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Can demons attach themselves to non-living/inanimate objects?



    
    

Clarify Share Report Asked July 01 2013 Mini Anonymous (via GotQuestions)

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17
Shea S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries
There is no biblical support to the idea that demons can attach themselves to physical objects. This belief is actually part of superstitious practices and occult beliefs found in animistic culture...

July 01 2013 1 response Vote Up Share Report


9
Stringio Frank Scimeca
Although it is true that the Scriptures don't talk about demons attaching themselves to inatimate objects there are many things in life that happen that is not mentioned in Scripture.

If one believes as I do that the one third of the angels followed Satan in rebellion and that the part of that reason is because of the jealousy they had for God and for Gods audacity to make a human that was above them and in His image, that their need to be worshiped like God was and celebrated like man was, then you have to assume these fallen angels which are demons would do anything to be worshiped.

A crying statue of Mary or any object is a great example where people will now down in reverence and worship to inatimate object.

Now imagine some demon wanting to see man now before them and worship it. They could enter their demonic self into that object so as to even pretend to be worshipped.

I believe and am certainly open to learning more on this subject, that a demon could and would do this. But only for it to be worshipped and not to make an object have powers such as a witches wand.

May 10 2014 1 response Vote Up Share Report


3
Mini Kenneth Heck
Haunted houses, although not mentioned in the bible, have been a fact of life throughout the centuries. These spirits, ostensibly of human beings, can and do display demonic characteristics. 

Physical matter isn't intrinsically evil, neither are inanimate objects. But evil spirits can make use of the physical, inanimate world for their evil purposes. Demons do not need to attach themselves to a physical object to magnetize it for evil. When the Israelites were in the wilderness any object brought into the camp from the outside had to pass through water or fire to purify it. Any inanimate object that has been involved in evil practices should be regarded as impure. Unless it can be purified, it should be thrown out or destroyed. 

To answer the question, demons can attach themselves to inanimate objects, but it tends to limit their influence, and most of their influence in today's world doesn't require attachment.

September 16 2015 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


3
Mini Grant Abbott Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit
I would like to rephrase the question slightly to offer a fuller understanding of demonic activity in the world.

"Can demons use non-living or inanimate objects to carry out their evil purposes"?

Since the fall of Adam and Eve, Satan and his demons have been ruling this world and their strategy has always used lies and deceptions that steal, kill and destroy what God has created - including people (Ephesians 6:12; John 8:44; John 10:10).

Throughout the Old Testament we are told that idle worship was the gravest and most common sin that people were guilty of, followed closely by spilling innocent blood (murder). See Ezekiel 23 for a good illustration.

Why was idol worship so pervasive and continuous? Because people saw a direct correlation between worshipping and sacrificing to idols and good things happening in their lives. Satan and his demons are able to change the circumstances in people's lives to bring good or evil, war or peace, sickness or health, famine or bounty.
When people worshipped idols, good things happened but when they neglected their idols bad things happened. But good things were only a deception because Satan's goal is always to destroy people's lives.

Of course, Satan only has the scope of authority and power that God specifically gives to him and his demons. Let's look at some examples from scripture.

In Job 1:12 God gave Satan permission to destroy all of Job's possessions but he couldn't touch Job's person. Then what happened: 1) Sabeans attacked, took all the donkeys and oxen and slew all the servants, 2) Chaldeans came and stole all the camels and slew the servants, 3) fire came down from heaven and burned up all the animals and people, 4) a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the house so it fell and killed all the people inside.

Then God gave Satan permission to destroy Job's health but he had to spare his life. Then Satan inflicted Job with sore boils from head to foot. His friends saw that his pain was very great indeed.

Now let's look ahead to the future and see this evil activity in Revelation 13:15. The second beast caused the people to make an image of the first beast. The second beast then gave breath to the image so it would even speak and anyone not worshipping the image would be killed.

The good news is that everyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ is rescued from this dominion of evil and darkness. They are brought into the light of the kingdom of God and under the protection of the Holy Spirit who lives in them (Acts 26:18; 1Cor 6:9-10).

October 25 2016 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


1
Data Eugene Ansah
I agree with S. Michael Houdmann totally. But want to add a few points.
In (Matthew 12: 43-45), the key sentence here is "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none."
Similar instances in (1 Peter 5:8) and (Job 1:7).
They are always looking to destroy. So attaching themselves to non living objects is not their nature.

October 13 2016 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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