From Eliyahu:

Shalom friends, 

The Gospels present a world where the devil and other evil spirits are real, and are the cause of much of the suffering and misery inflicted upon the human family. In the Gospels, Messiah and His followers take authority over these unseen parasites, and drive them out of their tormented human hosts. What about that? Could that be true? Is it really possible that unseen evil spirits exist today, and that demon-possession is real?

Some would say: "No, that's just superstitious drivel dreamt up by ignorant peasants as a way to explain troubles and diseases that they had no explanation for. In the modern world we have scientific medical treatments for many of the problems people used to attribute to evil spirits. Further, modern psychiatrists treat obsession with spirits as mental illness, because evil spirits are a myth."

Really? Then how do you explain Richard Gallagher?

As noted in the caption to the right, Richard Gallagher is a board-certified psychiatrist and a professor of clinical psychiatry at New York Medical College, who also helps "spot demonic possession." Here is how he explains himself:

"Is it possible to be a sophisticated psychiatrist and believe that evil spirits are, however seldom, assailing humans? Most of my scientific colleagues and friends say no, because of their frequent contact with patients who are deluded about demons, their general skepticism of the supernatural, and their commitment to employ only standard, peer-reviewed treatments ..But careful observation of the evidence presented to me in my career has led me to believe that certain extremely uncommon cases can be explained no other way."

"Careful observation of the evidence" - what evidence?

"Assaults upon individuals are classified either as “demonic possessions” or as the slightly more common but less intense attacks usually called “oppressions.” A possessed individual may suddenly, in a type of trance, voice statements of astonishing venom and contempt for religion, while understanding and speaking various foreign languages previously unknown to them. The subject might also exhibit enormous strength or even the extraordinarily rare phenomenon of levitation ..He or she might demonstrate “hidden knowledge” of all sorts of things — like how a stranger’s loved ones died, what secret sins she has committed, even where people are at a given moment. These are skills that cannot be explained except by special psychic or preternatural ability. I have personally encountered these rationally inexplicable features, along with other paranormal phenomena. My vantage is unusual: As a consulting doctor, I think I have seen more cases of possession than any other physician in the world." 

Surely, as the most experienced psychiatrist in the world in the field of separating the mentally ill from the certifiably demon possessed, Gallaher's testimony arising from actual cases cannot be taken lightly. He also points out that "the American Psychiatric Association has no official opinion on these affairs" so he is not at odds with the authorities in his profession. Further, while admitting that most are publicly skeptical, Gallagher asserts he is not the only mental health professional to acknowledge the existence of demonic possession. He says:

"I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners nowadays who are open to entertaining such hypotheses. Many believe exactly what I do, though they may be reluctant to speak out."

[Source of quotes: https://www.washingtonpost[dot]com/posteverything/wp/2016/07/01/as-a-psychiatrist-i-diagnose-mental-illness-and-sometimes-demonic-possession/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.055c784f4e6e]

Actually, it is not surprising that some mental health practitioners have their eyes opened to the spirit world. What other conclusion could they come to when they witness an uneducated "mental patient" taken over by a spirit that speaks to them in perfect Latin, and takes ten men to subdue? The truth soon becomes strikingly obvious on that level. Further, if news reports are to be believed, the incidence of spirit possession in the modern world have taken a huge up-tick, with no end in sight. Don't believe me? Then try Googling this under "news": "demon possession on the rise."

It turns out that cases of demon possession, exactly as reported in the Gospels, are being witnessed by mental health practitioners today. The only difference is that the modern world cannot effectively deal with demons, while Y'shua and His Apostles could, and did, and His followers still do, today.   

Why am I focusing all of this attention on demonic possession? Because demonic possession is the most obvious and dramatic evidence that evil spirits are real and at work in the world. However, the demonic freakshow is just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface of what is painfully obvious when actually encountered lies the far larger problem, the iceberg of subtle demonic influence, that exists virtually everywhere. Hopefully, you are not dealing directly with spirit possession - but you are dealing with demonic influence, whether you recognize it for what it is or not. We all are, because it is ever-present all around us. Thus the Scripture warns us:

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:11 KJV

There is a war going on between good and evil on a cosmic scale, and both sides want you, so YOU ARE a target. Once your eyes are truly opened to this reality you will be able to equip yourself to fight back against both subtle and obvious demonic attacks. Until that happens, you are easy prey for your invisible and malevolent enemies to exploit.

In Luke 9, and elsewhere in Scripture, we will consider what to do "When Snakes and Scorpions Attack!"

That's tonight, at 8 PM CST at Tsiyon.Net. And bring your stompin' shoes!