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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Am I Possessed or Oppressed?	Stephen	Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Question: I'm not Catholic. I don't want to get in a debate about whether my beliefs or yours are correct. I just want an explanation. The Catholic church seems to have much more knowledge relating to demons than my own and I trust that you can help me find an answer to my situation. I have been subject to attack from demons ever since I became a Christian, February of 2007. I realize that they were in my life and far more in control before I became a Christian but they never openly attacked me--Now they do. Not only do I continue to struggle with homosexuality and pornography (which I did for years before) but there is also something worse and more disturbing... I have given up homosexuality as a lifestyle and I no longer practice it, though I struggle with lust for other men at a tremendous level and I also struggle with pornography. But that's not the bad part. On a fairly regular basis, with increasing frequency and intensity, I feel myself surrounded at night or other times when I am alone, by demons. It begins with a feeling of being surrounded, like someone or something is watching me from all sides. It becomes more intense, to the point where I hear the demons whispering in my mind. Most of the time I can't make out what they're saying but I can make out two names, I have researched the names and I know that they are demon names but I don't know if that means these are the demons attacking me or if it means something else. The names keep coming up in my head over and over. The first is Azazel, which I know is in the Bible and is supposed to be one of the main demons responsible for bringing sin to humans. The second is Pazuzu, which from what I can tell was an African 'god' responsible for plagues. When the attacks happen, I see horrible things in my mind. I haven't seen anything with my eyes but lots of awful things in my head, people being eaten alive by creatures I've never seen before, worms and insects in my mouth and head, sexual acts. Horrible, perverted thoughts come into my head, things that I can't even put in an e-mail, and I know they're not my thoughts because I don't think that way. I become incredibly hot, like a fever, and I sweat uncontrollably. I have prayed over and over for this to end. It's even happening right now as I type this. I'm holding onto my Bible and reciting scripture over and over out loud but I'm overwhelmed by this awful, consuming fear. I keep praying for God to free me from this and defend me but it returns over and over. I can feel them here just trying to get control of my mind, I'm fighting but it's so incredibly difficult that I can't possibly explain. I watched a video a few minutes ago of a deliverance on Youtube. While I was watching that video, I struggled with it because I was almost giddy, I had to hold back laughter at certain points and even smiled this really odd smile... But it was as if it was someone else doing it, not me. I believe that the deliverance was genuine but there was something inside of me that was almost defiant or spiteful seeing that. I know that a true Christian cannot be possessed but that they can be demon oppressed. What I need to know is, does this sound more like a possession or just oppression? I know that demons will try to shake my faith but I'm at a point where I'm really wondering if my salvation is genuine or if I've just been telling myself that I'm saved. If I've been wrong this whole time about the nature of my salvation, I could genuinely have demons INSIDE of me, controlling me, not just oppressing me from the outside. What should I do? Please someone contact me as soon as possible, it's been getting worse and I'm worried that this might expand to the demons presenting themselves physically and not just in my mind. PLEASE HELP!
Question Answered by Dear Stephen: Although you may have been involved in these activities before you became Christian I am not surprised about the demonic attacks now you are Christian. It is rather common for the devil to attack when you make a major step toward God. Acceptin Jesus Christ as your savior is a HUGH step that the devil does not like to see people do. Thus, what the devil might do is to take your weaknesses and attack you through them. This is in punishment for accepting Jesus Christ and a hope that you will abandoned your faith. Do not let him succeed. Hold fast to your faith as the Bible tells us to do. Before going on I think I need to make one note: it is not true that a Christian cannot be possessed. Christians can be possessed. Those who teach otherwise are usually unware of the theology of demonology and have had little to no experience in exorism and spiritual warfare. A person who is possessed, for example, does NOT have his soul possessed. Thus, the Holy Spirit can still indwell a person's soul and yet the body be under the control of a demon. There are many Christians who have become possessed. The issue of possession, obsession, oppression, regression, harassment, etc. are merely degrees of the same thing. Posession is the most severe of the continuum of demonic influence. In that regard, even if influenced by demons, even if fully possessed, the salavation of a person need not be effected. One's free will is will there even in possession. Thus, the person who is possessed can still choose God. His body not his soul is what is possessed. The demons have a vested interest in getting you to doubt your relationship with God. Ignore them. Your relationship with God need not be effected because you are under this demonic attack. What you are describing certainly does sound like a case of "demonization". I use that word because it is more accurate than "possession", "obsession", "oppression", etc. The level and intensity of the demonization I cannot tell from here; I would have to interview you for that. I would suggest using the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance in the HELP section linked below. You can modify those steps as needed to change the things that are decidedly Catholic and translate them to your faith tradition. If need be, although we are a Catholic ministry, we do accept non-Catholics as clients. We have successfully helped many non-Catholics. If the Spiritual Warfare Prayers, linked below, (which you can also modify to fit your faith tradition) and the self-help advise does not help then you may contact us for help. There is a HELP REQUEST form linked at the bottom of the HELP page. We will be praying for you. 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

Am I Possessed or Oppressed?

Stephen

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Question:

I'm not Catholic. I don't want to get in a debate about whether my beliefs or yours are correct. I just want an explanation. The Catholic church seems to have much more knowledge relating to demons than my own and I trust that you can help me find an answer to my situation.

I have been subject to attack from demons ever since I became a Christian, February of 2007. I realize that they were in my life and far more in control before I became a Christian but they never openly attacked me--Now they do.

Not only do I continue to struggle with homosexuality and pornography (which I did for years before) but there is also something worse and more disturbing... I have given up homosexuality as a lifestyle and I no longer practice it, though I struggle with lust for other men at a tremendous level and I also struggle with pornography. But that's not the bad part.

On a fairly regular basis, with increasing frequency and intensity, I feel myself surrounded at night or other times when I am alone, by demons. It begins with a feeling of being surrounded, like someone or something is watching me from all sides. It becomes more intense, to the point where I hear the demons whispering in my mind.

Most of the time I can't make out what they're saying but I can make out two names, I have researched the names and I know that they are demon names but I don't know if that means these are the demons attacking me or if it means something else. The names keep coming up in my head over and over. The first is Azazel, which I know is in the Bible and is supposed to be one of the main demons responsible for bringing sin to humans. The second is Pazuzu, which from what I can tell was an African 'god' responsible for plagues.

When the attacks happen, I see horrible things in my mind. I haven't seen anything with my eyes but lots of awful things in my head, people being eaten alive by creatures I've never seen before, worms and insects in my mouth and head, sexual acts. Horrible, perverted thoughts come into my head, things that I can't even put in an e-mail, and I know they're not my thoughts because I don't think that way. I become incredibly hot, like a fever, and I sweat uncontrollably.

I have prayed over and over for this to end. It's even happening right now as I type this. I'm holding onto my Bible and reciting scripture over and over out loud but I'm overwhelmed by this awful, consuming fear. I keep praying for God to free me from this and defend me but it returns over and over. I can feel them here just trying to get control of my mind, I'm fighting but it's so incredibly difficult that I can't possibly explain. I watched a video a few minutes ago of a deliverance on Youtube. While I was watching that video, I struggled with it because I was almost giddy, I had to hold back laughter at certain points and even smiled this really odd smile... But it was as if it was someone else doing it, not me. I believe that the deliverance was genuine but there was something inside of me that was almost defiant or spiteful seeing that.

I know that a true Christian cannot be possessed but that they can be demon oppressed. What I need to know is, does this sound more like a possession or just oppression? I know that demons will try to shake my faith but I'm at a point where I'm really wondering if my salvation is genuine or if I've just been telling myself that I'm saved. If I've been wrong this whole time about the nature of my salvation, I could genuinely have demons INSIDE of me, controlling me, not just oppressing me from the outside.

What should I do? Please someone contact me as soon as possible, it's been getting worse and I'm worried that this might expand to the demons presenting themselves physically and not just in my mind. PLEASE HELP!

Question Answered by

Dear Stephen:

Although you may have been involved in these activities before you became Christian I am not surprised about the demonic attacks now you are Christian. It is rather common for the devil to attack when you make a major step toward God. Acceptin Jesus Christ as your savior is a HUGH step that the devil does not like to see people do.

Thus, what the devil might do is to take your weaknesses and attack you through them. This is in punishment for accepting Jesus Christ and a hope that you will abandoned your faith. Do not let him succeed. Hold fast to your faith as the Bible tells us to do.

Before going on I think I need to make one note: it is not true that a Christian cannot be possessed. Christians can be possessed. Those who teach otherwise are usually unware of the theology of demonology and have had little to no experience in exorism and spiritual warfare.

A person who is possessed, for example, does NOT have his soul possessed. Thus, the Holy Spirit can still indwell a person's soul and yet the body be under the control of a demon.

There are many Christians who have become possessed.

The issue of possession, obsession, oppression, regression, harassment, etc. are merely degrees of the same thing. Posession is the most severe of the continuum of demonic influence.

In that regard, even if influenced by demons, even if fully possessed, the salavation of a person need not be effected. One's free will is will there even in possession. Thus, the person who is possessed can still choose God. His body not his soul is what is possessed.

The demons have a vested interest in getting you to doubt your relationship with God. Ignore them. Your relationship with God need not be effected because you are under this demonic attack.

What you are describing certainly does sound like a case of "demonization". I use that word because it is more accurate than "possession", "obsession", "oppression", etc. The level and intensity of the demonization I cannot tell from here; I would have to interview you for that.

I would suggest using the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance in the HELP section linked below. You can modify those steps as needed to change the things that are decidedly Catholic and translate them to your faith tradition.

If need be, although we are a Catholic ministry, we do accept non-Catholics as clients. We have successfully helped many non-Catholics.

If the Spiritual Warfare Prayers, linked below, (which you can also modify to fit your faith tradition) and the self-help advise does not help then you may contact us for help. There is a HELP REQUEST form linked at the bottom of the HELP page.

We will be praying for you.

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.