When a person is “possessed” by a demon or has a demon, that person is controlled by a demon. The person is “demon-possessed.” To “cast out” a demon is to cause a demon to leave a person.
A person who is possessed by a demon can sometimes have very great strength. The Gospel of Mark talks about a demon-possessed man who was very strong. The demon made this man too strong for other people to be able to bind him with chains (see: Mark 5:4-5). The demon caused this man to live in tombs and to scream and hurt himself.
A demon can also cause a person to not be able to talk (see: Luke 11:14), to fall down, and to not be able to move (see: Mark 9:17-18). A demon can make a person say what the demon wants the person to say (see: Mark 1:23-24). A demon can cause a person to prophesy (see: Acts 16:16-18). More than one demon can be in a person (see: Mark 5:9-13).
Jesus often cast out demons (see: Matthew 4:24; 8:16; Mark 1:32-34). The demons knew who Jesus was and had to do whatever he said (see: Mark 1:24-27; 5:7, 11-13). Some of the Jewish leaders wrongly thought that Jesus was able to do miracles because he was possessed by a demon (see: Matthew 9:34; John 8:48-49).
Jesus also caused his disciples to be able to cast out demons (see: Matthew 10:1; Luke 10:17-20). Jesus taught that only when a person prays and fasts can some demons be cast out of a person (see: Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29)
A person cannot just say the name of Jesus and then make demons leave someone. Jesus must first give a person the power to cast out demons (see: Acts 19:11-18).
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