About this post: these are my preliminary notes about a topic I never intended to know anything about; I'm no expert on mental torment by demons—who would want to be unless they needed to be? So, if anything in this post sounds a little simple-minded, I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe someday I'll be more proficient at explaining to others how it all works, even while going through the actual experience of it at the same time; but, for now, it's all I can do to keep my brains together...literally. So, bear with me.
I don't know if they are smart enough to know they're doing it, but demons and their people actually work your mind in a way that is completely and totally contrary to sound Biblical doctrine as it pertains to the way God wants you think about guilt and sorrow and past hurts and fears and doubts. In fact, their strategy for taking you down with those negative emotions mirrors the polar opposite of the God's will for edifying and strengthening you, and their methods and techniques for instilling beliefs and perceptions in your mind that are contrary to those God prescribes go precisely against everything in His Word.
Insodoing, however, I believe that they inadvertently back the Bible, making it seem right and good, and ahead of their game. After all, before the demons came, there was the Word; and, after seeing the demons work, it seems the Bible had foreknowledge of how they would work, and made an attempt to thwart them. To me, that indisputably puts a living God behind it.
Five ways demons warp your mind
Let me explain what I mean with specifics. Following is a list of the five primary techniques Voices Demons—the demons that work your mind—use to bring a person down mentally in order to make a person bend to their will, and otherwise acquiesce to abuse by others and themselves. Each item in this list was derived from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (italics), and is followed by my own commentary on the Voices Demons' technique to thwart God's will for your mind and heart:
An example of the effectiveness of demonic mind-warping techniques
I don't know if they are smart enough to know they're doing it, but demons and their people actually work your mind in a way that is completely and totally contrary to sound Biblical doctrine as it pertains to the way God wants you think about guilt and sorrow and past hurts and fears and doubts. In fact, their strategy for taking you down with those negative emotions mirrors the polar opposite of the God's will for edifying and strengthening you, and their methods and techniques for instilling beliefs and perceptions in your mind that are contrary to those God prescribes go precisely against everything in His Word.
Insodoing, however, I believe that they inadvertently back the Bible, making it seem right and good, and ahead of their game. After all, before the demons came, there was the Word; and, after seeing the demons work, it seems the Bible had foreknowledge of how they would work, and made an attempt to thwart them. To me, that indisputably puts a living God behind it.
Five ways demons warp your mind
Let me explain what I mean with specifics. Following is a list of the five primary techniques Voices Demons—the demons that work your mind—use to bring a person down mentally in order to make a person bend to their will, and otherwise acquiesce to abuse by others and themselves. Each item in this list was derived from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (italics), and is followed by my own commentary on the Voices Demons' technique to thwart God's will for your mind and heart:
NOTE | Joyce Meyer's Battlefield of the Mind does a better job of explaining how the Devil works your mind to separate you from Christ.
- Nothing will disquiet the heart of a good man so much as the sense of God's anger. The way to keep the heart quiet, is to keep ourselves in the love of God. But a sense of guilt is too heavy to bear; and would sink men into despair and ruin, unless removed by the pardoning mercy of God. [Psalm 38:1-11] A strong sense of guilt will make you unapproachable, unlovable and unproductive. Demons and their people want you to be useless to people, and make every effort to keep you there once you arrive. You'll be blamed for everything that goes wrong, and all the problems they cause for people you know will be blamed on you. They'll even tell those people that you're at fault for their problems, and we all know how easy and tempting it is to blame others for our problems—especially ones we can't handle, like the ones demons cause. But, even if you are at fault for others' problems—including your own—God wants you to know that you're pardoned for every fault, every sin, through Christ. Failing to lift yourself out of the ruin and despair caused by demons in this way, is believing in them, and not Jesus Christ; you are denying the free gift of salvation if you don't pick yourself up and move on.
- The less we notice the unkindness and injuries that are done us, the more we consult the quiet of our own minds. [Psalm 38:12-22] The Voices Demons and their people are not only perpetually unkind and tend toward the injurious side, but constantly remind me of the things they've done and are doing, ensuring that constant attention is paid to them in my mind. This keeps the peace of Jesus Christ about as far from me as it can get, if I let it. Constantly abiding in His Word, unceasing prayer, and tirelessly connecting with those who are in need through my work on this blog are the answers.
- Good men, by setting their sorrow continually before them, have been ready to fall; but by setting God always before them, they have kept their standing. If we are truly penitent for sin, that will make us patient under affliction. Nothing goes nearer to the heart of a believer when in affliction, than to be under the apprehension of God's deserting him; nor does any thing come more feelingly from his heart than this prayer, "Be not far from me." The Lord will hasten to help those who trust in him as their salvation. [Psalm 38:12-22] The Voices Demons, as silent partners of my mind for nearly my entire life, know what makes me sad, and brings me sorrow, to the point of thinking that God has abandoned me—and deservedly so. Social alienation is the big one, as it would be from anyone. They constantly say, “Now, people are mad at you [about something]…,” and, “Now, they want to make a problem for you [for some reason]…” These oft-declared statements are always made prior to a physical attack by a demon person, but are never actually accompanied by an action by me or a word from my mouth (in fact, the violence is often perpetrated by people I've never even met, and probably don't even know me). Knowing the sorrow it causes you, this is the number one tactic for making you feel deserted and hopeless; however, knowing what it means to set God before you at all times is key to avoid falling into this trap (Prayer, Bible reading, and connecting with God's people to share in those two things).
- Doubts and fears about the eternal state, are a horrible pit and miry clay, and have been so to many a dear child of God. There is power enough in God to help the weakest, and grace enough to help the unworthiest of all that trust in him. [Psalm 40:1-5] The Devil reminds me of the everlasting punishment of Hell on a near-continual basis, using elaborate theatrics to that end, to great effect. This is to promote the doubts and fears any man would have, who stood in the Holiness of God, and to make me forget that God’s power and grace is strong enough to help anyone that seek Him.
- What right can a sinner have to yield to impatience or anger, when mercifully corrected for his sins. [Psalm 38:12-22] Somehow, I have been provided the means to fight back against those which the Devil has empowered with similar means; and, lately, I have been constantly pushed to use those means in order to survive. Doing so, however, has completely negated the humility I used to have—and must continue to have—when accepting the free gift of salvation, in that I tend to go beyond self-defense, and engage in acts of vindication. I accept all adversity as correction from God; if that's the case, then, I must do so with humility. It's not denying His discipline to defend one's self, but to fail to give others the same tolerance and patience He showed you when you were sinning means you don't appreciate it. I am sure the Voices Demons encourage me to use the wrong means to fight back and take revenge so as to deny me the forgiveness given me by God and to negate the corrective effect of God's discipline through adversity.
An example of the effectiveness of demonic mind-warping techniques
These tactics are only effective if they actually make you angry, which is easy to do to me when, for example, you call me a pedophile. Apparently, over a year ago, someone told my grandma this—and got her to actually wonder about it somehow—and she relayed this message to me in e-mail, as described in CRIME | Bogus attorney freezes mother's, crippled 8-year-old nephew's bank accounts [see also CRIME | Demon-possessed, self-professed pedophile recounts crimes against children; PREVIEW | Former jailhouse lover's photo lures demon-possessed pedophile into rape confession]. Here's how embarrasingly angry I got during a March 2013 phone call with her over this issue, which nearly achieved the Voices Demons' goal of alienating me from my family:
The Voices Demons failed in the end to separate me from the love that means most to me—thanks be to God [read Romans 8:38-39]—as evidenced in a photo taken just today (below), but it has still tainted the trust I have in my family somewhat, even if the influence they were under explains their behavior quite readily:
In general, the more knowledgable you are in God's Word, the more powerful and resilient you'll be to the Voices Demons' tricks.
Suffering goes back several millennia
As I stated before, the Word anticipated the problem; but, I didn't mean to imply that the problem is new. Here, in one of David's prayers to God, you can hear from one who has been through the problem described in this post:
1 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers!
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
7 For without cause they hid their net for me;
without cause they dug a pit for my life.
8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his destruction!
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,
exulting in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say,
“O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor
from him who is too strong for him,
the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
11 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
13 But I, when they were sick—I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting;
I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;
they gathered together against me;
wretches whom I did not know
tore at me without ceasing;
16 like profane mockers at a feast,
they gnash at me with their teeth.
17 How long, O Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their destruction,
my precious life from the lions!
18 I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.
19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.
20 For they do not speak peace,
but against those who are quiet in the land
they devise words of deceit.
21 They open wide their mouths against me;
they say, “Aha, Aha!
Our eyes have seen it!”
22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent!
O Lord, be not far from me!
23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,
for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
according to your righteousness,
and let them not rejoice over me!
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart's desire!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who rejoice at my calamity!
27 Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
who magnify themselves against me!
28 Let those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad
and say evermore,
“Great is the Lord,
who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
29 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
and of your praise all the day long.
All are worthy to receive an answer to this prayer
In re Psalm 34:1-10, Matthew Henry writes:
The Voices Demons failed in the end to separate me from the love that means most to me—thanks be to God [read Romans 8:38-39]—as evidenced in a photo taken just today (below), but it has still tainted the trust I have in my family somewhat, even if the influence they were under explains their behavior quite readily:
 |
| Grandma and me, at the church she helped found with my now-deceased grandfather |
How the Word protects you against demonic mind wares
To demonstrate what I mean by empowering yourself with the Word of God to shield yourself from the slings and arrows of the Evil One, I provide just one Bible verse that warns against the weapons of the enemy, followed by a commentary on it from Let God Be True!; it speaks to the power of slander and gossip to destroy relationships, which interfere with the Devil's plan for your destruction:
To demonstrate what I mean by empowering yourself with the Word of God to shield yourself from the slings and arrows of the Evil One, I provide just one Bible verse that warns against the weapons of the enemy, followed by a commentary on it from Let God Be True!; it speaks to the power of slander and gossip to destroy relationships, which interfere with the Devil's plan for your destruction:
Proverbs 16:28
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
Stop! Stop talking negatively about others. If you cannot say something good, then do not say anything. Only perverse and profane persons gossip and backbite. You should abhor the thought of committing rape or murder – but slander or talebearing is both. It violates a person’s reputation instead of his body, and it ruins his joy, peace, and friends. Stop!
Gossiping destroys families, churches, businesses, and friends. A froward man is evil, obnoxious, and unreasonable. He loves to cause division by spreading rumors, innuendos, secrets, or lies about others. If you hate such men, you are in good company, because God hates them (Pr 6:16-19). He blasts these evil talkers in both testaments (Pr 10:18; 11:13; 18:8; 20:19; 26:20-26; Ps 50:20-22; 101:5; Lev 19:16; Rom 1:29-30; II Co 12:20).
What men call gossip, the Bible calls backbiting, evil surmising, talebearing, tattling, and whispering. These similar terms describe the sin of revealing or spreading secrets in order to agitate, despise, divide, harm, or undermine another. Slander is the spreading of false information in order to defame. Both sins cause strife and trouble, and they divide close friends by telling private facts, forgiven sins, or outright lies about one or both friends.
Never use words to harm someone else unless clearly necessary (I Cor 1:11). If you know of a person’s sin, hide it from others (Pr 11:13). Cover it, rather than expose it, in order to promote love (Pr 17:9). If you have a problem with someone, then either overlook it or take care of it with him alone (Pr 10:12; 19:11; 25:9-10; Matt 18:15). If you do not fear and hate gossip, remember that God views harmful words as murder (Matt 5:21-22).
If you catch a man badmouthing another, stop the sin by an angry response (Pr 25:23). You would use any means to stop a rape or murder, and this crime is related, so respond forcibly to verbal wickedness as well. Do not ever let a backbiter, talebearer, or whisperer get away with their crime in your presence. If you allow and listen to their divisive and perverse insinuations, you are guilty with them (Pr 17:4). If you clearly identify such a wicked person, get rid of him, because he will only bring you trouble (Pr 26:20-28).
Godly men never harm others by divisive words (Ps 15:3). Even if actions are suspicious, they believe and hope all things about that person to avoid thinking evil of them (I Cor 13:4-7). This is the most godly, peaceful, and successful way to live. By choosing to be a peacemaker, you are a true child of God (Mat 5:9; Jas 3:17-18). Purify your heart, and let it produce gracious words at all times to win the favor even of kings (Pr 22:11; Col 4:6).
Suffering goes back several millennia
As I stated before, the Word anticipated the problem; but, I didn't mean to imply that the problem is new. Here, in one of David's prayers to God, you can hear from one who has been through the problem described in this post:
Psalm 35
Great is the Lord
Of David
1 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers!
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
7 For without cause they hid their net for me;
without cause they dug a pit for my life.
8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his destruction!
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,
exulting in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say,
“O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor
from him who is too strong for him,
the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
11 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
13 But I, when they were sick—I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting;
I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;
they gathered together against me;
wretches whom I did not know
tore at me without ceasing;
16 like profane mockers at a feast,
they gnash at me with their teeth.
17 How long, O Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their destruction,
my precious life from the lions!
18 I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.
19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.
20 For they do not speak peace,
but against those who are quiet in the land
they devise words of deceit.
21 They open wide their mouths against me;
they say, “Aha, Aha!
Our eyes have seen it!”
22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent!
O Lord, be not far from me!
23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,
for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
according to your righteousness,
and let them not rejoice over me!
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart's desire!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who rejoice at my calamity!
27 Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
who magnify themselves against me!
28 Let those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad
and say evermore,
“Great is the Lord,
who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
29 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
and of your praise all the day long.
All are worthy to receive an answer to this prayer
In re Psalm 34:1-10, Matthew Henry writes:
...on looking to Christ depends our whole salvation, and all things needful thereunto do so also. This poor man, whom no man looked upon with any respect, or looked after with any concern, was yet welcome to the throne of grace; the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The holy angels minister to the saints, and stand for them against the powers of darkness. All the glory be to the Lord of the angels.In other words, if you're suffering in this way, do not be afraid to ask Christ for help. You're worthy to receive it.