Have you heard of "binding" things before?

[nana3]

I bet a woman today after Mass and we spoke a lot after Mass. She spoke a lot of binding evil spirits and even binding the spirit of illness and so on. She quoted Matthews in where he said what is bond on earth is bond in heaven. She said her marriage is strong today because she bond all the evil spirits of division, financial problems and so on.

I have heard of this before, but from my non denonminational sister who listens to Benny Hinn and follows him.

Is this true and based on Scripture or not? I know the passage of Matthew and what it says, but is this what it means. She told me to bind evil spirits in my marriage and to “bathe in the blood of Christ a happy and long marriage” and to believe in this.

Can anymore explain for I don’t know how I feel about this for this is new to me and feels strange.

 

[Linda_Marie]

There is some talk of binding in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, but it doesn’t take the same form. My prayer group in Houston, many many years ago, would ask Mary to send her angels to protect and defend us and bind any evil spirits lurking about.

In our prayers, we laypeople should never address evil spirits directly, but call upon St. Michael Archangel and God to cast them out. We never say “I bind”. This gives the evil spirit an opening which they can use against you.

If you believe there are evil spirits affecting your household, then pray the St. Michael prayer and call upon your family’s Guardian Angels to protect you. You can use the prayer format she used but only exchange the ‘I bind’ to “I ask St. Michael Archangel, by the power of God to bind”.

 

[nana3]

Thank you Linda.

 

[bilop]

I bet a woman today after Mass and we spoke a lot after Mass. She spoke a lot of binding evil spirits and even binding the spirit of illness and so on. She quoted Matthews in where he said what is bond on earth is bond in heaven. She said her marriage is strong today because she bond all the evil spirits of division, financial problems and so on.

I have heard of this before, but from my non denonminational sister who listens to Benny Hinn and follows him.

Is this true and based on Scripture or not? I know the passage of Matthew and what it says, but is this what it means. She told me to bind evil spirits in my marriage and to “bathe in the blood of Christ a happy and long marriage” and to believe in this.

Can anymore explain for I don’t know how I feel about this for this is new to me and feels strange.

The Scriptural reference is from the Gospel when Christ names Peter and says he is the rock upon which he will build his Church.

He then tells Peter and the Apostles that they have the power to bind and loose. What they bind on earth will be bound in Heaven etc.

Bind has to do with the Church’s authority and the ability of priests to forgive sins. It has nothing to do with evil spirits.

God Bless

 

[nana3]

The Scriptural reference is from the Gospel when Christ names Peter and says he is the rock upon which he will build his Church.

He then tells Peter and the Apostles that they have the power to bind and loose. What they bind on earth will be bound in Heaven etc.

Bind has to do with the Church’s authority and the ability of priests to forgive sins. It has nothing to do with evil spirits.

God Bless

That is what I always believed and thought, but this woman was so sure of herself. She has a protestant husband and made some comment that she didn’t care which religion her children had when they had children, as long as they believed in God. That too was a red flag for me too. I know some of what she said is not based in true Catholic Faith, but more from the protestant beliefs.

 

[DJgang]

The word Binding is used very, very frequently in the Wiccan or Witch community and is actually a curse.

I, personally, refrain from using that word for those specific reasons. I ask the angels and saints to protect and pray for whoever or whatever I am praying about.

God bless.

Dana

 

[nana3]

The word Binding is used very, very frequently in the Wiccan or Witch community and is actually a curse.

I, personally, refrain from using that word for those specific reasons. I ask the angels and saints to protect and pray for whoever or whatever I am praying about.

God bless.

Dana

It is interesting that you said this for this woman’s background is in witch craft. She mentioned that her sisters are into witch craft even though one of them goes to Catholic Mass on Sundays. She told me she is not, but maybe some of what she grew up with stayed with her and she does not realize it. She goes to daily Mass and tries to be the best Christian possible. She said her entire family won’t talk to her because of her Faith choice. She is from India, but I don’t know if she has family in the Hindu religion. I don’t know her too well, but she gave me her number and email address and I don’t want to start something I will regret unless the Lord wants me to educate her, but she seems firm on her beliefs and says that by “binding evil spirits of different kinds she is happier and at peace.” She told me that she doesn’t want the devil to win her soul or her families. I think she means well and has good intentions, but is misinformed of what that passage of Matthew means. She said she reads a lot of things on religion, different kinds, from the internet.

I don’t know if I should email or call her now.

 

[DJgang]

Here’s my thinking…

Witches use binding spells or curses on those that they want to literally bind their actions. For instance, a binding curse against someone’s mouth, because you don’t want to listen to what they are saying.

Evil Spirits are free willed. Just like us, just like angels. If you say that you are binding a evil spirit, that in the same sense is just like binding any other free willed soul.

God does not bind us. He gave us free will. God allows the angels and saints to protect us.

By binding someone, as mentioned in scripture, we are sinning. We will take it to heaven with us. Therefore, in my opinion, we can not and should not even attempt to bind evil spirits…even God doesn’t do that…

Protection, that is what we need to pray for.

Resources on Spiritual Warfare Prayers… even those involved in deliverance work do not use the word bind and I have never read anywhere that Exorcists of the Church use that word.

Maybe this resource will help her out…

God bless, Dana

 

[InLight247]

Actually, I am going to say something different, different from all the posts so far on this thread.

Like OP mentioned, Benny Hinn does a lot of binding and loosing.
So are many evangelical preachers on TV. But notice they don’t bind anything or any evil spirit in their own name. Notice they always bind evil spirit in Jesus’ name. There is a huge difference.

I know some Catholic Charismatic leaders does the same. There is one famous Chinese Catholic Charismatic leader who travels the world to give charismatic prayer sessions. He has also been met Pope John Paul II. I have listened to many of his seminar tapes. In the beginning of each his session, he would pray “in Jesus’ name” bind any spirit not of God in the room. He would cover the room and every one in the room with the “mighty blood of Jesus”.

The name of Jesus is higher than any other name in the universe.
All will bow down to His name. We don’t bind anything in our own name, but we certainly can bind evil spirit in Jesus’ name. And the blood of Jesus is always used at the same time.

The name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus are the most powerful.

 

[beckycmarie]

Resources on Spiritual Warfare Prayers… even those involved in deliverance work do not use the word bind and I have never read anywhere that Exorcists of the Church use that word.

Maybe this resource will help her out…

God bless, Dana

Hi Dana,

Actually, those prayers do contain the word “bind” - asking God to do the binding of the demons.

I’ve heard of folks in the Charismatic Renewal praying to bind demons during their prayers of deliverance. As Linda Marie suggested, for the laity, it is safer to ask God to cast out the demons rather than to try to command the demons ourselves.

See the guidelines on imprecatory and deprecatory language (#5) here.

 

[nana3]

Actually, I am going to say something different, different from all the posts so far on this thread.

Like OP mentioned, Benny Hinn does a lot of binding and loosing.
So are many evangelical preachers on TV. But notice they don’t bind anything or any evil spirit in their own name. Notice they always bind evil spirit in Jesus’ name. There is a huge difference.

I know some Catholic Charismatic leaders does the same. There is one famous Chinese Catholic Charismatic leader who travels the world to give charismatic prayer sessions. He has also been met Pope John Paul II. I have listened to many of his seminar tapes. In the beginning of each his session, he would pray “in Jesus’ name” bind any spirit not of God in the room. He would cover the room and every one in the room with the “mighty blood of Jesus”.

The name of Jesus is higher than any other name in the universe.
All will bow down to His name. We don’t bind anything in our own name, but we certainly can bind evil spirit in Jesus’ name. And the blood of Jesus is always used at the same time.

The name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus are the most powerful.

This is exactly what she said that to always use the Name of Jesus when binding and He is the one doing it and to cover ourselves with the Blood of Christ. The language you use is exactly the language she used. So is this okay or not?

 

[surfinpure]

1. The verse in Matthew about binding and loosing is given TO THE APOSTLES, not to laity.
2. It is extremely dangerous for lay people to take it upon themselves to wrestle with demonic spirits. They often unwittingly invite evil into their lives by getting in over their heads.
3. All spiritual warfare prayers should be directed toward God, the Saints, and the Angels, asking THEM to do the battle for us. We are not equipped for such things.

Recommended reading: Spiritual Combat, by Lorenzo Scupoli, and An Exorcist Tells His Story, by Fr. Gabriel Amorth. What your friend is doing is dangerous, even if she says she is doing it “in Jesus’ name.” Before my conversion I traveled heavily in charismatic Protestant circles, and I am well familiar with this practice. I’m sorry to say, I even participated in it frequently at one point. It is a terribly misguided and (I would venture to say) illicit attempt at spiritual warfare.

 

[InLight247]

This is exactly what she said that to always use the Name of Jesus when binding and He is the one doing it and to cover ourselves with the Blood of Christ. The language you use is exactly the language she used. So is this okay or not?

The name of Jesus is the highest name in the universe. Everyone and everything has to bow down to His name. We are His children, can we use His name?

If I am the king’s daughter, what would happen when I told people I am the king’s daughter? Would people treat me nicer? People treat me nicer is not because of me, it is because of my father, because the name of my father. If I am the princess, can I use my father’s name? If someone was going to do a bad thing to me, and I said, wait a minute, don’t you know who my father is? My father is the king. And the king’s name will stop him. Is it OK to use my father’s name?

And I am the princess. I can use my Lord’s name. I am not talking about using His name in vain, I am talking about use His name when necessary. If you are facing an evil, a pressing evil,is it OK, is it effective to use Jesus’ name to bind the evil and cover yourself with the blood of Christ? What name can be more powerful than Jesus’ name? What can be more powerful than the blood of Christ?

It is good for Catholics to be willing to endure sufferings and carrying the cross; however, we also need to know our right, our God given right to resist the evil.

God is a good God. God never wants to bestow any evil on us. Don’t mix accepting evil with accepting cross. They are totally different things.

 

[beckycmarie]

1. The verse in Matthew about binding and loosing is given TO THE APOSTLES, not to laity.
2. It is extremely dangerous for lay people to take it upon themselves to wrestle with demonic spirits. They often unwittingly invite evil into their lives by getting in over their heads.
3. All spiritual warfare prayers should be directed toward God, the Saints, and the Angels, asking THEM to do the battle for us. We are not equipped for such things.

Recommended reading: Spiritual Combat, by Lorenzo Scupoli, and An Exorcist Tells His Story, by Fr. Gabriel Amorth. What your friend is doing is dangerous, even if she says she is doing it “in Jesus’ name.” Before my conversion I traveled heavily in charismatic Protestant circles, and I am well familiar with this practice. I’m sorry to say, I even participated in it frequently at one point. It is a terribly misguided and (I would venture to say) illicit attempt at spiritual warfare.

Laity should not attempt a solemn exorcism, but laity can participate in prayers of deliverance.

See the document, On The Current Norms Governing Exorcisms from the CDF.

Of course, the enunciation of these norms should not stop the faithful of Christ from praying, as Jesus taught us, that they may be freed from evil (cf. Mt 6:13). Moreover, Pastors should take this opportunity to remember what the tradition of the Church teaches about the function properly assigned to the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Apostles and the Saints, even in the spiritual battle of Christians against the evil spirits.

 

[InLight247]

Joh 14:12
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

 

[surfinpure]

Laity should not attempt a solemn exorcism, but laity can participate in prayers of deliverance.

See the document, On The Current Norms Governing Exorcisms from the CDF.

Again, read Fr. Amorth’s book. He’ll tell you from firsthand experience what happens when laity go too far in prayers of deliverance. It is perfectly fine to ask God and his angels to do the warfare for us, but it is most dangerous to attempt to wrestle with demons on our own.

 

[beckycmarie]

Again, read Fr. Amorth’s book. He’ll tell you from firsthand experience what happens when laity go too far in prayers of deliverance. It is perfectly fine to ask God and his angels to do the warfare for us, but it is most dangerous to attempt to wrestle with demons on our own.

I completely agree.

 

[surfinpure]

InLight

This is why private intepretation of Scripture has gotten Protestants and wayward Catholics into trouble. When it comes to such serious topics as the “binding and loosing” of spirits, don’t you think perhaps we ought to step back and see what the Church has to say about the Scripture, instead of insisting we can do it just fine on our own?

 

[mark_a]

I bet a woman today after Mass and we spoke a lot after Mass. She spoke a lot of binding evil spirits and even binding the spirit of illness and so on. She quoted Matthews in where he said what is bond on earth is bond in heaven. She said her marriage is strong today because she bond all the evil spirits of division, financial problems and so on.

I have heard of this before, but from my non denonminational sister who listens to Benny Hinn and follows him.

Is this true and based on Scripture or not? I know the passage of Matthew and what it says, but is this what it means. She told me to bind evil spirits in my marriage and to “bathe in the blood of Christ a happy and long marriage” and to believe in this.

Can anymore explain for I don’t know how I feel about this for this is new to me and feels strange.

I’ve heard something about this from a gentleman named John LaBriolaon on Catholic radio . The shows are very, very, very interesting.

Here’s a link to his stuff:
stjosephradio.com/pages/tapes/jlabriola.htm

 

[nana3]

InLight

This is why private intepretation of Scripture has gotten Protestants and wayward Catholics into trouble. When it comes to such serious topics as the “binding and loosing” of spirits, don’t you think perhaps we ought to step back and see what the Church has to say about the Scripture, instead of insisting we can do it just fine on our own?

I agree with you. I am more confused now for I can see both points. Who is right? I would go with what the Church teaches. So where can I find out what she teaches on this subject. On one hand, I agree totally that the Matthew quote is meant for the Apostles, therefore priest of today. But I also believe that with the Name of Jesus all can be accomplished and vanquished, even the enemy. I can see where it can be dangerous for laity to get involved with spiritual warfare, but in a way, are we not all in a spiritual warfare. The devil is always wanting our souls and the souls of our love ones. Could we not tell him where to go in the Name of Jesus? Like I said, this is not so cut and dry for me to understand. Maybe, I will ask my Pastor at our parish or even ask this of the apologetics here on the forum, unless someone has already asked this.

I also have a book I read long ago and don’t remember much in it now, but may reread it again. It is by Fr. Michael Scanlan, T.O.R. and Randall J. Cirner called Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Weapon for Spiritual Warfare.