Creepy encounter...demonic attack?

[CarrieH]

Last evening I was meeting some friends for dinner at a popular restaurant. As I walked in, my brother’s ex-wife happened to be leaving. She is a very disturbed and hateful woman, an angry ex-Catholic who despises the Church and who created all kinds of misery and havoc in our family. When they split up, I truly hoped that I would never have to see her again (even blocked her on Facebook, etc.). Despite my distaste for this woman, I have continued to pray for her from time to time, hoping that her heart might be changed. This encounter last evening really hit me hard, even though our brief conversation was civil and polite. As soon as I was in her presence, I was overcome with a very creepy feeling of unrest in my soul which did not leave me until this afternoon. I was so upset that it dampened my mood during the meal with my friends. I had to force myself to pray the Rosary last night and couldn’t concentrate, and this morning I was irritable and short-tempered for no apparent reason. Finally, this oppressive mood lifted…beginning when I gave myself an ample blessing with holy water. So I’m wondering…was this just a coincidence, or was there something supernatural going on here? I can’t help but think that she is oppressed by demons and they tried to attack me. Your thoughts?

 

[GaryTaylor]

I believe its wise to pay attention to your own sensitivity, while it may not be 100% accurate, it without a doubt indicates an uncomfortability by your soul to be around this individual. These very feelings which we encounter often prove to be a saving grace.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Last evening I was meeting some friends for dinner at a popular restaurant. As I walked in, my brother’s ex-wife happened to be leaving. She is a very disturbed and hateful woman, an angry ex-Catholic who despises the Church and who created all kinds of misery and havoc in our family. When they split up, I truly hoped that I would never have to see her again (even blocked her on Facebook, etc.). Despite my distaste for this woman, I have continued to pray for her from time to time, hoping that her heart might be changed. This encounter last evening really hit me hard, even though our brief conversation was civil and polite. As soon as I was in her presence, I was overcome with a very creepy feeling of unrest in my soul which did not leave me until this afternoon. I was so upset that it dampened my mood during the meal with my friends. I had to force myself to pray the Rosary last night and couldn’t concentrate, and this morning I was irritable and short-tempered for no apparent reason. Finally, this oppressive mood lifted…beginning when I gave myself an ample blessing with holy water. So I’m wondering…was this just a coincidence, or was there something supernatural going on here? I can’t help but think that she is oppressed by demons and they tried to attack me. Your thoughts?

I’m no expert, but it sounds possible. I’ve had a couple of experiences like this - though not with persons. One with a place, and another with a movie (the remake of King Kong - the sight of the natives in the island scenes triggered something in me - it was bizarre).

Try to stay calm, of course, because Jesus is the victor; we don’t want to give Satan the satisfaction of knowing he rattles us. But we also want to resist his tactics and help those under his influence. It is very good that you are praying for this woman (and it probably ticks Satan off big-time, which may very well be why he is attacking you).

These verses from Ephesians Chapter 6 are very good to read for any kind of spiritual warfare that is going on:

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1 Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
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Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.
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For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.
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Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
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So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,
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and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.
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In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one.:knight1:
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And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.:knight2:

If you have prior knowledge that you’ll be encountering this person, prepare ahead of time by prayer, reading Scripture, and having your holy water in a little bottle with you. Also read up on the St. Benedict medal, and wear one of those. Even if you don’t have warning, pray a quick prayer when you see her coming.

It sounds to me like God is using you as His instrument to help this lost sheep return. Stay strong! God bless!

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Don’t take this the wrong way, but it sounds more like you really just can’t stand this person to the point that you may have already started making mental caricatures. Please know that it’s only natural to dislike someone who insults your religion but take care not to attribute that dislike to something outside you and reject responsibility for your feelings.

 

[Julian0404]

Holy Water is powerful. Keep a small bottle (small as like acceptable to TSA ) in your purse. You can fill larger containers usually in the back of the church, or take it to Mass and ask Father to bless it.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Don’t take this the wrong way, but it sounds more like you really just can’t stand this person to the point that you may have already started making mental caricatures. Please know that it’s only natural to dislike someone who insults your religion but take care not to attribute that dislike to something outside you and reject responsibility for your feelings.

I questioned that too if the OP was merely reacting subconsciously but I think there is the oppression that she mentioned - it’s something one knows if one experiences it. And we might not be 100% sure what part of it is emotions and what part is spiritual warfare, but I think there is some of the latter in this, and for that, spiritual remedies would be most helpful.

Which reminds me - the St. Michael prayer is another good one! :angel1:

 

[NJJMBVB]

Yeah, I believe in demonic attacks and such, but this seems like normal personal distaste. From what you’ve said, it seems like you dislike her a lot.
Of course, she does hate the Church, and the devil works through people like that…
My advice? Say a prayer for her and try to focus on God and your daily work.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I questioned that too if the OP was merely reacting subconsciously but I think there is the oppression that she mentioned - it’s something one knows if one experiences it. And we might not be 100% sure what part of it is emotions and what part is spiritual warfare, but I think there is some of the latter in this, and for that, spiritual remedies would be most helpful.

I’m just saying that with the actual rarity of supernatural experiences (be it holy or demonic), it’s best to assume that it isn’t and try to find every single possible explanation. If the Church isn’t so quick to authenticate miracles then I don’t see how its attitude towards demonic activity (be it oppression or possession) should be any different.

Furthermore, I’m afraid the whole “something one knows if one experiences” argument is rather poor. It reminds me of the townsfolk from The Emperor’s New Clothes if you know what I mean.

 

[CarrieH]

Don’t take this the wrong way, but it sounds more like you really just can’t stand this person to the point that you may have already started making mental caricatures. Please know that it’s only natural to dislike someone who insults your religion but take care not to attribute that dislike to something outside you and reject responsibility for your feelings.

No offense taken, and thanks for your opinion…I was kinda questioning my own feelings about this, which is why I asked for other opinions. If she hadn’t done so many truly despicable things, and if my negative feelings hadn’t dissipated as soon as I blessed myself with holy water, I would attributed it to my emotions and let it go at that.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

No offense taken, and thanks for your opinion…I was kinda questioning my own feelings about this, which is why I asked for other opinions. If she hadn’t done so many truly despicable things, and if my negative feelings hadn’t dissipated as soon as I blessed myself with holy water, I would attributed it to my emotions and let it go at that.

Sorry but what you describe is still within the bounds of what’s natural. You consider yourself more righteous than this person and perhaps there’s a good chance you are. Hence, its not unusual for you to have feelings of contempt towards individuals who do not behave like decent human beings. I sure as heck would feel the same way. Just take care not to let your emotions get to your head. As for the holy water, plenty of people have their own kind of psychological crutch when they find themselves stressed. Were I in similar circumstances as yours, I’d have just pulled out my PSP and my negative emotions would dissipate just as quickly. Again, still natural.

 

[CarrieH]

Thanks, everyone. I’ll never know this side of eternity what is really up with this, so I’ll keep on praying for her and for my own strength, but not get hung up on it. May the Holy Spirit lead her back toward the right path, and may her path lead far away from mine! And if I must cross paths with her again, may God grant me the strength to be a gracious example of Christ’s love.

 

[AndrewA]

Sorry but what you describe is still within the bounds of what’s natural. You consider yourself more righteous than this person and perhaps there’s a good chance you are. Hence, its not unusual for you to have feelings of contempt towards individuals who do not behave like decent human beings. I sure as heck would feel the same way. Just take care not to let your emotions get to your head. As for the holy water, plenty of people have their own kind of psychological crutch when they find themselves stressed. Were I in similar circumstances as yours, I’d have just pulled out my PSP and my negative emotions would dissipate just as quickly. Again, still natural.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, but you seem to have a tendency to not believe in anything related to the spirit. I wouldn’t discount the spiritual part of our existence so easily.

To the OP:

That being said I have had similar experiences with people who attack our faith.
It could be because you are holding your tongue instead of giving this person the lashing you want to give them

 

[Reuben_J]

Last evening I was meeting some friends for dinner at a popular restaurant. As I walked in, my brother’s ex-wife happened to be leaving. She is a very disturbed and hateful woman, an angry ex-Catholic who despises the Church and who created all kinds of misery and havoc in our family. When they split up, I truly hoped that I would never have to see her again (even blocked her on Facebook, etc.). Despite my distaste for this woman, I have continued to pray for her from time to time, hoping that her heart might be changed. This encounter last evening really hit me hard, even though our brief conversation was civil and polite. As soon as I was in her presence, I was overcome with a very creepy feeling of unrest in my soul which did not leave me until this afternoon. I was so upset that it dampened my mood during the meal with my friends. I had to force myself to pray the Rosary last night and couldn’t concentrate, and this morning I was irritable and short-tempered for no apparent reason. Finally, this oppressive mood lifted…beginning when I gave myself an ample blessing with holy water. So I’m wondering…was this just a coincidence, or was there something supernatural going on here? I can’t help but think that she is oppressed by demons and they tried to attack me. Your thoughts?

It’s possible that you could be attacked by a force within or outside of you. The one within could be very likely as a result of a deep seated loathing you have of this woman. It can manifest into what you experienced.

On the other hand this sort of thing can easily be exploited by the enemy, the Evil one. We all very often experienced both – a state of your mind that’s bubbling under the surface and waiting to be unleashed. Your meeting of your sister-in-law only opened its lid.

On the other hand, anything that should give you anxiety and confusion should be dealt with as soon as possible. There is great possibility that it could be amplified by the Evil one who used the present condition of your mind that’s ripe for his act of oppression.

The Holy Spirit gives you peace. When that’s absent you would pray and ask for it.

If I were you I would ask for the peace of God and to pray for God’s protection against all possibility of the attack of the Evil one. Praying for God’s protection and the covering by his precious blood to shield you against all evil would be appropriate in that case.

Yes, that’s it. Go to the Lord for peace and protection against all eventualities.

Take care and God bless.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I’m not saying you’re wrong, but you seem to have a tendency to not believe in anything related to the spirit. I wouldn’t discount the spiritual part of our existence so easily.

Let me just go back to what I said before. Authentic supernatural occurrences are a rare thing, be they of holy or demonic origins. Hence, you shouldn’t be too hard on people who play skeptic to the fullest. That’s, after all, exactly how the Church operates with regards to miracles you know. I’m just applying it to the other end of the spectrum, if you know what I mean.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Last evening I was meeting some friends for dinner at a popular restaurant. As I walked in, my brother’s ex-wife happened to be leaving. She is a very disturbed and hateful woman, an angry ex-Catholic who despises the Church and who created all kinds of misery and havoc in our family. When they split up, I truly hoped that I would never have to see her again (even blocked her on Facebook, etc.). Despite my distaste for this woman, I have continued to pray for her from time to time, hoping that her heart might be changed. This encounter last evening really hit me hard, even though our brief conversation was civil and polite. As soon as I was in her presence, I was overcome with a very creepy feeling of unrest in my soul which did not leave me until this afternoon. I was so upset that it dampened my mood during the meal with my friends. I had to force myself to pray the Rosary last night and couldn’t concentrate, and this morning I was irritable and short-tempered for no apparent reason. Finally, this oppressive mood lifted…beginning when I gave myself an ample blessing with holy water. So I’m wondering…was this just a coincidence, or was there something supernatural going on here? I can’t help but think that she is oppressed by demons and they tried to attack me. Your thoughts?

I’ve read most of the posts written here, but my take, having undergone a similar thing, is that there might be a part of you that has not forgiven her. You might think you’ve forgiven her, but sometimes our true feelings are just beneath the surface because we’ve struggled so hard to manage them, but have not really confronted them. I don’t know you or your feelings and the situation, but I thought I’d mention this as a consideration, because it is a fairly common problem. As long as someone is out of sight and out of mind it’s easy to say you’ve forgiven them, but the true test comes when you have to be around them, I think. That’s when things begin to surface. I think we have to learn to listen to ourselves to see what we are trying to tell our selves or what God might be trying to say.

But like I said earlier, I don’t really know, I’m just throwing this out as a possibility. I think that before we give the devil more attention than he deserves we have to be sure it is not just our own human nature causing us problems. As for the Holy Water, it is a sacramental and carries a blessing, and though there is nothing “magic” about it, a blessing can help to relieve our distressed mental state.

 

[puzzleannie]

So I’m wondering…was this just a coincidence, or was there something supernatural going on here? I can’t help but think that she is oppressed by demons and they tried to attack me. Your thoughts?

possible, more likely the demon is the hatred and resentment created through this person, the family situation, and the natural reaction to it. Since you ask for advice mine would be to address, with professional help if necessary, the damage you experienced through this situation, and its harmful residual effects, until you reach a point where you can at least ask for the grace to forgive her and unbind yourself from the effects of that resentment.

 

[3DOCTORS]

CB Catholic and puzzleannie made some very good points, and I also agree with Lost Wanderer that we also have to “test the spirits” as it were. There are indeed many natural emotions that we have that the evil one can exploit for his purposes without having to bring in the big guns.

It may well be that you simply need to go through more prayer and forgiveness processes with this person. I can definitely see both sides of this. I’ve had weird experiences - and I’ve also had ordinary everyday ones - where the enemy (who never plays fair) kicked me when I was down and what would’ve been an unhappy emotional event got stirred up into much, much more and I even ended up in a pattern of sin. Perhaps out of ignorance at the time, perhaps because I didn’t realize exactly how powerful and necessary forgiveness can be, or didn’t know how to forgive with my will despite negative emotions.

Lots of possible explanations. And the holy water can help with direct demonic attack or when we just need peace. It’s a wonderful sacramental that can be used often for so many things. To Carrie, the OP, sounds like you’re heading in the right direction with all of this. Keep praying for her and for the grace to deal with any encounters. Remember the Holy Spirit will give you the right words to say if you ask Him for help.