Monsignor Stephen Rossetti of the Archdiocese of Washington recently published a book titled: Diary Of An American Exorcist. In it, he documents ninety-five cases of demonic possessions and oppression and includes a list of ways to battle against the tactics of Satan. Amongst his studies of the demonic, Monsignor Rossetti compiled a list of the 6 main lies that demons will tell somebody under their influence.
Recently on The Cale Clarke Show, Cale took a look at these 6 lies and gave advice for how to defend against the devil’s occupation of your mind or body.
The 6 Lies are:
- You are a terrible person.
- There is no hope for you.
- God doesn’t care about you.
- You’re mine and I will never leave.
- You are going to hell.
- You should commit suicide.
Monsignor Rossetti, who performs about 20 exorcisms a week, says he hears these lies constantly, time and time again. These messages will attack us on two fronts: the natural level and the supernatural level. On the natural level, the devil will pick at our physical weaknesses, whether that be our damaged mental health or weaknesses we’re afraid to confront. On that plane, it might be wise to seek help from a phycologist or a psychiatrist, preferably a Catholic one who can empathize with a religious perspective.
In addition to professional help, some people may require medication, especially if they are hooked on obsessive ways of thinking. A competent, Catholic professional with a supernatural outlook can often determine what is necessary and what is not in terms of one’s mental health. Battling the devil’s unrelenting messages can take a toll if we never seek assistance.
On the supernatural level, there is a myriad of practical tips that Monsignor Rossetti suggests we practice to protect ourselves from the devil. At its core, the Gospel, the Good News, is the remedy for the bad news and lies of the devil. Deeply in our hearts, we have to find the knowledge that God unconditionally loves us beyond our comprehension. And we can learn that for ourselves through the Gospel.
Some supernatural steps we can take in a more physical, proactive way are to have our homes blessed and attend Mass as often as possible. Demons hate the attendance of Mass and the entrance into churches. By attending Mass constantly, we renew our resolve to protect ourselves against the Father of Lies. Demons hate the real presence of Jesus Christ and they will do anything to prevent people from attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist.
Another tool at our disposal is holy water. Of course, we’ve all seen the possession movies where they fling holy water on a possessed person, and it burns the demon. But on a more daily basis, simply bless yourself with holy water when you wake up and before you go to sleep.
Monsignor Rossetti also concluded that demons abhor the crucifix and images or statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Crucifixes are known to have the capability of burning demons in possession of a person’s body. And Mary’s name alone is so holy and carries such grace that demons are incapable of uttering it. “Whatever’s holy in the world, they hate it. And that’s why they attack it. That’s why marriage is under attack and the family, life is under attack because it’s holy. It speaks to us of God. Marriage speaks to us of the eternal marriage of Christ and the Church. The family is under attack. The family is a created image of the Trinity.”
We have so many tools at our disposal to ward off the lies and temptations of the devil. We have only to pick them up and wield them. On a regular basis, we should make sure to use holy water, attend Mass as often as humanly possible, and turn to our guardian angels and St. Michael. Let us turn to Our Lord on the Cross, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the words of the Gospel as our shields against the attacks of Satan and all his evil spirits.
Listen to the full talk below:
Tune in to The Cale Clarke Show weekdays at 5pm CT
