A.Ananias & Sapphira, - Acts 5:3, "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost,"

B. Luke 22:31, "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat:"

I. The Christian's Body Is The Temple of God.

A. I Corinthians 3:16-17, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are." --- 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

B. II Corinthians 6:16, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God;"

C. Mark 3:27, "No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house."

John 10:27-30, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand. I and [my] Father are one."

D. I John 4:4, "Ye are of God, little children, ... greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."

II. What Is The Definition of Demon Influence?

A. In demon Influence, evil spirits exert Power over a person Short of Actual Possession.

B. Demon influence may occur in Different Degrees of Severity and in a Variety of Forms, both in Christians and Non-Christians.

1. In its less severe forms, demon attack comes through: --- Pressure --- Suggestions --- Temptations, etc.

2. When such pressure, suggestions, and temptations are yielded to, the result is always an Increased Degree of demon influence.

3. When the laws of Moral Purity are ignored, the Divine Restraint Is Removed and severe demon influence drags men down to Moral Depravity .

a. Exodus 20:14, "Thou shalt not commit adultery ."

b. Romans 1:24, "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:"

III. The Forces of Darkness Have Always Been Severely Restricted.

A. Demons can enslave and oppress fallen man Only to the degree that he Willingly Violates God's Moral Law.

B. The "Saved" have already been Delivered --- given the Victory.

1.Colossians 1:13, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:"

2. John 8:36, "If the Son therefore shall make you free , ye shall be free indeed."

3. Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you:"

4. The Christian is only tempted when he is: "...drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." --- (James 1:14).

C. The Christian is warned to Make The Right Decision .

1. I Peter 1:13-15, "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, ... not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;"

2. II Corinthians 10:4-5, "(For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

IV. Demon Influence May Manifest Itself In:

A. Antagonism toward God and Departure From The Faith

1 Tim. 4:1-2, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron ; "

B. Christian Disunity and Corrupt Conduct and practice in the church

1 Cor. 10:16-22, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord. s table, and of the table of devils . 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? "

C. Loving Pleasure more than God.

2 Tim. 3:4, "Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; "

D. Ritualistic Formalism --- empty adherence to the letter of the law without the spirit (power).

2 Tim. 3:5, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof : from such turn away."

V. Persistent Disobedience To God's Will, By Christians, May Result In:

A. "A Sin Unto (Physical) Death." - (1 John 5:16)

B. "Delivering such a one unto Satan for the Destruction of The Flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." --- (1 Cor. 5:5)

C. Believers who Persist in flagrant sin may be driven by demons into Emotional Instability, Insanity, or even Suicide .

I Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able ; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]."

What If You Choose NOT To Take "The WAY OF ESCAPE"?