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Paul's "thorn in the flesh" has often been a topic of discussion among Christians for many generations. But hardly any would even consider the possibility that the greatest of the apostles and one of the greatest saints who has ever lived had a demon that he referred to as a "thorn." Most Christians do not believe it is possible for a Christian to have a demon. Their reasoning is that the Holy Spirit who indwells all born-again Christians could not dwell in the same place as an unholy demonic spirit. But what they don't realize is that a Christian is a triune being consisting of body, soul, and spirit. One or more demons can inhabit the realm of the body (flesh) or the realm of the soul, but not the realm of the spirit where the Holy Spirit is. I will prove from the Scriptures that indeed the apostle Paul had a demon.

Paul wrote, "Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger [aggelos, angel] of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure" (2 Cor. 12:7). The Greek word, aggelos, is translated "angel" or "angels" more than 160 times in the New Testament of the KJV, the NASB, and the NIV. "An angel of Satan, that is, an unholy angel or demon, was sent by God to inhabit Paul's flesh (body) to buffet him, otherwise Paul would have become very proud of the knowledge of spiritual truths that the Lord had given to him.

All the angels worshipped the Lord Jesus until one-third of them rebelled and followed Lucifer (Satan) when he fell. The unholy angels are demonic spirits who are forever working against us as archenemies of our souls. But Paul was given this demon in his flesh (body) to work for his good (Rom. 8:28). Virtually all demons in the body cause physical afflictions or infirmities. (This is not to say that all physical afflictions are caused by demons.) Paul wrote, "For this thing [the aggelos] I besought the Lord thrice, that it [the aggelos] might depart from me" (2 Cor. 12:8). But Jesus told him that His grace was sufficient, that His strength was made perfect in weakness. Paul then wrote that "most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Cor. 12:9).

So, what was the infirmity manifested by the unholy angel (demon) inhabiting Paul's flesh? It was Paul's eyesight. The apostle wrote to the Christians in Galatia that the trial which was in his flesh was not despised nor rejected by them, but that if it had been possible, they would have plucked out their own eyes to give to him (Gal. 4:14-15). In the same epistle the apostle wrote in his concluding remarks, "See what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand" (Gal. 6:11). Paul usually had a scribe to pen his epistles, but sometimes he would write some short portions in letters large enough that he could read what he was writing because of his poor eyesight.

Demons that inhabit the body usually manifest themselves in physical infirmities. Oftentimes the malady cannot be diagnosed by medical doctors because the cause is not a physical virus or anything else that can be detected, but rather by a spiritual, but nonetheless real, being (demon). Most of these demons can readily be cast out unless, as in Paul's case, the demon is sent by the Lord to buffet that person to keep him from being proud or for some other reason. Demons can be sent in this way if a Christian needs chastening by the Lord and that Christian does not respond properly to less severe measures by Him.

Demons can also inhabit the realm of the soul. In these cases there is usually no physical manifestation, but rather deviant or sinful behavior. Severe demonization of this sort results in such things as, for example, being "driven" to lust after women (or men) and other sins. One area in which Christians (and of course non-Christians) are particularly vulnerable to demonization is the occult. This would include consulting horoscopes, Ouija boards, fortune tellers, and so forth. Also, voluntarily listening to many types of rock music available today and reading New Age and other occult books. Another very common means that the enemy of our souls uses to demonize people (including backsliding Christians) is pornographic literature and films. Pornographic literature would include many of the seemingly harmless department store catalogs that Christians bring into their homes. Pornographic films would include even many of the commercial advertisements that many Christians watch on television, not to mention the full-length movies that, according to God, are pornographic regardless of what the courts in this Sodom-and-Gomorrah-Babylonian United States say.

One of the greatest needs in conservative churches today is scriptural teaching about spiritual warfare. Many Christians are living in some measure of defeat because of the inability to recognize demonic influences in their lives.

It is a shame and a disgrace that so many precious Christians are being sent to psychologists and psychiatrists who don't even recognize the reality of the spiritual realm. Beloved brothers and sisters are being tormented by an enemy that is just as real as God's holy angels. And the modern remedy includes everything from sedatives and tranquilizers to electric shock treatments and confinement to mental institutions.

Also, church leaders who are inexperienced in spiritual warfare and deliverance ministry usually don't want to talk about the reality of demons. In fact, the fear of demons comes from the demons themselves. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7).

Much of Jesus' earthly ministry included casting out demons that resulted in healing the victims of physical and mental afflictions. And before He commissioned the Eleven at the end of His ministry, when He sent out the Twelve, part of their charge was to cast out demons (Mat. 10:1-8). And when the Seventy came back from their mission they spoke of how the demons were subject to them through Jesus' name (Lk. 10:1-17). But this authority was not just for the Twelve and the Seventy. Jesus said in Mark 16:17 that "these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils [demons]...."

Not all who have demons or who are oppressed by demons are maniacal like the Gadarene demoniac who wore no clothes and lived in tombs. Jesus delivered a "daughter of Abraham" whom Satan had bound for eighteen years. She had "a spirit of infirmity" that had her bent over and she could not straighten up (Lk. 13:11-16).

Even children can have demons. The Syrophenician mother had a "young daughter who had an unclean spirit" and besought Jesus "that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter" (Mk. 7:25-26). "And there is the account of the man whose son had a demon: "And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father" (Lk. 9:42b).

Not only did the Twelve and the Seventy cast out demons during Jesus' ministry, but later as recorded in the Book of Acts the apostles' ministry included deliverance: "There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one" (5:16). Also, Philip, who was once a deacon and later became an evangelist, ministered to the people in the city of Samaria: "For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them...." (Acts 8:7).

Unclean spirits can even speak through God's people, many times unknown to the victim. "Then Peter took him [Jesus], and began to rebuke him....But he [Jesus] turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan" (Mat. 16:22-23a).

Many times I have heard Christians quote James 4:7 saying, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." But that is the last half of the verse. The first half says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God." Every area of our lives must be in subjection to God. If we do not totally submit to Him, then we give ground to the enemy to influence and defeat us in those areas. And often the work of demons is manifested as a result.

In these perilous last days we must realize who the real enemy is. Paul said, "...We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world...." (Eph. 6:12).

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