The story goes that in May of 1937, Robert Johnson, a small-town blues musician struck a deal with the devil at an infamous crossroad in Cleveland, MS. According to legend, this deal made him one of the world’s most respected and renowned blues artists of all time. From that moment on, Johnson’s career took off as he soared to stardom. Unfortunately, his stardom was short-lived due to his untimely death. Yet decades later, people still long to know whether or not Johnson truly sold his soul, “down at that old crossroads.”
Surprisingly, the conception of this story would give rise to many more just like it. From Ozzy Osbourne, to Santana, to Nicki Minaj, the age-old question still stands: “Can you sell your soul to the Devil?”
There are countless stories found within the New Testament that highlight the reality of a human soul being possessed and/or controlled by a demonic entity. One of the most familiar stories of demonic possession is found in Mark 5, where Jesus encounters a man possessed by not 1…, not 2…, but 1,000 tormenting spirits, as they’re referred to. The story goes that upon seeing Jesus, the demons fall at his feet and beg Him not to send them out of the country. Consequently, they accept a rather wet walk of shame, and the man is restored to his “right mind.”
This story highlights a few key points that give us handles for answering the question: is it possible to sell your soul to the Devil? Before we address our story, let me set a few theological safeguards in place.
The soul is our very self without God.
The soul is a medium between our bodies and our spirits, existing not in physical nature, but in psychological nature. Our souls house our personalities, who we are, and our human-bred desires. With our souls, we think, reason, feel, and experience the abstract realm while living in this physical one. In fact, before many of us meet Jesus, and are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, it is the desires of our souls that drive the decisions and actions we carry out in our lives. In short, our souls have great influence over our human experiences.
We are stewards of our souls, not owners.
Ezekiel 18:4 says “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.”
God has made it very clear that we are not the owners of our souls, but they have been given to us to steward.
Our soul and our spirit are not the same.
In Hebrews 4:12, the writer notes that the word of God is not only alive and active, but it holds the power to separate soul and spirit, joint and marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
While brief in its mentioning, the writer is communicating that there are moments when our souls and spirits may not always agree with the Word of God.
The soul is a very precious and valuable thing.
In a conversation with the disciples, Jesus asks the question: “For what does it profit a man to gain the world, but to lose one’s soul?”. 3 of the 4 Gospel writers record this conversation because it seems to communicate that the possession one’s soul is more valuable than all the endless accumulation in the world.
The supernatural realm is unseen, not uninfluential.
In His letter to the Ephesian Church, Paul states that the true enemy is not found among flesh and blood, but in the powers and authorities of the supernatural realm.
Looking back to the story we referenced in Mark 5, due to his superhuman qualities, his mood swings, and his polarizing aggressive behaviors, it’s safe to say that everyone around knew this man was under some form of demonic influence. While there is no definitive evidence found in Mark’s gospel that suggests the demon-possessed man opened himself up to such activity, there is surrounding evidence to help us understand how this may have happened.
Mark specifically mentions that Jesus is moving into gentile territory that is occupied by people who have not submitted their lives to God. Instead, they worship false deities and are known for pagan and occult practices. The fact that the man lived in this region would imply that he has most likely participated in these activities.
So, what does this mean for the Believer? While you cannot sell your soul to the devil, you can yield control of your soul over to demonic influences. Scripture is clear that as believers our lives are now hidden in Christ Jesus, which means that in order for us to be possessed, demonic entities must first defeat Christ, and even they know they cannot! Be encouraged that if you have given your life to the Lord, you cannot be possessed by a demon.
But those who haven’t submitted themselves to God’s design, still live under the authority of darkness, where they are vulnerable to demonic influence and possession. In conclusion, while an artist cannot “sell their soul”, they can surrender stewardship of their soul, yet so can we.
Believer, be careful not to invite demonic influence into your lives, be it by what you listen to, what you watch, what you read, or where you choose to go mentally or physically. While it is not possible for you to be possessed, you can certainly be oppressed. So, in closing, let me speak these words over you:
3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.