Can a Christian Be Possessed? My Honest Testimony

July 23, 2025

“A Christian can’t be possessed. Maybe oppressed, maybe attacked, but not possessed.” I heard that my whole life. I wish it were always true, but I’m here to challenge that belief.

I want to share my story, because I know there are people out there wrestling with these same questions, and I don’t want you to feel alone, crazy, or hopeless.

Here’s what I know for sure: I grew up in a Christian home. I asked Yeshua into my heart when I was four, got baptized by immersion at nine, and was filled with the Holy Spirit at twelve. I loved God. I spoke in tongues. I knew scripture and genuinely wanted to do what was right. But at twelve years old, my world was twisted by abuse I didn’t understand. By the time I was 14, I was desperate yet still naïve and believed, with the logic of a traumatized child, that if I could somehow please men, maybe they’d leave their daughters alone. So I asked the devil to teach me how.

I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t even realize I was opening a door. But I did. And for the next ten years, I fought a battle that felt impossible to win. They call it “possession” when something else takes over your body and mind — when you lose control, when your actions aren’t your own. That was me. There were times when I wanted to say no to a man — I meant to say no — but the next thing I knew, I was in a hotel room, doing things I didn’t want to do. I didn’t remember how I got there. I had no control. It wasn’t just temptation, it wasn’t just pressure. It was like something had hijacked my will. I fit every definition of “possession” that churches say can’t happen to a believer, yet it did.

I want to pause right here and say: sharing this story so honestly is not an easy thing to do, and I want to confess just how much it takes to share experiences like this, especially when they touch on both faith and trauma. If you have a similar story, you’re not alone in wrestling with questions like this — a lot of people in Christian communities have similar concerns, but most never talk about it this openly. However, I believe the Lord wants me to be open and honest about this topic.  So I pray this helps you get the freedom I know you are so desperately searching for.

Let’s talk about the question: Can a Christian be possessed by a demon? Most churches say “no,” pointing to verses like 1 John 4:4 (“Greater is He that is in you…”), and the idea that the Holy Spirit and a demon can’t co-exist. They’ll say Christians can be oppressed, attacked, tempted, but not possessed or controlled.

But my experience—and I know I’m not alone—challenges that neat rule. I was a believer, baptized, Spirit-filled, and yet I experienced something that, by every practical definition, was possession. I invited something in, and for a time, I lost control in ways that went way beyond temptation or oppression. When I finally renounced it and commanded it to leave, it did—and my will was restored.

What’s helped me make sense of this is understanding that we are spirit, soul, and body. Scripture points to this (1 Thess. 5:23, Hebrews 4:12). When you’re born again, your spirit is sealed by God. But your soul—your mind, will, and emotions—can still be wounded or influenced if you open the door to the enemy. That’s why even Christians can struggle with deep bondage or addictions. Paul even talks about “carnal Christians” (1 Cor. 3): people who are saved but still living out of their flesh. My spirit belonged to God, but my soul had given ground to something dark, and I needed to take it back.

Here are a few things I’ve learned that I wish someone had told me sooner:

  1. The Bible Doesn’t Use “Possession” and “Oppression” as Neatly as Modern Theology Does

The New Testament doesn’t really draw a sharp line between “demon possession” and “oppression.” The Greek word daimonizomai just means “to be under the power of a demon.” Some people in the Bible who needed freedom were Jews, believers, God-fearing people. It’s not as black-and-white as we’re often taught.

  1. Christians Still Have Free Will and Can Open Doors

Being a Christian doesn’t override your will or make you immune to the consequences of your choices — especially when, out of trauma or ignorance, you open a door to darkness. The enemy is a legalist; if you give him access, he’ll take it. I learned the hard way that even sincere, Spirit-filled believers can open doors, especially when we’re hurting or deceived.

  1. The Holy Spirit Doesn’t Necessarily “Evict” a Demon Just Because You’re Saved

The New Testament is full of believers who still needed deliverance after coming to faith (see Acts 8:5-24, where Simon the Sorcerer believes and is baptized, but Peter rebukes him for being bound by evil). Deliverance is part of discipleship, not just a one-time event at conversion. Especially, if after you are born again you invite the devil in.

  1. My Experience Has Authority Because It’s Honest

I’m not sharing this from a book or a pulpit. I’m sharing it because it happened to me. I know this isn’t what a lot of people are taught, but this is my story. And if you’re struggling with something similar, you’re not crazy, you’re not unsaved, and you’re definitely not alone.

  1. The Power of Repentance and Authority in Christ

My breakthrough didn’t come from a pastor’s prayer or a special deliverance session — it came when I realized my authority in Christ. I heard Yeshua whisper, “You invited it in, you can kick it out.” So I did. I told that thing to leave in Yeshua’s name, and for the first time in ten years, I was able to say no, and walk away. That’s when I knew I was free.

If you’re reading this and it sounds familiar, don’t give up hope. You haven’t lost your salvation. There is real freedom in Yeshua, even if you’ve opened doors you regret. Your story doesn’t end in bondage. You have authority, and you can walk out of darkness into light. The way to freedom is to repent and come out of agreement with the demon and command it (don’t ask it, command it – in the name of Yeshua) to leave. It has to go!

I also want you to know that you’re not alone. If you need prayer or godly counsel, reach out via email: lotsofloveministries@yahoo.com

Don’t be afraid to take your freedom back.

Shalom