For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Larry Stephens
Brother Houdman, You clearly know your Bible and I enjoy reading your answers. When I was younger - in my 40's - I thought my Bible and I knew the answer to all of life's questions. As I have aged life has taught me that sometimes there is no substitute for living life and watching God work. Some call this experience.
Regarding today's question I agree with your points. However, about 15 years ago I helped a friend found a ministry that deals with Theophostic Inner Healing. He had helped my son so I helped him. He had been abused as a child and suffered for decades from addiction.
God has used him mightily in many ways but to the point of your "answer" today he has seen countless cases - some of which I have observed - of Christians - Believers who have fallen into or back into a pattern of sin and have willingly and repeatedly through poor choices and lack of discipline given a demon a foothold, a stronghold and they take up residence and continually torture the believer in their area of weakness. Is the Holy Spirit "greater?" Of course there is no doubt. I believe these believers are marked, sealed with the Holy Spirit for eternal salvation. However, in the here and now Christians are still human and sin and some sin repeatedly - alcohol, drugs and pornography being the main causes he sees - which allows satan's hordes to take advantage of the stronghold offered to them by the Christians repeated sin. Larry Stephens
Kene Bryant
Hope this helps
Matthew 12:43-45
43 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.
44 Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.
45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation." (Matthew 12:43, ESV)
Luke 11:24-26
24 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'
25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.
26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first." (Luke 11:24, ESV)