The Triumphant Church

Distinguishing the Difference Between Oppression, Obsession,

and Possession

As we have seen, a person can be oppressed or
obsessed in his soul; that is, in his mind or emotional
realm, even if he is a Christian. And even a Christian
can be oppressed by a demon or an evil spirit in his
body from within or without. But that is not the same
as demon possession.
Remember, total possession implies giving over
spirit, soul, and body to an evil spirit because to possess
something means to own it. Therefore, it's erroneous
and unscriptural to say a Christian can be possessed by
an evil spirit. Certainly, no Christian can have a devil
in his spirit, or you couldn't call the person a Christian
anymore. We need to be careful with our terminology
and define what we really mean by certain expressions.
Also, we must realize that there is a vast difference
between being oppressed, influenced by, yielded to
demons, or obsessed by them—and in being fully
possessed by demons. In total possession, a person has
submitted his whole being to be possessed or owned by
evil spirits. And because man has three dimensions to
his being—he is a spirit, he has a soul, and he lives in a
body—he is not fully possessed unless he is taken over
spirit, soul, and body.
The Greek word that is translated "possessed" also
carries with it the sense of being under the power of or
the influence of a demon. It seems the biblical use of the
word "demonized" has a broad meaning, and it includes
being afflicted or even influenced by demons. In its
widest range to be demonized includes not only
possession, but also oppression, and obsession and can
actually include any activity of the devil which
influences mankind.
In other words, when people are oppressed,