Hypothetical SITUATION

A longer scenario, for instruction…You receive this email, what would you write back?

“Bethany gave me your contact information.  She said that you may be able to help me with some paranormal activity in my house.  My husband  & I have lived in our house since mid June of this year.  After a couple of weeks of our dog barking madly at it & the kids getting weirded out I tried to rebuke it.  I made the kids leave the room & I talked to it saying that it can't stay.  I also said "In the name of Jesus, get out".  Apparently it didn't leave because since then it has just gotten worse.  It will shut doors, move cell phones, set off the motion sensor in the kitchen at night, walk through the house during the night & make our dog bark madly at air. The house is about 30 years old.  I don't know of any deaths or tragic things that have happened in the house but I haven't asked or looked it up either.  Please help!”

MY REPLY:   “Yes, I would be glad to help.  First of all I would caution you from following much of the typical advice you might receive on this issue.  Many will label such occurrences as "ghosts" or "paranormal" activity and have many experience-based solutions.

Ultimately what you are experiencing is demonic, not some sort of human spirit.  I don't say that to scare you, but to help you realize the reality of what you are dealing with.  Your solution will not be found in some sort of ritual, special exorcist/paranormal specialist, or by speaking to the demon.  Such approaches may appear to provide relief, but it will only be temporary.  Your solution will be only found by sincerely seeking God in faith.

Who lives in your house?  How would you describe each of their relationships with God? (i.e. who has followed Jesus in faith and baptism, how regularly do they seek God in Bible reading, active in church, etc.?)  Apart from what you described, is there any other helpful information?  Has anyone seen, heard, or felt anything else?  Any plaguing thoughts?  Any weird text messages, phone calls, or writings? Apart from what you mentioned, what other attempts or practices have you done to try to make these occurrences stop? Has any pastor tried helping you yet?  If so, how?  What sort of praying to God or Scripture reading have you done so far?”

HER REPLY: “I have 2 friends who have told me to put oil on the doors & windows & rebuke it in the name of Jesus. I've done that (by myself) but it doesn't feel as if it or they are gone.  In the house is me, my husband, & our 4 kids. We're blended. He has 2 boys (ages 9 & 11 - they are not Christians) & I have 2 boys (ages 7 & 10 - mine are Christians). We also have a pet pig & pug in the house. My husband & I got married in July. We are both Christians & attend church together as a family. Most nights I read all 4 boys a bible story from their kids bible. My husband & I read a devotional with just the 2 of us most nights also. 

What started this was our pug barking at mid air in the living room, then doors starting being shut & a cell phone moved. My husband & a friend who stayed with us recently both hear footsteps walking at night. I don't hear it. My husband also hears what sounds like fingers running across blinds in our room. Our motion sensor in the kitchen has gone off twice & the kids & animals were all asleep. The front door knob has rustled. It's very unnerving. 

We bought the house & moved in mid June of this year. I'm not sure who lived here before besides what the neighbor calls a cat lady who had 20-30 cats. The bank bought the house & totally gutted & remodeled it, then put it on the market. We then bought it.  Should I use oil on the doors & windows again? This time having my husband do it with me. I've been told I should have all family members including pets together when we do it room by room. I don't want to scare the kids any more than they have been already by the strange activity in the house. But I also want them to be aware of the enemy's attacks.”

MY REPLY:  “Oil and rebuking can be helpful at times, but there is more involved than a mere ritual.  The power we access in God is not found by simply saying the correct prayers or doing the right action.  Rebuking, dialoguing, and naming can actually be a dangerous practice (Jude 8-9, 2 Peter 2:10-11) and although the one handout I have attached includes some rebuking, I encourage it to be done such as the archangel Michael did saying "The Lord rebuke you."

I have seen people go through anointing, rebuking, and more with very little success.  Oftentimes Satan leads people down never ending rabbit trails of trying to figure out the "key" to get rid of the demons. If you feel led to have your husband or a pastor lead you all through the house in anointing of oil, that is fine, but please realize that there is no power in the oil.  The oil is merely a symbol of being covered by God's Holy Spirit.

I think the biblical model for dealing with the demonic is the process you should follow.  Essentially that means a process of repentance and belief, which is essentially just the practice of faith.   To be more specific, the one handout I included (Steps to Freedom in Christ by Neil Anderson) is a comprehensive process of you and your husband to go through, repenting of past and present sin and praying to God for help specifically.  Demons are a lot like flies and are attracted to the trash (sin) in our lives.  

If there is any unconfessed and hidden sin (often times sexual sin like pornography or addictions to substances), the demonic attacks will continue until there is genuine repentance.  There also may be items in your home associated with false religious worship (like Indian dream weavers, prayer rugs, etc.) that may need to be removed and destroyed.  The handout covers a lot more areas to go through.

The handout also includes helpful guides for praying over your home and before bedtime. The process of working through the handout will take 3-5 hours but is worth it.  If you encounter significant spiritual attack during the process of working through it, you may need to ask your pastor or a trusted Christian friend to help you.  It is important that both you and your husband work through this together as he is designed by God to be the spiritual leader of your house.

1 Corinthians 12:1-10 is good to be familiar with so that you understand sometimes God allows suffering, to included demonic attack, to increase your dependence and trust in Him.  In this passage, the word "messenger" is the same word for angel, meaning that Paul was being harassed by a demon.

On a very simple level, I have included a listing of Scriptures to use.  If you are in the middle of a demonic attack (hearing noises, feeling a presence, etc.), simply read Scripture (like those I included, or others) out loud in a prayer to God.  I have seen Scripture as the Sword of the Spirit quickly stop and silence demonic activity.  It might be good to talk to your kids if they are already seeing and understanding that different things are going on, so that you can reassure them that God is stronger than Satan.  

I hope this is a helpful start!  Please feel free to ask any more questions you might have.  If you find yourselves in the midst of a frightening demonic attack, please feel free to call me no matter the hour and I would be glad to pray with you over the phone and guide you through the experience.  I am so sorry that you all are going through this but I know God has a purpose and will carry you through if you seek Him during this time of suffering.”

HER REPLY:  Thank you so much for your help. My husband & I have started the steps.  Things are going much better. We haven't noticed any activity since we went over the attachments that you sent.   [“Steps to Freedom in Christ” and “Bible Verses on Spiritual Warfare”]