We are under control of satan only to the extent that we permit him. We are free to reject his control whenever we wish.To the degree that evil is only overcome through God’s grace, what happens to free will when under the inescapable evils of Satan? I see free will as being variable. Yes, there are critical moments where we are fully free to choose, but usually we are under control of evil spirits where out culpability is limited.
Can we possibly escape the power of Satan without God’s grace? Can we possibly rid ourselves of Satan’s power entirely through our own will (without God’s grace)?We are under control of satan only to the extent that we permit him. We are free to reject his control whenever we wish.
No and no. Where did my response indicate otherwise?Can we possibly escape the power of Satan without God’s grace? Can we possibly rid ourselves of Satan’s power entirely through our own will (without God’s grace)?
You claim that we can reject Satan at any time, which is false. Nobody on the face of this planet can rid themselves completely from evil.No and no. Where did my response indicate otherwise?
It is not false. God always provides sufficient grace to reject Satan, any time. This is the teaching of the Church.You claim that we can reject Satan at any time, which is false. Nobody on the face of this planet can rid themselves completely from evil.
I’m going by the teachings of The Imitation of Christ. Accordingly, we must fend off Satan at the very beginning of the temptation, otherwise we will not have the power to resist. In other words, there comes a time in every temptation when resisting Satan is futile. A person under evil spirit has little chance resisting a particular sin. Yes, there are times when we freely choose evil, but after serving him for a while we fall under his spell and there is no chance of a choice.It is not false. God always provides sufficient grace to reject Satan, any time. This is the teaching of the Church.
We are not tempted beyond our strength. The bad angels cannot move or force our will; they can tempt and try to persuade us but they cannot move our wills.To the degree that evil is only overcome through God’s grace, what happens to free will when under the inescapable evils of Satan? I see free will as being variable. Yes, there are critical moments where we are fully free to choose, but usually we are under control of evil spirits where out culpability is limited.
Will, what about demonic possession? Are we under full control of our will when possessed?We are not tempted beyond our strength. The bad angels cannot move or force our will; they can tempt and try to persuade us but they cannot move our wills.
In the case of demonic possession, I think it is pretty obvious that a person is not under full control of their will as can be seen in some cases of the gospels where Jesus drove out demons from people as, for example, the man possessed by “legion” in the territory of the Garasenes. Though the good angels or bad angels cannot directly move our wills, only God can do this, they can indirectly influence them. The bad angels can move our imagination and influence our sensory appetites and passions. The will can be moved by our sensory appetites and passions, not directly, but indirectly. We may experience passions so strong that it fetters the proper use of our reason and by which we succumb to the passion. In demonic possession, the demons have so influenced the imagination and sensory appetites and passions to such an extent that the possessed person is not able to exercise the proper use of their reason such as a drunk person. By moving the imagination and the sensitive appetites and passions vehemently, the devil is able to impede the proper use of man’s reason altogether and thus he/she appears out of their mind. (cf. St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Pt. I-II, questions 77 and 80).Will, what about demonic possession? Are we under full control of our will when possessed?
With frequent confession and Mass/Communion, combined with a LOT of prayer, we CAN overcome, unless we have allowed ourselves to become totally possessed. A long history of habitual sin does seem to result in demonic forces being able to sink their ‘tentacles’ into us, deeply in some cases. Turning away from such a way of life and living a devout life can be terribly hard, but in such cases, I believe God assists us, revels in our struggle end eventual victory, and even allows us to bear some fruit in the process.You claim that we can reject Satan at any time, which is false. Nobody on the face of this planet can rid themselves completely from evil.
It sounds like you agree that we must have God’s grace to overcome evil. But now consider how our being in need of God’s grace limits free will.With frequent confession and Mass/Communion, combined with a LOT of prayer, we CAN overcome, unless we have allowed ourselves to become totally possessed. A long history of habitual sin does seem to result in demonic forces being able to sink their ‘tentacles’ into us, deeply in some cases. Turning away from such a way of life and living a devout life can be terribly hard, but in such cases, I believe God assists us, revels in our struggle end eventual victory, and even allows us to bear some fruit in the process.
Someone in the Spirituality section mentioned the Manual of Indulgences recently. I have ordered a copy. Not to be used as a catalog to pick and choose the right buttons to push for my salvation, but rather to use as a guide toward maximizing my prayer life, and putting as much weight as possible behind the life I have come to live.