Pathway to Victory

Speaker 1

Hey, podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's word through the most effective media available, like this podcast.

To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes.

Now here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 2

Hi, this is Robert Jeffress and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day. This Bible teaching program is on today's edition of Pathway to Victory.

Question number one: How does demonic activity impact a Christian?

And question number two: Is it possible for a Christian to be demon possessed?

We're going to answer all those questions today as we talk about what the demons want to do to you.

Speaker 1

Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress. Popular culture has turned Satan into nothing more than a cartoonish figure with a red suit and a pitchfork. But in truth, a very real spiritual enemy is working behind the scenes to destroy our lives.

Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress reveals how these dark forces operate and, more importantly, how you can protect yourself against their attacks.

But first, let's take a minute to hear some important ministry updates.

Speaker 2

Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. From its very beginning, Pathway to Victory has invited listeners and viewers to write or call with their questions about the Bible. In fact, as your radio Bible teacher, I love when I hear from someone who's curious to learn more.

Well, at the close of today's Pathway to Victory, we've set aside several minutes so that I can answer a question that came from one of our listeners about a new phenomenon in our culture. One of our listeners wants to know what the Bible says about transgenderism. So please be sure to stay through the end of today's program and then while there's still time, be sure to request the brand new book I've written for you and your family about spiritual warfare. This one is specifically designed for the child in your life. It's called Suit Up: The Armor of God for Kids.

Most of us know that our enemy, the devil, is working overtime to sabotage our Christian faith. The same is true for our children. And it's our God-given role to help the kids we love understand how to keep Satan from destroying them. My book for kids called Suit Up equips you to help your children. And I'd be happy to send a copy right away when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory.

In fact, when you respond today, I'm going to include another resource. This one's for adults and it's about angels and demons. We'll say more about these two books and other resources later on, and I'll be answering your questions as well. But right now, let's open our Bibles to Luke chapter 8. I titled today's message "What Demons Want to Do to You."

How do demonstrations influence our lives, impact our lives? The Bible teaches there are five channels through which demons can impact our life. Number one, through nature, specifically the weather. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, floods. None of those things were part of God's original plan for the world. They are directly attributable to demonic activity.

Secondly, they sometimes impact our lives through illness, through physical illness. Now, to blame every sickness on Satan is neither logical nor biblical. You know, some of the illness we experience is because we've inherited and we are now inhabiting a body that is infected with sin. Other times, illness is the result of poor choices that we make. But there are some illnesses that are attributable to Satan. Not all, but some.

A third way Satan influences our life is through mental disorders. Now, again, it's a mistake to say all mental illness is the result of demonic activity. Not every, not even most mental disorders can be attributed to demons. But some of them can. And we should not ignore the spiritual element in mental disorders.

A fourth way that Satan and demons impact our life is through suicide. This is one mental disorder that almost always has a spiritual element to it. Satan is the one or one of his demons who whispers in people's ears, "Your situation is hopeless." That never comes from God. That is a lie from the pit of hell. And I would say to everyone here in our worship center, everyone watching or listening to this broadcast, if you have regular thoughts of taking your own life, understand that is not normal. God did not intend that for you. And I would encourage you to go as quickly as you can to a doctor, preferably a Christian doctor, a Christian psychiatrist, and get the help you need. Whether it's medicine, treatment, biblical counsel, whatever you need, seek that help.

Now, there's a fifth way that demons influence our life, and that is through other people. Satan can many times use other people to accomplish his purpose. Now let me give you an extreme example of that. It's found in Revelation 18, verses 2 and 24. John is describing how many Christians will be slaughtered during the great tribulation. Verse 2 says, "And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great. She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.'" There are going to be many demons in this rebuilt city of Babylon.

And in her, verse 24 was found the blood of the prophets and of saints, of all who have been slain on the earth. Demons will inspire human beings to take the lives of Christians during the great Tribulation. But it's not always in that dramatic of a fashion. Demons can use other people in more subtle ways to deceive us into disobedience.

I've heard this story so many times. I imagine you have too. Here's a husband or wife in an unfulfilling relationship. They feel lonely and they just accidentally happen to run into a high school or college flame from the past and they begin an affair that destroys their relationship. That's not circumstantial, that's not coincidental. That's part of the demons' plan to deceive Christians into disobedience.

Sometimes Satan will use other people to bring discouragement into our life. It can be well-meaning Christians who bring discouragement into our life. And Satan will use that. I remember in my previous church, after a deacons meeting, one of the deacons asked if he could visit with me in my office. I said, "Well, certainly." And so we visited. And for the next hour, he spoke, spewed out every accusation you could imagine. He told me everything that was wrong with my preaching, everything that was wrong with my theology, everything that was wrong with my leadership in the church. And on and on and on he went.

You know the effect that had on me? It absolutely paralyzed me for about 24 hours. I mean, I couldn't think about anything else other than, "Is this man telling the truth here? Does he have a point to make? Does he represent other people? Do the leaders of the church feel the way this man does?" But as I listened and thought more about what he said, I realized this wasn't legitimate.

Now I'm not saying no criticism is legitimate. We ought to listen to people's criticism and suggestions. In fact, Proverbs 13:18 says, "Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof correction will be honored." Anytime somebody has a criticism, listen to it, evaluate it. But as I evaluated this man's criticism, I realized it wasn't legitimate. When somebody comes spewing out accusations against you that are not based on truth but are bathed in bitterness, you can know for sure that doesn't come from God. God's correction leads to healing and restoration. Satan's condemnation leads to paralysis.

Well, that begs the question, well, Pastor, is it possible for a Christian not only to be demon-influenced, but to actually be demon-possessed? That's an important question. Let's look at that term: demon-possessed. Did you know the words "demon possessed" never appear in the Bible anywhere? Never, you say? Now wait a minute, Pastor. In your old age, you've just forgotten you quoted a verse that said "demon possessed." Luke 8:27. When Jesus came out into the land, he was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons. There it is, right there in the Bible.

What you need to understand is that's an English translation of a Greek word that doesn't really say "demon possessed." It means literally to demonize. Here is a man who was demonized. Now, can a non-Christian be possessed by a demon? Absolutely. Non-Christians can be possessed by demons. In fact, what most non-Christians don't know is they're already possessed by a demon. They're possessed by Satan. Everybody who is born into this world is born a captive of Satan because of the fallen Adam and Eve.

But when we become a Christian, God frees us from Satan's captivity. We no longer are his possession. We become a child of God and we're a part of the domain of light of Jesus Christ. But yes, non-Christians can be possessed by demons, but not Christians. Look at Ephesians 1, verses 13 and 14. "In Him," talking about Christ, "you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, also having believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who has given us as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession."

The moment you trust in Christ as your Savior, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit of God. In Paul's day, the seal was a sign of possession. If a Roman official wanted to send an authentic document, he would seal it with a piece of wax with the Roman insignia on it. Remember when the Roman guards were guarding the tomb of Jesus, it was sealed, meaning a piece of string was run across the opening and it was held in place by a piece of wax with a Roman insignia, meaning this belongs to Rome.

Well, when you and I trust in Christ as our Savior, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, meaning we are owned by God. And listen to me, God doesn't share his ownership with anybody. He is the sole owner of every Christian. No, we cannot be possessed by demons or by Satan, but we can be influenced by them. It is possible for a Christian to be used by Satan to accomplish his purpose.

How do I know that? Let me give you two examples. First of all, the example of the apostle Peter. Remember in Matthew 16, Jesus was telling his disciples how it was part of God's plan for him to go to Jerusalem, be tried, be convicted, be crucified, and be raised again from the dead. And what was Peter's reaction? "No, oh Lord, you don't have to do that. You're too good to be crucified. No, don't do that." Probably thinking if he gets crucified, it isn't going to be good for me either. But he doesn't say that. He said, "Lord, you don't have to do it. There's another way. There's a way to have the crown without the cross."

And remember Jesus' reaction. In Matthew 16:23, Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are a stumbling block to me. For you are not setting your mind on God's interest, but on man's." Now, was Jesus saying Peter was possessed by a demon, possessed by Satan? No, but he was saying he was allowing himself to be used by Satan to discourage Jesus from fulfilling his purpose of redemption.

Now, some of you theologians out there would say, "Well, that's a little different because that was before the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came and indwelt every Christian who believed in Christ and trusted him for salvation. But now that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we can't be controlled by Satan or used by Satan." Well, wrong on that. Just think about Acts 4 and 5, the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Remember, there were a couple and they were so overwhelmed by the praise others got for giving money to the Church, they decided to sell a piece of real estate. And they pledged to the Church they were going to give all of the proceeds to the Church. But they held back secretly a portion for themselves.

Now, their sin wasn't that they didn't give everything to the Church. The sin was they lied about what they were going to do. And remember Acts 5:3? Peter confronted them and said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?" There's no indication they weren't Christians. Every indication is Ananias and Sapphira were Christians. They had been indwelt by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, but they were allowing themselves to be used by the evil One.

It's important to understand, there is a difference between the baptism with the Holy Spirit and the filling with the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is that one-time action that occurs at the moment of salvation when we are joined by the Holy Spirit of God to Jesus Christ and his body, the Church. There is a one-time act. The baptism with the Holy Spirit isn't something that happens just to a few select Christians, to a few super spiritual Christians. It happens to everyone who is truly saved.

First Corinthians 12:13 says, "For with one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." We're all baptized with the Spirit, but we're not all filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says, "Do not get drunk with wine, but be filled," literally controlled, "with the Spirit." Did you know there is no command in the Bible for us to be baptized with the Spirit? That's something God does the moment we're saved. But there are command after command in the Bible to be controlled by the Holy Spirit of God. Be filled with the Spirit.

Now let me illustrate what I mean by being controlled by the Spirit. Let's say these two glasses represent two Christians. Both have been saved, both have been baptized with the Holy Spirit. The question is not do they have the Holy Spirit or all of the Holy Spirit? They do. But does the Holy Spirit have all of them? That's the issue. Are they controlled with the Holy Spirit?

Now this water represents the control, the power of the Holy Spirit. And let's say this first Christian says, "I want my life to completely be under God's control. I want every area of my life to be under the control of the Spirit." By the way, we all know what that means in most situations. The dilemma is not what is God's will for me? What does God want me to do? The real issue is am I going to do what I know God wants me to do? That's the battle we face a thousand times every day.

But here is a Christian who says, "I'm going to follow the Spirit's direction in my life and I'm going to follow it in every area of my life. No area of my life is not going to be under the control of the Holy Spirit." Now let me ask you, is this cup full? Say yes. Can I get anything else in this? Say no. That's right. What's filled cannot be filled with anything else. It's full. Nothing else can enter in.

But let's say you have Christian number two. He's saved, he's been baptized with the Holy Spirit, and he's willing to give some of his life over to God's control, but there are areas of his life that are under his control. He's not ready to submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Let me ask you, is this glass full? It's not full, is it? There's still room left in it, right? Well, just as nature abhors a vacuum, so do our lives. Our lives aren't going to be empty. Our lives are always going to be controlled by something.

And if I choose not to allow the Holy Spirit to control and fill my life, then that's going to make room for something else to fill it. You know what this is? This is demon juice, also known as Diet Coke. And there's room for the influence of demons, of Satan, whatever the spirit is not filling and controlling. Satan moves in and has his way in our life. That's why it's important that we learn to be filled, controlled with the Holy Spirit of God.

Because any area of your life that is not controlled by the Holy Spirit is open to be controlled by demonic influence. How do we make sure that our lives are completely under the control of the Holy Spirit? If we have allowed Satan to gain a foothold in our life, is it ever possible to reclaim that area back for God? Well, that's what we're going to talk about next week. Because the first step into having a spirit-controlled life is to learn how to win the mind games that Satan plays with every Christian.

We'll talk about that next time. If you're here today, you're watching this broadcast, and you're not yet a Christian, the best thing you can do, the most important thing you can do to keep Satan from destroying your life and your eternity is to trust in Jesus today to be your Savior. To believe that when he went to that cross, he paid the price for your sin and my sin. If you've never trusted in Christ as your Savior, I encourage you to do that right now. "Jesus, forgive me of my sins. I am trusting in you, you and you alone to save me."

But I realize today I'm speaking to a number of you who are Christians who are feeling oppressed. You know, in James 5, James says, "Is any among you sick?" That word sick literally means without strength. Are you without strength today? James says, "If you are without strength, call for the spiritual leaders of the church and have them pray with you." James said, "We have not because we ask not." God never intended for his children to walk through life alone. He's given us brothers and sisters in Christ to help us, and more importantly, God has given us His Spirit who's taken up residence inside us. The Spirit of God gives us comfort and strength when we feel discouraged and weak.

Well, it's not only adults that struggle with spiritual warfare. Even our children suffer attacks from our enemy, the devil. For that reason, we're offering one of the most practical and urgent books in the history of Pathway to Victory. It's a brand new book I've written for you and the child in your life. Whether you're a mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or school teacher, this book is for you. It's called Suit Up: The Armor of God for Kids.

God never intended his children to walk onto the battlefield without protection, and it's our job to help our little ones understand how to win their spiritual battles. By reading this book together, you can show them the truth in terms they'll understand when they put on the full armor of God. Satan doesn't have a prayer. Let me send you my book on spiritual warfare called Suit Up: The Armor of God for Kids. I'll do that right away when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory.

Yes, Pathway to Victory is a media ministry, but Pathway to Victory does far more than broadcast Bible teaching. From our headquarters in Dallas, we're here to walk alongside you and to answer your questions as well, so stay with us. In just a moment, I'm going to answer a question about a troubling trend in our culture. When God designates our gender at conception, does he ever make a mistake that needs correcting? But first, here's David when you partner.

Speaker 1

With Pathway to Victory, by giving a generous gift, we'll say thanks by sending you "Suit up the Armor of God for Kids" plus "Angels and Demons: Fact versus Fantasy," which is our latest resource just for adults. Give today and make your request by calling 866-999-2965 or visit our website at ptv.org. Those who contribute $100 or more will receive both books along with the Complete Spirit Wars teaching series on audio and video discs, as well as "Divine Defense," the best-selling title by Dr. Jeffrey. Simply call 866-999-2965 or go online to ptv.org. You could also mail your gift if you'd like. Here's the address: P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222. Again, that's P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222.

And now it's time for a special edition of Ask Dr. Jeffress. Dr. Jeffress recently stopped by the studio to answer a pressing question from one of our listeners. Today's question comes from David in Texas. He asks if a person accepts Christ under their name at birth, but later in life decides that God made them the wrong sex, so they change their name and make body alterations, will God accept?

Speaker 2

Well, David, thanks for asking that very relevant question. And the Bible actually does say a lot about transgenderism. You know, we need to realize this whole transgender phenomenon is relatively new. It hasn't been around forever. This is a new lie that is being perpetrated by the enemy, Satan himself. God is the one who makes us male and female. That's not Robert Jeffress saying it. Jesus Christ said it in Matthew 19:5. Have you not read he who made them from the beginning made them male and female?

The greatest rebellion, the most basic rebellion we can be engaged in against God is the rebellion against our creator that says, you made a mistake. I should be a different sex. So when we engage and embrace transgender philosophy, we're really rebelling against God.

Now, for many years, psychologists and psychiatrists called gender confusion gender dysphoria. It was a mental illness. Only now, recently, in our politically correct culture, have we decided not to call it a mental illness. But it is, and it needs to be treated compassionately. I often say to people when we encounter somebody who claims to be the wrong sex, they need to be treated compassionately, but they do need to be treated. They don't need to be confirmed in their mental confusion.

I mean, just imagine your 13-year-old child came home and said, "Mom, Dad, I've decided I'm a kumquat, not a human being." Would you take them to a psychiatrist who would affirm them in being a kumquat? Would you consider supporting them in their decision to be a kumquat? Would you let them go out and sleep in the vegetable patch at night in order to encourage them in their new identity? No. You would get them to a psychiatrist or psychologist as quickly as you could.

It is just as ludicrous for a man to say, "I now am a woman," or a woman to say, "I now am a man," as for a child to say, "I think I'm a kumquat." So again, let me repeat, when we meet transgender people, treat them with kind compassionately, but encourage them to get treated.

Speaker 1

Thanks, Dr. Jeffress. I'm David J. Mullins. Our thoughts are the primary battlefield where our spiritual lives are won or lost. Learn biblical strategies for winning the mind games. That's Tuesday on Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. You made it to the end of today's podcast From Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway Partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in His Word. To become a Pathway Partner, go to ptv.org/donate or you can follow the link in our show notes.

We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast From Pathway to Victory. Oh, and one last thing before we go. Have you reserved your spot yet for the 2026 Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska? You've been hearing me and Dr. Jeffress mention it. So what are you waiting for? Just picture yourself on the deck of Holland America's elegant Koningsdam and stepping out on deck to witness nature's grandeur. It's beautiful. These moments in God's creation will deepen your faith in a powerful way.

You will really experience five-star dining, luxurious staterooms, and visiting iconic ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. We're also bringing along our own Christian entertainment. You'll love it. Seats are filling up, so book your spot today at ptv.org.