Grace Thompson
The devil is mentioned 211 times in the New Testament, and his existence is affirmed repeatedly in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. While the devil is not to be feared, Catholics are reminded that the spiritual battle between Christ and the Evil One for their souls is very real and ongoing. To fight the devil, Catholics are encouraged to arm themselves with spiritual weapons such as prayer, rosary, fasting, and the sacraments. They should also avoid sin and adopt positive practices that open them to God's grace. Ultimately, Catholics believe that Jesus has already claimed victory over sin and death through his Resurrection, and this eternal optimism is their strength in the spiritual battle.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Attitude towards demonic possession | St. Teresa of Avila advises against fearing demonic possession and instead, focusing on sin. |
| Fear of the devil | The devil should not be feared, but Catholics should be aware of him and avoid him. |
| God's role | God will not let you be tested beyond your strength. |
| Spiritual weapons | Catholics should arm themselves with spiritual weapons such as prayer, rosary, sacraments, fasting, and eternal optimism. |
| Power of Jesus | Jesus has the power to cast out the devil and free people from the power of evil. |
| Power of confession | Confession is more powerful than an exorcism. |
| Power of grace | Grace is the decisive defense against the devil. |
| Power of sacred words | Using sacred words such as the name of Jesus and Mary can help contradict the devil's insinuations. |
| Power of the rosary | Father Gordon suggests that the devil will run away if one brings out the rosary. |
| Power of the sacraments | Pope Paul VI stated that the sacraments are the best defense against the devil. |
| Power of prayer | Prayer is a powerful weapon against the devil, especially the "Our Father" prayer. |
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What You'll Learn
Exorcisms and possessions
The Catholic Church recognises exorcisms and demonic possessions. According to the Vatican's guidelines, a person who claims to be possessed must be evaluated by doctors to rule out mental or physical illness. The Church is cautious when evaluating alleged cases of demonic possession. Twentieth-century Catholic officials regarded genuine demonic possession as an extremely rare phenomenon that is easily confused with mental illness.
The Catholic rite for a formal exorcism is called a "'Major Exorcism', and is given in Section 11 of the Rituale Romanum. This form is employed only when there is a case of genuine demonic possession, when it is determined that the presence of the devil is in the body of the possessed and the devil is able to exercise dominion over that body. The exorcist recites prayers according to the rubrics of the rite and makes use of religious materials such as icons, sacramentals (e.g. holy water) and holy relics. The exorcist invokes God, specifically the name of Jesus Christ, as well as the Blessed Virgin Mary, saints of the Church Triumphant and the Archangel Michael.
Minor exorcisms are prayers used to break the influence of evil and sin in a person's life. The person subjected to exorcism may be restrained so that they do not harm themselves or anyone else. The exorcist then prays and commands the demons to retreat. The Catholic priest recites certain prayers – the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, and the Athanasian Creed.
According to Professor of Religious Studies, Andrew Chesnut, the rise in exorcisms is caused by a rise in charismatic Christianity. He says that a disproportionate number of exorcists belong to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement. Psychiatrist Dr Richard Gallagher, who works with exorcists, attributes the increase in demand for exorcisms to a rise in people believing they are possessed when they are not, and a trend away from mainstream religions towards the occult.
The Catholic Church teaches that the Lord underwent temptation by the devil to provide an example of how to resist him. Jesus fasted and prayed, and used sacred words to answer the devil's attempts. Pope Paul VI wrote that "grace is the decisive defence" against the devil.
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The power of prayer
Prayer is a powerful weapon in the Catholic faith, and it is a key way to fight the devil. While the devil does exist, St. Augustine said that "the devil can bark, but he cannot bite, unless a person lets himself be bitten". Therefore, while one should be aware of the devil and avoid demonic activity, there is no need to live in fear.
The Lord underwent temptation by the devil, and in doing so, provided an example of how to resist him. Jesus fasted and prayed, and used sacred words to answer the devil's attempts. In the same way, we should use prayer as a spiritual weapon, and contradict the devil with the words of the Church. Pope Paul VI affirmed that "grace is the decisive defence" against the devil, and that "the Christian must be militant; he must be strong and vigilant".
The Rosary is a well-known and powerful prayer, described by St. Josemaría Escríva as "a powerful weapon" and "a fortress against evil". The St. Michael Prayer is another prayer for spiritual protection, and it asks the Archangel Michael to "be our defence against the wickedness and snares of the devil".
There are also specific prayers for deliverance from evil spirits and demonic forces. These prayers ask for protection through the blood of Christ, and for evil spirits to be bound and cast out. They also ask for any curses, hexes, or spells to be broken and sent back to where they came from.
Through prayer, we can close the door to the devil and open it to God.
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Avoiding sin
Catholics are taught that the devil is real and that there is a constant spiritual battle between Christ and the Evil One for their souls. However, Catholics should not live in fear of the devil, but rather be aware of him and avoid him. Instead of fearing the devil, Catholics should fear sin, as it is their own sin that will damage them.
To avoid sin, Catholics can arm themselves with spiritual weapons, such as prayer, fasting, and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Penance. Confession is also important, as it is more powerful than an exorcism. When facing temptation, Catholics should invoke the name of Jesus, as he has the power to cast out the devil and free people from the power of evil.
Catholics can also follow Jesus's example by fasting and praying, and using the words of the psalms and prayers of the Church to contradict the devil's attempts. They should also stay in a state of grace and fill their imagination, memory, and feelings with Jesus, Mary, and the holy aspirations of the saints.
In addition to these practices, Catholics should adopt positive behaviours that open them to God's grace. They should also have an eternal optimism that Jesus has claimed victory over sin with his Resurrection.
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Using sacred words
Jesus used sacred words to answer the devil's attempts, and we can do the same. We can contradict the devil's evil insinuations with the words of psalms and prayers, and with the Holy Name of Jesus. The Holy Name of Mary is also powerful, as she is a human with more power than demons.
Jesus responded to the Evil One's suggestions not with new arguments, but with the authoritative words of Sacred Scripture. We can use the inspired word of God to contradict the devil, rather than reasoning or arguments that might justify our sinning. We can use short responses to temptation, such as "O God, come to my assistance", "O Lord, make haste to help me", "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief", and "Lord, you know that I love you".
We can also use the Lord's Prayer, or "Our Father", in which we pray, "deliver us from the evil one". This reminds us that it is God's kingdom and that he will "deliver us from evil". We can pray the psalms and gain spiritual strength by reading the story of the devil tempting Jesus in the desert (Matt 4:1–11).
We should not fear the devil, but we should be aware of him and avoid him. We need not fear demonic possession, but we should fear sin. We should set aside fear as Christ did and use the same means he used to vanquish the devil: fasting and prayer.
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Jesus as saviour
Jesus is the saviour of the Catholic world, and his teachings provide a way to fight against the devil. The devil is mentioned 211 times in the New Testament, and his existence is affirmed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. However, St. Paul says that God will not let humans be tested beyond their strength, and St. Augustine notes that "the devil can bark, but he cannot bite, unless a person lets himself be bitten".
Jesus, as the Son of God, broke the power of evil by becoming a human, suffering, dying, and rising again. He was fully divine and fully human, and as God, he was the only one powerful enough to make up for the sins of the human race. He took on the sins of the world and ransomed humanity through his sacrifice. Through faith and baptism, people are united with the death and resurrection of Jesus, and during Mass, his saving actions are made present again.
Jesus showed humanity how to resist the devil. When faced with temptation by the devil in the desert, Jesus fasted, prayed, and kept vigil. St. John Vianney taught that when the devil sees someone praying more, fasting, and sleeping less, he becomes fearful. Jesus also used sacred words to answer the devil's attempts, and people can do the same by using the words of psalms and prayers of the Church, as well as the Holy Name of Jesus.
Pope Paul VI wrote that "grace is the decisive defence" against the devil, and Catholics should be strong and vigilant, imitating Christ and placing him as the highest priority in their lives. Confession is also important, as it is more powerful than an exorcism. By following Jesus' example and teachings, Catholics can fight against the devil and find salvation.
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Frequently asked questions
According to Catholic teachings, the devil can be fought with prayer, rosary, sacraments, fasting, and eternal optimism.
Demonic possession is rare, but obsession, oppression, and infestation are more frequent. The Church encourages its followers to stay away from evil and use the protection given by God.
The Catholic Church advises its followers to invoke the name of Jesus, as he has the power to cast out the devil. It also recommends increasing the use of confession, as it is more powerful than an exorcism.
The devil is mentioned 211 times in the New Testament, and his existence is affirmed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Church reminds its followers that the spiritual battle between Christ and the Evil One for souls is real and ongoing.
The Catholic Church teaches that there is no need to live in fear of the devil, but one should be aware of him and avoid him. Instead of fearing the devil, Catholics are encouraged to fear sin and to set aside fear by following Christ's example of fasting and prayer.
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