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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Wife's Past	Joseph	Thursday, October 14, 2010
Question: I wanted to know if I could be under demonic opression. I am constantly plagued by thoughts of my wife's past. I have only been intimate with my wife but before me she had multiple partners and even a one night stand. She has since that time, years ago, given her life to God fully and repented. We have been happily married for 13 years with 4 children. Something recently brought up her past and I found out some new things that really bothered me. Now I find myself constantly plagued by these thoughts and hurt of thinking about her other intimate relationships. I attend Mass, receive the sacraments, pray the liturgy of the hours daily along with the rosary, but I still cannot get rid of these feelings and thoughts. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I love my wife but these feelings are so intense that it is affecting our marriage. Joe
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r) Dear Joe: You need to remember that when your wife repented and sought God's forgiveness her past sins were removed from God's memory. She was restored to friendship with God. 1 John 1:9 states: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Hebrews 8:12 states: "For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." If God has restored her to righteousness and remembers her sins no more, why do you? There are two reasons why we do not let go of past sins of our spouse, both born of low self-esteem: 1) pride; and 2) jealousy. Remember that your wife loves you. She chose you. She remains faithful to you. You have been happy throughout your marriage. There is no reason to obsess over her past. You are asking about a demonic element to this. That is possible. The devil will be happy to exploit any self-esteem issues that you have and to prick your pride and cause jealous thoughts to potentially damage your marriage. Satan hates marriage. Marriage is a image of the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Church. While we each are created in the image of God, the fuller image of God is the Family. God, Himself is family -- God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Since the devil hates God he wishes to destroy the image of God in us by destroying the family. Thus, the devil encourages all things that damage the family such as divorce, adultery, violence, abortion, contraception, incest, drugs, gambling, pride, jealousy, and anything else he can think of to destroy the family. Do not let the devil get at you. I would recommend you pray the Prayer for Marriage found in our Spiritual Warfare Catalog linked below. Then for these troublesome thoughts, pray the Rebuking Particular Spirits prayer. In that prayer rebuke the "spirit of jealously" to be replaced that spirit with a "Spirit of Love." Any other attributes can also be included, such as the "spirit of low self-esteem," and the "spirit of pride," etc. to be replaced by a "spirit of self-confidence" and a "spirit of humility." You will see what I mean about rebuking a spirit, and then to replace that spirit with the opposite attribute when you see the prayer. Do not let this get out of hand. You are doing very well to ask about this now. Just remember the things I have said here, and pray the prayers. This should help. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Wife's Past

Joseph

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Question:

I wanted to know if I could be under demonic opression. I am constantly plagued by thoughts of my wife's past. I have only been intimate with my wife but before me she had multiple partners and even a one night stand. She has since that time, years ago, given her life to God fully and repented.

We have been happily married for 13 years with 4 children. Something recently brought up her past and I found out some new things that really bothered me. Now I find myself constantly plagued by these thoughts and hurt of thinking about her other intimate relationships.

I attend Mass, receive the sacraments, pray the liturgy of the hours daily along with the rosary, but I still cannot get rid of these feelings and thoughts.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I love my wife but these feelings are so intense that it is affecting our marriage.

Joe

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r)

Dear Joe:

You need to remember that when your wife repented and sought God's forgiveness her past sins were removed from God's memory. She was restored to friendship with God.

1 John 1:9 states: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Hebrews 8:12 states: "For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."

If God has restored her to righteousness and remembers her sins no more, why do you?

There are two reasons why we do not let go of past sins of our spouse, both born of low self-esteem: 1) pride; and 2) jealousy.

Remember that your wife loves you. She chose you. She remains faithful to you. You have been happy throughout your marriage. There is no reason to obsess over her past.

You are asking about a demonic element to this. That is possible. The devil will be happy to exploit any self-esteem issues that you have and to prick your pride and cause jealous thoughts to potentially damage your marriage.

Satan hates marriage. Marriage is a image of the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Church. While we each are created in the image of God, the fuller image of God is the Family. God, Himself is family -- God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

Since the devil hates God he wishes to destroy the image of God in us by destroying the family. Thus, the devil encourages all things that damage the family such as divorce, adultery, violence, abortion, contraception, incest, drugs, gambling, pride, jealousy, and anything else he can think of to destroy the family.

Do not let the devil get at you.

I would recommend you pray the Prayer for Marriage found in our Spiritual Warfare Catalog linked below.

Then for these troublesome thoughts, pray the Rebuking Particular Spirits prayer. In that prayer rebuke the "spirit of jealously" to be replaced that spirit with a "Spirit of Love." Any other attributes can also be included, such as the "spirit of low self-esteem," and the "spirit of pride," etc. to be replaced by a "spirit of self-confidence" and a "spirit of humility." You will see what I mean about rebuking a spirit, and then to replace that spirit with the opposite attribute when you see the prayer.

Do not let this get out of hand. You are doing very well to ask about this now. Just remember the things I have said here, and pray the prayers. This should help.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.