It seems that demons are everywhere at the time of Jesus and his apostles. But who sees them today? Was there something unique about that time or are we presently blind to it?

There seem to have been a multitude of demons during Jesus’ time on earth and during the time of the apostles. Does anyone see them today? Was there something unique about that time, or have we become blind to demons in our modern time? Apparently both Jews and Greeks knew, better than we, that demons lived in hiding places and exercised their influence in this world. People in Africa in the 20th century also know it much better that we in Europe.

We can describe the working of demons in a broad way: demons are in the service of God’s opponent and take action against human beings. They can do so by employing people as instruments against God (apostates), or by tormenting them and, through them, their environment. We want to explore the latter in greater detail, by examining the relationship between illness and unclean spirits.

Readers of the Bible in the twentieth century will have much difficulty in identifying themselves with what is happening in those stories. When people today read the stories of demons being driven out, many will ask an entirely different question, namely, who are these demons? The bystanders accepted the demons as a given reality and they looked up to Jesus. In contrast, Christians in the twentieth century who accepted Jesus as Lord, wonder about the demons in the gospels.

Should there be a ministry of exorcism? This article engages with this question, highlighting the scriptural data on the influence of the devil among God's children, demon-possession in the New Testament, and then making some remarks on Mark 16:17-18, a passage often cited as proof that also today evil spirits can be driven out in the name of Jesus. The author emphasizes the importance of God's people being armed with the Word and prayer.

Is it possible for a Christian to be demon-possessed? This article explains that the answer has to be in the negative, particularly when we appreciate the work of Christ in saving us and the fact that we are in Christ.

Looking at the prevalence of deliverance ministries and their portrayal of Satan, this article shows how these have altered the biblical teaching on spiritual struggle. The spiritual warfare in which we are engaged is different from that which is preached by deliverance ministries. Deliverance can only be found in Christ.