Consider this a sneak preview of Act 8. Simon the sorcerer was saved, baptized, and still of a wrong spirit. Here is the passage for your own reading:
The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith
9But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13Then
Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with
Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
The Sorcerer’s Sin
14Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
Can a Believer therefore be afflicted by a wrong spirit? Without getting to the point of saying a Believer can be possessed by a demon, Believers definitely can and do have wrong attitudes all the time. Both newly saved individuals and even Believers that have been saved for most of their life can be poisoned by bitterness and can be bound by iniquity. Merely believing on Jesus Christ does not in itself free a person from all iniquity. Repentance must occur in the life of the Believer and as that Believer walks increasingly in the truth, then and only then will the truth set him or her free. The following scripture is often misquoted, usually truncated to "the truth will set you free." By itself that statement is false. What the verse says is,
John 8:31-32 (NASB)
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Another version says, "abide", that is to live in it. Not merely mentally assent, or sometimes hear it in church, but actually heed what is said, and make it part of your daily life. As you continue being a doer of Jesus' teachings and not merely a hearer, then you enter into true discipleship and truth will no longer evade you, thus it will also set you free.
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