Demonic activity or mental illness

[Pastor Gary]

My sermon this week centers on Christ's authority over demons. I will use as a text the story told in parallel gospels:
Mark 1:21-28

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil[1] spirit cried out, 24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

and Luke 4:31-37 --

31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.
33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
35 "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

In my congregation are some medical and mental health professionals. I know that some things that have been attributed to evil spirits/demons in the past have actually been mental illness. I also believe demons and demonic possession are real.

Anyone have any thoughts on the relationship between the two, discerning the difference, the similarities and parallels between the physical manifestations, etc.? I am doing my homework today, and welcome any insights, scriptural and experiential, you might have.

(For the record, yes, I have dealt face to face with genuine demonic possession and demonic influence.)

[dolfan]

I think if the 'symptoms' appear together in the DSM IV, you're pretty well assured that a mental illness is the issue. For myself, I think demonic possession is very limited in our culture. Why should the minions of hell bother oppressing a society that, by and large, has already rejected Christ?

And, to the extent that there is an openness to the gospel, we in our plenty, lavish and success-driven lifestyles give ample ammunition from our own flesh to supply sufficient distractions so that the powers of the evil one don't have to work too hard to move us from accepting Christ, nor to make it incovenient enough for us not to wholly commit to Him in daily service.

Rather, and this is all just my opinion of course, I would think you'll see resistance in the areas of the world where Satan has the most to lose, or where he is directly revered through occultic practices. Where committed, sacrificially devoted believers are laying it all on the line for the Kingdom of God, and real life change is happening and threatening to explode in the face of the devil, that's where you are most likely to see 'demon possession' and the like.

Frankly, I don't believe you'll see it on any common scale in our culture.

We do want the dramatic, though. And, demonic action is as dramatic as it gets, right? I mean, look at The Exorcist film. 31 years later, they're still re-releasing it and making sequels.

Most delusional and psychotic behavior --- I dare say that almost without exception, all of it --- is going to be mental illness. True evil by demons in the lives of individuals that cause physical manifestations is so rare. I'm not going to second guess anyone who says they've seen it, though. Yet, after discussing particulars, I would probably be biased by my own opinions on this and conclude that the matter is clinical.

That's not to say that the clinical is not spiritual, but it is likely not demonic in the sense of influence, possession, oppression, and the like.

Just my .02 cents worth.

[Little Sister]

*
I'm probably a little too late in responding but I'll go ahead and spill my guts anyway... been in a mood to "talk/type" today anyhow.

I feel that a person can have a mental illness (I prefer to say chemical embalance - seems less cruel) and it can be blamed on several other things, including demonic possession. In another thread I shared my experience with a deliverance ministry and my feelings on that... I believe God can use a deliverance session to heal a mental illness if HE so chooses. And then again, He can use church members praying for you at the alter OR He could just reach down and touch you while you're all alone in your bed at night praying.

This is a sensitive subject for me and I will be VERY interested in reading your completed sermon/outline. I believe there's a chemical embalance in my family... my mom likes to joke that it came from my dad's side of the family... but I think she's right. My dad has only recently, in the last few years, used anti-depressants several times in conjunction with his attempts to stop smoking. During these times... he acted more normal (ie - non-sarcastic, non-abrasive/rude, non-paranoid/suspicious, pleasant to be around, talkative, friendly) than he ever has in his whole life. My brother, bless his brave soul, was the first of us kids to go to the doctor and was diagnosed with clinical depression and has been on an anti-depressant for several years. My sister was diagnosed as having ADHD and is on medication also. I was the last one of us three kids to go to the doctor... I'm hardheaded and I was convinced the medicine was for weaklings, was just a fad ("I'm depressed and I'm on medication, man!") and that it was just a whole pharmaceutical/doctor money making scam... I was convinced that I just needed to get ahold of myself, read "love is patient, love is kind...." 20 more times and HOPE it would sink in and become reality in my life!!

When I got so exhausted and broken from hurting the people I love, feeling like a failure as a Christain and as a person in general, I went to the doctor (almost 2 1/2 years ago) and was diagnosed with "OCD" (obsessive compulsive disorder) and depression as a result of OCD. Of course, I had no idea doctors were putting so many different, fancy acronyms to everything and I had just honestly told him what a normal day of my life was like (and had been since I can remember). I have not been taking any anti-depressants for the past year... I quit them cold-turkey and don't want to go back down that road ever again. JMHO, I think they just mask THE problem and cause more problems.

So, I believe there's problems, chemical embalances, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes... and that of course, demons get the blame... but they're not always the cause/reason. I just believe that many people are lacking a chemical or two in the brain and it's all about IF you can hack through life (with God's help) with or without medicine and it's crazy side effects because no amount of praying, deliverance, lashings, Hail Mary's or (fill in the blank) is going to make it all magically go away... UNLESS God wants to do this for you... and I don't believe He desires it for everybody... but I'm willing to learn more (anything/everything) on this topic....

eagerly awaiting update!!

[Little Sister]

My sermon this week centers on Christ's authority over demons. I will use as a text the story told in parallel gospels:

Eagerly waiting.... and checking... and waiting.... and rechecking... and waiting... and checking... and rechecking.... and waiting... and watching....

[Pastor Gary]

Okay, okay ---
You really are making me work here! In response to this + some local requests for sermon outlines and sermon notes I created a page on my website I *HOPE* to update weekly with my actual working outline and the Sermon Notes handout I give the congregation weekly. I have posted them both in Micro$oft WORD format & Adobe PDF format at WWC Download.

Feedback is appreciated. Kind feedback invited.

[Little Sister]

Okay, okay ---
You really are making me work here! In response to this + some local requests for sermon outlines and sermon notes I created a page on my website I *HOPE* to update weekly with my actual working outline and the Sermon Notes handout I give the congregation weekly. I have posted them both in Micro$oft WORD format & Adobe PDF format at WWC Download.

Feedback is appreciated. Kind feedback invited.

THANKS A BUCKET LOAD, Pastor Gary!!! It's GOOD teaching and I will be checking this weekly!