Sin (especially continual, habitual sin) breaks a hole in the protective hedge, many times allowing a demon or demons to actually enter into a person committing the sin. The scriptures are clear: any dealing with the works of satan opens a doorway in a person’s life for the inflow of demonic infestation. God told the Israelites: “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:31). The scriptures are also clear that whatever a man sows that is what he will reap (Galatians 6:7), that the devil works in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), and to not give the devil a foothold in one’s life (Ephesians 4:17). If you have lived a life of blatant rebellion against God then you shouldn’t be surprised if you have issues with demons, whether you are a Christian or non-Christian.
That said, demons do not always automatically leave the body of a demonized person when converted to Christ. The convert may need to have prayer for deliverance.
But one may argue that there are many who live a life of blatant sin but their lives seem to be going well or even “blessed.” Yes, that is true for some people and it is possible the god of this world (satan) is “blessing” them. Satan doesn’t mind if a person has the “good life” as long as that person is on the broad road to destruction – to hellfire. The demons they may have in their life can lie low but will get stirred up and will retaliate against the person if he or she repents and turns to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have experienced this in my life: once I totally repented and submitted my life to Jesus Christ, the host of hell tried to literally kill me. Why? Because once a person turns to Jesus the person becomes a threat to satan’s kingdom since the person can be used by the Holy Spirit for God’s kingdom.
The list is not exhaustive but here are some things that will possibly open a person up to demonic infestation. Some things are due to the person’s own sins and others are due to other people’s sins.
Possible demonic doorways:
New Age meditation [link 2, 3, 4](such as Transcendental Meditation) and New Age visualization.
Practicing yoga [link 2] (or perhaps the practice of pranayama or breathwork).
Involved with kundalini or having a so-called kundalini awakening/arousal/activation.
Laying on of hands from someone who is demonized (demons can transfer), or receiving a shaktipat. Involved in a Fire Tunnel.
Chanting, incantations, or mantras.
Automatic writing, or any kind of channeling [link 2].
Tattoos, especially if the tattoo is an evil figure or an occult symbol. Scarification. Extreme body modification.
Making oaths or pledges (such as to a sorority or fraternity).
Making a blood pact, covenenant, or deal with the devil. “Selling” one’s soul.
Worship of false gods, deities, or idols (or was dedicated to one) such as in Santa Muerte. Ancestor worship.
Doing invocations, or allowing spirits to come inside your body.
Being involved with any Christian cult (or any cult in general), or false religion that denies the deity of Jesus and the everlasting Gospel which includes Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, Scientology, Roman Catholicism, Islam, Black Hebrew Israelite, Freemasonry [link 2], Hinduism, Taoism, Satanism, etc.
Mary idolatry.
Crystal work or crystal healing, any kind of lucky charm, amulet, talisman (such as occult or New Age jewelry) or fetish, and anything “consecrated.”
Indulging in certain Hip Hop or Rock music [link 2].
Indulging in pornography [link 2, 3]
The practice of fornication [link 2], oral sex, sodomy or homosexual sex, or masturbation. Involved in incest; bestiality; adultery.
Being unequally yoked with an unbeliever.
Involved in any form of divination such as consulting a psychic or an oracle, fortune-telling, I Ching, numerology, astrology, horoscopes, dowsing (or water witching), tarot cards (or oracle cards, angel cards, etc.), palm reading, scrying (such as crystal grazing, hydromancy, etc.), a pendulum, geomancy, or contacting the “dead” (necromancy) as in a séance or divination games such as Charlie Charlie. Playing with an Ouija Board even on a smartphone.
Anything that alters the consciousness, especially drugs (this is a huge demonic door opener and a very common one) such as smoking marijuana, DMT, ayahuasca, crystal meth, LSD, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, etc. Perhaps even some pharmaceutical drugs such as Adderall.
Drunkenness.
Listening to binaural beats or New-Age frequency sounds. Perhaps listening to subliminals.
Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy.
Reiki [link 2] (or energy healing), anything to do with mystical energies (such as qi), or occult healing (a huge demonic door opener). Also being involved with Massage Therapy, Therapeutic Touch, CranioSacral Therapy, Shiatsu, Network Spinal Analysis, or Reconnective Healing®. Being a “lightworker” or involved with “light language.”
New Age Medical practices such as muscle testing (applied kinesiology). Diagnosed by an occult practitioner such as an Iridologist. Acupuncture.
Qigong, Tai Chi, and the mystical side of Martial Arts.
Opening the “third eye”.
Involved in any kind of occult activity, spell or magic (whether black or white), charming, witchcraft, spiritualism or spirituality such as Winti, Umbanda, Macumba, Candomblé, Santeria, Obeah, Juju (or ju-ju), hoodoo, and Voodoo (this is a huge demonic door opener). Also involved with shamanism [link 2], a witch doctor (another huge demonic door opener), traditional healer (or sangoma), spiritual guru, medium, spiritualist, magician, soothsayer, seer, sorcerer, yogi or the like. Also involved with a psychic healer or psychic surgeon. Involved in any pagan ritual or “cleansing”.
Watching horror movies.
Involvement with abortion or shedding innocent blood. Involved in a blood sacrifice.
Deliberately astral projecting, or remote viewing.
Method acting.
Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, World of Warcraft, Yu-Gi-Oh!, or similar games; certain video games.
Calling upon spirit guides or ascended masters. Angel contact, consciousness, or work. Involvement with or praying to angels of the new age/occult.
Involved in ghost hunting.
Unwilling to forgive and having bitterness. Extreme hatred towards another.
Being a worker of iniquity (stripper or frequenting strip clubs, prostitution or fornicating with prostitutes, involved in gang activity, selling drugs, stealing, constantly lying, infidelity, direct rebellion against God or parents, backsliding, etc.).
Idle words.
Involved with developing or trying to develop psychic or ESP abilities such as telekinesis/psychokinesis, or telepathy; involved with mind control.
Cursing God.
Giving in to irrational fits of rage or anger.
Extreme pride.
Not necessarily open doorways for demons to be inside your body but possible demonic open doorways into your home:
Cursed objects such as dream catchers, talismans, amulets, charms, occult or New Age jewelry, a pentagram, etc.
Any occult or New Age items such as ouija boards, a voodoo doll, etc. Certain occult and magic books can also have demonic attachments such as the 6th and 7th Book of Moses.
Tribal objects such as masks or anything consecrated or used in false religions.
Any idols such as Buddha, Hindu “gods”, or Mary statues.
In or near an area where spiritualistic activity was performed (perhaps someone who lived in the home before you played with the Ouija board).
Doorways you may not have opened directly but someone else has opened:
A victim of sexual abuse or molestation (a huge demonic door opener).
Generational curses (perhaps one’s ancestors were involved with witchcraft, the occult, or Freemasonry).
A victim of black magic – a witchcraft spell, curse or hex (such as eating cursed foods or drinks; or being charmed). Word curses.
Was dedicated to the demonic realm.
Perhaps childhood trauma.
Possible signs or symptoms of demonization or demon possession:
Feeling or sensing the demons moving on the inside of you (can feel like an “energy” or “electricity” crawling underneath the skin, etc.); can feel the pains move around. Feeling pressure or tightness and movement in the head or eyes and stomach areas.
Will have strong, inner compulsions to do bad things that are not in their normal behavior patterns, like having bad thoughts or feelings to commit suicide, murder, or molest.
Have very strong addictions to things such as drugs, alcohol, pornography, or masturbation; in bondage or a slave to a certain sin.
Very manipulative and controlling; extremely sensual and seductive (could be a Jezebel spirit). Narcissistic.
Having multiple personalities, or an “alternate ego.” Seems to suddenly become another person.
Intense uncontrollable rage; sudden outburst of anger; extremely violent. Abusive. A psychopath.
Very heavy, uncontrollable twitching type activity on certain parts of their bodies like their face or arms. Feel strange vibrations of the body or parts of the body.
A compulsive desire to curse and blaspheme God and Jesus.
The demons can sometimes control the vocal cords and speak right out of the person’s mouth. When this occurs, the tone of the person’s voice could change, like a woman speaking out in a man’s deep, husky, or raspy voice. Demons can also emit animal-like sounds out of a person’s mouth and vocal cords, like the hissing of a snake, the growling of a lion or tiger, and the howl and/or snarl like a wolf. They can also let out very loud screams and yells, especially when being directly confronted by the deliverance minister during the actual deliverance itself.
Various types of facial contortions, such as stretching the skin of the face into a contorted, hissing-like expression.
Various types of bodily contortions like people slithering across the floor like snakes, getting on all fours and barking like dogs, growling like lions, or howling like wolves. Strangely stretching out their spines, fingers, and hands locking up and going rigid, and demons grabbing a hold of a person’s throat to try to stop him/her from talking with a deliverance minister. The demons can also whip the head in a very rapid side-to-side type movement, stretch the neck out as far as it will go, along with jolting portions of the body causing those portions to move in a very rapid side-to-side type movement.
Having glazed eyes or a filmy look, slit eyes, blank stare type eyes, black eyes, or eyes that roll backward where all you see are the whites of the eyes (especially when receiving deliverance prayer). Eyes that are evil-looking. One can see another spirit through the eyes.
Hearing voices or having tormenting thoughts in your head. Sometimes hear words accusing you, putting you down, blaspheming God, or compelling you to commit murder or other criminal acts; very intrusive thoughts; severe emotional or mental torments (I would say there is almost a 100% certainty of having demons with this symptom).
Extreme pride or arrogance. May have a mocking smile or laughter when receiving prayer for deliverance. Demons are very proud (read about Leviathan).
Engaging in self-harm acts such as self-mutilation or cutting; uncontrollably crying out loud (Mark 5:5).
Perhaps most, if not all, mental illnesses or disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar, obsessive-compulsive disorder, neurosis, etc.
Epileptic seizures; convulsions.
Sicknesses that doctors can’t detect. Many diseases and physical afflictions can be due to spirits of infirmity (Luke 13:11). Blindness (Matthew 12:22), deafness, being mute (Mark 9:17), and having a bent back or crippled (Luke 13:11-17) can be demonically caused. Perhaps Morgellons disease and fibromyalgia are demonically caused.
Thrown to the ground, fire, or water; foaming at the mouth; gnashing of teeth; becoming rigid (Matthew 17:15; Mark 9:14-29).
Having a choking sensation; dizziness; or blackouts. Falling into a trance or fainting during (deliverance) prayer.
Having a very hard time praying (for instance, demons can confuse your words when praying), and reading or hearing from their Bible. Overwhelmed with slumber when reading the Bible. An aversion to worship.
Wanting to flee from the presence of Christians – feel uncomfortable around them. Has agitation before a deliverance minister or before receiving prayer for deliverance.
Inability or resistance to confess the biblical Jesus Christ.
A feeling of heaviness or oppression. Strong depression. Melancholia.
Uncontrollable or very powerful feelings of lust. Strong impulses or thoughts or feelings of sexual perversity (e.g. homosexuality, pedophilia, etc.). A sexual abuser.
Having psychic, clairvoyant, or mediumistic abilities.
An irrational extreme hatred for a people group (e.g., Jews, the Church, etc.).
Speaking in a foreign language that the person never learned before; demonic “tongues.”
In regards to children: extremely defiant, rebellious, out of control, violent, and hateful towards parents.
Terrifying doubt of one’s salvation, even though one once knew the joy of this salvation.
Hyperventilation and shortness of breath with no medical cause.
Feel like you are being constricted, much like a snake constricts its prey.
Constant anxiety, terrifying panic attacks, or other abnormal fears. Extreme restlessness, especially in a Christian environment.
Compulsive desire to tear other people down, even if it means lying to do so. The vicious cutting use of the tongue may well be demonic.
Dreams and nightmares that are of a horrific, recurring nature. Clairvoyant dreams– dreams that later come true– may be demonic. Frequent dreams of dead people or death; or dreams of a (horrid) sexual nature.
Constantly seeing the same number groupings.
Thinking you are being gang-stalked without any substantial evidence or when it hasn’t been confirmed by another person. Scared all the time or paranoid.
Superhuman strength (Mark 5:3-4).
Kundalini symptoms.
Scratches or bruises on the body that didn’t come from any natural source. Having a burning or stinging sensation as if from scorpions with no medical cause.
Alien Hand Syndrome (a person’s hand involuntary tries to harm the person).
Insomnia.
Having a warped and distorted character: hard, egoistic persons; uncongenial, dark nature.
Macabre imaginations; very dark, twisted fantasies. Overwhelming impure thoughts.
Tourette Syndrome – tics, vocal or physical repetitions such as grunts, hissing, swearing, blasphemy, and jerking part of the body.
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Headaches without any medical cause.
Chronic memory or concentration deficits with no organic or traumatic cause.
Issues with gluttony.
Having a messiah complex.
Feelings of depersonalization and/or derealization.
Powerful attraction to the occult and witchcraft.
Extremely low self-image (unworthy, a failure, no good, constant undermining of the self-identity).
Irrational guilt or self-condemnation to the extreme.
Lying, exaggerating, or stealing compulsively, often wondering why.
Questions and challenges to God’s Word.
Sudden temporary interference with bodily functions — buzzing in ears, hypersensitivity in hearing or touch, chills or overwhelming heat in the body, numbness in arms or legs, temporary paralysis.
Very bizarre and erratic behavior.
Simply felt an evil spirit enter one’s body.
Feels like something is stuck or lodged in one’s throat.
Perhaps gender dysphoria (feeling like the gender that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth), and other dysphorias.
Seeing demonic images while eyes closed.
Signs of demonic activity (may not necessarily be because of demonization):
Seeing orbs or strange lights.
Catching shadows or streaks out of the corner of your eye or peripheral vision.
Seeing apparitions [link 2]; “aliens“.
Poltergeist activity: hearing knocking, tapping, scratching, or footsteps; items being moved around the house, etc.
Hearing voices, breathing, growling, barking, pig-like noises, or hissing in your ear as you start to fall asleep.
Strange smells like smoke, burnt moldy wood, badly burned pork, rotten eggs, sulfur, etc.
Sleep Paralysis, hypnic jerk, being slapped, or touched while sleeping.
Waking up and seeing gray, black, or pale greenish/gray clouds.
Pets appear to see things that you can’t. In many cases, the animal will interact with something or appear fearful.
You feel like you are constantly being watched.
Electronics malfunction. Lights flicker, light bulbs blow, etc.
Synchronicities keep occurring. You keep seeing specific number patterns (“angel numbers”), like 444 or 11:11 on the clock or other repeating numbers.
Frequent or strange accidents.
Sexually assaulted or tempted by evil spirits.
People attacking or hating you for no valid reason.
Apports, deports, translocation, dematerialization.
Feel like there is a hindrance (1 Thess. 2:18).
In regards to children, having an evil imaginary friend. Seeing an evil entity (“boogie monster”) such as in the closet or under the bed.
An unsettling presence or spirit “camping” in a certain area of your home.
[Note: I have come across some people where there had been no apparent doorway for the enemy to afflict him or her. And there were no generational curses that we could identify. I believe in such cases God may be testing the person’s faith. Job was a man who was blameless before God but God allowed satan to afflict him with boils (Job 2:6). God allowed the apostle Paul to have a messenger (or angel) from satan in his flesh, which he called a thorn, to buffet him to keep him humble (Corinthians 12:7-9). The following scripture can apply to such people who are being afflicted:
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12). Yes, those who truly live for Jesus Christ will suffer persecution in some form or another (2 Timothy 3:12).
For many years I got attacked constantly by the enemy even though I wasn’t practicing any sins. The more I prayed or the more I did some good works for the Lord, the more the enemy retaliated. It’s not an easy path to really live for Jesus Christ as the scriptures read, “…Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).]