What exactly is an unclean spirit?
Asked by: Dr. Wyman Larson DVM | Last update: February 7, 2026Score: 4.1/5 (71 votes)
An unclean spirit, often called a demon in Christianity and Judaism, is a malevolent spiritual entity that is impure, wicked, and hostile to God, causing spiritual defilement and influencing people towards sin, violence, and self-destruction. In scripture, these spirits are associated with mental illness, physical ailments, demonic possession, and behaviors like hatred, greed, and discord, acting as vehicles for evil to separate people from God and community.
What is the meaning of unclean spirit?
unclean spirit. "A man with an unclean spirit" is a fixed state of mind in which the thought of impurity is dominant. The man with the "unclean spirit" (Mark 1:23) may also be said to represent sense consciousness possessed with the thought that it can find satisfaction in the sensations of the flesh.
What makes a person spiritually unclean?
Lord Jesus teaches that words, actions, and thoughts originating from the heart, such as evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, and slander, are what truly make a person unclean before God.
What are the signs of an unclean spirit?
Signs of an Unclean Spirit
- You have no peace in your home.
- You discern something isn't right.
- Someone returned from an international trip and brought back an object.
- Pornography in the home
- Spiritual attacks at home
- After watching something on TV or any other kind of media, one can feel a demonic presence.
When an unclean spirit?
Matthew 12:43-45 New King James Version (NKJV)
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came. ' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF UNCLEAN SPIRITS?
What is considered an unclean person in the Bible?
When we think of something unclean in the Old Testament, we often equate it with something sinful. But an “unclean” status did not necessarily relate to sin. For example, giving birth, having a skin disease, or burying a dead relative all rendered a person “unclean.” Nothing sinful about any of that.
How to rebuke an unclean spirit?
Summary: How to Rebuke Demons Biblically Today
“Devil, I rebuke you in the name of the Lord" [or the similar: " I rebuke you in the name of Jesus"] is an expression often used by many truly sincere, born-again Christians. I've used it myself in time past, sincerely and hopefully.
What are examples of blasphemy against the holy spirit?
The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is when one condemns God's merciful operation and attributes it to evil and to deceiving spirits when that same operation is evidently the Holy Spirit's. The best examples we have are those ones in the Scriptures in Mt 12: 22-32 and Mk 3: 22-30.
What can block the Holy Spirit?
A Believer Can Quench the Holy Spirit.
Unbelief can certainly hinder the working and moving of God's Holy Spirit (see Mark 6:4–5). This sin is also committed when the Holy Spirit leads you to do a certain thing (share your faith, pray more, take a step of faith) and you flatly refuse.
What is the difference between a demon and an unclean spirit?
An unclean spirit is simply a New Testament synonym, a more descriptive Jewish term, for a demon. The terms unclean spirit and demon seem to be interchangeable in Scripture. There is no clear difference in their definitions. Some translations refer to them as “impure spirits.”
What makes a person unclean in God's eyes?
those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defiled a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
What does Isaiah 43-19 really mean?
Isaiah 43:19 means God promises to bring new hope and provision in seemingly impossible situations, making a way through wilderness and rivers in the desert, urging people to look past past troubles and recognize His transformative work that's already beginning. It's a message of restoration, a call to spiritual awareness, and a promise of God's unfailing ability to create new paths and bring life where there appears to be none.
What makes someone spiritually unclean?
But the words that come out of your mouth come from your heart. And they are what make you unfit to worship God. Out of your heart come evil thoughts, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, vulgar deeds, stealing, telling lies, and insulting others. These are what make you unclean.
How to protect yourself from an evil spirit?
Stay Rooted in Prayer: Prayer is one of the most powerful tools we have in spiritual warfare. It's not only a way to communicate with God but also a means of protecting ourselves. Prayer strengthens our relationship with God and invites His power into our circumstances.
What is an unclean person in Ephesians 5/5?
Ephesians 5:5 ESV KJV. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (
How do I know if I've blasphemed the Holy Spirit?
You know you haven't blasphemed the Holy Spirit if you're worried about it, feel guilt, or care that you might have, because the actual sin involves a deliberate, persistent, and unremorseful rejection of God's work, like attributing Jesus' miracles to Satan, as seen with the Pharisees, indicating a hardened heart that refuses to repent, not a heart seeking forgiveness. Intrusive thoughts or past bad behavior aren't this sin; it's a deep, intentional, ongoing defiance where you genuinely don't care about turning back to God.
What are the three sins God will not forgive?
With this declaration, Alma identified for Corianton the three most abominable sins in the sight of God: (1) denying the Holy Ghost, (2) shedding innocent blood, and (3) committing sexual sin.
Can a believer commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
A believer can never commit the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit -- it is impossible for him to do. We know this because the Bible teaches that salvation can never be lost. But if a believer were to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, he or she would certainly be lost. Therefore, a believer cannot commit that sin.
How does the Holy Spirit warn you?
If our thoughts or actions don't agree with Scripture, he alerts us. We feel a check in our spirit, or a sense that what we're doing isn't right. It's a warning designed to steer us away from dangerous or ungodly thoughts or actions.
What are the seven signs you are anointed by God?
Signs of being anointed by God often point to an inner transformation, including a deep hunger for His presence, a clear sense of divine purpose, experiencing peace in chaos, showing the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, patience), a pull towards healing and delivering others, operating with spiritual authority, and sensing God's voice through intuition or revelation. These signs reflect a changed heart, a focus on Jesus' mission, and an empowerment to fulfill God's calling, rather than external success or recognition.
What are signs that God is trying to remove someone from your life?
Signs God might be removing someone include a loss of peace, persistent anxiety, feeling drained, their true negative character being exposed, pulling you from your faith/purpose, or doors constantly closing to keep you apart, indicating the relationship hinders your growth or peace rather than helping it, often for your protection and to make room for something better.
Why is Psalm 109 so powerful?
Psalm 109 is powerful because it's an intense, raw expression of suffering, betrayal, and a desperate cry for God's justice, acting as a prophetic prayer against enemies, often seen as foreshadowing Christ's betrayal by Judas, and providing a model for entrusting extreme vengeance to God rather than taking it oneself, while also teaching about prayer for justice. Its strength comes from its unfiltered anger, its specific curses, and its ultimate surrender of vengeance to God, a difficult but powerful spiritual stance.
What can hinder a prayer for deliverance?
Some people doubt there is a God or doubt He will perform His promises in response to their prayers. As a result, they do not respond to His written Word. This hinders His power on their behalf. Unbelief is when a man knows there is a God, yet does not believe what the Bible says.