Todd Bentley Claims Demonic Possession While Saved
This is a follow-up to an article I wrote yesterday, and thanks to Pastor Gary LAngley of Windward Worship Center in Kaneohe, Hawaii for the above illustration.
Anyone who reads and studies their Bible knows that light and darkness has no fellowship. So why the heck is Todd Bentley, the purveyor of the Florida “healing outpouring” getting on stage and claiming that he was possessed by twenty-five demons while being a Christian?
That’s not possible. But Bentley claims it is…here is a YouTube clip with audio of him relating a story of when he apparently had twenty-five demons cast out of him…AFTER he had received Christ as his savior.
This is very scary stuff. If you’re a Christian and believe that this Florida “outpouring” is from God, you need to do your homework.
We need to pray that the Lord remove this guy’s ability to spread further false prophecies and continue to confuse Christians, and the simple-minded.
2 Comments, Comment or Ping
John Burton
I haven’t heard Todd’s description of his deliverance, but regarding your comment about Christians and demon possession, you are mistaken.
In the Bible, there is no distinction between ‘demon possessed’, ‘oppressed’, etc.
It’s simply ‘demonized’.
It’s agreement, usually due to a lack of insight or revelation of truth. I’ve heard it said once by a deliverance minister that they haven’t ever met a Christian that didn’t need deliverance.
After all, what group is the ministry of deliverance for? Christians.
I see Christians go through dramatic deliverance all the time. All sorts of spiritual issues, from fear to addiction to anxiety to depression, affect believers. Many live their entire lives tormented by demons… and they don’t have to. This is the purpose of deliverance ministry.
May 31st, 2008
Chris
John–
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, and also I appreciate your comment.
That being said, I could not disagree with you more. Possession and oppression are two completely different things. Bentley here was claiming to have had his faculties overtaken by the power of twenty-five demons that dwelt within him, and this supposedly as he was serving Christ. This is a full demonic possession, and Biblical examples of possession are found in the following: Matthew 9:32-33, Mark 5:1-20, 7:26-30, Luke 4:33-36, and Acts 16:16-18.
Never mind the fact Bentley claims possession while he was saved…
Oppression is an entirely different animal. Jesus was oppressed by the devil, relentlessly attacked during his 40-day fast in the desert. Jesus could not be possessed of the devil for obvious reasons. Daniel in the Old Testament had his prayers intercepted by demons. That’s oppression.
The definition of “oppressed” by Merrian-Webster’s is this: to crush or burden by abuse of power or authority, or to burden spiritually or mentally (weigh heavily upon).
Oppression is a burden whereas possession is the full on indwelling of a human by a demon or unclean spirit. Christians can be oppressed (we still fight the evil of this day, and as you said we are affected by many things), but possession is impossible if we carry God’s Word in our hearts and are bought with the shed blood of Christ.
Thank you once again for your dialogue!
May 31st, 2008
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