Spiritual Warfare TodaySept. 16, 2015

“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that ... wide circles of the Christian community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel versus the anti-Gospel”.

St. John Paul II

Pope Francis - Christian life is “a constant battle against evil, just as Jesus during his life had to struggle against the devil and his many temptations. He came to defeat evil and defeat the prince of this world, defeat the devil. The devil tempted Jesus many times and Jesus experienced temptation and persecution throughout his lifetime. And he warned that whoever wants to follow Jesus must be aware of this reality”

“We must be prepared to undergo great trials in the not-too-distant future; trials that will require us to be ready to give up even our lives, and a total gift of self to Christ and for Christ. Through your prayers and mine, it is possible to alleviate this tribulation, but it is no longer possible to avert it. . . . ”.

St. John Paul II

Pope Francis May 4, 2013

“So many Christian communities are persecuted around the globe. More so now than in the early times … Why? Because the spirit of the world hates”.

“Some of you might say: ‘But Father, how old fashioned you are to speak about the devil in the 21st century!’ But look out because the devil is present! The devil is here… even in the 21st century! …We must learn from the Gospel how to fight against Satan.”Pope Francis Saturday 12 April 2014

In his book, Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict tells us that “The first task is preaching: to give people the light of the word, the message of Jesus … because the world is ruled by the powers of evil, this preaching is at the same time a struggle with those powers”.

 

Rome, Italy, Nov 6, 2014 / 04:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Catholic experts say occult activity and the resulting need for exorcisms has reached a critical level.

The International Association of Exorcists, whose 250 exorcists are placed all over the world, have noticed an increase in demonic activity irrespective of particular places or cultures.“So, it is truly becoming a pastoral emergency and this is why we have the necessity to combat this situation.”

Exorcism, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 1673) is “when the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the Name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and be withdrawn from his dominion.”“Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to His Church”

A rather peculiar cirumstance induced Pope Leo XIII to compose the prayer to St. Michael. “What a horrible picture I was permitted to see!” He saw what was going to happen in the future, the misleading powers and the ravings of the devils against the Church in all countries” 

As Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, the greatest visionary of the Church and beatified by St. John Paul II tells us in one of her revelations, "In the center of Hell I saw a dark and horrible-looking abyss, and into this Lucifer was cast, after being first strongly secured with chains … God Himself had decreed this; and I was likewise told … that he will be unchained for a time fifty or sixty years before the year of Christ 2000 … a certain number of demons are to be let loose much earlier than Lucifer, in order to tempt men, and to serve as instruments of divine vengeance”.

As Catholics, we do not believe in fate, bad luck, good luck, karma, chance, coincidence nor destiny since all that occurs is under divine providence. As God said to St. Catherine of Siena, “No leaf of a tree falls to the ground without My Providence”.

So when we look at the moral and spiritual chaos and destruction occurring in the world which many times go beyond the capacity of human nature, men of faith can easily discern an active agent acting behind the scenes. With so much evil, persons of faith can never say that evil is simply the lack of what is good; they see a living entity behind it all.

Demonic Strongholds can cause the following in homes and schools;- Extraordinary Demonic Attacks of Possession, Oppression, Obsession and Infestation- Blockages to God’s blessings, guidance, protection and graces- Outbreak of paranormal and psychic phenomena- Sufferings that are not crosses anymore; they are burdensome, make us miserable; they are not life-giving- Temptations that very strong and persistent causing addictions-Varied and unrelenting harassments and blocks to the spiritual life that lead to depression and suicide -Series of “bad luck” and freak accidents-Non commensurate results to energy expended in spiritual endeavors and programs All these we see today!

Affect Nature As the author Heinrich Schlier, states, “Step by step new destruction is wrought upon the conditions of life, and cruel havoc is worked upon the earth and among its inhabitants by the released demoniacal powers” . Part of the nature of the demons is “to influence nature so as to enhance their claims and authority over man”.

Two reasons why the devil will always try to remain hidden is first, that a person either blames God for his sufferings or if he is of little faith he ceases to believe in a loving God. And second, a person is better conquered when he does not know that he is under attack.

“Our enemy may also be compared in his manner of acting to a false lover. He seeks to remain hidden and does not want to be discovered”St. Ignatius of Loyola

“In this generation, like so many others, people have been led to believe that the devil is a myth, a figure, an idea, the idea of evil. But the devil exists and we must fight against him.” Pope Francis

The Philippine Context

The 4 Major Openings of Extraordinary Demonic Attack

Sin

“He who commits sin is of the Devil” 1 Jn 3:8

Trauma

Abuse attracts Demonic Spirits / Emotional Wounds (Hatred, fear, depression and unforgiveness) keep them attached to the Person

Psychic AbilitiesOpening the Occult 3rd Eye makes one psychically vulnerable to the Preternatural World.

As the Vatican document on the New Age, Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life, tells us, “The point of New Age techniques is to reproduce mystical states at will, as if it were a matter of laboratory material … these practices all create an atmosphere of psychic weakness (and vulnerability)”.

Preternatural World

Supernatural World

Natural World

Psychic AbilityChristian

Body, Soul and Spirit

Pagan Man Body and Soul

Faith

Occultist Christian Non-Psychic

Occult Victim Christian Psychic

Psychic

Occultism One can be contamination by occultism and therefore become open to demonic disturbances in 3 ways; by direct involvement like practicing occult and esoteric activities or going to occult practitioners, by being targeted by an occult practitioner for example through a love potion or curse, and by having an ancestor who was an occult practitioner.

Some Current Filipino Occult Practitioners because the Church has left a vacuum

“Albularyo” or a faith healer or traditional folk healer.

“Mangkukulam” Filipino/ Tagalog version of witch or sorcerer who does kulam or recites spells and mixes potions. He also uses the equivalent of a voodoo doll.

“Mambabarang”. Filipino / Cebuano term for a sorcerer; who expertise is the use of fungus beetles and other insects to send his spells to a victim.

“Mangtatawas”. One who is engaged in pagtatawas. “Pagtatawas" is a ritual where an affliction or psychological disorder is diagnosed by interpreting the form produced in a basin of water as molten wax drip from a lighted candle.

“Manghihilot”. One engaged in hilot. Hilot is a form of massage where incantations (called bulong) are used by the practitioner to invoke the assistance of spirits to aid in the healing or relaxation of the client.

“Sinasaniban”. A Filipino practitioner who becomes a medium to the spirit world allowing the spirits to use his / her faculties especially the mouth.

“Manghuhula”. A Filipino occult practitioner who specializes in fortune-telling through card reading and / or palmistry.

Occult Powers and God “When you

come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you, must not learn to imitate the abhorrent practices of these nations. No one shall be found among you who makes a Son or daughter pass through fire, or who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead.

For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord; it is because of such abhorrent practices that the Lord your God is driving them out before you.”

Deut 18: 9-12

Spirit Source / Hell

Client

Occultist

Client Client

CONTAMINATION

GrandfatherOccultist / Client

Father Brother / Uncle

Daughter Son Daughter

Contamination through Generational Spirit

ANATOMY OF POSSESSION

- Grandfather – Healer / Spiritist- Father - Mason

- Blood Rituals- Offerings - Imaginary Friend

- Brought to healers, fortune-tellers, sorcerers

- Talismans and amulets

- “Engkantos” in the house

- Good Luck Statues

- Pagan rituals for good luck

- “Padugo”

- Played spirit of the glass under a Balete Tree

- Ghost Hunting

- Developed Psychic Ability

- Tarot Cards

- No confession / Mass - No grace in soul - New Age powers - Wicca - No

Sacramentals- Passions are

not kept in check

Possession

Obsession

Oppression

 Inculturation is important in evangelization but the challenge here is that we must be very careful in order that we do not inculturate elements of our animistic / occult idolatrous past. Then we fall into Syncretism. What is inculturated are our traditional Filipino values.

“Those who, in the name of inculturation, run into syncretism”The “need for constant vigilance against all possible forms of syncretism”“Syncretism is harmful” St. Pope John Paul II

“Interreligious dialogue when badly understood leads to muddled thinking or to syncretism”Pope Benedict XVI

“The correct integration of the authentic values of cultures into the Christian faith. It liberates from occultism and vanquishes evil spirits, for it is moved by the power of the Holy Spirit.POPE Benedict 16th

Nov. 2011. Ouidah, Benin

Scapular Anting-antingNovenas OrasyonsDevotion to the angels “Alagang dwende”Sacred Heart statue Buddha

Image of the Child JesusGood luck figurineHouse Blessing “Padugo”St. Benedict’s Medal “Tabi-tabi po”Mass“Alay”

Syncretism in the Philippines

Catholic Faith + Folk Religiosity Catholic Faith + New Age Movement

In 2003, the Pontifical Council for Culture released a study on the New Age Movement entitled, “Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life” The council has come to the conclusion that the New Age Movement “runs counter to Christian Revelation”It further states that “it must never be forgotten that many of the movements which have fed the New Age are explicitly anti-Christian. Their stance towards Christianity is not neutral but neutralising … in fact, it is occasionally made abundantly clear that “there is no tolerable place for true Christianity”

‘It must unfortunately be admitted that there are too many cases where Catholic centers of spirituality are actively involved in diffusing New Age religiosity in the Church”

THE OCCULT IN THE NEW AGE

Angel guides, angelic channeling, astral projection, astrology, aura work, automatic handwriting, amulets, channeling, crystal healing, crystal divination, crystal balls, dousing, fortune telling, out-of-body work, past-life regression therapy, psychic development, psychic healing, rebirthing, shamanism, Silva mind control, soul travel, ouija board, spellcraft, spirit of the glass, spirit guides, spiritualism, spiritism, transcendental meditation, séances, tarot cards, trance-mediums, trance work and wicca (witchcraft).

Elementals and other spirits of Animism and of the New Age?

According to Fr. Gabriele Amorth, it is wrong to “accept the prevalent opinion that there are spiritual beings that are not mentioned in the Bible. These are the invention of spiritists, of followers of the occult, of those who espouse reincarnation, or of those who believe in ‘wandering souls.’ there are no good spirits other than angels; there are no evil spirits other than demons.”

Wandering Souls?

Is there such a thing as “wandering souls”; that is, souls who do not know that they are dead and must be helped by psychics to go into the light in order to leave this world and enter a higher plane of existence?

The teaching of the Church is very clear; “The New Testament … repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith” (CCC. 1021) and again “Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment”. (CCC. 1022)

“(Evil) spirits are deceivers, not by nature, but by malice. They make themselves gods and souls of the departed, but they do not make themselves devils, for they really are so.”

- St. Augustine - “City of God;”

Infestation Infestation is when extraordinary demonic activity is centered on an animal, thing or place. A “haunted house” would fall under the term infestation if the cause is proven to be demonic in origin.  

How can a school get infested?

Check the history of the place and the circumstances when these paranormal manifestations were first experienced;

a. Did any occult (ex. spells) / spiritist (ex. ghost hunting) / animist (ex. padugo) activity occur within the vicinity recently?

b. Did a tragedy /death occur recently within the vicinity?

c. Was there something new added to the place? Like an antique mirror, old painting, “good luck” figurine, decorative pagan god statue, etc.

d. Was there a tampering with the place / environment recently. Ex. cutting of trees, cleaning out the basement or attic?

e. Did any traumatic evil event occur recently within the vicinity? Ex. violence, rape, etc.

f. Continuous sinful activity? Ex. Drug sessions, homosexual encounters, etc.

HOUSE

ROOM BASEMENT

TOILET

ROOM RIVER

Pastoral Intervention

SIGNS OF EXTRAORDINARY DEMONIC ATTACKSON STUDENTS AND THE YOUNG (OPPRESSION); THE SUDDEN ONSET OF:Eyes – frightening apparitions Ears – suicidal, taunting and blasphemous voicesEmotions – uncaused and radical mood swings of depression, anger and fears Imagination – demonic images and

superimpositionsEnvironment – paranormal and psychic

manifestations

Will – addictions and obstinacy in sin Intellect – intrusive thoughtsSpiritual – dryness in prayer and spiritual

desolation Health – deterioration, non diagnosis of

sicknesses and freak accidents Sleep – night terrorsRelationships – isolation, divisions and

deteriorations of relationships

Possession – full take over of the body (not the soul)Single Possession (Another personality takes over not a mere tantrum)IsolateIntervene (Have the necessary sacramentals and prayers of liberation) Weaken / Test (Crucifix, Holy Water and Holy Oils)Awaken InterviewGive assignmentsRefer

Mass Possession Bring away from placeSeparate Deal primarily with the 1st person who got possessed

Interviewing for Oppression and Possession (Pray for Enlightenment) Take down manifestations from the beginning (if there is paranormal phenomena, the more witnesses, the better)Is the person making sense?Look for the triggering event (proof of the demonic); anything unusual esp. a week before Look for the 4 major openings – prioritize occult; if a trauma look for past occult contamination Review the past history of the person (in order of priority – psychic? Occult contamination esp. faith healers? Trauma? Any previous psychological problems?

What is the person feeling at the moment? Any voices and thoughts? Visions? Bodily pains esp. head, stomach, shoulders and spine? Go now to family background = occult contamination? Psychics? Psychological illnesses? Any unusual patterns of negativity? Any other member exhibiting the same manifestations as the person? What previous interventions have been done? Spiritual and psychological? From the interview, if there is the diabolical present, give assignments, then refer

Assignments given by AMOE1. Regular Confession2. Attend Mass regularly and receive Holy Communion3. Renunciation of all occult involvements, sinful lifestyles and vices4. Offer Holy Masses for the protection and deliverance of the whole family5. Fasting 6. Pray the rosary everyday with the whole family7. Pray the Consecration prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary8. Pray a novena prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary for protection, deliverance and healing9. Pray the Prayer to St. Michael and the Prayer for Protection

10. Get rid of all occult paraphernalia (amulets, talismans, anting-anting, agimat, pangontra, oils and medals from the albularyos, oracions, lucky charms, crystals, Buddha, other images of pagan gods, fengshui materials, pyramids, magnets, etc.)

I would like to add and emphasize the following;

1.The prayers should be done as much as possible together as a family or as a community.

“Be eager for more frequent gatherings for thanksgiving to God and His glory, for when you meet thus, the forces of Satan are annulled and his destructive power is cancelled in the concord of your faith”. - Saint Ignatius of Antioch

“When people say the Rosary together it is far more formidable to the devil than one said privately, because in this public prayer it is an army that is attacking him”. - St. Louis de Montfort

2. Devotion to the angels especially one’s guardian angel is a very powerful aid in spiritual warfare that many tend to downplay. Having a devotion means not only having a public and personal relationship with them but also trying to imitate their angelic virtues in order to venerate them.

3. Devotion to one’s patron saint. Getting to know more about him, praying to him, making him a model for one’s life and often calling upon him for aid is a very powerful help in growing in holiness.

“The saint whose name you bear is already assigned you from your Baptism” - St. Francis de Sales

4. Removal and disposal of any object that has to do with connecting one with the cosmic / spiritual powers and energies in the universe. Be very discerning since some objects may be disguised as scientific when actually they are spiritual (occult) in nature. When an object is said to manipulate energies, one is already entering the world of the psychic and the occult.

Sacramentals = thosewith spiritual authorityover the young a. Holy water b. Exorcized / Holy Oilc. Exorcised Saltd. Blessed Candles e. St. Benedict’s Medal

 “We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way. Many who may seem to us to be children of the Devil will still become Christ’s disciples” .– St Francis of Assisi

“To free a man who is a bodily captive in the hands of the barbarians is a noble deed. But to free a soul from the slavery of Satan is greater than to deliver all who are in bodily slavery”. – St. John Eudes

  “For though we live in the world, we are not carrying on a worldly war”

“The weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but have divine power to destroy strongholds” 2 Cor. 10:4

“The kingdom of heaven is at hand! Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils.” Mt 10: 8

“And these signs shall attend those who believe: in my name they shall cast out devils.” Mk 16:17