Demon Tricks

Satan wants you and me to believe that he has control over us. However, we need to remember that Jesus gave us the power over Satan and the demons when he stated in Luke 10:19, “Behold, I give you the authority… over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you.”

When we experience negative thoughts such as, I can’t do this, I’ll never be good enough, I’m a failure, or I feel like giving up and resigning, there’s a good possibility that those suggestive lies surface right from the pits of hell.

Satan will strike at every weakness we might have: fears, anxiety, insecurities, pride, stubbornness and greed, just to name some examples. He will attempt to control our emotions when someone has hurt our feelings; oftentimes stirring up negative reactions and filling our heads with uncharitable thoughts about the person that wounded our egos. His hope is that we will respond and retaliate in a sinful way.

I was naive enough to think that fasting and prayer would protect me against his little tricks. I found out the hard way that this was not true. Many years ago, a close friend of mine deeply hurt my feelings. Because of my pride, the enemy was able to get a toehold. I suffered intensely for days. I wasn’t able to eat or sleep. I felt like I was all alone walking in the desert. Even my mouth was as dry as the desert sand and no amount of water could quench my thirst. All I could do was pray the psalms of distress and the rosary. Now it’s important to know that I was and still am a daily communicant and I had been fasting and praying between 15-20 decades of the rosary per day for a good year! The Lord revealed to me after days of suffering, that because of my pride and stubbornness, the enemy was able to get a toehold. I surrendered, went to confession and repented. When all was done, I received the gift of docility and a dose of humility.

Remember the words of Jesus “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10