Symptoms Of Demonic Possession & Oppression

Hello my friends. I pray everyone had a wonderful weekend and everyone you love is healthy. I hope everyone has some great plans for Labor Day weekend coming up. We've had some bad rain and storms in Florida knocking out power the last few days. I hate that. But it is hurricane season so my guess I better get used to it. Hopefully we won't ever have another year like we did when we got hit with three of them one right after another right through Central Florida. That was terrible. No power for many days and stores running out of ice and many in very irritable moods due to no power no AC and tempers were flaring. I sincerely pray no cities go through anything to that degree this hurricane season.

I'd like to first start off on a positive note with one of my favorite stories in the New Testament:

"Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.”

Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:17-29) What a victory over the enemy here! I just love it! It's amazing what our faith can do isn't it?

Now To The Subject At Hand:

The Following Are A Few Signs Of Demonic Oppression:

• Cognitive complications such as the inability to concentrate, fatigue, destructive thoughts, and even negativity may also be the work of real demons.

• Many individuals that are oppressed because of the evil curses of real demons will simply seem to float through life feeling as if there is no meaning, purpose or reason for their existence, the existence of others, and the existence of situations and events that transpire.

• Many individuals may find that they experience an abnormally high amount of anxiety that is considered to be highly irrational.

• When real demons are at work, it is common for the victim to experience an abnormally high amount of fear that is considered to be extremely irrational.

• Despite the fact that the sufferer may be surrounded by individuals that love and care for them, they may experience extreme bouts of loneliness.

• As with all evil curses, many that are being harassed by real demons may feel as if they lack self-control and may also act in odd behaviors that seem to indicate that they do not have any type of self-control.

• It is common for many to find themselves in a constant state of conflict – with both themselves as well

• Many may experience extreme emotional bouts. In some instances, they may feel angry, upset, sad, depressed, and suffer from other emotions for which there is no rational cause.

• It is common for a person suffering from evil curses like demonic oppression to feel an extreme amount of hate, lash out verbally, and even display signs of physical aggressiveness.

• Many suffer from many different types of physical ailments such as persistent and unexplained sicknesses and injuries.

The Following Are Few Signs Of Demonic Possession:

Mental torment: Fear, depression, irrational heaviness in the soul, hearing voices in the mind, hearing audible voices that nobody else hears, compulsive thoughts, insanity, mental illness, etc. Obsessive irrational worry is almost always a demon. People who are scared stiff over the unpardonable sin are in need of counseling and likely deliverance.

Emotional problems: Unable to get close to other people, sensing rejection for no reason, irrational emotional breakdowns, etc. Often more then just casting out demons is needed in this category, inner healing must also take place as well as tearing down strongholds.

Physical health problems: Arthritis, cancer, HIV, and a host of other illnesses are almost always caused by evil spirits. If it cannot be easily cured, then it's almost always a spirit that is causing it.

Occult powers or abilities: Anybody who can tell a fortune, lift an object through levitation, break a solid oak board with their hand, etc. using demonic powers needs a deliverance. Martial arts are known for using demonic powers to break boards, etc. Unnatural strength is a sign of demonic power, such as the man with the legion in the Bible.

Unnatural desires and feelings: Sexual attraction towards animals, unnatural sexual desires, unusually strong attractions towards somebody who is married, past lover, etc. can indicate soul ties and demonic bondage.

Experiencing the demonic: Most often (not always, but usually) when people are visited by demons, hearing them, seeing them, etc., they are in need of a deliverance.

Obsessions: Driving interests in the occult, demons, and creatures of the dark such as wolves, owls, etc. can indicate a demonic bondage. Obsession with death is almost a sure sign of demonic bondage.

Compulsive behavior: Compulsive behavior such as cutting is a Biblical symptom of demonic bondage.

The first goal of demons in my opinion is to prevent us from receiving God's love and having ever lasting life in Heaven with the Father. Their sneaky and attempt to persuade people to turn away from God. They do this through many forms of temptation, harassment, and also from distorting The Word Of God. Demons lie to us and work hard on our minds so that we are lying to ourselves and thinking awful things of our self worth and our ability to do things right. And pleasing to God. As a believers we are engaged in this warfare whether we desire to be or not. Sadly this is NOT a option friends. On occasion, it consumes our very life. The first realization we must recognize is that we are vulnerable. We are unable to defeat the adversary unless we put on the armor of God. Ephesians 6:10-12 tells us our defense. It must be followed. We can not waiver outside of God's Word. Demons just love to attack us when we are at our absolute lowest and going through bad hardship. They find that we are a easy target. We are much more weak and easier to take down. They are patient and will strike at the worst time.

To discern means "to discover, evaluate, and make a distinction between. The gift of discerning of spirits is of utmost importance when dealing with possession by demons. It permits him to discover, evaluate, and identify demons or evil spirits. It enables believers to immediately discern whether or not a person is affected by demon possession, obsession or oppression and it prevents deception by seducing or lying demons. With this gift believers can recognize the evil motives, tactics and practices of demons. Discernment is a gift the Lord bestowed upon me and I always wondered why me? I don't want any part of this scary, diabolical mess!
Discernment enables believers to determine the cause behind the conditions behind most situations like possession and oppression. I do believe that believers who do not have this can hone into it by fasting and lots of prayer to our Lord.

Satan has used a number of tools over the centuries to capture the naive. The Ouija Board has proven to be very productive in this method.  According to the Dictionary of Mysticism the Ouija Board is "an instrument for communication with the spirits of the dead." The Ouija Board is an open door to the other side and anything demonic.. Disembodied spirits speak to the living through the medium of the Ouija Board. This information is believed to be truth from the other side and is not recognized for what it is: Lucifer's delusion to gain our allegiance.

Satan is the master of the mind and that's the first thing he and his demons attack, you're mind. They can manipulate thinking our thinking patters in many ways. Fear is not of God. Many people who have unhealthy fears need to know this. Don't let the enemy rob you of happiness and peace. No one has to be perfect and without sin in order to love Jesus Christ and follow his teachings. I'd be a liar if I even began to say I sin very little or I'm sin free. There's nothing in the bible that stipulates a sinner can't love and choose to worship God and move past mistakes and repent then move forward. That doesn't make someone a fraud. If one says otherwise, Christ died on the Cross Of Calvary for nothing then! Easter is all for nothing. I do feel people in leadership need to really pay more attention to their actions but no one is without sin or never makes mistakes or poor choices in life. Don't let this lie make you feel God won't love you or you are not allowed to worship and love him.

(John 15) "Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me. Those who do not remain in me are thrown out like a branch and dry up"

(John 14:1-3) is how I'd like to end this article:

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Worldviews...Bringing Our Thoughts Under Christ's Lordship

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Last time we looked at epistemology, which deals with how we acquire knowledge. We noted that it is important to give reasons for why we believe what we believe. When we are not aware of our reasons for believing something, it is difficult to analyze or evaluate that belief, and it is certainly difficult to argue it with someone else (argue in logical sense).

You may not have heard of Sena Naslund as an author, but perhaps you have heard of Dean Koontz. I was surprised to discover that he has devoted an entire novel series on a character named Odd Thomas--a short order cook in a small CA town. He acquired the ability to see and communicate with trapped spirits. In this series he attempts to help spirits who had been treated unjustly. Novels, especially a series written by another bestseller like Koontz, have the ability to substantially alter a person's worldview...without the reader being consciously aware of it. Perhaps before reading his novel/s the reader either did not believe in ghosts or was on the fence, but afterwards it would take a conscious effort to NOT be effected in the direction of belief.

Similarly, I noted Wednesday night that there was a TV show, "Haunted Mine", which I watched--been without TV for several months. What is next: "Haunted Honeymoons"?! This is not a fad and it (the assumption that trapped spirits exist) is particularly compelling when viewed via the medium of TV.  Seeing is believing, right? Not if you misinterpret the data.

                                                                                  

A few nights ago I heard an interview with John Zaffis and another well known demonologist. I always enjoy listening to Zaffis because of his immense learning and experience. Much wisdom was shared, and then the host asked how they make decisions.....determining what is there and what to do. John said they leave after a day or 2 of investigating to do some "diagnosing"--a key word they used several times..."they needed to look over the evidence to discern what is trapped spirits and if any demons" (Zaffis). At this point, I groaned out loud.

Is the diagnosing by a demonologist (or investigator) similar to that of a doctor? Yes and No. Yes, in that both deal with studying symptoms, and then seeking to find the cause and cure for a problem. But even in this regard, a case could be made that the "ailments" a demonologist deals with are much more serious than those which a medical doctor handles--which should give pause to anyone seeking to enter this field. No, in that there is a distinct, explicit spiritual component to the paranormal diagnostic process. Please remember that the paranormal is not ultimately a scientific issue but a theological issue, because science is UNABLE to uncover the identity of supernatural entities.What I want us to see is that during this very important diagnostic process, one's worldview WILL effect how we see and interpret the paranormal facts., and we are almost always unaware of these strong, interior influences.

God rejects the false wisdom of the world and calls His people to radical obedience ( 1 Cor. 1-2)--thinking according to God's norms is a crucial aspect of this radical call to discipleship. In a word, God is an intellectual authoritarian. This is a touchy subject for modern man who is insistent on total freedom of speech and thought. However, God's intellectual authoritarianism is the source of true intellectual freedom. Human thinking must be subject to a norm or criterion. If we reject God as our intellectual norm, then we must either create an idol and find some other ultimate norm, or capitulate to skepticism, which is intellectual death....both are, actually. The philosophical trends of rationalism, empiricism, and subjectivism have been created by non-Christian philosophers in a  futile attempt to justify human knowledge apart from bowing before the God of the bible.

Everyone has a worldview--a basic commitment of the heart translated into a way of seeing reality--both Christians and non-Christians have a worldview. Hence, it is simply not true to say that Christians are "biased" or "prejudiced" in their presuppositions (worldviews) in diagnosing of paranormal problems, and that nonbelievers are "neutral" or "unbiased" in the same process. Both groups are equally biased and prejudiced., when interpreting the paranormal facts. Jesus said, "He is who is not for Me is against Me." The non-Christian is as passionate about rejecting the true God as the Christian is in loving Him.

In the 1960's Thomas Kuhn wrote a groundbreaking book, "The Structure of Scientific Revolution". Though not a Christian, Kuhn made numerous very astute observations regarding how we "diagnose" scientific facts. He asserted that nobody is fully objective in their viewing and interpreting of data. The scientific community (think paranormal community) has shared beliefs which act as a paradigmatic grid though which they sift all data. If data or facts arise which are contrary to their basic community assumptions, then they will NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THIS DATA OR EVIDENCE. Their perception has been obscured by a distorted paradigm (worldview) to the point that they actually cannot see certain aspects of reality. It is only when the anomalies multiply to a certain point(says Kuhn)...when the contrary evidence is popping up all over the place, that the scientific community awakens from its slumber and is then be able to. begin to "see" what had been there the whole time. 

This is leading philosopher of science is stating that pure objectivity is impossible. In fact, for a Christian, "pure objectivity" is the last thing we should desire in study of paranormal phenomena. Pure objectivity implies that there are "neutral or brute facts' out there just waiting for us to give them meaning and identity. Not so! Every square inch of the cosmos belongs to the Lord, upon which He has placed His victory flag, and cries out "MINE!!". Every fact--literally every molecule to every star-- is a theistic fact...a fact ordained from all eternity and thus, pre-interpreted by God Almighty. There are no neutral or brute facts, which just exist in an anonymous void or vacuum, waiting for some human to come along and affirm its existence and meaning. God has already done that, and we are to re-interpret the paranormal phenomena as closely as possible to God's original pre-interpretation. Viewing facts or paranormal phenomena through a biblical worldview enables us to be faithful interpreters of God's world. Pure objectivity is not attainable, nor even desirable.

In conclusion, let is re-visit John Zaffis's diagnosis. May I say humbly and gently that Mr Zaffis, simply by virtue of his belief in trapped spirits, will not be able to consistently re-interpret (diagnose) God's pre-interpretation of the paranormal facts. God has made it clear that trapped spirits do not exist, BUT if we believe in them anyway, then we will see what we want or expect to see in the evidence review. God is an intellectual authoritarian, and it is our duty to humble ourselves before him. Otherwise, we dishonor God, hurt the client by giving them bad advice, and hurt ourselves as well.

Demons can mimic ANYTHING. Since that is the case how can one diagnose or find a criterion that would distinguish between a human spirit and a demon? The host asked him what the diagnosis involved, and he did not specify but gave a general response about sifting through data to make decisions. You affirm that you are a Christian John, please...please think like one.

"Seeing Ghosts through God's Eyes" (also in a Kindle edition)...please consider purchasing my book which uses science, logic, and the bible to analyze the true source of power behind paranormal activity.

A Collaboration Between Science and Religion

By His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

These are times when destructive emotions like anger, fear and hatred are giving rise to devastating problems throughout the world. While the daily news offers grim reminders of the destructive power of such emotions, the question we must ask is, what can we do to overcome them?

Of course such disturbing emotions have always been part of the human condition - humanity has been grappling with them for thousands of years. But I believe we have a valuable opportunity to make progress in dealing with them, through a collaboration between religion and science.

With this in mind, I have, since 1987, engaged in an ongoing series of dialogues with groups of scientists. Organized by the Mind & Life Institute, they have been on topics ranging from quantum physics and cosmology to compassion and destructive emotions. I have found that while scientific findings offer a deeper understanding of such fields of knowledge as cosmology, it seems that Buddhist explanations can sometimes give scientists a new way to look at their own field.

Our dialogue has provided benefits not just for science, but also for religion. Though Tibetans have valuable knowledge about the internal world, we have been materially backward partly because of a lack of scientific knowledge. Buddhist teachings stress the importance of understanding reality. Therefore, we should pay attention to what modern scientists have actually found through experiment and through measurement the things they have proved to be reality.

At the beginning of these dialogues there were very few of us from the Buddhist side at first just myself and two translators. But recently, we have started to introduce modern science studies in our monasteries, and at our most recent science dialogue there were twenty or so Tibetan monks in the audience.The goals of the dialogue are on two levels. One is at the academic level, the expansion of knowledge. Generally speaking science has been an extraordinary tool for understanding the material world, making vast progress in our lifetime though of course there are still many things to explore. But modern science does not seem to be as advanced regarding internal experiences.

In contrast, Buddhism, an ancient Indian thought, reflects a deep investigation into the workings of the mind. Over the centuries many people have carried out what we might call experiments in this field and have had significant, even extraordinary, experiences as a result of practices based on their knowledge. Therefore, more discussion and joint study between scientists and Buddhists scholars on the academic level could be useful for the expansion of human knowledge.

On another level, if humanity is to survive, happiness and inner peace are crucial. Otherwise the lives of our children and their children are likely to be unhappy, desperate and short. The tragedy of 11th September 2001 demonstrated that modern technology and human intelligence guided by hatred can lead to immense destruction. Material development certainly contributes towards happiness - to some extent - and a comfortable way of life.  But this is not sufficient.  To achieve a deeper level of happiness we cannot neglect our inner development.  I feel, for example, that our sense of fundamental human values has not kept pace with powerful new developments in our material abilities.

For that reason I have been encouraging scientists to examine advanced Tibetan spiritual practitioners, to see what effects of their spiritual practice might be of benefit to others, outside the religious context. One approach would be to take the help of scientists in trying to make the workings of these inner methods clear. The important point here is to increase our understanding of the world of the mind, of consciousness, and of our emotions.

Experiments have already been carried out that show some practitioners can achieve a state of inner peace, even when facing disturbing circumstances. The results show such people to be happier, less susceptible to destructive emotions, and more attuned to the feelings of others. These methods are not just useful, but cheap: you don't need to buy anything or make anything in a factory. You don't need a drug or an injection.

The next question is how are we to share these beneficial results with people beyond those who happen to be Buddhists. This does not concern Buddhism as such or any other religious tradition - it is simply a matter of trying to make clear the potential of the human mind. Everybody, whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, has the potential to lead a peaceful, meaningful life. We must explore as far as we can how that can be brought about.

In the course of that exploration, it will become obvious that most disturbances are stimulated not by external causes but by such internal events as the arising of disturbing emotions. The best antidote to these sources of disruption will come about through enhancing our ability to handle these emotions ourselves. Eventually we need to develop an awareness that provides the ways and means to overcome negative, disturbing emotions ourselves.

The spiritual methods are available, but we must make these acceptable to the mass who may not be spiritually inclined.  Only if we can do that will these methods have the widest of effect.  This is important because science, technology, and material development cannot solve all our problems. We need to combine our material development with the inner development of such human values as compassion,tolerance, forgiveness, contentment and self-discipline.

Demonic Portals -- Do These Really Exist?

In this blog I will lay out an understanding that certain aspects need to be examined to truly understand why activity is taking place within a home and the lives of individuals.  This blog is the result of several active cases ongoing who are struggling with aspects of demonic activity which they themselves cannot get rid of and improper people have actually made the situations worse. Understand this is as struggle for these people to bear, however what is even more upsetting is when I explain to people actions must stop and the word of God must be adhered to but choosing not to.

Several cases I am working involve individuals living together and pretending to be a “family” with or without children.  When children are involved the case is always more severe which pains and hurts my heart to see.  So why then is this activity taking place?  Well if you have been following my blogs you would understand that the reason the demonic are upon people are as follows – Ancestral Sin aspects, Own hands involved in Sin, improper homes of pagan and satanic worshippers who resided there, etc…

Covering this aspect, several cases I am working involve people who are living together as boyfriend/girlfriend without the marriage commitment, are acting as husband and wife.  The world will call this a “trial run” before marriage to learn how the other person lives or is.

Let me just say that there are plenty of excuses out there to justify our actions of living together (money, sharing bills, aspects of we are going to get married anyway, we should live together first to see if we are compatible, or I won’t really know him/her until we live together). I’ll be the first to tell you from personal experience, these excuses do not justify the actions.

These ongoing cases are having a hard time of understanding that their own hands are adding to these diabolic problems.  The activity which is taking place within these cases range from severe banging on walls all the way to severe blood fueled attacks.  Everything you can imagine is happening, full body apparitions, hoof prints being placed on the body (even children), people (including children) walking around in trance like states for periods of time without them ever remembering any of this aspect of what occurred.

The harsh reality of living together brings far more aspects within your home than you really understand.  The point of this blog is to show you the reader just one aspect of diabolical attacks and to help the paranormal community understand this is a very crucial aspect to removing the diabolic opponents.

Many times these people have now created “hardships” because they have become accustomed to living together, but sadly they are not ready to commit to marriage or are not in love with each other anymore but are now “stuck”.  This is a ploy that the diabolic use against these people because the very word of God states we’re not to engage in living together before marriage with many bible verses:

Hebrews 13:4 advises us that the marriage bed is to be undefiled.
Exodus 20:14 tells us that God does not approve of sex outside of marriage.
Ephesians 5:3 advises us that we cannot have a relationship with God and fornicate too.
Revelation 21:8 advises us that unrepentant adulterers and fornicators will be judged.

People who are living together as a “trial run” before truly getting married and are going through diabolic attacks, one must start on the path of repentance back towards God.  One cannot fall under the wing of protection of our Lord God Almighty found in Psalm 91, because their own actions, one is supporting actions that are openly mocking God.  I always show and state to people what the bible instructs about life and proper living.  However, when this goes against their hearts and desires they get upset.

These people get upset because of the fact that we are pointing out direct sin within their lives and giving grounds to the diabolic forces to be there.  The diabolic operate on grounds of sin.  Many times these people know in their hearts they should not be doing this act, but the excuses like the ones I listed in the beginning come up to support their case of staying together under one roof.

Many times both men and women get upset in learning aspects of what they must do to walk free.  I have often been asked this “well can’t we just live then in separate rooms, or can’t one sleep on the couch while the other sleeps in the bed?”  Sadly, the answer is no.  You are still mocking God especially when you tell a clergy member that you know who Jesus Christ is and that he is in your life.  So then why are you openly sinning?  This is one of the aspects that is keeping the diabolic within your lives.

When this frustration arises within a case of those living together, I simply tell the people the following words – “Choose God or the devil, because you cannot have both” (Matt. 6:24, Luke 16:13).  You want God to set you free, but you want to continue (stay) in your ways of the world.  Do you really think God will then set you free?  God knows your heart and desires.

It is usually right then that I have to back away to let God work and convict upon his “children”. People need time to let these words of truth sink into their hearts and minds.  We must plant the seeds of Holy truth to allow God to show them the error within their lives and how to become free.

Once the seeds of truth are planted and truth has been shown, the diabolic will retaliate and sometimes the actions are more severe, because it is done to place more fear within those they are upon.  The act of retaliation is due to the diabolic not wanting steps by those whom are afflicted taken towards God, but to keep them right where they are at.

The actions of “free will” that we have within our lives to choose righteousness or choose the ways of the world come into play.  Several of our cases have sought out other assistance from other “improper sources”, who have made actions within the case worse than they were at in the beginning.  They are told to do “this or that” which is falseness to only have enhanced actions come against the people for following those improper actions.

This always breaks down to the question of wanting to keep your chains of bondage or become set free from these chains.  Each comes with a price to pay and the challenges associated to each path.  I pray this has opened your eyes further to specific aspects of case work when dealing with diabolic forces within the family network.  If this is not being looked at seriously then you are missing the mark for 1 John 3:6 states “No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him”.

Rev. Bradley Luoma, Exorcist Minister

Sleep Paralysis, Dreams Or Demonic Visitation? (Part 3)

Hello everyone. I pray you had a fantastic weekend and everyone you love is healthy. I'm writing more on this subject since the last two I wrote  just isn't enough to cover what I wanted and many have asked that I touch on this subject some more. It comes up a lot too. The amount of emails I get on the subject are in sane. This is really a topic people are researching and wanting more information about. I am a Biblical Demonologist and I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God so my opinions are all based on scripture as well. This topic can get pretty invasive so you are forewarned right now. Discussion of sexual content in graphic nature so please be advised ahead of time. I can't help it. I wish I could keep this more clean but I can't my friends. I suggest you do your own research on this. There are different types of demonology that is studied so you're going to run into different types of opinions on this. So it's best to do your own research but do not become obsessed with it. That can open doors to these entities. I believe it puts you on their radar. Plus it's just plain unhealthy.

What Is Sleep Paralysis?

According to WEB MD Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Some people may also feel pressure or a sense of overwhelming fear. 90% claim to see such evil monsters or shadow demons and it's very terrifying. You can see and move their eyes but can not move. Sleep paralysis may accompany other sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is an overpowering need to sleep caused by a problem with the brain's ability to regulate sleep. Sleep paralysis usually occurs at one of two times. If it occurs while you are falling asleep, it's called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. If it happens as you are waking up, it's called hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis.

For me personally the false "wake ups" were terrifying! I was getting to a point where I could not establish whether I was really awake or was I really dreaming? My safety was at risk and I feel it still is at times. I was having a lot of sleep paralysis when I was going through a very difficult time in my life and the false wake ups were just terrible because it was like a tease you thought you were awake and this horror was finally over just to realize you were still not awake! That is so hard and very much terrifying. The worst thing is when you try to fight or call for help. Your voice doesn't work and your body will not respond. You just feel helpless.

A demon is believed to be a force that can be conjured and controlled. They are also believed to have the ability to possess or inhabit the body of humans and the only way to rid the person of them is to conduct deliverance and/or Exorcism. Demons are portrayed differently in different cultures. Some believe demons to be actual physical beings that can take the form of anything, including animals. Others consider the real demons as more of a spiritual force of evil battling for one's soul. They  have been feared and written about in almost every culture in one form or another for as long as history has been recorded.

Incubus and Succubus are demons known for sexual pleasure and summoned for sexual pleasure and companionship. They are also known to be heavily focused on in Sleep Paralysis situations. They are found in different Mythology literature. My first blog on this last year goes into a tad more detail on mythology. A brief description...

Incubus: 1: An evil spirit that lies on persons in their sleep; especially one that has sexual intercourse with women while they are sleeping.

Succubus: A demon assuming female form to have sexual intercourse with men in their sleep.

Dreams are also a way these things like to attack. For some reason we are vulnerable when we're sleeping. Like the Incubus/Succubus I wrote a two part blog about. These demons used dreams to pursue and fight against the person to whom  they are sent. I know from  personal experience what demons try to do to a person while they are  asleep. I know what I know and what I have seen while being wide awake after woken up from a terrible dream. Shadow demons are usually what harassed me but of course I'm just crazy. (Rolls eyes) It gives me a whole new meaning to the children’s prayer, “now I lay me  down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.”For example, demons will  come into your sleep for the soul intention of weakening your soul, your belief in Gods protection, while you are in the altered state of sleep.

Those who are experiencing and studying this phenomenon say that many people also see shadow demons. It use to be these entities were almost always seen out of the corner of the eye and very briefly at that. But more and more, people are beginning to see them straight on and for longer periods of time especially in sleep paralysis. Some experiencers testify that they have even seen eyes, usually red, on these shadow beings. One theory is the dark countenance and malevolent feelings that are often reported in association with these creatures has led some researchers to speculate that they may be demonic in nature. If they are demons, we have to wonder what their purpose or intent is in letting themselves be seen in this manner. Is it merely to frighten? And why during sleep paralysis are they seen longer and more closely?

Many people claim sleep paralysis started after they engaged in playing with Ouija boards trying to contact dead loved ones or just to taunt demons and challenge them to show themselves. I can't begin to tell you how dangerous this is. Those spirit boards can bring anything through that you can NOT control.  Demons only obey satan, not humans. You're nuts if you think you can conjure and control them.

The following was taken from NY Daily News:

"Use of a Ouija has even led to violence and even to murder..." Dr. Marta Prohazka of Fairfax, Virginia, is also convinced that spirits can play terrifying destructive games with human behavior. During her practice as psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, she realized that many patients she had considered "hallucinating paranoid schizophrenics" might instead merely be in touch with something invisible to her but visible to them."I came to understand that another plane, or dimension or existence interrelated with our plane or visible manifestation," she said. "By training and expanding consciousness, some individuals gain entrance into that invisible dimension. It seems to some like a window into heaven."

Spirits speak to all of us to inject ungodly beliefs into us. These are thoughts that steer us away from our identity in Jesus Christ. For some people these supernatural voices are far more destructive and can cause major harm to the individual hearing them. For some individuals, hearing these thoughts can be a living nightmare, causing major depression or instructing people to harm themselves. We must always have the full armor of God on at all times. These demonic entities never give up and will wait for any opportunity to get back into your life. We must stay strong in Christ and have that personal relationship with him at ALL times! We are in a spiritual battle.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Other Links of Interest:
Does The Scripture Stipulate Anything About Lucid Dreaming, Sleep Paralysis And Demons Possibly Connected?

Sleep Paralysis And Vivid Dreams Or Demonic Visitation? Part 2

Ghosts...and the Ego Boom

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Satan and his infernal army do not just attack individuals, but they seek to corrupt and destroy cultures.

Think of the many societies, past and present, where ancestor worship was ensconced…There has been a confluence of mind-shifts in our culture recently that have re-shaped the spiritual landscape. You have probably heard about the frog in the pot, well, it is true in more ways than one. It is difficult to step outside of the culture we live in every day and critique it—but that is what I think we need to do. I want to focus on just one, and how it has contributed to the rise of spiritism—I am referring to the ego-boom or mass narcissism that is all around us…like boiling water. 

I finished a book today entitled The Ego Boom, by Maich and George, and it clarified another stumbling block as to how Satan has entrenched the notion of trapped spirits so deeply in our culture. There has been a shift on the worldview level (they do not use that term but convey its substance) and it is something they refer to as “The You Sell.”  The astonishing pervasive shift has led to marketing strategies changing from “aspirational” to “affirmational”. Aspirational says, “You need this…”...affirmational advertising says, “You are already perfect as you are”—this is a totally modern phenomenon, and it smells like smoke.  It’s all about you.

“Where marketers used to sell primarily products and brand values, they’re now selling you—an idealized, self-actualized version of yourself—back to you. Advertising performs the same function in modern society that myth did in ancient societies. “It is both a creator and perpetrator of the dominant attitudes, values and ideology of the culture, the social norms and myths by which most people govern their behavior. At the very least, advertising helps to create a climate in which certain attitudes and values flourish and others are not reflected at all.”  (55)

What happens when a me-centered mindset becomes the dominant filter through which we see the world (worldview)? It leads to a breakdown of relationships, truth, and even our concept of God is affected. We are living in a culture of narcissism, unlike any generation before us. Self-actualization is the secular gospel. We have to understand these forces if we are to have a meaningful witness to a very lost and confused world.

The news media shift their focus from informing an engaged populace to indulging our desire to escape from daily life. Religious institutions must soften their message to stay alive and relevant, shifting away from their traditional role as a beacon in troubled times and heavy-handed promoter of virtue. In place of traditional churches and temples , the infinitely flexible concept of “spirituality” serves as a source of constant  pandering reassurance. (pg.12 and this is a secular analysis!!)

 Today’s young people speak the language of the self as their native tongue.(27), but it is affecting all of us to some degree. And even though every generation seems to find something wrong with the younger generation, studies have shown that this “You Sell” and the narcissism are truly an objective, testable reality. The further we get from the Lord, the more inward and selfish we are becoming. But as I said, this vicious cycle is affecting all ages.

“In light of perceived attitudinal sifts among young people, some have taken to ask: Could it be that while parents, teachers, and experts in early childhood psychology have been trying to cultivate self-esteem, with the best of intentions, have in fact been cultivating a general tendency toward anti-social behavior…from healthy self-esteem to narcissism…heavy-duty sense of entitlement.

Difficulty accepting the banality of human existence has led to a profound ennui.

“Social messaging and core consumer culture are profoundly symbiotic in the cultivation of narcissism.” (55)

How has all this affected our attitude to the Lord, as well as the paranormal?

Polls would suggest that we are still a deeply religious nation….. or so it seems. The success of the book The Secret (the Law of Attraction) shows that the quantity of believers in God’s existence has not changed much, but the focus and content of their beliefs and practices have radically altered,

“Although more than 4 out of 5 adults say they are Christian, they are more likely to see themselves as Americans, consumers, spouse and parent, and even employee than to describe themselves primarily in terms of their faith commitment  (George Barna) They  add that this probably goes a long way to explain why there is so much  inconsistency and apparent contradictions in our belief systems.

For example, ‘…many self-identifying Christians also claim to hold to paranormal beliefs that are decidedly at odds with the traditional tenets of the church.”

 The pollster Barna chalks up the bizarre state of Christian values in the US to people’s “soft commitment” to God.

Just as the You Sell can sell us on cars, housing, and political candidates, it can be used to sell us a way of looking at life, the world, even God, that is entirely of a piece with our personal consumption habits.. In a culture gone the way of mass customization, the You Sell intimates, why submit yourself to someone else’s God—with all His rigid rules and expectations—when you can just customize a belief system,  As the book The Secret says each of us is a powerful transmission tower in the universe…and you are controlling that frequency with your thoughts! Creating whatever successful world you want.” But in a narcissistic culture, that is the ultimate expression of hubris.

Descartes famously said “I think, therefore I am”. The symbiotic relationship between social media (Facebook and U Tube) it is now “To be SEEN, therefore I am”

1. Never ending quest…Stephen Colbert-style “truthiness’—thinking with your brain or KNOWING with your heart. Anti-intellectual, magical thinking has pervaded our national mindset. Instead of even expecting to find an ending point for our spiritual quest, the quest itself has been elevated to what is most important. If it is not a God “out there”, but an amorphous “god in here” truth becomes a verb and not a noun. We have become expectant of what the bible criticizes some for—always learning but never coming to knowledge of the truth.

Chicken Soup for the Soul, Meditations for Manifesting, Deepak  Chopra’sGrowing Younger—these are selling because they give people something they are hungry for—affirmation, reassurance,  validation, permission. Spirituality has become a personal Quest. In a Quest culture, spiritual authority lies within you alone, and you are the only person it serves. Not surprisingly, “How can I feel good about myself?”  has emerged as far more important question than, “How can I be saved?” 

Becoming more “me-centered” in our approach to beliefs (how does one argue with that????)—has squashed meaningful discussion regarding paranormal issues.

Churches have bought into You Sell…instead of theo-centric preaching, it is felt needs-centric preaching which is only pandering to a narcissism gotten way out of control.

“spiritual but not religious” spiritual has become an infinitely malleable term—meaning everything, and nothing. The Quest culture central aspect of new spirituality…leads by necessity to a spiral of self-absorption and consumption, and obsessive focus on a brighter future that will never come. Spirituality becomes merely means to self-actualization, and it prompts a narcissistic loop.

We are lonely…we have no objective truth….even our religious beliefs have are now governed by what WE WANT, and not what is true. All of these (and more) are factors which have contributed to why people believe and embrace the notion of trapped spirits. I am convinced more than ever that the notion of trapped spirits has become the cornerstone of the new spirituality. In biblical Christianity the prophets and apostles are the foundation and Jesus is the cornerstone (Eph.2:20).  

2.  The book The Secret moved God from out there to inside—of course this is nothing new, but for our culture it both revealed and accelerated how far we have strayed from our biblical foundation as a nation, We never were a Christian nation because there is no such thing in the New Testament, but there was substantial value formation from the bible.

It boils down to this. When you add all this together, it makes for a powerful impetus to believe in trapped spirits. Narcissists do NOT want to cease existing, and that ghosts SEEM to prove that there is an after-life, then that is powerful combination. Once a narcissist wants to believe in something, nothing (including reason) will get in their way.

We are all selfish to some degree, but my concern is how deeply the warp and woof (fabric) of American culture has been mangled by our view of spirituality and truth. Reason and logic are becoming less of a concern for many when it comes to the identity behind paranormal activity.

I was on a brief radio interview yesterday and the gracious host said, “Well, I’m sure that you have found both demons and deceased spirits along the way.” My parting comment was, “There is not a single ghost…the very notion shows how ignorant our nation has become of a biblical worldview.”

Let me ask this—WHY do you believe in trapped spirits (or our friends)? I hope this expose’ on the vicious cycle between narcissism and You Sell marketing has shown how flimsy the reasons are for belief in trapped spirits…we believe in them because we WANT to believe in them.

Well, you are not a bundle of energy sending out transmission signals, creating reality merely by your thoughts. Repent or perish…believe on the Lord Jesus and be freed from enslavement to self-centeredness, as well as His wrath and eternity in hell. If God ever has to choose between our spiritual whims, and the singular honor and dignity of His Son…He will always choose the honor of His Son. He has made that abundantly clear. Let us stop gazing at our reflection, and gaze on the beauty of the face of our Lord Jesus.

Let me close with this—not everybody who professes Christ, actually possesses Christ. To be a disciple of Jesus is not an optional extra (like a customized computer). If the basic bent of our lives is not to die to self, and have Christ reign instead, then we are probably not born again. The book of James makes that clear. We all must examine ourselves to see to what extent this demonic “wisdom” of narcissism has affected us. If we are honest seekers of truth then we will find that Jesus is the End of the Quest for Truth, and He tells us that it is more blessed to give then to receive. The narcissists creed is—it is more blessed to receive than to give, and when I do give the motive is not God’s glory…it is my fame and self-actualization.

The apostle Paul often ended his letter with “doulas Christou”…a slave of Jesus Christ—the more we die to self, the more personal freedom we experience. The anti-Christ is going to milk this rampant narcissism for all its worth, so we need to be aware of this boiling water, and get out!

THE LORD IS GOOD…ALL THE TIME!!

"Seeing Ghosts through God's Eyes" (also in a Kindle edition)...please consider purchasing my book which uses science, logic, and the bible to analyze the true source of power behind paranormal activity.

Medical Advice from the Dalai Lama's Doctor

By Jen Christensen, CNN
December 5, 2012

Atlanta (CNN) -- A young girl bravely stood to ask the Dalai Lama's doctor a question, and he gave her an unusual answer.

Dr. Tsewang Tamdin, a world-renowned expert in Tibetan medicine, visited Emory University in Atlanta on Monday as part of his effort to reach more American medical practitioners. He wants to develop collaborative projects between the Tibetan medicine system, which is more than 2,500 years old, and Western medicine.

The little girl told Tamdin she suffered from asthma. She wanted to know if there was anything in Tibetan medicine that could help her get better.

Tamdin, who spoke through a translator for the hour long lecture, immediately switched to English. In a gentle, almost too-soft tone, he explained what might help.

Inhalers doctors prescribe for asthmatics works well, he said, and told her to continue using one if she does already. The inhaler, though, treats the symptoms only. Tibetan medical practice, he explained, ultimately aims to get to the root cause of the problem.

"While others might consider the holistic practice of Tibetan medicine 'alternative medicine' or a kind of side practice, I would like for others outside of our system to consider the Tibetan healing system full-fledged healing," Tamdin said. "Tibetan medical knowledge has tremendous potential to add to modern medicine."

Dr. Tsewang Tamdin
Tibetan practice teaches that people get sick when a person's physical, psychological and spiritual well-being are out of balance.

To restore balance, Tamdin recommended diet and exercise changes for the girl. He encouraged her to get proper rest and to get exercise that encouraged deep breathing, such as skipping or cycling.

He also suggested eating three or four white raisins a day. There is a property in the fruit that helps breathing, he said. But perhaps the biggest sacrifice for a child was his advice to avoid cold foods -- particularly, he said, ice cream.

Another patient who came to him with asthma symptoms would get a completely different diagnosis, Tamdin said. Each patient's disease is treated differently from the next. That's in large part because traditional Tibetan medicine is grounded in Buddhist philosophy. In his training to become a physician, Tamdin also studied Buddhist tradition and astrology.

American and Tibetan doctors have some practices in common. If Tamdin were to have a longer consultation with the girl, he said he would perform familiar diagnostic tests. He would examine her urine sample and take her pulse, but he also would ask questions that would be the more familiar terrain of a psychologist. He tries to find out if a person is angry or anxious or if someone is becoming too self-centered.

The Dalai Lama
"Tibetans believe in our interconnectedness," said Geshe Lobsang Negi, a former monk who is now director of the Emory-Tibet partnership. "When we lose that perspective -- that we are a kind of little speck that is infinitely connected with the rest of the world -- when we see ourselves as the solid, fixed, all-important center of the universe, we call that ignorance, and that means we are vulnerable to illness."

This whole person approach to Tibetan medicine is being analyzed by a number of research studies in the United States. An NIH-funded study is examining the impact that compassion meditation can have on alleviating depression.

Compassion meditation is a Tibetan Buddhist mind training that asks a person to examine why they feel a certain way about someone and then to develop feelings of love and empathy for a number of people that will grow with more practice to include even people they normally dislike.

Studies have shown the medical effectiveness of meditation overall. A 2003 study of mindfulness-based meditation showed enhanced antibody production after someone receives a flu vaccine. Another study from that same year found cancer patients who were trained in mindfulness-based stress reduction showed a boost in their immune system.

And a study this year from Carnegie Mellon University showed mindfulness-based meditation has a far-reaching influence on both psychological and physical health. Mindfulness means being present and in the moment, and observing in a nonjudgmental way.

Negi's 2008 study of compassion meditation showed a reduction in stress-induced immune and behavioral responses. Several other studies under way are looking at the impact of Tibetan treatments on certain viral illnesses and on hepatitis.

Tamdin believes ignorance is at the root cause of all illness.

"If you think about this, it makes sense," Negi said. "For instance, if you believe you are the center of the universe and someone has something you want, you may become jealous and believe you deserve what that person has."

"You may become so jealous," he added, "you don't sleep at night and you will be stressed. Medical tests have shown there is a biochemical change in your body created by a release of a stress hormone. In Tibetan medicine, it is important to recognize the role the mind can play on our own physical well-being."

Tamdin said that modern medicine treats symptoms, but said a patient will never get better if they fail to attend to psychological issues.

"If one does not gain this understanding of selflessness, they won't be able to overcome their ignorance," he said. "One way to look at it is to watch the bird and its shadow. It may fly and fly high into the sky, but it continues to leave a shadow on the surface of Earth. As long as you have ignorance within you -- even though you are enjoying good health -- there is always a shadow of sickness falling upon you. From this ignorance arises three mental poisons: attachment, hatred and delusion." All those will affect energy, he said.

In addition to actual medicine and dietary changes, a Tibetan doctor may also prescribe the patient practice more kindness and compassion toward others -- or that they practice more compassion meditation.

Western medicine is reluctant to accept the Tibetan medical idea that some unexplained illnesses may ultimately be caused by someone's karma or even by evil spirits. The language Tibetan doctors use to suggest that good health is based on the balance of bile, phlegm and wind may seem a little too foreign to modern medicine practitioners.

But the holistic approach to a patient's health -- treatments that involve diet, behavior, prescription of medicine and contemplative practices -- may continue to appeal to physicians after they see demonstrated proof that these kind of therapies work.

"The Tibetan tradition has evolved over 2,500 years," Negi said. "It has a rich tradition that has helped the health of people for many many years.

"His holiness the Dalai Lama was the first to say that these things we believe in should be subjected to scientific tools so we could better understand the human condition overall and help us to better deal with the situation of our own well-being."