5) or self destruction (e.g., burning oneself by fire, Matt 17:15; Mark 9:22), drowning (Mark 9:22).
  • The demoniac may possess supernatural knowledge (Mark 5:7).
  • The demon can speak through the demonized person (Mark 5:7), or cry out (Mark 9:26).
  • A demonic spirit wants to possess or inhabit something; if not a human, then an animal (Mark 5:12), or a house, an objects like idols or books (Acts 19:19).
  • They may be clothed improperly or scantily (Mark 5:15).
  • They will not a possess a “right [sound, self-controlled, sober]” mind (Mark 5:15).
  • A demonic or an unclean spirit may cause convulsions or spasmodic contractions, bodily contortions within a person, or cause a person to be hurled to the ground (Mark 1:25; 9:18, 20), wallowing or rolling around on the ground (Mark 9:20).
  • Epileptic-type seizures or madness can be some symptoms of demon possession (Matt 17:15).
  • A demoniac may foam at the mouth (Mark 9:18, 20).
  • A demoniac may grind or gnash of the teeth (Mark 9:18)
  • A demonic spirit can cause one’s body to waste away, dry up or become rigid (Mark 9:18).
  • Demonic spirits can accompany people as they come into the congregation of YHVH (Mark 1:23; Luke 4:33).
  • A demonic spirit can make one to be mute or unable to speak (Mark 9:17).