Can A Spirit-Filled Believer Have A Demon?

[votivesoul]

The thorn in the flesh, was first, an idiomatic expression.

However, the thorn, as I see it, relates back to "the buffeting", and not to the agent of the the buffeting (i.e. the messenger of Satan).

Also note that this infirmity was ordained by the Lord in order to keep Paul humble. If Paul was as literally demonized as has been suggested, we then have a case of Christ intentionally using the devil to afflict one of His own.

But we are taught differently. We are taught that the Son of God was manifest to destroy the works of the devil.

Furthermore, Paul's calling by Christ, was in part, to turn people away from Satan unto the Living God. Paul was shown how many things he must suffer for the Lord's sake. But that suffering was the Lord's will on account of the calling: i.e. an apostle, who God has ordained to be last (e.g. offscouring of the world, and etc.).

So, if we want an example of someone physically afflicted by a demon to the point of fleshly malaise, we would do better to look at the woman, the "daughter of Abraham", bound by Satan for 18 years, who was healed by the Lord in the Gospel of Luke.