Matthew 10:1, And [Jesus] called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.
Only a handful of Christians—mostly priests—are well trained in exorcisms. Demons can only possess unbelievers, for as temples of the Holy Spirit, Christians are untouchable. Yet demons can torment us in other ways: what many call hauntings, ghosts, poltergeists, alien abductions, UFO sightings, and other methods. If you are a baptised Christian, you have nothing to fear from demons, but they will find passive ways to torment you.
Some will do so directly. For a time, I experienced this through sleep paralysis. I would wake up in the middle of the night, paralysed, with a demon screaming in my face. They also haunted me in my dreams. Doctors, psychologists, and skeptics will pass these off as hallucinations—chemical reactions in the brain. However, if they are merely hallucinations, why would the human brain “hallucinate” demons of all things? Why not pigs with wings or dancing tea kettles?
I am no exorcist; I’m just an average Christian. Were these demon attacks terrifying? Absolutely, but I knew they could do nothing to me. Paralysed, I could not move or speak. Thus, I would do one of two things: I would yell in my head (whilst attempting with my mouth), “In the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I command you back to Hell! You can do nothing to me!” And it would leave. Or I would pray the 7th petition of the Lord’s Prayer repeatedly—for God to protect me against the evil one, and the demon would leave. They have left me alone for a few years now, but they may return, and I’ll be ready for them. If you begin to suffer anything like I did, use the same methods I used. It works.
Most of the time, however, demons choose to work indirectly: through addiction, depression, other mental disorders, seizures, particular sins, and other methods. My own personal demons have been with addiction and depression. I won’t detail my recovery and sobriety here, but know this: God provides. He provides for everyone differently. It could be through therapy, a comfort dog, a 12-step programme, loved ones, the Church, or even just hearing His Word over and over again. So, be aware of these opportunities if such things afflict you, for God is providing your needs; and always be on the lookout for others, for they might need you.
The Lutheran Column 