Biblical Evidence That a Demon Can Enter God’s House

Many believers assume that being the temple of the Holy Spirit automatically means that it is impossible to have a demon. But is this what the Bible actually teaches? Below is an excerpt from Can A Christian Have a Demon? that shows biblical evidence that a demon can enter God’s house. Check it out!

Can Light and Darkness Dwell Together?

Usually, the primary argument for the belief that a Christian cannot have a demon is this: a believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and therefore a demon cannot also be present. After all, how can the Holy Spirit and a demonic spirit dwell in the same place? How can a demon inhabit God’s temple? At a glance, this appears to be perfectly sound reasoning. But does it really line up with Scripture?

Second Corinthians 6:14-16 is sometimes quoted as evidence that a Christian cannot have a demon:

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.

People will quote this passage and say, “Light and darkness cannot dwell together. A Christian cannot possibly have a demon!”

First, it is worth noting that the context here is about not being unequally yoked with unbelievers. It is not talking about whether a Christian can have a demon. But even if it was, it would by no means rule out the possibility. In the various questions that Paul is asking, he is not stating that these things cannot happen but that they should not happen. Believers should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, but that does not mean it is impossible to happen. There is clearly no agreement between the temple of God and idols, and yet in Israel’s history, idols were sometimes brought into God’s temple. This insight has much significance to our topic, as you will see below.

Demons in the Temple

Israel’s history is plagued with idolatry, and at times idols were even brought into the temple of God. For instance, Scripture says this of King Manasseh: “He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God” (2 Chronicles 33:7). This is important to our discussion because there is a direct correlation between idols and demons. Consider Psalm 106:36-38 (emphasis added):

They served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
They even sacrificed their sons
And their daughters to demons,
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.

Paul also makes this same connection between idols and demons in 1 Corinthians 10:19-20:

What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.

These two passages make it clear that a sacrifice made to an idol is actually a sacrifice made to a demon. Why am I emphasizing this point? Because it shows that it is possible to bring demons into the temple of God. When King Manasseh brought his idols into God’s house, he was allowing demons entrance. Not only did he bring idols into the temple, he also built altars there in order to sacrifice to these false gods (see 2 Chronicles 33:4). As we have just seen, sacrificing to an idol is the equivalent of sacrificing to a demon.

This shows a biblical precedent for demons entering God’s house. Demon worship occurred in the very temple of God! This dismantles the argument that being the temple of the Holy Spirit automatically means that a demon cannot be present. If it could happen in the Old Testament temple, why could it not happen in the New Testament temple, the body of a believer?

Let’s not forget that the temple was not a one-room box where God dwelt and no evil could reside. No, the temple was a complex structure. There was the Outer Court, Inner Court, and Holy of Holies, along with various other rooms and chambers. God’s tangible presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies. But many parts of the temple were infiltrated with corruption, idolatry, and darkness at different times in Israel’s history.

To say that being the temple of the Holy Spirit automatically takes away the possibility of having a demon is an argument that is based more on human reason than biblical fact. Using this same logic, you would also have to conclude that it is impossible for a believer to sin or ever have an evil thought. How can sin—which is totally contrary to God’s nature—be inside the temple of God? How can evil thoughts dwell inside of believers, who have the mind of Christ? We have no problem believing that a Christian can sin or have evil thoughts, but for some reason the idea of a Christian having an unclean spirit is too much of a stretch for many in the church.

Idols have no business being in the house of God, and yet they were brought into the temple. In the same way, evil spirits do not belong in God’s house, but that does not mean that it is impossible for them to be there. My personal belief is that a demon cannot inhabit the spirit of a born-again believer but that it is possible for one to occupy a place in the flesh or the soul (mind, will, and emotions).

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Can a Christian Have a Demon? is an eye-opening book that explores some common misunderstandings about evil spirits and the ministry of deliverance. It tackles the question of Christians having demons with biblical insight, personal experience, and compelling testimonies. When the confusion is cleared, the way is paved for many more to be set free by the power of God!