Most people who are reported to be "possessed" are actually suffering from different mental conditions. Sometimes schizophrenia can cause a person to see things that aren't there, hear voices that tell him/her to do things that would seem unreasonable to the "normal" population and ramble on about his/her imagined world using terms and words that make no sense to the rest of us. Often this behavior becomes violent because the victim believes that some of these imagined entities are trying to harm him/her. When this occurs the individual is often classified as "Paranoid Schizophrenic". In a superstitious, overly religious environment, such a person might be called "possessed", when actually the victim is in need of medication. There are several valuable treatments for schizophrenia. They are quite successful but they involve medical science, not religious fanaticism.
thinking in the same direction
"Being possessed by the devil," was an expression used to refer to people who consistently do things that are bad. This expression is much out of date, and is very seldom used today.
Answer: There are varying degrees of demonic "possession or oppression". It is brought on by different things.
Biblicaly these are:
1. Generational Curses
2. Inherited traits
3. Involvement with sin
4. A person will open doorways that allows these events.
1. Generational curses: Deuteronomy 5:
8 'You shall not make for yourself an
idol, or any likeness
of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
9 '
You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 10 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
A generation is 40 years, the curse carries forward to 120 - 160 years. Israel was warned numerous times for breaking God's laws. The Idols they worshiped represented Demons. The forms of worship involved many types of ungodly acts. Anything from orgies to child sacrifice.
Some of the very darkest times for Israel was during the times they were reaping for what their parents had done in years past.
Generational curses can be broken, but they are very serious while in effect. Grace makes no difference. Jesus said he fulfilled the law. NOT abolished it. Violation of God's commandments still hold penalties.
2. Inherited traits:
This is similar to the one above.
I worked in prisons for about 32 years. There were groupings of families that were doing time. Mostly drug related. When I talked with these guys they said not only were they doing time, often their father, brothers, cousins uncles and the women were doing time during various points in their lives. It seemed the whole group of them fell under this. This is passed on from generation to generation. It is inherited from generations past.
When you look at it from a spiritual perspective and compare it to what the bible says, it is awesome to behold as it is played out. The word of God is incredible in it's accuracy.
3. Involvement with sin: Being involved in such things a witchcraft, Satanism, Fornication, Adultery will invite demonic beings in. It does not always happen, but does often enough. Satan was called Beelzebub, it means "Lord of the flies, or Lord of the Dunghill". By their personal sins, men and women draw these fallen angels much like a pile of dung draws flies, their acts are unclean and filthy.
4. Doorways:
Almost all sin in an open doorway for entry of demonic beings. The degree of sin is often in relationship to what you get. "Small sins" such as lying may be grounds for entrance of smaller weaker beings, where such things as murder/abortion or out right witchcraft and Satanism will open much bigger doorways in someone's life.
Not all contacts result in all possession, some can be oppression. Where the person is harassed. Where it seems they can not get victory in certain areas of their lives. Often it is sexual, their mouth as in unable to get an upper hand on what they say.
A great read is a book called "Pigs in the Parlor" it is on deliverance, and is VERY helpful.
Remember what the ministry of Jesus was about...
Luke 4:
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised,
We are to do the same, by casting out devils you openly display the authority and power of God over the kingdom of Satan!
It is awesome to see it done!