Exorcisms?

[steve-in-kville]

Has anyone seen this done and/or participated in such an activity? In Anabaptism or in any other setting? Years ago I worked with a man of Charity influence that claimed to do these on people.

[JayP]

I would advise anyone encountering someone who wants to talk about their role in exorcisms to run…fast.

The only person I ever knew to authentically be involved in Exorcism was an older priest who was well known (not for that kind of role) but as a scholar. Widely published and a long active professor at major Catholic colleges.

At a luncheon (long dull story how I even got to be there), he briefly mentioned he had several years ago done research work for Fr, Rene Chenessau who is a French exorcist. As an aside, The RCC does not wily Nelly do exorcisms. Only Priests trained as such can do them, and ALWAYS must have approval from the local bishop. The vast majority of cases examined are found to have psychological or other causes. That said, there are real cases of possession and Exorcisms are done.

But I cannot imagine trusting “just a faithful person” to try. The priest I was eating with, now passed away, said that the church keeps some records of demon identity, that there are reoccurring manifestations of the same entity. Whatever one thinks of the doctrines of Catholicism you cannot doubt they have a LOT of stored knowledge between the years and wide geographical range they have operated in.

[steve-in-kville]

I would advise anyone encountering someone who wants to talk about their role in exorcisms to run…fast.

I knew of two that claimed to have this ability. One was the afore mentioned Charity man and the other was part of a then "non-denominational Anabaptist" group that will remain unnamed. Both had some strange ideas on some other stuff as well.

[Valerie]

I would advise anyone encountering someone who wants to talk about their role in exorcisms to run…fast.

I knew of two that claimed to have this ability. One was the afore mentioned Charity man and the other was part of a then "non-denominational Anabaptist" group that will remain unnamed. Both had some strange ideas on some other stuff as well.

I'm trying to understand why this would be considered strange when it is Scriptural to cast out demons-what would be strange is to not cast them out and allow them to remain in in a person when clearly Scripture teaches otherwise.

[GoodGirl]

I probably shouldn’t even say this, but we knew some people who got in with the wrong group, and the exorcism ended up with one dead child and four people in jail.

It feels extra real because some related people decided I had a demon about six months ago or so, for not falling in line on certain issues.

It can get out of hand fast.

I’m sure people do get biblical demons & they can be biblically cast out, but personally I have never seen one go well.

[Valerie]

First, "who" can discern an actual demon in a person?
In the time of Jesus earthly ministry, it was not uncommon to come in contact with people who had demons or unclean spirits. Jesus cast many out. But, they did not go away eternally (yet). They look for other people to dwell on (or pigs! At the one request when Jesus sent them to a heard of swine)

[Valerie]

So what did Jesus command?
Mark 16: 15:-18 "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Of course we know things can go wrong in any of these when dealing with supernatural power from on High if not in right way. Example the whole "taking up serpents" weird cult. Taken out of context these can, by Satan's intervention, go wrong.

[Valerie]

Matthew 17:

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.


Questions:

What SHOULD have happened when the disciples tried?
What did Jesus expect?
What was Jesus' disappointment in them about as to why the son was not set free,?
Then what did Jesus point out what's required in "this kind" to come out?

[Valerie]

Goodgirl noted times she's seen it not go well, indeed gave a terrible example:

What happened here?

Acts 19:13-17

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits saying, "we exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches". Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?" Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus, and fear fell on them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified".

What to learn from the above?

[Valerie]

Matthew 12:43-45
King James Version
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

What is the warning here? We see it's not enough to just cast an unclean spirit out- you cannot leave the one "empty". So what needs to happen to prevent the worse state?