From the Scriptures and first-hand stories already mentioned below, there’s no question that demons still exist today. The Bible is clear that “your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). But Satan is only one being, and he’s not omnipresent, so his demons do a lot of his dirty work for him.

As to whether or not demons or evil spirits can possess people today the way they did during the time Jesus walked the earth, there seems to be strong evidence that this can and does happen, especially in those areas where occult practices and spirit worship are more prevalent.

I remember walking through Jackson Square in New Orleans several years ago when a voodoo woman looked at me when I was attempting to take a photographof her from what I thought was a safe distance. She said if I took the picture, she would lay a curse on me. Needless to say, I took her at her word and walked away without taking the shot. Was this woman possessed? Probably not, but I did have a real sense that something spiritual was going on, and it wasn’t the Holy Spirit, I’ll tell you that!

Certainly this voodoo woman could have been possessed, although I’m not sure I would have known. It’s not liked possessed people always act like Linda Blair in The Exorcist, spewing out green slime, elevating beds, and turning their heads completely around. Demons certainly did bizarre things in Jesus’ time, but that may have been more due to the fact that they found themselves in the presence of the holy God, something that definitely wreaks havoc in the world were principalities and powers dwell.

Though we need to be aware of Satan and his demons, we shouldn’t be pre-occupied with them. If we have the Spirit of Jesus in us, it would seem impossible for a demon to possess us. Harass us for sure, but never possess. At the same time, we need to avoid the temptation to blame the devil for our own sinful desires. Saying “The devil made me do it” is a pretty poor excuse for our own bad behavior.

Now, what about mass murderers and serial killers? Are they demon possessed? Boy, that’s a tough one. Certainly some crimes are so heinous and inhuman, that it’s hard to believe a human being on his own could commit such atrocities. So, it’s entirely possible that certain kinds of criminals, in particular psychotic killers with no apparent moral
conscience, could be acting under the influence of an evil spirit. But we also have to recognize that sin in itself is a powerful and despicable thing that can manifest itself in horrible ways.

Still, we should not live in a spirit of fear, either from evil spirits or from people who may be influenced or possessed by evil spirits. As the Scriptures say, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).