Many, most or some will disagree with this, however I will tell you straight:
In the Book of Enoch which is still in the Catholic Bible and was removed from the Protestant Bible when the Jews revised the Masoretic text and decided the Book of Enoch and some others were not "inspired". However the Book of Enoch is still quoted in the Protestant Bible.
Anyway....
The Book of Enoch says demons are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim. This makes sense if you consider the Nephilim as offspring from immortal fallen angels and mortal man.
Fallen angels are powerful celestial beings that have rebelled against God and were cast down to earth. Some have been imprisoned, some roam free and some of the imprisoned will be released in the last days, however all await the judgement of God.
1st peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
5:8 � Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
5:10 � But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
It is no coincidence that humility and pride are written in context, when it comes to satan must christians are in pride about the topic.
The authority over demons on the earth's is ours, the authority is not in heaven until Satan is put in the pit, it goes back to the Garden and agreeing with scripture the earth was given to Adam and Eve.
Their sin did not start with eating, their sin started with not exercising their dominion over the serpent.
"Their sin did not start with eating, their sin started with not exercising their dominion over the serpent."
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PJ,
This is where we might differ in our thinking:
I think our sin started with not resisting the serpent. Sure we were given dominion over the earth, however Satan is a intruder to earth, he was cast down to it and I don't see anywhere that we have dominion over him....yet. But through Jesus we do have the power to resist him which is the power we lost in the fall and the power Jesus bought back for us!
Just that, most Christians have no Idea what is meant by Spiritual Authority.
God is sovereign over all things.....lie
Man initially had the sovereignty on the earth and in his sin he gave it to Satan.
Satan has done a good job causing Christians to be believe he is not God of this world, Jesus had to come as a man in a body because it was man that gave Satan his authority or dominion. Jesus had to take back that dominion as a man, but it does not negate Satan's place of dominion until he is put in the pit.
The church or the body of Christ is supposed to be in dominion on the earth today.
This is how Satan has so lied to the church about the health and wealth Gospel as some call it.
James makes one Good point about church history, we should look at church history but that reflects the book of "Acts", there are plenty of men and women that have walked just as in the book of Acts, but today some of the church trys to say that is the devil, is it not amazing christians can say Satan can produce life.
Why Did men like Charles Finney go into Cities and get must of the city saved, and not only that but known for having more people continue to walk with the lord.
You can not do it without fully understand your authority over Satan, and the power of prayer, or intercession for the lost.
Why Could men like John G lake clear out complete hospitals?