Evil Spirits

In the opening chapter of Mark's gospel, Jesus immediately confronts a dimension of human suffering often overlooked today: demon possession. The text plainly describes individuals under the control of "unclean spirits," spirits that recognized Jesus, feared His authority, and obeyed His commands. These encounters raise important questions for modern readers. Were these spirits real, or symbolic of mental illness and social disorder? And if real, what does Scripture teach about demonic possession today?

Mark records one of Jesus' earliest miracles in the synagogue at Capernaum:

²³Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, ²⁴saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” ²⁵And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” ²⁶Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him.

- Mark 1:23-26

The language is unambiguous. Jesus speaks directly to the spirit, not merely to the afflicted man. The spirit itself recognizes Christ's identity and fears His power. This is not a psychological episode, but a spiritual confrontation. Later, Mark makes a distinction between those who were "ill" and those who were "demon-possessed" (Mark 1:32-34), demonstrating that the biblical writers understood disease and possession as two different conditions.

Other Gospel accounts confirm this understanding. Demons spoke (Luke 8:28), resisted expulsion (Mark 5:7-10), produced physical effects such as muteness and seizures (Mark 9:17-27), and even caused people to act with superhuman strength (Luke 8:29). Scripture consistently treats them as personal spiritual beings inhabiting and tormenting individuals until driven out by divine authority.

The next question concerns today. While almost all agree that demon possession was real in the time of Jesus, there is debate over whether the phenomenon continues. Two main positions exist.

The Restrictive or Cessationist View holds that demon possession was unique to the ministry of Jesus and His apostles, serving as visible evidence of the clash between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Several arguments support this: Silence in the Epistles (Ephesians 6:10-18; James 4:7); Unique Apostolic Authority (Luke 9:1; Acts 16:16-18); and Victory at the Cross (Colossians 2:15). This view concludes that Satan still tempts, deceives, and influences, but actual indwelling possession no longer occurs in the same way.

The Continuationist View maintains that demon possession continues, though perhaps less openly in some cultures. Its arguments include: No Scriptural Termination, Ongoing Spiritual Warfare (I Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:12), and Global Testimony from missionaries who report vivid cases of possession and deliverance. This position affirms that possession today may be rare or culturally disguised, but not impossible.

Both views acknowledge the historical reality of possession in Jesus' day. The disagreement centers on whether such cases persist. The cessationist view gains strength from the shift in emphasis in the New Testament: the Gospels highlight confrontations with demons, Acts records them occasionally, but the Epistles focus instead on resisting temptation, walking in the Spirit, and putting on the armor of God. This progression suggests that after Christ's victory, the primary battlefield is no longer bodily possession but spiritual deception.

At the same time, the continuationist position reminds us that the New Testament never explicitly closes the door on possession. Reports of demonic activity from the mission field cannot be dismissed lightly, though they remain anecdotal.

The plain meaning of Mark 1 teaches that evil spirits are real, personal beings who possessed individuals during the ministry of Jesus. The Lord's power over them demonstrated His divine authority and foreshadowed His ultimate triumph at the cross. Today, while Scripture emphasizes resisting Satan rather than casting out demons, Christians should remain aware of the ongoing reality of spiritual warfare.

Whether possession in its biblical form continues or not, the central message remains unchanged: victory belongs to Christ. Believers are secure not because they can expel spirits by their own power, but because they belong to the One whom demons themselves confessed as "the Holy One of God."