The faculty of possession in men and angels

[Robert Hegwood]

Of all the questions here this is probably one of the least important questions to be asked on this site, and it may well not be worthy of consideration or answer. But is something I've wondered about, and maybe someone will have some insights.

We read in the NT and know of incidents to the present day of those oppressed and even possessed by devils. But what is this "faculty" in men that can be possessed and in fallen angels that they exercise to possess?

As I have been taught all our passions...all our faculties were created to be directed towards and fulfilled in God. They are subsequently disordered and disfigured when they are directed and attached elsewhere...hence the vehicles and expressors of our sin and weakness.

But what is it in man, indeed in corporeal creatures (like pigs) that is turned aside, debased, corrupted so that another entity may possess him like the Gaderenes and the swine? What "faculty" is being exercised by devils that permit them to enter and to a large extent control their victim?

In man I am inclined to link it to the idea of man being a temple, created as a dwelling place for the Divine, which if left untended is open to polluting influences. But what of pigs or other animals...the fact that they too can be possessed must have some theological meaning? Or, is their vulnerability an extension of man's fallen estate as the custodian of creation?

And more importantly what of devils in this. Why would they possess an ability...admittedly corrupted, that permits them to "possess" another? And if they have this ability, whatever it is, be it a "power" or a capacity to "reside" in another, what then would be the corresponding, rightly used ability, power, faculty of Holy Angels? The only thing that occurs to me is that possession is a species of corrupted communion...and all creatures, especially rational ones like men and angels were created within and for life in communion with God and each other. But how would that work between men and angels, if this is so. Somehow the idea of someone being "indwelled" by a good angel strikes me as a bit off, a bit usurpatious, at least with regard to mankind.

Any thoughts...insights...snickers...rebukes, etc.?

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Robert Hegwood wrote:



We read in the NT and know of incidents to the present day of those oppressed and even possessed by devils. But what is this "faculty" in men that can be possessed and in fallen angels that they exercise to possess?

Could you provide a quote? I haven't heard of man having a 'faculty' of possession (even though there probably should be one at our local university). It makes no sense to me.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Ken McRae]

And more importantly what of devils in this. Why would they possess an ability...admittedly corrupted, that permits them to "possess" another? And if they have this ability, whatever it is, be it a "power" or a capacity to "reside" in another, what then would be the corresponding, rightly used ability, power, faculty of Holy Angels?

I'm not sure I really understand what your asking, but it seems to me that holy angels do not possess souls, ever. Such an act is of the evil one, and akin to witchcraft, I would say. In terms of the human faculties which are possessed, I'm inclined to say it is the human will they possess; but that they cannot possess the will of a person against his/her will. In other words, I'm inclined to say a demon would need permission not only from the Lord to possess a soul, but also from the person as well, in some form or way. For example, if Legion (the name of the demon in the Gospel account) needed permission from the Lord to possess the herd of swine, how much more so would he need His permission to possess a human being?

[Paul Cowan]

In other words, I'm inclined to say a demon would need permission not only from the Lord to possess a soul, but also from the person as well, in some form or way. For example, if Legion (the name of the demon in the Gospel account) needed permission from the Lord to possess the herd of swine, how much more so would he need His permission to possess a human being?

Interesting. So you are saying there were many many Job accounts in the gospels. Jesus did say the blind man was blind through no fault of anyone but so the glory of God could be revealed.

This leads me to another question. This being the case, if God does not bring evil onto us(allowing us to be indwelled by demons) is it not splitting hairs to say he allowed something to happen so His glory could be revealed?

OR did these posessed people invite demons into themselves by their own free will ie. sin; such as in the swine story or the one the disciples could not rebuke? This being the case, then God did not allow it but permitted it. I guess I just answered my own question.

PC thinking
Paul

[Antonios]

Dear Robert,

In thinking about your opening post, I can make out several questions of which you are asking. I hesitate in responding since I may be wrong and do not wish to give you false notions, but I hope someone can correct me if indeed I am.

The first question you ask is:


But what is this "faculty" in men that can be possessed and in fallen angels that they exercise to possess?Here I would simply say the soul, of course realizing that this may not be the most descriptive answer. It is, however, the eternal soul which becomes possessed and is enslaved by the demons.

Further down, you ask:


But what is it in man, indeed in corporeal creatures (like pigs) that is turned aside, debased, corrupted so that another entity may possess him like the Gaderenes and the swine? What "faculty" is being exercised by devils that permit them to enter and to a large extent control their victim?Again, it is the soul which is corrupted, and what gives the demons a foothold into this possession is man's self-love at the expense of love for God. This misguided love fuels the passions which provides more ammunition to the demons to increase their assault. Often, the assault may become so overwhelming, that even self-love is extinguished. What remains is despondency, the most harmful and dangerous state of the soul. These are the walking dead, those lost souls which require much less demonic activity to maintain in such a fearful state. One's own insatiable self-will becomes an undying worm.


But what of pigs or other animals...the fact that they too can be possessed must have some theological meaning? Or, is their vulnerability an extension of man's fallen estate as the custodian of creation?I believe that their vulnerability is an extension of man's fallen estate. I think animals would fall within this as well. Whether by possession of soul, I am not sure.


And more importantly what of devils in this. Why would they possess an ability...admittedly corrupted, that permits them to "possess" another? And if they have this ability, whatever it is, be it a "power" or a capacity to "reside" in another, what then would be the corresponding, rightly used ability, power, faculty of Holy Angels? The only thing that occurs to me is that possession is a species of corrupted communion...and all creatures, especially rational ones like men and angels were created within and for life in communion with God and each other. But how would that work between men and angels, if this is so. Somehow the idea of someone being "indwelled" by a good angel strikes me as a bit off, a bit usurpatious, at least with regard to mankind.
You ask some very interesting questions! A communion of true love involves a joining together and transfiguration, which leads to the soul's ultimate eternal goal which is deification. Such love is Divine Love, and I believe is possible between men and angels. As for men and the fallen angels, the relationship is not communal, but rather enslavement. It is not transfiguration, but rather obliteration. It leads not to deification, but to death itself. This is a completely different kind of relationship. Where one is communal, the other is consuming. The success of these demons to perform such nefarious and soul-destroying work is because those fallen angels have existed for eons and are experts in spiritual warfare. They have certain advantages over men. Their master himself is called prince of this world, due of course to the fallen state it is in.

Any advantage of the demons is rendered obsolete by the Cross and the Risen Christ. Whether we realize this or not is determined much by our faith or lack thereof.

In Christ,
Antonios

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

I think I understand now what was being asked.

The question was what aspect of man is possessed and what faculty is used by evil powers to achieve this.

If so then the whole man, body & soul can be to a certain measure possessed. However the faculty used to achieve this by the evil powers is their will.

This will for the angelic powers was as created by God good. However for what are now called the evil powers; demons; this will has been distorted through the original misuse of this faculty.

This is why when evil powers use this will in our regard it is to an evil result: eg evil thoughts & actions; which results in a certain loss of our freedom of will.

But this is why for the good angelic powers when their will is exerted in our regard the result is good thoughts & actions; which results in the increase of our free will in regards to God and others.

In turn though the faculty that comes into play in all of this is our will. Possession is slavery to evil powers and results from the assent of our will on some level to their suggestion. Similarly but the other way around, living under the beneficial influence of the good angelic powers comes from the assent of our will towards that which is good.

With animals however since they do not have free will then probably assent is not what is at work but rather some sort of misuse of God's creation by the evil powers and protection of it by the good ones.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Lourens]

Ken Mcrae wrote:

In terms of the human faculties which are possessed, I'm inclined to say it is the human will they possess; but that they cannot possess the will of a person against his/her will.

And Fr Raphael Vereshack confirmed:

...the faculty that comes into play in all of this is our will. Possession is slavery to evil powers and results from the assent of our will on some level to their suggestion. Similarly but the other way around, living under the beneficial influence of the good angelic powers comes from the assent of our will towards that which is good.

It seems that an adequate answer has thus been provided: it surely is the faculty of the will that is in a state of corruption, brought about , as Antonio has pointed out, primarily by "man's self-love at the expense of love for God."

"God is not mocked," writes the Apostle Paul, "for every man will receive exactly what is due to him: you will reap what you sow. If you sow into the flesh, you will reap corruption; if you sow into the Spirit, you will from the Spirit reap life." (Galatians 6:7,8)

We are spiritually "linked" to receive an inflow (from either the demons of hell or the angels of heaven) continuously calling for "the assent of our will on some level to their suggestion(s)."

By this assent of our will we take possession of what is offered. We are thus influenced , and the more we affirm such influence, the more we take possession of either the good of love and the truth of wisdom, or the contrary evil and falsity, until we are completely ruled, governed, or possessed by it.

This cannot be properly understood if it is not realized that the will is that faculty allows love to be expressed. How do we "sow" into either the flesh or the Spirit? By willing what we love, cherish, nurture, delight in, and approve of, believe in.

Man wills to do that which he loves, and when men "do not come to the light, because their works are evil," it is because they hate the light. They love the darkness more, and the more they do, the more they will themselves to yield to its influence and reign(John 3:19).

Regarding the case of demonic presence with animals, I would venture to say that rather than the corruption of a faculty, one must entertain the idea of an entrainment of the animals non-physical being that subjects it to the demonic powers. The plea of Legion to rather go "into" swine indices that a benifit is to be had by disembodied demonic spirits when conjoined to a physical body --any physical body --- rather than having access to a faculty similar to that present in humans, such as the will.

Which leads me to suggest that demonic presence is possible simply by somehow linking up with and becoming attached to the spere that emanates from the spirit body. We all have some intuitive knowledge of such spheres, auras, or personal spaces, that allows us to be either attracted to another's "likeability," or be repelled by feelings of discomfort, and "unlikebility." Affinity is established on the basis of the likeness of one's life's loves, for man's life (and thus his spere of influence) is constituted by his loves.

I have observed that the demonic will almost always manifest spontaneously in the presence of the Spirit of Holiness. The stronger the Holy Presence, the less any contrary spirit can resist manifesting, or obey order(s). What else is the deliverance of a possessed soul but the entrainment of the soul's spirit body and its faculties (the mind: will and understanding); thus a cleansing and a bringing to order, so that it may again be turned toward the Lord, and will to love Him with their whole being?

Respectfully,

Learner

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Lourens wrote:


Which leads me to suggest that demonic presence is possible simply by somehow linking up with and becoming attached to the spere that emanates from the spirit body. We all have some intuitive knowledge of such spheres, auras, or personal spaces, that allows us to be either attracted to another's "likeability," or be repelled by feelings of discomfort, and "unlikebility." Affinity is established on the basis of the likeness of one's life's loves, for man's life (and thus his spere of influence) is constituted by his loves.

I have observed that the demonic will almost always manifest spontaneously in the presence of the Spirit of Holiness. The stronger the Holy Presence, the less any contrary spirit can resist manifesting, or obey order(s). What else is the deliverance of a possessed soul but the entrainment of the soul's spirit body and its faculties (the mind: will and understanding); thus a cleansing and a bringing to order, so that it may again be turned toward the Lord, and will to love Him with their whole being?



We need to keep in mind that although the fallen spirits perceive reality in a twisted manner they are as intellectual powers incredibly sensitive to the spiritual atmosphere around them. Thus, analogous to sharks, whom they say are sensitive to the blood of their victims from far away, evil powers are aware of our sinful thoughts and intentions. In this way by further provoking us towards sinful thoughts they cause us to fall further. In this case although their power is greater it is like feeding on like.

In Christ- Fr Raphael