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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Demonic presence in spite of Jesus' name?	Tim	Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Question: Glory to God in the Highest! In this time in Carnaval, Brazil is once again plunged into deeper spiritual darkness and confusion. Sadly, the Catholic Church remains silent. However, today as I was walking home from the supermarket there was a huge crowd from an independent Protestant church with a big float parked in front of the public square, SCREAMING "in the name of Jesus" to cast out all the demons on the people passing. The members of this sect, all had their hands in the air, looked hypnotised, and anyone who passed they would raise their hands in their direction to "bless" or "exorcise" their demons. Curiously, I passed through the crowd without notice! But as I approached their crowd and walked through I felt this surge of a very demonic electricity. I could even sense the "swirling" or "spiraling" movement of demons circling the crowd. I have felt such "energy" in Protestant "charismatic" settings where they believe they are praying "in the Spirit" but there is nothing from God in it. I recall both Mark 9:37-39 and Matt. 7:15-23 when I encounter groups like this. For all their crying out against the evils of Carnaval, and their invocations of Jesus Christ, how is it possible that Jesus is so absent from their assembly? I guess I might be asking a silly question, but since I was very little, having been BLESSED by having such a devout Catholic upbringing, I have always had a very acute gift of discernment. On a side note, 3 nights ago I awoke 4 times in the night from a nightmare, in which the candomble' "priestesses" were drowning an "effigy" with the head of the mannequin in a cloth sack as people danced, chanted and beat drums. I woke up four times gasping for air, unable to breathe but called to prayer, I felt that it was for a reason to pray for the people in Rio. Not convinced this was really a demonic attack as I don't jump to such conclusions easily but it was strange. Yet, it pushed me into PRAYER so I praise GOD!
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Tim: The Bible itself gives an example of people who prophecy and cast out demons and yet are not with Christ in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' Demons can know if a person is actually hell bound despite his crying "Lord Jesus". That can explain some instances of hordes of demons around despite the name of Jesus being invoked. But, we need to be careful of this interpretation of the people you witnessed; rash judgment is grave sin. There is another reason why hordes of demons may be swarming around the crowd -- to fight against the exorcism and keep the people in the crowd from being delivered. While this group may be doing what they are doing in an odd way, that does not mean that they are ineffectual. Again, the Bible gives an example of this sort of situation: (Luke 9:49-50) And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. But Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against you is for you. Also St. Paul speaks of people who preach Christ for the wrong reasons: (Php 1:15-18) Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice. What do we learn from these passages? We learn that even when people do not preach Christ properly, or with the right motivations, Christ is still being preached and for that, at least, we can rejoice. We also learn that even if someone is "not with us" (and that means the Catholic Church) it does not mean that we should chastise them. Thus, those who "cast out devils" but are not Catholic we should not forbid. They are still doing the work of Christ according to their understanding. God still honors their attempts to deliver someone from the Evil One. While this group you describe are doing things in a very unconventional way, they may still have an effect. The demons you perceived could be there to interfere with the deliverances that were being effected. 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

Demonic presence in spite of Jesus' name?

Tim

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Question:

Glory to God in the Highest!

In this time in Carnaval, Brazil is once again plunged into deeper spiritual darkness and confusion. Sadly, the Catholic Church remains silent.

However, today as I was walking home from the supermarket there was a huge crowd from an independent Protestant church with a big float parked in front of the public square, SCREAMING "in the name of Jesus" to cast out all the demons on the people passing. The members of this sect, all had their hands in the air, looked hypnotised, and anyone who passed they would raise their hands in their direction to "bless" or "exorcise" their demons.

Curiously, I passed through the crowd without notice! But as I approached their crowd and walked through I felt this surge of a very demonic electricity. I could even sense the "swirling" or "spiraling" movement of demons circling the crowd. I have felt such "energy" in Protestant "charismatic" settings where they believe they are praying "in the Spirit" but there is nothing from God in it.

I recall both Mark 9:37-39 and Matt. 7:15-23 when I encounter groups like this. For all their crying out against the evils of Carnaval, and their invocations of Jesus Christ, how is it possible that Jesus is so absent from their assembly?

I guess I might be asking a silly question, but since I was very little, having been BLESSED by having such a devout Catholic upbringing, I have always had a very acute gift of discernment.

On a side note, 3 nights ago I awoke 4 times in the night from a nightmare, in which the candomble' "priestesses" were drowning an "effigy" with the head of the mannequin in a cloth sack as people danced, chanted and beat drums. I woke up four times gasping for air, unable to breathe but called to prayer, I felt that it was for a reason to pray for the people in Rio. Not convinced this was really a demonic attack as I don't jump to such conclusions easily but it was strange. Yet, it pushed me into PRAYER so I praise GOD!

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Tim:

The Bible itself gives an example of people who prophecy and cast out demons and yet are not with Christ in Matthew 7:21-23:

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Demons can know if a person is actually hell bound despite his crying "Lord Jesus". That can explain some instances of hordes of demons around despite the name of Jesus being invoked.

But, we need to be careful of this interpretation of the people you witnessed; rash judgment is grave sin. There is another reason why hordes of demons may be swarming around the crowd -- to fight against the exorcism and keep the people in the crowd from being delivered.

While this group may be doing what they are doing in an odd way, that does not mean that they are ineffectual. Again, the Bible gives an example of this sort of situation:

(Luke 9:49-50) And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. But Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against you is for you.

Also St. Paul speaks of people who preach Christ for the wrong reasons:

(Php 1:15-18) Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.

What do we learn from these passages?

We learn that even when people do not preach Christ properly, or with the right motivations, Christ is still being preached and for that, at least, we can rejoice.

We also learn that even if someone is "not with us" (and that means the Catholic Church) it does not mean that we should chastise them. Thus, those who "cast out devils" but are not Catholic we should not forbid. They are still doing the work of Christ according to their understanding. God still honors their attempts to deliver someone from the Evil One.

While this group you describe are doing things in a very unconventional way, they may still have an effect. The demons you perceived could be there to interfere with the deliverances that were being effected.

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.