**This post is covered in the Precious Blood of Jesus**
“Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
The enemy does not sleep, he does not rest, he is always on the prowl. He is searching for ways to come into our hearts and minds. Scripture warns us to be vigilant to the potential attacks of the devil. The devil is often so subtle that the attacks go unnoticed. The greatest trick of the devil is convincing people he doesn’t exist – unfortunately, this has been very effective in recent times. He doesn’t often attack head on, most likely, he will come at the soul through subterfuge. Most souls will find themselves under spiritual attack through temptation and sin. Wherever sin exists in our lives, there is an open door to allow the enemy in and block God out. We must root out these sins and close these portals, with the enemy on the outside.
All sin opens the soul to attack but some can leave a soul more vulnerable to demonic attack and influence. Open portals with this power include the occult, grave (mortal) sin and curses. The occult opens a doorway to the enemy and his demon forces, literally inviting them into the soul. This is literally the playground of the devil. God warns heavily against the occult in scripture – Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, “No one shall be found among you who makes a son or daughter pass through fire, or who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead. For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord; it is because of such abhorrent practices that the Lord your God is driving them out before you.” The occult portals are opened through astrology, fortune tellers, Ouija boards, tarot cards, seance, games and books with spells and practice of magic and witchcraft.
Grave (mortal) sin are sins against the Ten Commandments, done willfully with full consent and knowledge. These can include capital sins, pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony and acedia, sexual sins, idol worship, murder and many more. There is no such thing as a ‘small’ sin – all sin is a seed to grave sin.
Curses – a person can receive a curse or cursed item just as well as a blessing. “Do not bring an abhorrent thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You must utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction.” Deuteronomy 7:26.
To open oneself to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the first thing a soul must do is be cleansed and close all portals that were previously opened to the enemy. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is paramount to this. God’s forgiveness and mercy will make the devil run to the deepest parts of hell. Renouncing the sin, asking Jesus to lock the portal and set a guardian angel to seal it for all eternity and breaking the ties to these sins are very important to be freed. Workshops like Joy and Patrick Campbell’s ‘Victory in Spiritual Warfare’ and Unbound are great weapons that rely on the Sacraments’ power to close the portals and bind the enemy.
One cannot expect to hear the voice of God or receive an indwelling of the Holy Spirit if the devil is the lord of the house. Seek God’s Divine Mercy – the devils hates God’s mercy. Draw yourself into the mantle of God’s Divine Mercy as a blanket on your bed, pull it over you to cover you fully, rest in It’s warmth.
By the Precious and Holy Name of Jesus, renounce sin and all the holds of the enemy in your life. Invite Jesus fully into your life. Dear Jesus, I give you permission to take down my strongholds, Lord Jesus I give you permission to enter into my heart and with Your Light and Power to wipe darkness from my heart that You may reside. Lord Jesus, My Savior and King, lock all portals of my past and set a guardian angel upon them to seal them for all eternity.
Go to Confession and be made new. Then, open yourself to the Sacraments and His Holy Word in Scripture – open yourself to His Divine Mercy. Get to know Jesus in a deeper, more intimate way that He can begin to use you as His hands, feet and voice. This is when He will begin to make known His gifts through the Holy Spirit. Don’t forget, we are riding the wave of the Feast of Mercy to Pentecost.
**This post is covered in the Precious Blood of Jesus**