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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
unable to say Jesus name	Claire	Friday, August 15, 2014
Question: Dear Brother Ignatius, Over the past year or two, I have had several experiences in which I feel as though I am being physically prevented from saying the name "Jesus Christ." The experiences usually go like this: I fall asleep and start to have a nightmare in which it feels like there is some sort of demonic presence. In my dream, I try to say, "In the name of Jesus Christ, begone." I always get stuck when I try to say "Jesus Christ". It feels as though something is gagging me and physically preventing me from saying His name. I feel myself struggling repeatedly to get the words out. After the third or fourth or fifth try, I am finally able to say Jesus' name. Then I wake up and perceive that there is a dark presence in my room that quickly departs. I don't think it's my imagination, but mental illness runs in my family, so it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility. I have done the house blessing already. I have St. Benedict medals under all of the beds. I bless my children with holy water before they go to bed at night. I attend Mass and go to Confession regularly. My husband is no longer religious and is often somewhat antagonistic towards Christianity. He gravitates towards reading books on magic/the occult and watching TVs shows with similar themes. I refuse to watch them with him, but I wonder to what extent that could be affecting the situation. Also, my mother-in-law just moved in with us. She is a Christian, but she is now taking yoga and Ti Chi classes at our local senior center. She does not seem open to hearing that there might be anything problematic with those classes from a spiritual perspective, so I have been hesitant to say anything. I would appreciate your thoughts and advice on what I should do. Thank you, Claire
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC Dear Claire: I am sorry for such a long delay in answering your question. I have not been feeling well this past week. You described your experiences as a dream. Thus, let us start there. What happens in a dream has no relationship to what happens in the waking state. If you're unable to say the name of Jesus Christ in a dream, it has no meaning or significance to reality. It is a dream; that is all it is. Dreams are the way the brain processes and deals with fears and anxieties that are in your life. This dream could indicate that you have some fears about demonic attacks and/or the ability to thwart those attacks by the name of Jesus. This is a fear that can be played out in your dreams, but that is all it is. Even if this dream is inspired by demons, that is, it is a demonic attack, it would again refer to your fear. That is what demons would want to instill in you — a fear that you cannot even appeal to the name of Jesus Christ to get away from them. Even in your dream, however, you were not prevented from invoking the name of Jesus Christ, you were only delayed in doing so. But, again, it is just a dream, even if it is a demonic dream, it is just a dream. It has no relationship to your waking life, to reality. Thus, while the dream may be disconcerting you must remember that it's only a dream. If these dreams are being inspired by demons then you can do the kinds of things you're already doing, such as having your house blessed, using St. Benedict medals, and blessing yourself as well as your children before going to bed. You can also bless the beds with holy water. In our prayer catalog we have a Bedtime Prayer of Protection. These measures are only helpful in terms of demonic attack but they will do nothing if this is simply a dream that's expressing your fears and anxieties. As far as your husband's behavior, I am sorry to hear about that, and yes that can be a problem from a spiritual point of view. If he's not willing to come to his senses and get right with God there is not much you can do about it except a gentle encouragement. Never nag them about it. Pray for him that the Holy Spirit will be able to convince him to come back to God. In the meantime, I recommend praying protection prayers on a daily basis, using holy water in your house on a daily basis, and maintaining your daily devotions and prayers as a way to counter any demonic attachments that he may bring into the house because of his behavior. As for your mother-in-law, it is unfortunate that Christians do not understand that yoga and Tai Chi are hostile to Christianity. The practice of yoga and Tai Chi are not only incompatible with Christianity but can be spiritually dangerous. Millions upon millions of Christians fail to understand this. Instead of having the mind of Christ most Christians, frankly, have the mind of the world and this is one example. Christians are supposed to be counter-cultural, which means we do things that are counter to the culture of our times. That means we do things the Christian way, according to a Christian worldview, and not according to the fads and desires and notions of the world. It is a shame more Christians do not at least attempt to practice the mind of Christ. Your response is the same as it is with your husband. You can try to give a quiet encouragement to convince your mother-in-law not to be involved in these activities. But, do not nag. Even God will not force your husband or your mother-in-law to stop these behaviors. If they wish to do them, then they may do them. God will not force him to stop and we cannot force them to stop. But we can quietly pray for them. As it is with your husband, the protection prayers and the rest that I mentioned above will also be appropriate just in case your mother-in-law happens to bring something home with her from her yoga and Tai Chi classes. We will be in prayer for you, for your husband, for your mother-in-law, and for your whole family. 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

unable to say Jesus name

Claire

Friday, August 15, 2014

Question:

Dear Brother Ignatius,

Over the past year or two, I have had several experiences in which I feel as though I am being physically prevented from saying the name "Jesus Christ." The experiences usually go like this: I fall asleep and start to have a nightmare in which it feels like there is some sort of demonic presence. In my dream, I try to say, "In the name of Jesus Christ, begone." I always get stuck when I try to say "Jesus Christ". It feels as though something is gagging me and physically preventing me from saying His name. I feel myself struggling repeatedly to get the words out. After the third or fourth or fifth try, I am finally able to say Jesus' name. Then I wake up and perceive that there is a dark presence in my room that quickly departs. I don't think it's my imagination, but mental illness runs in my family, so it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility.

I have done the house blessing already. I have St. Benedict medals under all of the beds. I bless my children with holy water before they go to bed at night. I attend Mass and go to Confession regularly.

My husband is no longer religious and is often somewhat antagonistic towards Christianity. He gravitates towards reading books on magic/the occult and watching TVs shows with similar themes. I refuse to watch them with him, but I wonder to what extent that could be affecting the situation. Also, my mother-in-law just moved in with us. She is a Christian, but she is now taking yoga and Ti Chi classes at our local senior center. She does not seem open to hearing that there might be anything problematic with those classes from a spiritual perspective, so I have been hesitant to say anything.

I would appreciate your thoughts and advice on what I should do.

Thank you,

Claire

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC

Dear Claire:

I am sorry for such a long delay in answering your question. I have not been feeling well this past week.

You described your experiences as a dream. Thus, let us start there. What happens in a dream has no relationship to what happens in the waking state. If you're unable to say the name of Jesus Christ in a dream, it has no meaning or significance to reality. It is a dream; that is all it is.

Dreams are the way the brain processes and deals with fears and anxieties that are in your life. This dream could indicate that you have some fears about demonic attacks and/or the ability to thwart those attacks by the name of Jesus. This is a fear that can be played out in your dreams, but that is all it is.

Even if this dream is inspired by demons, that is, it is a demonic attack, it would again refer to your fear. That is what demons would want to instill in you — a fear that you cannot even appeal to the name of Jesus Christ to get away from them. Even in your dream, however, you were not prevented from invoking the name of Jesus Christ, you were only delayed in doing so. But, again, it is just a dream, even if it is a demonic dream, it is just a dream. It has no relationship to your waking life, to reality. Thus, while the dream may be disconcerting you must remember that it's only a dream.

If these dreams are being inspired by demons then you can do the kinds of things you're already doing, such as having your house blessed, using St. Benedict medals, and blessing yourself as well as your children before going to bed. You can also bless the beds with holy water. In our prayer catalog we have a Bedtime Prayer of Protection. These measures are only helpful in terms of demonic attack but they will do nothing if this is simply a dream that's expressing your fears and anxieties.

As far as your husband's behavior, I am sorry to hear about that, and yes that can be a problem from a spiritual point of view. If he's not willing to come to his senses and get right with God there is not much you can do about it except a gentle encouragement. Never nag them about it. Pray for him that the Holy Spirit will be able to convince him to come back to God. In the meantime, I recommend praying protection prayers on a daily basis, using holy water in your house on a daily basis, and maintaining your daily devotions and prayers as a way to counter any demonic attachments that he may bring into the house because of his behavior.

As for your mother-in-law, it is unfortunate that Christians do not understand that yoga and Tai Chi are hostile to Christianity. The practice of yoga and Tai Chi are not only incompatible with Christianity but can be spiritually dangerous. Millions upon millions of Christians fail to understand this. Instead of having the mind of Christ most Christians, frankly, have the mind of the world and this is one example. Christians are supposed to be counter-cultural, which means we do things that are counter to the culture of our times. That means we do things the Christian way, according to a Christian worldview, and not according to the fads and desires and notions of the world. It is a shame more Christians do not at least attempt to practice the mind of Christ.

Your response is the same as it is with your husband. You can try to give a quiet encouragement to convince your mother-in-law not to be involved in these activities. But, do not nag. Even God will not force your husband or your mother-in-law to stop these behaviors. If they wish to do them, then they may do them. God will not force him to stop and we cannot force them to stop. But we can quietly pray for them.

As it is with your husband, the protection prayers and the rest that I mentioned above will also be appropriate just in case your mother-in-law happens to bring something home with her from her yoga and Tai Chi classes.

We will be in prayer for you, for your husband, for your mother-in-law, and for your whole family.

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.