How do demons gain access to people? - a talk with Steve Dabbs

Demons are disembodied spirits who have rebelled against God. Yes, demons are real, and their work is alive and well. If you're human, and especially if you're a follower of Christ, they hate you. We sometimes hear about about demon "possession," but mostly in movies or horror stories. A more accurate word is "demonization," and it can happen to varying degrees. But how do they gain access to people? And how can we demon-proof our lives? This episode is a talk with Steve Dabbs, author of "When Demons Surface: True Stories of Spiritual Warfare and what the Bible Says about Confronting the Darkness." We talk about demons and spiritual warfare, the "doorways" people open which give permission for the demonic to function in their lives, and how to live free and victoriously with Christ. Steve is a retired senior military chaplain with over 35 years of expertise in pastoral care and leadership. He talks about his own supernatural experiences, including personal attacks. He also has years of experiencing helping people be delivered from demonization. "We're all experiencing spiritual warfare whether we realize it or not," he says. You can also watch our talk here, or you can listen to it on 'The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan' wherever you subscribe (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) Here are the main questions that guide our talk: -Dealing with demons doesn’t seem to be something people eagerly sign up for. Can you explain how you got involved in this? -Some/many of our listeners haven’t been taught much about the demonic realm. Many will be quite skeptical. As Christians today, why should we be more open to this? -How do demons gain access to people? Can you explain some of the "doorways"? If something is going on in your life, how do you know if it’s demonic in origin? What is the most effective way to steer clear of (or combat) demonic influence in our lives? Brothers and sisters, if you think you're living in a playground when you're really in a battleground, you're going to be caught off guard time and time again. Let's live with both eyes open. Let's also live without fear under the Lordship of Christ.