Father Gabriele Amorth on Spiritual Warfare:
6 Types of Extraordinary Demonic Activity
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1. External Physical Pain Caused by Satan:
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As its name suggestions, demonic activity can manifest as physical pain. Fr. Amorth points to Saint John of the Cross, the Cure of Ars, and Padre Pio as historical examples of those who suffered physical beatings and torment by demons. However, since this “external form of persecution does not affect the soul,” it is understood that “there has never been the need for an exorcism, only for prayers.”
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2. Demonic Possession:
“This occurs when Satan takes full possession of the body (not the soul); he speaks and acts without the knowledge or consent of the victim, who therefore is morally blameless.” In reference to the question, is there a stereotypical possession or referential model, Fr. Amorth advises the following, “to fix a set ‘model’ for demonic possession would be a serious mistake; the affliction runs the gamut of symptoms and severity.”
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3. Diabolical Oppression:
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“There is no possession, loss of consciousness, or involuntary action and word, ” just severe to mild events that plague the individual. Fr. Amorth points to Job’s severe afflictions and St. Paul’s thorn in his flesh (II Cor 12:7). Whereas “possession is rare,” Fr. Amorth reveals that he and his fellow exorcists “run into a great number of people who have been struck by the devil in their health, jobs, or relationships.”
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4. Diabolic Obsession:
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“Symptoms include sudden attacks, at times ongoing, of obsessive thoughts, sometimes even rationally absurd, but of such nature that the victim is unable to free himself.” Moreover, “the obsessed person lives in a perpetual state of prostration, desperation, and attempts at suicide. Almost always obsession influences dreams.”
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5. Diabolic Infestation:
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“Infestations affect houses, things, or animals.”
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6. Diabolical Subjugation, or Dependence:
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Fr. Amorth explains, “people fall into this form of evil when thy voluntarily submit to Satan. The two most common forms of dependence are the blood pact with the devil and the consecration to Satan.”
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The Four Types of Curses
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Fr. Amorth on the 4 Types of Curses: "Curse is a generic word. It is commonly defined as “harming others through demonic intervention.” This is an exact definition, but it does not explain the cause of the harm, hence the beginning of confusion. For instance, some believe that curse is synonymous with spell or witchcraft. In my opinion, spells and witchcraft are two different types of curses. I do not claim to give a comprehensive explanation, and I rely solely on my own experience when I defend the following forms of curses".
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1. Black Magic – Witchcraft – Satanic Rites that Culminate with Black Masses
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Fr. Amorth address these practices as a group because they are analogous and they share the “common characteristic” of obtaining “a curse against a specific person through magic formulas or rituals – at times very complex – by invoking the demon, but without the use of particular objects.”
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Whoever devotes himself to these practices becomes a servant of Satan through his own fault.
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Scriptural passages prohibiting analogous practices: Dt18:10-12, Lev 19:31, Lev 20:27, Lev 19:26-31, Ex 22:18
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2. Curses
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Curses invoke evil, and the origin of all evil is demonic. When curses are spoken with true perfidy, especially if there is a blood relationship between the one who casts them and the accursed, the outcome can be terrible.
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Fr. Amorth stresses the fact that there are incredibly strong bonds between family members, and that curses that operate within these familial bonds or on a “special occasion,” e.g., a wedding, can have terrible consequences.
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He gives several examples of cases he worked: a young man cursed by his own father at birth, parents cursing their daughter-in-law at their wedding, and man whose grandmother cursed a photograph of him, resulting in ill legs and multiple surgeries.
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3. The Evil Eye
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This consists in a spell cast by looking at someone. It does not come about, as many think, by believing that some individual cause bad luck by just looking at you; this is nonsense. The evil eye is a true spell; in other words, it presupposes the will to harm a predetermined person with the intervention of demons.
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What is important is that the victim should not suspect everyone he meets, but forgive wholeheartedly whoever caused him evil, no matter who. I want to stress that, while I believe that the evil eye is possible, I cannot be positive that I have encountered it in my experience as an exorcist.
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4. The Spell (aka Malefice or Hex)
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A “spell” is the “most commonly used means to achieve evil.” In Latin, it is the male factus – meaning “Evil work.” It is generally accomplished by making some type of “evil” artifact.
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The object has an almost symbolic value: it is a tangible sign of the will to harm, and it is offered to Satan to be imprinted with his evil powers. It is often said that Satan apes God; in this case we can use the sacraments as an analogy. The sacraments use tangible matter (for instance the water of baptism) as an instrument of grace. In the malefice matter is used as an instrument of harm.
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Application of the Malefice:
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Direct Way: “Consists of mixing the object that is used for the spell into the victim’s food or drink. As already mentioned, this is manufactured with the most diverse materials; it can be menstrual blood; bones of dead people; various burned powders, mostly black; animal parts – the heart seems to be the favorite; peculiar herbs, and so on.”
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Indirect Way: “This consists in hexing objects that belong to the target (photographs, clothes, or other belongings) or figures that represent the accursed: dolls, puppets, animals, even real people of the same age and sex. This is called “transfer” material, and it is struck with the same ills that are intended for the victim.”
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Other Attributes:
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Binding Malefice: The transfer object is bound with various ribbons or animal hairs to produce a “binding” effect. Fr. Amorth recounts an event where a doll was bound to an umbilical cord with horse hair in an attempt to strike a pregnant woman’s child.
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Hex Objects: Often times transfer objects for a hex appear inside pillows or mattresses.
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I have found just about everything, from colored and tied ribbons to chunks of hair tightly knotted… animals – especially mice – or geometric shapes; and blood clots. I have seen chunks of wood or iron, twisted wire, and dolls full of piercing and marks and have witnessed the sudden appearance of very thick braids of children or women’s hair. Miraculously, sometimes these objects are not even visible until holy water is sprinkled upon the opened pillow.
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Father Gabriele Amorth Recommended Prayers of Deliverance
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FATHER GABRIELE AMORTH SPIRITUAL WARFARE PRAYERS
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And render unto our neighbors SEVENFOLD into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached Thee, O Lord. (Ps 79:12)
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Fr. Gabriele Amorth The Vatican’s Chief Exorcist in Rome FOR Decades Exorcism Prayers
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Prayers of Deliverance
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1. Prayer Against Malefice from the Greek Ritual
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Kyrie eleison. God, our Lord, King of ages, All-powerful and All-mighty, Thou Who madest everything and Who transformeth everything simply by Thy will. Thou Who in Babylon didst change into dew the flames of the ‘seven-times hotter’ furnace and didst protect and save the three holy children. Thou art the doctor and the physician of our soul. Thou art the salvation of those who turn to Thee. We beseech Thee to make powerless, banish, and drive out every diabolic power, presence, and machination; every evil influence, malefice, or evil eye and all evil actions aimed against Thy servant [name of person/s]. Where there is envy and malice, give us an abundance of goodness, endurance, victory, and charity. O Lord, Thou Who lovest man, we beg Thee to reach out Thy powerful hands and Thy most high and mighty arms and send the angel of peace over us, to protect us, body and soul. May he keep at bay and vanquish every evil power, every poison or malice invoked against us by corrupt and envious people. Then, under the protection of Thy authority may we sing, in gratitude, ‘The Lord is my salvation; whom should I fear? I will not fear evil because Thou art with me, my God, my strength, my powerful Lord, Lord of peace, Father of all ages.”
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Yes, Lord our God, be merciful to us, Thy image, and save Thy servant [name of person/s] from every threat or harm from the evil one, and protect him/her by raising him/her above all evil. We ask Thee this through the intercession of our Most Blessed, glorious Lady, Mary ever Virgin, Mother of God, of the most splendid archangels and all Thy saints. Amen!
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2. Anima Christi
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Soul of Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate me; Water from the side of Christ, wash me; Passion of Christ, strengthen me; O good Jesus, hear me; within Thy wounds, hide me; let me never be separated from Thee; from the evil one, deliver me; at the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to Thee, that with Thy saints, I may praise Thee forever and ever. Amen.
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3. Prayer Against Every Evil
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Spirit of our God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Most Holy Trinity, Immaculate Virgin Mary, angels, archangels, and saints of heaven, descend upon me. Please purify me, Lord, mold me, fill me with Thyself, use me.
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Banish all the forces of evil from me, destroy them, vanquish them, so that I can be healthy and do good deeds.
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Banish from me all spells, witchcraft, black magic, malefice, ties, maledictions, and the evil eye; diabolic infestations, oppressions, possessions; all that is evil and sinful, jealously, perfidy, envy; physical, psychological, moral, spiritual, diabolical aliments.
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Burn all these evils in hell, that they may never again touch me or any other creature in the entire world.
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I command and bid all the power who molest me – by the power of God all powerful, in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior, through the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary – to leave me forever, and to be consigned into the everlasting hell, where they will be bound by Saint Michael the archangel, Saint Gabriel, Saint Raphael, our guardian angels, and where they will be crushed under the heel of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. Amen.
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4. Prayer for Inner Healing
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Lord Jesus, Thou camest to heal our wounded and troubled hearts. I beg Thee to heal the torments that cause anxiety in my heart; I beg Thee, in a particular way, to heal all who are the cause of sin. I beg Thee to come into my life and heal me of the psychological harms that struck me in my early years and from the injuries that they caused through my life.
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Lord Jesus, Thou knowest my burdens. I lay them all on Thy Good Shepherd’s Heart. I beseech Thee – by the merits of the great, open wound in Thy heart-to heal the small wounds that are in mine. Heal the pain of my memories, so that nothing that has happened to me will cause me to remain in pain and anguish, filled with anxiety.
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Heal, O Lord, all those wounds that have been the cause of all the evil that is rooted in my life. I want to forgive all those who have offended me. Look to those inner sores that make me unable to forgive. Thou Who camest to forgive the afflicted of heart, please, heal my own heart.
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Heal, my Lord Jesus, those intimate wounds that cause me physical illness. I offer Thee my heart. Accept it, Lord, purify it and give me the sentiments of Thy Divine Heart. Help me to be meek and humble.
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Heal me, O Lord, from the pain caused by the death of my loved ones, which is oppressing me. Grant me to regain peace and joy in the knowledge that Thou art the Resurrection and the Life. Make me an authentic witness to Thy Resurrection, Thy victory over sin and death, Thy living presence among us. Amen.
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5. Prayer for Deliverance
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My Lord, Thou art all powerful, Thou art God, Thou art Father. We beg Thee through the intercession and help of the archangels Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, for the deliverance of our brothers and sisters who are enslaved by the evil one. All saints of Heaven, come to our aid.
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From anxiety, sadness and obsessions, we beg Thee. Free us, O Lord.
From hatred, fornication, envy, we beg Thee, Free us, O Lord.
From thoughts of jealousy, rage, and death, we beg Thee, Free us, O Lord.
From every thought of suicide and abortion, we beg Thee, Free us, O Lord.
From every form of sinful sexuality, we beg Thee, Free us, O Lord.
From every division in our family, and every harmful friendship, we beg Thee, Free us, O Lord.
From every sort of spell, malefic, witchcraft, and every form of the occult, we beg Thee,
Free us, O Lord.
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Lord, Thou Who saidst, “I leave you peace, My peace I give you,” grant that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, we may be liberated from every evil spell and enjoy Thy peace always. In the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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PRAYER FOR PROTECTION AGAINST DEMONS
(Saint John Bosco, C. 1880)
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O Mary, powerful Virgin,
Thou art the mighty and glorious Protector of the Church.
Thou art the Marvelous Help of Christians.
Thou art Terrible as an Army set in Battle Array.
Thou alone hast destroyed every heresy in the entire Church.
In the midst of my anguish, my struggles and my distress,
Defend me from the power of the enemy,
And at the hour of my death,
Receive my soul into Paradise.
Amen
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PLEADING THE BLOOD OF JESUS
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The Apocalypse Of Saint John (Revelation) Chapter 12:11 And they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of the testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death.
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I plead the Blood of Jesus on my spouse and children.
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I plead the Blood of Jesus on my family, home and property.
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I plead the Blood of Jesus on my Church and on all Church property.
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I plead the Blood of Jesus on my mind
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I plead the Blood of Jesus on every thought in my mind.
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I plead the Blood of Jesus on my body.
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I plead the Blood of Jesus on every evil spirit attacking my mind and body.
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Saint Michael Prayer
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Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
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THE BRIEF OF ST ANTHONY
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A woman who was troubled by spiritual forces stopped at a chapel to pray before a statue of St. Anthony. She fell asleep, and saw him whether in a dream or vision. Upon waking, she found a letter (brief) with words to put evil forces to flight.
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The letter (brief) reads: Latin:
Ecce crucem domini, fugite, partes adversae, vicit leo de tribu juda, radix david. Alleluia.
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English:
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Behold the cross of the Lord! Begone hostile enemies! The lion of Juda, the offspring of David has triumphed! Alleluia!
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Saint Teresa of Avila on the Power of Holy Water
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I was once in an oratory, when Satan, in an abominable shape, appeared on my left hand. I looked at his mouth in particular, because he spoke, and it was horrible. A huge flame seemed to issue out of his body, perfectly bright, without any shadow. He spoke in a fearful way, and said to me that, though I had escaped out of his hands, he would yet lay hold of me again. I was in great terror, made the sign of the cross as well as I could, and then the form vanished--but it reappeared instantly. This occurred twice. I did not know what to do; there was some holy water at hand; I took some, and threw it in the direction of the figure, and then Satan never returned. I know by frequent experience that there is nothing which puts the devils to flight like holy water. They run away before the sign of the cross also, but they return immediately: great, then, must be the power of holy water.
