Reformed books on angels and demons?

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SolaScriptura

Puritanboard Brimstone
Some ladies in my church decided to read and study the old Frank Peretti book, "This Present Darkness" as a way to study angels and demons. I'm happy they are interested in studying, but I'm not at all happy about the book as it is egregiously bad. I want to suggest some positive alternatives, though I understand that a nonfiction work won't be as captivating and enjoyable a read as a fiction book... I'm not aware of many good books on the topic of angels and demons from a solid biblical perspective, much less a Reformed one. I do know about Sproul's book "Unseen Realities," but are there any others you would recommend?
 
Perhaps something more 'enjoyable' may be a video/audio lecture? Ligonier has this series that can be previewed for free and purchased for relatively cheap. If you have an account with Right Now Media they have most if not all of Ligonier's stuff streaming for free.
 
Sproul has a book that goes with those lectures. That's the only book that comes to mind. I haven't read it.
 
Poythress's stuff (articles and lectures) are really good. While he is not reformed, JP Moreland has good takes on it. I mention him because he is a world-class analytic philosopher and so is not one "easily taken in" by gullible claims.
 
I'm interested in good materials as well in regards to this area.

While we're on this subject, something really weird happened to me the other day: I was at work walking down a hallway and I heard a loud whisper behind me say "Ryan", which is my name. There was no one around and I still don't know what to think about it. Any thoughts? Could this be demonic?
 
I'm interested in good materials as well in regards to this area.

While we're on this subject, something really weird happened to me the other day: I was at work walking down a hallway and I heard a loud whisper behind me say "Ryan", which is my name. There was no one around and I still don't know what to think about it. Any thoughts? Could this be demonic?

Was the whisper external or internal? It *could* be demonic and while I am no expert, and while I am more inclined to view such happenings than most, I have reservations it was demonic. At least, simply saying your name isn't demonic activity. though, of course, I have no idea what it was.
 
It was so strange; it came from behind me. It was loud enough to where I thought I was going to turn around and see someone standing there. It was external and I kept turning around to try to make sure there wasn't actually someone there. The strange thing though, is that there are multiple people who have claimed to have had weird things happen to them at my job. I work at an assisted living facility where many people have died. I always try to be rational and not ascribe random things to the spiritual realm, but this was strange. I don't believe in ghosts, so that's why I am wondering if something demonic was happening.

One nurse saw a fog move through a room into a wall, one nurse's phone randomly took a picture and it had a deceased resident's face in the photo, and one nurse walked into a resident's room who has Alzheimer's, and saw a deceased resident sitting on the bed next to the alive resident, and the resident with Alzheimer's told the nurse to get that lady out of her room. Really weird things, and I don't know how true they are, as I didn't see them for myself.
 
One nurse saw a fog move through a room into a wall, one nurse's phone randomly took a picture and it had a deceased resident's face in the photo, and one nurse walked into a resident's room who has Alzheimer's, and saw a deceased resident sitting on the bed next to the alive resident, and the resident with Alzheimer's told the nurse to get that lady out of her room. Really weird things, and I don't know how true they are, as I didn't see them for myself.

I would have to see it to believe it. People have pretty vivid imaginations, and I reckon that if people are already expecting ghostly or supernatural encounters, then they're more likely to imagine it. If your coworkers already believe that the place is haunted or whatever, it should be no surprise when they experience these mysterious (and apparently unverified) happenings.

Also, memory is notoriously doubtful as it is constantly being revised. People will often remember something definitely, even if it is contradicted by video evidence. (Such things happen in courtrooms all the time.)

As for hearing your name spoken, I've heard that this is apparently a common psychological phenomenon. As I understand it, we are wired to recognize our names as a social necessity, so sometimes our brains will mistakenly recognize other sounds as our names. This happens to me fairly often, usually when I'm alone with other people within earshot. My brain seems to tend to interpret one of their words as my name. In your case, if there was no one else around, it could have been any small noise.

Or it could just be someone in the rafters playing tricks on you. :)

In any case, while I cannot definitely know what happened to you or your coworkers, I would be extremely hesitant to label such seemingly small mysteries 'demonic activity'.

(And sorry that this is somewhat off topic.)
 
I haven't read the material myself but I've heard some stuff of Spurgeon's recommended by others. Maybe someone else knows....
 
It was so strange; it came from behind me. It was loud enough to where I thought I was going to turn around and see someone standing there. It was external and I kept turning around to try to make sure there wasn't actually someone there. The strange thing though, is that there are multiple people who have claimed to have had weird things happen to them at my job. I work at an assisted living facility where many people have died. I always try to be rational and not ascribe random things to the spiritual realm, but this was strange. I don't believe in ghosts, so that's why I am wondering if something demonic was happening.

One nurse saw a fog move through a room into a wall, one nurse's phone randomly took a picture and it had a deceased resident's face in the photo, and one nurse walked into a resident's room who has Alzheimer's, and saw a deceased resident sitting on the bed next to the alive resident, and the resident with Alzheimer's told the nurse to get that lady out of her room. Really weird things, and I don't know how true they are, as I didn't see them for myself.

On one hand, I try to avoid the materialistic reduction of "Well it can't really be real because it doesn't match my presuppositions of what is possible," and the other temptation to reduce everything to demons (and most charismatics I know don't actually do that. Once you start fighting demons you begin to develop rigorous standards of evidence). So here is my take:

1) Post-death survival of the soul out of the body, besides being an embarrassing Christian fact, is more and more attested in studies.
2) Gregory of Nyssa suggested (though didn't argue for it) that what we call "ghosts" or spirits can occupy "thin" spaces.
3) We are only beginning to understand the nature of consciousness and even matter. There could be myriads of other "fields" of which we have no clue.
 
It was so strange; it came from behind me. It was loud enough to where I thought I was going to turn around and see someone standing there. It was external and I kept turning around to try to make sure there wasn't actually someone there. The strange thing though, is that there are multiple people who have claimed to have had weird things happen to them at my job. I work at an assisted living facility where many people have died. I always try to be rational and not ascribe random things to the spiritual realm, but this was strange. I don't believe in ghosts, so that's why I am wondering if something demonic was happening.

One nurse saw a fog move through a room into a wall, one nurse's phone randomly took a picture and it had a deceased resident's face in the photo, and one nurse walked into a resident's room who has Alzheimer's, and saw a deceased resident sitting on the bed next to the alive resident, and the resident with Alzheimer's told the nurse to get that lady out of her room. Really weird things, and I don't know how true they are, as I didn't see them for myself.

On one hand, I try to avoid the materialistic reduction of "Well it can't really be real because it doesn't match my presuppositions of what is possible," and the other temptation to reduce everything to demons (and most charismatics I know don't actually do that. Once you start fighting demons you begin to develop rigorous standards of evidence). So here is my take:

1) Post-death survival of the soul out of the body, besides being an embarrassing Christian fact, is more and more attested in studies.
2) Gregory of Nyssa suggested (though didn't argue for it) that what we call "ghosts" or spirits can occupy "thin" spaces.
3) We are only beginning to understand the nature of consciousness and even matter. There could be myriads of other "fields" of which we have no clue.

So your "take" is that you think people are seeing ghosts?
 
It was so strange; it came from behind me. It was loud enough to where I thought I was going to turn around and see someone standing there. It was external and I kept turning around to try to make sure there wasn't actually someone there. The strange thing though, is that there are multiple people who have claimed to have had weird things happen to them at my job. I work at an assisted living facility where many people have died. I always try to be rational and not ascribe random things to the spiritual realm, but this was strange. I don't believe in ghosts, so that's why I am wondering if something demonic was happening.

One nurse saw a fog move through a room into a wall, one nurse's phone randomly took a picture and it had a deceased resident's face in the photo, and one nurse walked into a resident's room who has Alzheimer's, and saw a deceased resident sitting on the bed next to the alive resident, and the resident with Alzheimer's told the nurse to get that lady out of her room. Really weird things, and I don't know how true they are, as I didn't see them for myself.

On one hand, I try to avoid the materialistic reduction of "Well it can't really be real because it doesn't match my presuppositions of what is possible," and the other temptation to reduce everything to demons (and most charismatics I know don't actually do that. Once you start fighting demons you begin to develop rigorous standards of evidence). So here is my take:

1) Post-death survival of the soul out of the body, besides being an embarrassing Christian fact, is more and more attested in studies.
2) Gregory of Nyssa suggested (though didn't argue for it) that what we call "ghosts" or spirits can occupy "thin" spaces.
3) We are only beginning to understand the nature of consciousness and even matter. There could be myriads of other "fields" of which we have no clue.

So your "take" is that you think people are seeing ghosts?

I don't think so. At least not "ghosts" that we traditionally associate with the term. Sometimes ghost sighting are tricks of light, others are overactive psyches. But I do think there exists a category that doesn't quite fall into either. I don't want to call them "ghosts" in the Sixth Sense sense of the word, since that implies stuff about eschatology.
 
The book referenced by link in post #4, Satan Cast Out, by Frederick S. Leahy (BOT), is considered by many a Reformed classic on the topic. David Powlison of CCEF wrote Power Encounters (Baker), as a refutation of the spiritual warfare movement among the Charismatics and others.

I also like Jessie Penn-Lewis' and Evan Roberts' War on the Saints, which came out of the excesses of the Welch revival of around 1904-6 (Penn-Lewis was a Calvinistic Methodist, after Martin Lloyd-Jones). Here is an online version of it: http://www.apostasynow.com/wots/Contents.html . Please note that I do not endorse any other material on the Apostasy Now site, but am grateful they published this online, plus give info on where hardcopies may be bought. Also note that it is this unabridged version that is of value.

This is a topic over which there is much disagreement here on PB; personally, I think there is a "Reformed allergy" to knowing about any spiritual activity outside the kingdom of God (like, even our sound doctrine and practice cannot keep satanic deception and influence at bay). In other words, we need to watch and pray, and ask for discernment in these days of increasing occult activity, and psychedelic drug use (as in marijuana, even among Christians).
 
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This is a topic over which there is much disagreement here on PB; personally, I think there is a "Reformed allergy" to knowing about any spiritual activity outside the kingdom of God (like, even our sound doctrine and practice cannot keep satanic deception and influence at bay). In other words, we need to watch and pray, and ask for discernment in these days of increasing occult activity, and psychedelic drug use (as in marijuana, even among Christians).

Indeed I have such an "allergy" in trying to discern what is going on in the kingdom of God in the spiritual realm. ;)
 
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The book referenced by link in post #4, Satan Cast Out, by Frederick S. Leahy (BOT), is considered by many a Reformed classic on the topic. David Powlison of CCEF wrote Power Encounters (Baker), as a refutation of the spiritual warfare movement among the Charismatics and others.

I also like Jessie Penn-Lewis' and Evan Roberts' War on the Saints, which came out of the excesses of the Welch revival of around 1904-6 (Penn-Lewis was a Calvinistic Methodist, after Martin Lloyd-Jones). Here is an online version of it: http://www.apostasynow.com/wots/Contents.html . Please note that I do not endorse any other material on the Apostacy Now site, but am grateful they published this online, plus give info on where hardcopies may be bought. Also note that it is this unabridged version that is of value.

This is a topic over which there is much disagreement here on PB; personally, I think there is a "Reformed allergy" to knowing about any spiritual activity outside the kingdom of God (like, even our sound doctrine and practice cannot keep satanic deception and influence at bay). In other words, we need to watch and pray, and ask for discernment in these days of increasing occult activity, and psychedelic drug use (as in marijuana, even among Christians).

Agreed. I've been physically assaulted by Word-of-Faithers, so I cannot be accused of "carrying water for them." On the other hand, I have dealt with demons firsthand, so to write everything off as "hallucination" or "nuh-uh" doesn't account for any of the evidence.
 
A more recent work from a Reformed perspective is Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura's Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective.

I'm guessing that Borgman and Ventura is probably a bit more accessible to the lay-person than Powlison is. Regardless, it is really too bad that Powlison's Power Encounters is not in print in any format. But I'm told that Wipf and Stock can do reprints on demand at a lower price than might be expected.
 
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Jessie Penn-Lewis is controversial because of what has been characterized as a negative influence on Evan Roberts as well as her teaching that a real Christian can be possessed by a demon, which is something that most (non-charismatics and maybe non-Catholics anyway) deny even if they acknowledge demonic activity otherwise. I think this is largely due to the idea that a person who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit cannot also be possessed or controlled by demons. (I'm not looking to argue about the validity of the term possession or oppression, which is what many of the authors themselves use.)

Other books of varying degrees of Reformedness include:

Donald Gray Barnhouse--The Invisible War (If I recall correctly the gap theory is espoused, fairly common in older works. This is where the fall of Satan is typically situated.)

Erwin Lutzer--The Serpent of Paradise (Foreward by Sproul)

Conrad Murrell--Practical Demonology (By a Calvinistic Baptist who was an itinerant evangelist who was also engaged in deliverance ministry for many years. He holds to the gap theory, although I don't know if that comes out directly in the book. (I heard him once say that he held to this moreso due to his demonology instead of geology.) He also teaches that Christians can be "possessed" instead of just "oppressed." Because of this, I was surprised to see a mainstream Calvinistic publisher reissue this a few years ago. My recollection is that he teaches that basically everyone has demons and that usually the demons leave upon conversion, but not always.)

Merrill F. Unger--Biblical Demonology
----------------Demons in the World Today
----------------The Haunting of Bishop Pike
----------------What Demons Can Do to Saints (Also teaches that Christians can be possessed (or in need of exorcism, if we don't like the term possessed.) He followed his teacher L.S. Chafer's teaching on soteriology and so basically taught that if a Christian (defined as a person who believes the right things about Jesus) was "carnal" and especially if he dabbled in the occult, drugs, etc. that he could be demonized. In his first two books, he denied that a Christian could be demonized in this way, but he was later persuaded otherwise. This book has a useful bibliography that includes books up to the early 80s or so.
 
Jessie Penn-Lewis is controversial because of what has been characterized as a negative influence on Evan Roberts as well as her teaching that a real Christian can be possessed by a demon, which is something that most (non-charismatics and maybe non-Catholics anyway) deny even if they acknowledge demonic activity otherwise. I think this is largely due to the idea that a person who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit cannot also be possessed or controlled by demons. (I'm not looking to argue about the validity of the term possession or oppression, which is what many of the authors themselves use.)

Other books of varying degrees of Reformedness include:

Donald Gray Barnhouse--The Invisible War (If I recall correctly the gap theory is espoused, fairly common in older works. This is where the fall of Satan is typically situated.)

Erwin Lutzer--The Serpent of Paradise (Foreward by Sproul)

Conrad Murrell--Practical Demonology (By a Calvinistic Baptist who was an itinerant evangelist who was also engaged in deliverance ministry for many years. He holds to the gap theory, although I don't know if that comes out directly in the book. (I heard him once say that he held to this moreso due to his demonology instead of geology.) He also teaches that Christians can be "possessed" instead of just "oppressed." Because of this, I was surprised to see a mainstream Calvinistic publisher reissue this a few years ago. My recollection is that he teaches that basically everyone has demons and that usually the demons leave upon conversion, but not always.)

Merrill F. Unger--Biblical Demonology
----------------Demons in the World Today
----------------The Haunting of Bishop Pike
----------------What Demons Can Do to Saints (Also teaches that Christians can be possessed (or in need of exorcism, if we don't like the term possessed.) He followed his teacher L.S. Chafer's teaching on soteriology and so basically taught that if a Christian was "carnal" and especially if he dabbled in the occult, drugs, etc. that he could be demonized. In his first two books, he denied that a Christian could be demonized in this way, but he was later persuaded otherwise. This book has a useful bibliography that includes books up to the early 80s or so.

Please...not Conrad Murrell's Practical Demonology. I love the man, but this book is very unsound.

We don't have demons of gossip and demons of lust, etc (demons are not bad character traits, but personal entities)., sports. Yet Murrell lists demons of gossip, masturbation, music, and smoking. One preacher had a demon (yes, even preachers and Christians can have demons) had a demon called "Commentaries." So...take your pick of vice or sin and it may be due to a demon.

He also advocates ridding your church building of demons.

If you have crying babies in your church services...well, according to Murrell, they might have a demon.
Since he is influential in my circles I have long thought I needed to do a critique of this book, since its effects live on.
 
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I do not post often, and I'm leery of posting on this topic for personal and ministerial reasons. However, a few points. I think we all agree that demonic entities exist; these entities can oppress/harass Christians--they MAY not possess us; these entities have been crushed by Christ's resurrection and ascension (Ephesians/Colossians). This is not an area for casual study, and a curious peek through the window can open very dangerous doors. Sadly, many clergymen aren't too well equipped to handle this topic. I would seriously recommend the ladies mentioned by the OP forsake this and, instead, study Christ's victory over these entities under the guidance of the TE--whose posts always strike me as balanced and astute.. Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Brooks is an excellent place to start. Gurnall's The Christian in Complete Armor is also a wise choice. The LC on the Law, while not directly an answer to the question, is always profitable and sane and reasonable.
 
An anthropologist friend of mine had a scientific explanation for ghostly phenomenon and at the risk of being laughed off here I will put it forward. The reason why apparitions wear old style clothes and are often only visible from the waist up (appear to be floating or missing legs) is because they are hallucinations caused by electrical charges in the area which trigger ancestral memories in the collective memory of your great grandparents that you inherited in your dna when you were born, this is why you only see half the person because when you look at someone, you only see them from the chest up,
So in other words you are looking at your great grand mothers best friend.

Because our brains are wired like electrical signals, this often happens in areas where there is electrical charges (fault lines where rocks are hard pressed together ect)

Just a theory but I think it explains some things.
 
Hi Chris,

In your post #20 you mention a possible negative influence of Penn-Lewis over Even Roberts. The fizzling out of the Welch Revival after a year or two seems to be due mainly to the lack of Biblical preaching and grounding in the Scriptures under Roberts' leadership. Highly influenced by the Keswick movement's theology, he was greatly enthused yet naive and immature. Penn-Lewis and her husband took him in to recuperate after he suffered a breakdown of some sort.

The criticism of Jessie Penn-Lewis came (comes) primarily from the Charismatic / Pentecostal sector, as she rightly warned of both their excesses and unbiblical teaching and practice. Evidently she also did not agree with Lloyd-Jones' acceptance of the continuing gifts, and a subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit following conversion.

Her view with regard to the demonization of a genuine believer does cause some to look askance at her. However, when a child of God goes into sin—and I am thinking of occult activity, such as the psychedelic drugs of the 60s and 70s (and today!), or naive participation in New Age or occult spirituality—they are not automatically protected from that they have willingly entered into and opened themselves to.

Yes, a soul who belongs to God can never be possessed by demonic forces, for no one can snatch them out of Jesus' or the Father's hand (John 10:27,28,29,30). They are the property of God. But they can be "infiltrated"—for they have opened depths of their souls—and oppressed. There is a naivete which denies this, but Christian workers in some populations (missionaries, etc) see this. Penn-Lewis' work was a help to those coming out of the occult depths of the false but potent paths the countercultures of Woodstock opened up, and the New Age perpetuated.

This is interesting and important stuff, for the times we are in are rife with occult activity.

Pastor Kevin (post 27), I agree with your great caution, though the "dangerous doors" have already been flung wide—and that for half a century!—and discernment along with the word of God are what is needed in such times. "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him" (Isa 59:19). This is partly why I have written the book, A Great and Terrible Love: A Visionary Journey from Woodstock's Sorceries to God's Paradise. That, and as a testimony to this generation—both of the dangers we face, and of the Lord's goodness, love, and saving power.

A better take on Roberts and Penn-Lewis (despite being written by a DTS grad): http://www.restorationgj.com/id139.htm
 
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