6 Scary Signs a Man is Sent from the Devil

Spread the love

Have you ever wondered about the Biblical signs a man is under the influence of the devil? It’s a question that has echoed through church halls and whispered conversations for centuries, yet finding clear answers often feels like trying to piece together an ancient puzzle. As someone who’s spent years studying scripture and counseling others through spiritual struggles, I’ve learned that these signs aren’t always as dramatic as Hollywood would have us believe.

Let me walk you through what the Bible actually tells us about spiritual influence in our lives. We’ll explore signs like the persistent rejection of divine truth, the deliberate sowing of discord among believers, the gradual loss of moral compass, and the subtle isolation from faith communities. These patterns emerge repeatedly in scripture, painting a picture that’s both sobering and enlightening.

Think of it like learning to read the weather – just as experienced sailors can spot an approaching storm by watching the clouds and wind patterns, understanding these biblical signs helps us navigate our spiritual journey with greater wisdom. Whether you’re concerned about yourself or someone close to you, this exploration will help shed light on what scripture reveals about spiritual influences in our lives, while steering clear of fear-mongering and superstition.

Understanding Biblical Context

Have you ever watched a movie halfway through and felt completely lost? That’s exactly how many of us feel when approaching the topic of spiritual influence without proper context. Years ago, while counseling a distressed family, I realized how crucial it is to first understand the biblical framework before jumping to conclusions about spiritual matters.

In the Bible, we see that spiritual influence isn’t a simple black-and-white matter. The Apostle Paul warns us in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world.” This verse reminds us that spiritual battles are real, but they’re often more subtle than we imagine.

Think about how Jesus dealt with spiritual matters. In Matthew 4:1-11, during His temptation in the wilderness, He didn’t respond with fear or drama – He responded with scripture and wisdom. This teaches us a crucial lesson: discernment requires knowledge of God’s Word and a balanced perspective.

The Bible also shows us that not every problem is spiritual in nature. Remember how Paul advised Timothy to “use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23)? This shows us that sometimes, what we think might be spiritual actually has natural causes that need addressing.

In ancient times, particularly during the early church period, believers faced similar challenges in discerning spiritual influences. The Apostle John advised, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). This wisdom remains relevant today, reminding us to approach spiritual matters with careful discernment rather than hasty judgments.

Sign 1: Persistent Rejection of Truth

Lee sat across from me in my study, tears streaming down her face as she described her husband’s transformation over the past year. “He used to love discussing scripture,” she said, “but now he mockingly dismisses everything about faith.” This story illustrates one of the most clear biblical signs of negative spiritual influence: a persistent, adamant rejection of spiritual truth.

In scripture, we see this pattern clearly demonstrated. John 3:19-20 tells us, “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” This isn’t about occasional doubts or questions – we all have those. Instead, it describes an active, hostile rejection of truth that someone once embraced.

Consider the example of King Saul in the Old Testament. Here was a man who started his journey walking with God, but gradually began rejecting divine truth and guidance through the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 15:23). His story serves as a powerful warning about how this rejection often starts subtly but grows stronger over time.

The key word here is “persistent.” We’re not talking about someone wrestling with tough questions or going through a season of doubt. James 1:5 encourages us to ask God for wisdom when we lack understanding. Rather, this sign manifests as a hardened heart that consistently and deliberately turns away from truth it once acknowledged. As 2 Timothy 4:3-4 warns, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

Sign 2: Extreme Hostility Toward Sacred Things

I’ll never forget the day a young man visited our church study group, not to learn, but to mock. What struck me wasn’t just his disagreement with faith – many people respectfully disagree – but his visceral hatred toward anything sacred. This experience brought to life what scripture tells us about another significant sign: extreme hostility toward sacred things.

The Bible gives us a striking example in Acts 13:45, where we see people “filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.” This wasn’t mere disagreement; it was a hostile, aggressive response to sacred truth. We see similar patterns throughout scripture, like in 2 Timothy 3:8, where Paul references those who “oppose the truth—men of depraved minds.”

This hostility often manifests in ways that go beyond normal skepticism or disagreement. It’s like something I witnessed in a man named Franco, whose story parallels the biblical account of those who “blaspheme against the Holy Spirit” (Mark 3:29). Franco didn’t just disagree with Christianity; he felt compelled to destroy others’ faith, mock sacred symbols, and disrupt worship services. His hostility seemed to stem from something deeper than mere intellectual disagreement.

The Bible makes an important distinction here. Jesus engaged with honest skeptics and doubters with patience and compassion. Think of Thomas, who doubted the resurrection (John 20:24-29). The hostility we’re discussing is different – it’s an aggressive, often irrational hatred toward anything sacred. As Psalm 74:4 describes, it’s like those who “set up their standards as signs” in the holy place, deliberately desecrating what others hold sacred.

This sign often manifests alongside a paradoxical fascination with the dark or occult, much like those described in 2 Peter 2:10-12 who “bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings… they blaspheme in matters they do not understand.”

Sign 3: Deliberate Promotion of Discord

“I just don’t understand what happened to our church family,” Maria whispered during our counseling session. “Tom used to be such a peacemaker, but now he seems to delight in causing conflicts.” Her story echoes a pattern I’ve observed repeatedly – the intentional sowing of discord, which scripture identifies as a serious spiritual warning sign.

Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things that God hates, and remarkably, “one who sows discord among brothers” makes this crucial list. This isn’t about normal disagreements or honest differences of opinion. Instead, it describes someone who actively works to create division, often seeming to derive pleasure from the chaos they create.

Think of it like a person who drops matches in a dry forest – they might claim innocence, but their actions reveal their true intentions. In scripture, we see this pattern in figures like Absalom, who “stole the hearts of the people of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6) by deliberately undermining his father’s leadership and sowing seeds of discontent among the people.

The Bible warns us specifically about this tendency in Titus 3:10-11: “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.” Notice how this passage suggests that the promotion of discord often becomes a pattern, not just an isolated incident.

Sign 4: Loss of Moral Discernment

The coffee grew cold as James shared his story with me. “I used to know right from wrong so clearly,” he said, “but now everything seems gray. Not just uncertain – it’s like I’ve lost my moral compass entirely.” This profound loss of moral discernment represents another significant biblical sign of negative spiritual influence.

Scripture speaks directly to this condition in Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” This isn’t about struggling with difficult moral decisions – we all face those. Rather, it describes a fundamental corruption of moral judgment, where someone begins to celebrate what they once knew was wrong.

Consider the example in Romans 1:28-32, which describes those who “although they knew God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” This passage highlights how this loss of discernment often progresses from personal moral compromise to actively encouraging others in wrongdoing.

This deterioration of moral clarity often happens gradually, like a compass slowly losing its magnetization. I’ve seen it in countless situations – people who once had strong ethical convictions beginning to justify increasingly problematic behaviors. As Hebrews 5:14 reminds us, moral discernment is like a muscle that needs exercise: “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Sign 5: Supernatural Knowledge or Abilities

I remember sitting across from Rachel, a former fortune-teller who had found faith. “Looking back,” she said, “I realize those ‘gifts’ came with a terrible price.” Her testimony opens up an important discussion about one of the most direct biblical signs of spiritual influence: the manifestation of supernatural knowledge or abilities that don’t align with biblical truth.

The Bible is crystal clear about this sign. In Acts 16:16-18, we read about a slave girl who had “a spirit by which she predicted the future.” Notice that the supernatural ability was real, but its source was not divine. Similarly, in Deuteronomy 18:10-12, we find explicit warnings against various forms of supernatural practices: “Let no one be found among you who… practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells.”

This sign can be particularly deceptive because these abilities often appear impressive or even helpful on the surface. It’s like finding a shortcut through a dangerous neighborhood – the path might be quicker, but the risks far outweigh the benefits. Jesus Himself warned that “false prophets and false christs will arise and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).

What makes this sign particularly challenging to discern is that God does give spiritual gifts to His people. However, as 1 John 4:1 instructs us, we must “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” The key difference often lies in the fruit of these abilities – do they glorify God and build up the body of Christ, or do they serve other purposes? As Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “By their fruit you will recognize them.”

Sign 6: Physical and Emotional Manifestations

During my years of ministry, I’ve encountered numerous cases like Michael’s. His wife came to me deeply concerned, describing how her normally calm husband had begun experiencing intense rage episodes, unexplainable physical symptoms, and severe emotional disturbances. “It’s like something else has taken control,” she explained, her voice trembling. These physical and emotional manifestations are significantly documented in scripture as potential signs of spiritual influence.

The Bible provides several examples of how negative spiritual influence can manifest physically and emotionally. In Mark 9:17-22, we read about a young man who experienced severe physical symptoms: “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground…” This account shows us that spiritual influence can have tangible physical manifestations.

But it’s crucial to note that not all physical or emotional disturbances are spiritual in nature. Like King Saul’s story in 1 Samuel 16:14-23, where we see him experiencing severe emotional torment, the manifestations often intertwine with natural causes. The key is looking for patterns that defy normal explanations or treatments.

Scripture also shows us in Luke 8:26-39 the account of the Gerasene demoniac, who displayed both physical strength beyond normal human capability and severe emotional disturbance. What’s particularly noteworthy is how his condition affected his entire being – body, mind, and spirit – yet was completely transformed through divine intervention.

Conclusion:

As we’ve explored these biblical signs, it becomes clear that spiritual discernment requires wisdom, patience, and a deep understanding of scripture. Just as a skilled navigator uses multiple tools to chart their course, we must use both biblical knowledge and spiritual wisdom to understand these influences in our modern context. If you find yourself or someone you know exhibiting these signs, remember that the Bible also offers hope and guidance for those seeking freedom from negative spiritual influences.