Religion Quote by Michael Freze
““English-speaking practitioners generally use the four following terms to refer to the influence of evil spirits: Oppression – demonic influence which seems to come from outside a person, causing heaviness, weariness or discouragement. Oppressive spirits may be acquired through exposure to a heavy presence of evil: e.g. by participating in deliverance ministry (defined below), by being in a place where occult activities are taking place, by being placed under a curse, by coming into contact with items of witchcraft. Oppressive spirits may be dispelled by a simple command to leave in the name of Jesus. Obsession – demonic influence which seems to reside inside a person, usually afflicting a certain area of a person’s life in the form of strong habitual temptations. A person may open oneself to such influence by deliberately seeking the presence or power of evil spirits through witchcraft, Satanism, or fortune-telling (ouija, tarot etc.); demonic obsession may also occur through other grave sins which are not explicitly associated with the occult, e.g. sexual activity by consecrated or ordained persons pledged to celibacy. The obsessing spirit usually needs to be identified by name and cast out (i.e. commanded to leave) or bound (i.e. forbidden from exerting any further influence). Possession is very rare, and only occurs when human beings wilfully hand over complete control of their life to Satan, by expressly doing so or by embracing grave sin. Formal exorcism, sanctioned by the diocesan bishop, is always required in such cases.Infestation is used to refer to the influence of evil spirits over objects, animals, houses or places.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Healing the Wounds of the Soul by Michael Freze, 1999
The passage categorizes four types of demonic influence—oppression, obsession, possession, and infestation—detailing their origins, symptoms, and typical spiritual remedies.
In simple terms: Different ways evil spirits affect people and places, and how they are addressed.
Identify the type of influence and apply appropriate spiritual response.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- church counseling
- personal prayer
- ritual cleansing
- seeking pastoral guidance
- addressing occult involvement
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can one discern between spiritual and psychological distress?
- What safeguards prevent misuse of spiritual authority?
Not all experiences labeled as demonic are medically or psychologically explained; professional help may be needed.