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When I was younger, there were some apologetics-related discussions about whether the demon possessions depicted in the New Testament were "real". I mean, those are some pretty crazy stories, right?

Well, it turns out that the Bible is once again right about everything. Demon possession is real, and is readily observable around us today - and in fact, you have to go to great lengths in our hyper-connected world to avoid seeing them. Some may question whether these are "really demons" on some pedantic or skeptical grounds, but here I'm merely using the "duck test" on empirical, observable facts. If it walks like a demon, talks like a demon, and acts like a demon, it's a demon, for our purposes. Indeed some actions among the people today not only match but even exceed the wickedness of the demons in the New Testament.

So, what do we do about that? Popular culture would have us "hunt" or "slay" demons - but they, being spirits, are generally not amenable to physical force, and they may even grow stronger as a result. Furthermore, we must not "demonize" the people they possess. That is the exact opposite of what we want. Our fight is not against flesh and blood. We must save and help these people if at all possible, and it is ultimately out of love for them that we fight their demons in the first place.

But still, what do we do with these people? How do we "un-demonize" them? Well, we do what Jesus did: we exorcise the demons, and restore the person back to their own sound mind and body. But still, what does that mean, in concrete terms? Although there is no step-by-step procedural checklist, here are some useful things you can try:

We can call people to repentance. The great thing here is that this can be exceedingly wide-ranging in how it affects the other person. A very gentle call to repentance could just be: "dude, c'mon", with the other person replying "oops, okay". On the other hand, a call to repentance can be so harsh that the other person will choose to die rather than repent. In this, as in all the techniques here, you need skill and wisdom.

We can speak the truth. The devil is a liar and the father of lies, and his minions also use the same technique. Lies may, in fact, be their only real power, as they cannot create anything of their own. So they use their lies to kill, steal, and destroy. If you see any of that going on, your counterattack begins with the truth.

We can be the light that illuminates that truth. This is a step beyond just "speaking the truth": light actually helps people to see the truth for themselves, and can direct their attention specifically to the true way they should go - the way to life and victory.

We can give the other person life, and that more abundantly. Insofar as providing people with material goods, social structures, or sound advice can make a difference, we help them live their best lives - to be healthy, happy, and good. We thus banish their demons.

We do all this in the name of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, the light of the world and God's love incarnate. Apart from him, we can do nothing. Note that this doesn't meant that we should go up to random people and say "I exorcise you in the name of JEEE-SUS!". We do not go around spamming our Ultimate indiscriminately. Not all who say "Lord, Lord" are genuine, and we are not to use God's name in vain. Instead, let your conversations be seasoned with salt, and your company be like the curtains that softly illuminate the room through filtered sunlight. There may be a time for directly invoking Jesus, as there may be times for eating pure salt or looking directly at the sun. But they should be rare and only be used for maximal effectiveness.

At this point, you may think that all this is just a fancy way of talking about common things. Aren't "demons" here just bad ideologies, or substance addictions, or generational trauma, or echo chambers? Isn't "fighting demons" just having good conversations and healthy routines and honest debates and helping people, and things like that? Well, these can be specific instances of what I mean, and if they help your understanding as examples, by all means use them. But do not be mistaken: these are mere shadows. They manifest as "real" in our world, but they are just projections of higher things in the ultimate reality, in the realm of the spirits. And there, angels and demons are real in a way that's independent of any one instance.

And here is how we know that demons are not just phenomena that we've labeled as "bad", but really something that's accurately described in the Bible: because they really do behave in the way that the Bible describes them, in a way that we would not have guessed of merely "bad" things. You see, they really do shriek and scream when people pray around them. They really do twist and convulse when people try to exorcise them. They really do flee from the light, because they love the darkness, and cannot bear to be exposed. They have their demonic strongholds - their own platforms, institutions, safe spaces, and whatnot - to hide from the fearsome name of Jesus. Again, all these things can be readily observed in the world today.

And on the flip side, the stories of fighting demons - not just in Christianity, but also from other cultures blessed with common grace - are also true. They really do burn in sacred light. The sword of the spirit can banish them by the myriads. A holy warrior, mighty in word and deed, really can drive them out by his mere presence, and cause them to tremble with just the mention of his name. And his finest techniques, ancestral in origin and honed over his lifetime, really can obliterate them across the whole land.

At this point, I have to be careful not to grow proud. Fighting demons necessarily presupposes that I have a dimension of righteousness that the demon-possessed does not. To overcome a strong man, you must be stronger still. And some demons are very strong. Some cannot be banished except through fasting and much prayer. Some hold sway over many nations with an apocalyptic power. And I am just a man, with the dividing line between good and evil going through my own heart. I may even have been influenced by demons in writing very this post, although my conscience is clear to the limit of my best ability.

This is why I cannot rely on my own strength or righteousness, but solely on that of Christ Jesus. I cannot face such powers alone. And even if I could, no matter how good I am at fighting demons, I must take care not to become one myself - which is exactly what will happen if I become proud and fall away from Christ. Because ultimately, demons are just those that are anti-aligned with Christ, whether you're a man or a spirit.

This is why Christ is essential. If we remain in him and him in us, we can do all things. Through him we can conquer kingdoms, endure hardships, and establish justice, fighting demons the whole way while making the earth a little bit more like heaven each day. And one day, all the demons will have been swallowed up in victory, and our fight will be finally over, when Christ is above all things.