Lactantius, writing early in the 4th century after Constantine had assumed power and the persecutions were over, noted in Book 2 of his Divine Institutes that the church was empowered over the demonic. In chapter XVI of Book 2, Lactantius writes concerning demonic entities,

“They (the demonic) do indeed injure, but those only by whom they are feared, whom the powerful and lofty hand of God does not protect, who are uninitiated in the mystery of truth. But they fear the righteous, that is, the worshippers of God, adjured by whose name they depart from the bodies of the possessed.“

Lactantius bears witness that early in the 4th century, the church was effectively engaging the demonic. But now – some 16 centuries later – much (most?) of the church has tragically abrogated its power over the increasing demonic manifestation in our culture. We are instead yielding the battle to those ill-equipped to engage the supernatural. When someone engages in evil long and deep enough, they eventually invite demonic involvment. We now see powerful demonic influence in the form of increasing transgender insanity, pagan worship, occult practices, substance abuse, mass-shootings, child pornography, sexual aberration of all kind, pedophilia, polyamorous relationships, violence, greed, lawlessness, the breakdown of the family unit, insanity, divorce, abortion, and physical attacks. Cities that decades ago were models of peaceful and flourishing civilization adhering to natural law, are now more symptomatic of the lawless culture of Sodom and Gomorrah. Psychiatrists frequently use powerful psychotropic drugs in a futile attempt to control the demonic; at best they induce zombie-like states; at worst they exacerbate the activity of the demonic.

The church alone is empowered by Christ to combat the demonic (James 4:7; Eph 6:11; 1 Pet 5:8; Luke 10:19; 1 John 4:4; etc.) Unfortunately, the church now often ignores the demonic, even rejecting its very existence, and substitutes its divine weapons with the ineffective weapons of the world. They fail to recognize that its weapons are not the weapons of the world (2 Cor 10:4-5). I have personally seen people released from powerful demonic bondage through the power of prayer and the spoken word. We must recognize however that powerful demonic bondage sometimes requires protracted prayer (Mark 9:29). Instead of exercising divine power, the church unfortunately increasingly turns to the world and its ineffective weapons. Demonic activity increases where either (1) the church is not present, or (2) when the church willfully fails to exercise its divine power.

The power against the supernatural does not come from superficial faith and mechanical incantation (see Acts 19:15 which highlights genuine faith in contrast to those who lack authentic power.) The power to combat the demonic is not inherent in superficial, fair-weather Christians; it resides only in those who are born-again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit and who exercise faith. By nature light drives back darkness. Genuine Christians exercising faith, drive back demonic darkness.

The late Walter Martin was an American Baptist Christian minister and author who founded the Christian Research Institute in 1960 as a parachurch ministry specializing as a clearing-house of information in both general Christian apologetics and in countercult apologetics. His classic book “Kingdom Of The Cults”, chronicles the activity of the demonic in the various cults. In a newer book, “The Kingdom Of The Occult”, coauthored after Martin’;s death by Jill Martin Risch (Martin’s daughter), Kurt Van Gorden (Martin’s gifted researcher and friend), and Kevin Rische, he warns of the dangers of false Christians engaging with the demonic, writing, “This is what we find today: people in the world of the occult endorsing Christianity. They go along with the surface of the gospel, but in their hearts, they do not believe it.” He records multiple case studies dealing with the demonic, and documents an experience dealing with a young woman who on the surface had lived a Christian life, but was never a true believer. She played the religious game, was a member of a Christian church, but was not a true believer. The three hours that Martin spent with her changed everything as she was finally set free from the demonic. During Martin’s time with the girl praying for her, he was accompanied by a psychologist who did not believe in the demonic . . . until he walked into that room with Martin and witnessed the results.

Martin writes,

“The early Church considered demon possession a dangerous reality. They dealt with it consistently and effectively, and their efforts remain for posterity. Justin Martyr (c. 150 AD) said in his Dialogue with Trypho, a Jew: “For we call Him (Jesus) Helper and Redeemer, the power of whose name even the demons do fear; and at this day, when they are exorcised in the name of Jesus Christ, crucified under Pontius Pilate, governor of Judaea, they are overcome.” Irenaeus (c. 190 AD) recorded this concerning Christians: “For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ], and join themselves to the Church.” Tertullian (c. 200 AD) discussed the well-known conflict of Christians and demons with Scapula, proconsul of Africa. “As for daemons, we not only abhor them, but we overcome and draw them forth daily, and we drive them out of men, as is known unto very many of yourselves.”

In 1978 Martin said,

“Today, the Christian Church is not on the advance, she is in retreat. The reason she is in retreat is because the world threatens her. About us on every side are people trying to poke holes in Scripture instead of proclaiming Scripture. We are attacked by philosophers, psychologists, and psychiatrists; by the whole massive front of evil, no matter what garb it takes. The idea is to push back the Christian Church. And there is only one way that you can resist such force: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, Says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). It is a grounding in the Word of God, it is a fullness in the Spirit and life, it is the realization that if we are going to be more than conquerors for Christ, then we must have our priorities ordered and we must get into the Scriptures and get out with the answers.”

Almost 50 years later, Martin’s words are prophetic. Our culture is spiraling into darkness, energized by powerful demonic entities. Only the church of Jesus Christ is empowered and equipped to expose and defeat the forces of darkness, freeing those taken captive. Everything else will ultimately fail.