Is there any biblical basis to support demonic paranormal activity?

"Does the Bible record examples of Demonic paranormal activity? Is there any biblical basis for this- [light bulbs exploding, things levitating, the temperature in the room suddenly dropping"]

• If you mean like these specific examples - then the answer is No.
• " Does the Bible record examples of demonic paranormal activity - the ability of demons to intervene in the physical world?" then the answer is Yes! Assuming that you mean besides demon possession, demonic paranormal activity is demonic oppression, or demons acting to affect the physical world, including animals and people's health, and even do false miracles.

Demonic activity in scripture = categorically yes. Moving drawers in dressers,and lamps falling over, a horrible sulfer-like smell= No.

It is not uncommon for people in ministry to have witnessed demonic activity and it is also clearly supported in scripture.

A very good way to summarize this is that as Christians, is is not possible to be demon possessed, but they can be oppressed - under demonic attack. Satan is still at work around the world, and the Bible says that he "walks about,like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

8 "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." - I Peter 5:7-9

As the person stated in the opening question, there is plenty of evidence all through the Bible of people being possessed, and Christ and the disciples driving out demons, but is there any evidence of Christians being oppressed?

Yes, as a matter of fact, there is.

One example is Job. Scripture says Job was blameless and upright.

The fuller context in Job 1:1 is, “This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” So, the description of Job being “blameless and upright” is linked to the fear of God and the avoidance of evil. The parallelism can be seen like this: Blameless/upright. God-fearer/one who turns from evil. In short, Job was “blameless and upright” in that he was a man of integrity who trusted in God as his redeemer (see Job 19:25), sincerely worshiped the Lord, loved his family, and was consistent in his walk with God." - What does it mean that Job was blameless and upright?

God allowed Job to be tested, even physical harm, but God limited the effect - the level to which the attacks could be from Satan and in the end, all was restored to Job.

It the Old Testament, we see demonic paranormal activity through the witch of Endor, when she used demonic forces to summon the dead for Saul.

"In the Old Testament, (I Samuel 28:3-25) the witch of Endor is a woman Saul consulted to summon the spirit of prophet Samuel in the 28th chapter of the First Book of Samuel in order to receive advice against the Philistines in battle after his prior attempts to consult God through sacred lots and prophets had failed."

Then in all three of the synoptic Gospels, -Matthew, Mark and Luke- we also see demonic paranormal activity - demons entering into an entire herd of swine, and they all rushed over a cliff and died: When Jesus Christ was tempted by Satan, Satan asked him to do certain things which he denied. But in Matthew 8 the demons wanted Jesus to drive them into pigs and he did so. The herd then ran into the water and drowned. Why did Christ deny one request of the enemy but accept another?

Then, again, we see another example of demonic or satanic oppression against Paul. Satan relentlessly attacked Paul in an effort to hinder or stop Paul's ministry.

7 "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 I asked the Lord three times that this thing might depart from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

We can't say with certainty what this was exactly, or all the extent of this demonic oppression, but many scholars say that it was most likely poor vision, and this is due to him being struck blind temporarily, in his famous conversion on the road to Damascus. Later in his life, he even says in his epistles, "see what large letters I write with my own hand..." to denote his personal love and care for the believers in the early churches.

This is also consistent with teaching in different protestant denominations - Church of God Holiness, Bible Methodist, some Baptist and some Nazarene churches as well as some Evangelical Free Churches of America.

Another example is the terrible persecution of Christians in China, Russia under communism and other communist countries, and the many stories of Christians who were persecuted, tortured and even Martyred in "Fox's Book of Martyrs".

A personal friend of the family and former missionary to Haiti witnessed the effects of witchcraft and saw people become sick and experience physical manifestations from voodoo dolls, and were then healed.

Another person I heard recounted a story of sickness and multiple bizarre physical issues related to an occultic object in their home. A pastor explained that the object had occultic connections and they burned it, and prayed over the person and they recovered fully.
The point is that sometimes these are tests, allowed by God, and other times, we can unintentionally give Satan a foothold, or open up doors in our lives that give the enemy places to attack, such as through things like Tarot cards, and Eastern religions, Yogo, etc. There are testimonies of people who experienced demonic paranormal activity or oppression as a result of accupuncture needles, which are sometimes prayed over by those who practice this.

Here is another source that explains the concept and differences between satanic attacks or oppression and demonic possession: CHRISTIANS AND DEMONIC ACTIVITY TODAY

Most would agree that demons are fallen angels and, as such, that they share the same angelic nature as normal angels (although some would make a special distinction with the supposedly disembodied spirits of the Nephilim, but that's a topic for another question). But in any case, nobody questions that demons are instances of spiritual beings. So, in order to have an informed perspective on what the scriptures support as possible, we have to look at all the scriptural evidence for physical interventions performed by spiritual beings (demons, angels, etc.). Below are some notable examples:

1) Turning a staff into a serpent:

[Exodus 7:11,12 NIV] 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: 12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs

2) Scaring people and physically touching someone:

[Daniel 10:7-10 NIV] 7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision. The men with me didn’t see the vision. Yet, they started to tremble violently, and they quickly hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone to see this grand vision. I had no strength left in me. My face turned deathly pale, and I was helpless. 9 I heard the man speak, and as I listened to his words, I fainted facedown on the ground. 10 Then a hand touched me and made my hands and knees shake.

3) Influencing animals:

[Matthew 8:30-32 NIV] 30 A large herd of pigs was feeding in the distance. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you’re going to force us out, send us into that herd of pigs.” 32 Jesus said to them, “Go!” The demons came out and went into the pigs. Suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the cliff into the sea and died in the water.

4) Manipulating the weather:

[Job 1:12,16,18-19 NIV] 12 The Lord told Satan, “Everything he has is in your power, but you must not lay a hand on him!” Then Satan left the Lord’s presence. [...] 16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “A fire from God fell from heaven and completely burned your flocks and servants. I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.” [...] 18 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine at their oldest brother’s home 19 when suddenly a great storm swept across the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It fell on the young people, and they died. I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.”

5) Appearing visibly to people as ghosts:

[Matthew 14:26 NIV] When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

[Luke 24:39 NIV] "Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

6) Showing up physically before someone, staying in their house, eating food and striking others with blindness:

[Genesis 19:1-3,10-11 NIV] The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” 3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. [...] 10 But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. 11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.

7) Interacting with physical water:

[John 5:4 KJV] For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

8) Having relations and procreating with physical women ((*)Note: this interpretation is disputed by some):

[Genesis 6:1-4 NIV] When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

In light of this whole range of possible interactions with the physical realm by demons, angels and spiritual beings in general, stories of demonic paranormal activity sound very much compatible with Scripture and unsurprising to be honest.