Exorcist Diary #365: 12 Common Mistakes in Deliverance Ministry

["The Exorcist," the movie, wikicommons]

We receive a lot of emails, feedback and comments. We are grateful for all of you! In addition, we receive many, many questions and requests for individual discernment. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide such individual care. This must remain the province of your local resources. But, I can highlight some common mistakes and difficulties which people make in the deliverance ministry, which might be helpful.

Here are 12 common mistakes:

1. Demons are reading my mind; demons can tell us the future. Actually, demons cannot read your minds or tell the future. They are very intuitive and can guess what you are thinking. Moreover, they can tempt and torment people's minds, but can't actually read them. This is important because believing demons can read your mind gives them too much intrusive control and it causes fear.  Moreover, they do not know the future; only God does.  Be careful ascribing God’s divine powers to his fallen creatures.

2. Demons are legalists and only are affected if I say the prayers exactly right. This is a bit of scrupulosity. It causes people to obsess if they said the prayer perfectly or said the right prayer for that intention. This obsession is more about magical thinking than true prayer. God hears your prayers, no matter how poorly made or confused. He hears your heart and responds. Also, demons may be legalists but frankly we shouldn't care. Demons are not in charge. God is! And God is NOT a legalist.

3. Psychology doesn't matter; my problem is spiritual. Having demons is indeed a spiritual problem. However, demons typically manipulate people through their psychological wounds. We have found that a combination of spiritual remedies and inner healing, often through therapy or some sort of counseling, is the best and most complete healing. However, we recommend that people use counselors and therapies in line with our Catholic faith.

4. The priest casts out the demons and I sit by passively while he does the work. While clients don't often say those exact words, it is a common misconception. We use the 70/30 rule. 70% of the work is done by the client and 30% by the priest and deliverance team. Clients must be active participants and be completely committed to an intensive spiritual regimen or else liberation will be thwarted. This means living the faith by closing demonic portals, receiving the sacraments, frequent confession and communion, daily deliverance and other prayers, and living a virtuous life.

5. I daily say the protection and deliverance prayers but they don't work. Again, this is an approach which is more akin to magic. Prayers always "work" in that God always hears your prayers. He may not give you what you want, but He will always give you what you truly need. We need to persevere in prayer and trust in God.

6. I must have an exorcist or I will never be freed. There are only about 150 exorcists in the USA; many countries have no exorcists at all. An exorcism is a wonderful grace when needed by the fully possessed. Thankfully, the vast majority are not and thus do not need one. Most of those afflicted by demons can be adequately assisted by deliverance prayers. An exorcism is not a "right," whereas the faithful do have a right to the sacraments. The normal means of liberation come from living a fervent and faithful Catholic spiritual life. If someone is truly possessed and no exorcist is available, then living a faithful Catholic life and trusting in God's providence and help is, as always, the road to take.

7. Someone cursed me which is why I am having so many problems in life. Being cursed by a practitioner of the dark world can indeed cause serious problems in life. I have witnessed such. But there are people with life problems who are convinced that some witch, whom they cannot identify, is causing their problems. This life, sadly, can be a vale of tears for many, without being caused by curses or spells. It is important not to see curses and/or demons everywhere.

8. Hypervigilance to demonic portals. There are true demonic portals such kundalini yoga, tarot cards, ouija boards, all forms of divination, mediums and the like.  These are clear invitations to the demonic and are to be avoided. But more than a few people are overreacting and seeing demonic portals where there are none. SMC is regularly sent queries about normal, harmless activities and objects which are causing fear, and division, in families. Common sense should apply here. Is this object or practice invoking demons, or pagan "gods" or pagan spiritual practices? Or New Age spiritualities? If so, they should be avoided.

9. Obsessive interest in demons and the dark world. A recognition that Satan, demons and hell exist is important. It was part of Jesus' teaching. But Jesus himself focused on the Father and God's love and salvation for us. So should we. There are some who read too much on this issue, watch too many videos, and some even proclaim themselves as experts in the field, despite having no theological training, no mandate from the Church, and/or no pastoral experience in exorcisms.  An obsessive interest in the dark world and demons is itself a demonic trap.

10. Confusing mental illness with possession. This is a very common mistake, even for new exorcists. Not infrequently those with a severe mental illness (such as schizophrenia or bipolar 1) or their loved ones will be certain the person is possessed. The Exorcist may even conduct a discernment session or two and determine there are no demons present. This often causes much consternation and even rejection by the family. But conducting a solemn exorcism on the severely mentally ill is counterproductive for all. The Exorcist needs to hold the boundary firm. The Church is clear; he may only conduct a solemn exorcism when he is morally certain the person is truly possessed.

11. Dangerous ideas about demons and/or interactions with them.  In response to a post, one young person wrote: “I can control the demons.”  Others say that by “smudging,” lighting New Age candles, using pagan talismans, or drawing special circles on the ground, one can protect oneself from demons.  Still others claim they can convert demons and so they develop a relationship with them.  And more than a few are interacting with spirits they identify as “ghosts” or summoning “deceased loved ones” (which are likely to be demons).  In truth, only someone who is stronger than Satan, the “strong man” as the Scriptures call him, can control and defeat him.  Of course, that person is Jesus.  And Jesus gives his power and authority to the Church to do so in his name.  So we use the powers and graces the Church gives to protect ourselves. Let the Church's authoritative teachings guide you, for everyone's safety.

12. Giving too much power to Satan. Some people are terrified of Satan. They see demons everywhere and live in fear. This is a lack of understanding of the truth. Satan is a fallen angel who is chained and has limited power. Jesus is the Son of God; true God and true man. He is Lord and he conquered Satan and smashed his kingdom. Trust in Jesus. He will protect you. It doesn't mean you won't suffer; this is part of life. But it does mean, in Jesus, you will triumph.

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+Our next free monthly deliverance session is this Monday, Nov 17th. Rosary at: 6:30pm Eastern USA time and Deliverance Session 7-8pm. Register on our website (www.catholicexorcism.org) or go here. (Once you've registered you will immediately and automatically be sent a link, there is no need to register again.) If you can't attend live, then register and use the same link to pray with the taped session. Join us in prayer! (Sorry for the glitch for the Oct 6th session in which the link for the previous month was sent. However, you can now pray with the Oct 6th session here.)

++SMC is launching a new initiative: the St. Gemma Project. It is an online session for young adults (18-30) to dialogue with Msgr. Rossetti about spiritual warfare, angels, demons and faith in the world today. We ask St. Gemma Galgani to intercede for us; she was a faith-filled young adult who had the stigmata (the wounds of Christ) at 21 years old. The first session is Monday Oct 27th, 6-7pm Eastern time. Sign up here or go to our website: www.catholicexorcism.org.

+++Join us for a Holy Hour on the feast of All Hallows Eve, i.e., Halloween. Let's reclaim this blessed feast for Jesus and the Kingdom, and rescue it from the dark world: Oct 31st 11pm to midnight, Eastern time. Here is the link or go to our website to find it. No need to register; just press the link or use this:

https://www.youtube.com/live/zdHOPTd4r2M

++++Have you seen Msgr. Rossetti's powerful and revealing new book? "My Confrontation with Hell: Real Demonic Encounters of an Exorcist". Order here or with SpiritDaily.com and get free shipping.

+++++Find us on YouTube: @stmichaelcenter. Did you know that SMC has just passed a major milestone of 100K followers on YOUTUBE!

++++++Beware of scammers!  There are a number of scammers on social media and YouTube posing as Msgr. Rossetti and pirating our posts. There are false Tik Tok and Instagram accounts. The gmail address: msgrstephenrosetti is a scammer. They are contacting people asking for money for an orphanage in Africa or for a fund for sick children. Or they are claiming "get rich quick" schemes in our YOUTUBE chat in order to scam people. If you want to contribute to our ministry, go directly to our website and donate safely.