Can demons cause illnesses?

Summary:

Illnesses can have three main causes: 

- Natural causes.

- God bringing an illness upon someone.

- Demons bringing an illness upon someone.

Whether a demon is inside or outside a person, a demon can cause illnesses to a person. There may be conditions for a demon to be able to cause an illness to a person. 

You can find the evidence for that below:

Illnesses can have different causes:

Natural cause:

A possible cause of illness can be a natural cause. For example, if someone is drinking polluted water, they may get a stomach pain. Paul wrote to Timothy in the 1st century (when the waters may have been polluted): "No-longer be-a-water-drinker, but be-using (a) little wine for-the-sake-of (your) stomach and your frequent sicknesses" (1 Timothy 5:23).

God:

A possible cause of illness can be God bringing an illness upon someone. For example, it is written: "the LORD struck him in the intestines with sickness" (2 Chronicles 21:18).

Demons:

A possible cause of illness can be demons bringing an illness upon someone. For example, it is written about Jesus that "He-was casting-out (a) demon, and it was mute. And it-came-about, the demon having-gone-out, (that) the mute (man) spoke" (Luke 11:14). 

The same illness can have different possible causes:

The same illness can have different possible causes, as not every illness would seem to necessitate having the need for a demon to be cast out.

Blindness:

A possible cause of blindness can be a demon. For example, it is written about Jesus that "He-was casting-out (a) DEMON, and IT WAS MUTE. And it-came-about, the demon having-gone-out, (that) THE MUTE (MAN) SPOKE" (Luke 11:14). 

Yet a possible cause of blindness can also be God. For example, it is written that after disobedience: "May THE LORD STRIKE YOU WITH [...] BLINDNESS" (Deuteronomy 28:28). Another example: "Elisha prayed to THE LORD, and said, “Strike, now, this nation with blindness. And HE [THE LORD] STRUCK THEM WITH BLINDNESS, according to the word of Elisha" (2 Kings 6:18). Another example: "the men [THE ANGELS] stretched out their hands and drew Lot in to themselves into the house, and shut the door of the house. Then THEY STRUCK THE MEN, the ones being at the door of the house, WITH BLINDNESS" (Genesis 19:10-11).

Another possible cause of blindness could also be natural. For example, it is written that Jesus saw "(a) man BLIND FROM BIRTH. And His disciples asked Him, saying “Rabbi, who sinned, this (one) or his parents, that he-should-be-born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this (one) sinned nor his parents, but (it was) in-order-that the works (of) God might-be-made-visible in him" (John 9:1-3). Jesus said that this man had not been born blind because of having sinned or his parents having sinned. The cause of the blindness is not mentioned, but it could be possible that it may have been a natural cause.

Having seizures:

A possible cause of HAVING SEIZURES could be a demon, as for example it is written about a man who said to Jesus: "have-mercy-on my son, because HE-HAS-SEIZURES [seléniazomai 4583 in Greek] and is-suffering badly. For he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I-brought him to Your disciples and they-were not able TO-CURE HIM" (Matthew 17:15-16), and Jesus went to the son "And Jesus rebuked him, and THE DEMON DEPARTED FROM HIM, AND THE BOY WAS-CURED from that hour" (Matthew 17:18). In this passage the boy seemed to have been cured from having seizures as a result of the demon departing from him. We could infer that the cause here of having seizures may have come from the demon. 

Yet a possible cause of HAVING SEIZURES can also be different than from being demonized, as not every illness would seem to necessitate having the need for a demon to be cast out, as in several accounts the illness and the demons cast out can be separated by the conjunction "AND":

"they-brought to Him all the (ones) being ill, being-gripped (with) various diseases AND torments, AND BEING-DEMONIZED, AND HAVING-SEIZURES [seléniazomai 4583 in Greek], AND paralytics" (Matthew 4:24).

For more information:

Not everything is an indication that a demon needs to be cast out:
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Demons can cause illnesses to people from the outside or the inside:

Demons can be inside people or outside people.

For more information:

What are demons?
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Demons can cause illnesses to people by being inside of people. For example, it is written about Jesus that "He-was casting-out (a) demon, and IT was MUTE. And it-came-about, the demon HAVING-GONE-OUT, (that) the mute (man) SPOKE" (Luke 11:14). 

Demons can cause illness to people by being outside of people. For example: "the devil went out from the LORD, and STRUCK Job with PAINFUL BOILS from his feet to his head" (Job 2:7). Not every illness would be an indication that a demon would be inside someone and would need to be cast out.

For more information:

Not everything is an indication that a demon needs to be cast out:
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Someone in the new covenant can be sick because of a demon:

Someone in the new covenant can be sick. 

For example, Paul wrote "(to) Timothy, genuine child in (the) faith" (1 Timothy 1:2) about "your frequent sicknesses" (1 Timothy 5:23). Paul also wrote about "Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your apostle and minister (of) my need" (Philippians 2:25) that "he-was-sick nearly (to) death" (Philippians 2:27). Paul also wrote: "I-left-behind Trophimus sick in Miletus" (2 Timothy 4:20).

A demon may be able to touch someone in the new covenant (which could render them sick).

If a demon were to TOUCH a person, such a person could become sick, as for example the devil could TOUCH Job at some point, as it is written: "the devil said to the LORD" (Job 2:4) "having sent [or, stretched] out Your hand, TOUCH his bones and his flesh" (Job 2:5) and "the LORD said to the devil, “Behold, I deliver him up to you; only preserve his life.”" (Job 2:6). The Lord delivered Job to the devil, for the devil to be TOUCHING Job. The consequence was that "the devil went out from the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from his feet to his head" (Job 2:7). 

It is written regarding people in the new covenant that "everyone having-been-born of God is not SINNING. [...] And the evil (one) is NOT TOUCHING him" (1 John 5:18). The evil one is not "TOUCHING" (1 John 5:18) someone who is not "SINNING" (1 John 5:18). But it is possible for someone in the new covenant to be sinning, as it is written two verses earlier in 1 John for example that "if anyone sees his brother SINNING (a) sin" (1 John 5:16). Thus it could be possible for the evil one to touch such a one, and as a result make them sick.

For more information:

1 John 5:18 - The evil one is not touching him?:
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For more information on if a demon could be also inside someone who is in the new covenant:

Deliverance questions - Table of contents:
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Reasons why a demon could make someone sick:

Sinning:

One possible reason for someone to become sick because of a demon could be for the reason that they would have been SINNING.

It is written: "everyone having-been-born of God is not SINNING. [...] And the evil (one) is NOT TOUCHING him" (1 John 5:18). The evil one is not "TOUCHING" (1 John 5:18) someone who is not "SINNING" (1 John 5:18). It could follow that someone SINNING could be a target that could be TOUCHED. 

Furthermore, SINNING may be a possible cause for a demon to enter someone (and thus possibly also making such a one sick)

For more information:

What may cause a demon to be able to enter someone?
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The reason of SINNING may seem to be present in most instances where people get sick from demons. 

Other possible reasons:

Apart from the reason of SINNING, it could be possible that God would have other purposes for which to permit this, as for example was the case with Job, which the Scriptures record that his faith was tried, as it is written: "Regard (it) all joy, my brothers, whenever you-fall-into various trials, knowing that the approvedness(-by-testing) (of) your faith is-producing endurance" (James 1:2-3), "Blessed (is the) man who endures (the) trial" (James 1:12), "Take (as an) example (of) suffering-hardship and patience, brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name (of the) Lord. Behold, we-consider-blessed the (ones) having-endured! You-heard (of) the endurance (of) Job" (James 5:10-11).

Those instances may be more rare but they are not impossible like the Scriptures testify.

What to do to find out the reason for an illness caused by a demon:

Because several different reasons for an illness caused by a demon are possible, the actual reason for an illness should not be assumed immediately. Instead, it should be investigated. 

Paul for example appealed to the Lord to know the specific reason for why he was afflicted, as it is written: "(for) the excess (of) the revelations, FOR-THIS-REASON, in-order-that I-might not be-exalted, (a) thorn (in) the flesh was-given to-me; (a) messenger (of) Satan to-beat me in-order-that I-might not be-exalted. I-APPEALED-TO THE LORD about this three-times, that (it) may-depart from me. AND He-HAS-SAID (TO) ME: “My grace is-sufficient (for) you. FOR (My) power is-perfected in weakness”." (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

Notice the example of Paul here: 

1) Paul appealed several times to the Lord about the issue he had.

2) Paul received a clear answer from the Lord regarding his appeals.

3) Paul received a clear reason for why this affliction was there, and this reason made rational sense. 

Being surrounded by other believers who may have an insight into the situation may also prove to be helpful, as it is written that "in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14).

What to do after finding out the reason for an illness caused by a demon:

If a cause for that illness is found to have been SINNING, then repentance and bearing fruit worthy of such repentance may be done in order to be healed. 

This could also be why repentance may be expected from someone asking for a demon to be cast out (if that is the case for a person).

For more information:

Repentance may be expected from someone asking for a demon to be cast out:
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Because an illness can also be caused by a demon inside a person (and not only outside a person), it can also be good to find out if there is a need for a demon to be cast out of a person (so that as a result the person may be healed).

For more information:

What can be done to find out if there is a need for a demon to be cast out?:
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