True Spiritual Oppression
“But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’” Mark 8:33
In Mark 8:33, we witness a striking moment where Jesus rebukes Peter with words that seem harsh: “Get behind me, Satan!” At first glance, it might appear that Jesus is accusing Peter of being demon-possessed. But that’s not the case. Peter wasn’t overtaken by a demonic spirit inhabiting his body; rather, his mind had been swayed by human reasoning that opposed God’s will.
Jesus identifies the root of Peter’s error: “You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” This is the essence of spiritual oppression—a battle waged in the mind, where thoughts, arguments, and desires contrary to God’s truth seek to take hold.
Spiritual oppression differs sharply from demonic possession. Possession, as depicted in Scripture (Mark 5:1-20), involves an evil spirit taking control of an individual’s body and actions, a condition reserved for unbelievers who lack the indwelling Holy Spirit. Believers, however, are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), sealed by God’s presence (Ephesians 1:13-14). The idea that a demon could reside in the body of a believer—yet somehow not in their spirit—contradicts the biblical reality that our entire being, body and soul, is redeemed and inhabited by God.
False teachers in some corners of the deliverance movement blur these lines, suggesting believers are chronically “demonized” and attributing every struggle—sin, sickness, or suffering—to demonic influence requiring exorcism. This is not only unbiblical but also shifts focus away from the true battleground: the mind.
Consider Peter in Mark 8. His opposition to Jesus’ prediction of suffering and death wasn’t the result of possession, but of worldly thinking influenced by Satan. Romans 8:5 supports this: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”
Spiritual oppression occurs when our minds are pulled toward fleshly, human-centered perspectives rather than God’s truth. It’s a subtle yet powerful influence that doesn’t require possession—just a foothold in our thought life.
The deliverance movement often teaches that believers are perpetually under demonic attack, blaming everything from cancer to personal sin on evil spirits. They may avoid the term “possession” but imply that demons inhabit believers’ bodies, necessitating repeated exorcisms. But this is nowhere found in scripture. Paul’s ministry partner, Epaphroditus, was gravely ill (Philippians 2:25-30), and Paul expressed sorrow, not a call to cast out demons. Job suffered immensely, yet his trials were permitted by God for a purpose, not as a demonic infestation (Job 1-2). Even Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7) was a messenger of Satan allowed by God, and the remedy was grace, not exorcism.
The righteous suffer—not always because of sin or demons, but because God uses trials to refine us (James 1:2-4).
This false teaching—that it’s never God’s will for believers to be sick and that exorcism is the cure—denies the sovereignty of God and the reality of suffering in the Christian life. What believers need isn’t deliverance from imagined possession but discipleship to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18).
So, how do we combat true spiritual oppression? The answer lies in the mind. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul writes, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The strongholds here aren’t demons lurking in our bodies but wrong thoughts—pride, fear, or worldly reasoning—that exalt themselves against God’s truth.
H.B. Charles, a respected evangelical pastor, emphasizes this in his teaching on spiritual warfare. He urges believers to pray against strongholds like pride (“I don’t need God”), presumption (“I’m good enough”), and procrastination (“I’ll deal with God later”). These are mental fortresses the enemy builds, and they’re torn down not by exorcism but by the Word of God and prayer in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17-18). Likewise, Romans 12:2 calls us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” a process of aligning our thoughts with God’s will rather than conforming to the world’s patterns.
Paul’s words to Timothy further illuminate the path to freedom: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26). Those “captured” here aren’t possessed. Rather they are ensnared by false thinking—lies that lead to sinful desires and actions. What's the remedy? Gentle correction, truth, and repentance; not exorcism. This is discipleship in action.
For believers, oppression isn’t about demons in our bodies but about battles in our minds. Like Peter, we may face moments where our thoughts align with the enemy’s lies rather than God’s purposes. But the solution is to set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5)—to wield the divine weapons of Scripture and prayer to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). For unbelievers who may experience possession, deliverance is possible, but true freedom comes only through repentance, faith in Christ, and ongoing discipleship.
Today, ask yourself: Where is my mind set? On the things of man or the things of God? If you’re struggling, don’t look for a demon to cast out—look to the truth that sets you free (John 8:32). Meditate on God’s Word, pray in the Spirit, (prayers shaped by God’s Word) and seek growth through discipleship. As Psalm 27:1 declares, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” With Christ as our stronghold, no oppression can prevail.
In Mark 8:33, we witness a striking moment where Jesus rebukes Peter with words that seem harsh: “Get behind me, Satan!” At first glance, it might appear that Jesus is accusing Peter of being demon-possessed. But that’s not the case. Peter wasn’t overtaken by a demonic spirit inhabiting his body; rather, his mind had been swayed by human reasoning that opposed God’s will.
Jesus identifies the root of Peter’s error: “You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” This is the essence of spiritual oppression—a battle waged in the mind, where thoughts, arguments, and desires contrary to God’s truth seek to take hold.
Spiritual oppression differs sharply from demonic possession. Possession, as depicted in Scripture (Mark 5:1-20), involves an evil spirit taking control of an individual’s body and actions, a condition reserved for unbelievers who lack the indwelling Holy Spirit. Believers, however, are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), sealed by God’s presence (Ephesians 1:13-14). The idea that a demon could reside in the body of a believer—yet somehow not in their spirit—contradicts the biblical reality that our entire being, body and soul, is redeemed and inhabited by God.
False teachers in some corners of the deliverance movement blur these lines, suggesting believers are chronically “demonized” and attributing every struggle—sin, sickness, or suffering—to demonic influence requiring exorcism. This is not only unbiblical but also shifts focus away from the true battleground: the mind.
Consider Peter in Mark 8. His opposition to Jesus’ prediction of suffering and death wasn’t the result of possession, but of worldly thinking influenced by Satan. Romans 8:5 supports this: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”
Spiritual oppression occurs when our minds are pulled toward fleshly, human-centered perspectives rather than God’s truth. It’s a subtle yet powerful influence that doesn’t require possession—just a foothold in our thought life.
The deliverance movement often teaches that believers are perpetually under demonic attack, blaming everything from cancer to personal sin on evil spirits. They may avoid the term “possession” but imply that demons inhabit believers’ bodies, necessitating repeated exorcisms. But this is nowhere found in scripture. Paul’s ministry partner, Epaphroditus, was gravely ill (Philippians 2:25-30), and Paul expressed sorrow, not a call to cast out demons. Job suffered immensely, yet his trials were permitted by God for a purpose, not as a demonic infestation (Job 1-2). Even Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7) was a messenger of Satan allowed by God, and the remedy was grace, not exorcism.
The righteous suffer—not always because of sin or demons, but because God uses trials to refine us (James 1:2-4).
This false teaching—that it’s never God’s will for believers to be sick and that exorcism is the cure—denies the sovereignty of God and the reality of suffering in the Christian life. What believers need isn’t deliverance from imagined possession but discipleship to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18).
So, how do we combat true spiritual oppression? The answer lies in the mind. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul writes, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The strongholds here aren’t demons lurking in our bodies but wrong thoughts—pride, fear, or worldly reasoning—that exalt themselves against God’s truth.
H.B. Charles, a respected evangelical pastor, emphasizes this in his teaching on spiritual warfare. He urges believers to pray against strongholds like pride (“I don’t need God”), presumption (“I’m good enough”), and procrastination (“I’ll deal with God later”). These are mental fortresses the enemy builds, and they’re torn down not by exorcism but by the Word of God and prayer in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17-18). Likewise, Romans 12:2 calls us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” a process of aligning our thoughts with God’s will rather than conforming to the world’s patterns.
Paul’s words to Timothy further illuminate the path to freedom: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26). Those “captured” here aren’t possessed. Rather they are ensnared by false thinking—lies that lead to sinful desires and actions. What's the remedy? Gentle correction, truth, and repentance; not exorcism. This is discipleship in action.
For believers, oppression isn’t about demons in our bodies but about battles in our minds. Like Peter, we may face moments where our thoughts align with the enemy’s lies rather than God’s purposes. But the solution is to set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5)—to wield the divine weapons of Scripture and prayer to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). For unbelievers who may experience possession, deliverance is possible, but true freedom comes only through repentance, faith in Christ, and ongoing discipleship.
Today, ask yourself: Where is my mind set? On the things of man or the things of God? If you’re struggling, don’t look for a demon to cast out—look to the truth that sets you free (John 8:32). Meditate on God’s Word, pray in the Spirit, (prayers shaped by God’s Word) and seek growth through discipleship. As Psalm 27:1 declares, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” With Christ as our stronghold, no oppression can prevail.