Heal, Drive Out Demons, Jesus Said

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Two things Jesus did constantly when he was on earth: he healed people and drove out demons from people. He even sent his disciples and the 72 others out specifically to heal people, drive out demons and preach the gospel. What happened to us? Why can we not heal people or drive out demons? Why was that knowledge from Jesus lost? After the apostles and the people that knew Jesus personally, did healing and exorcism die with them?

Ok, people will say, we have doctors and anti-psychosis drugs/treatments. That’s our healing and exorcisms. No it isn’t. Not even close. Jesus had doctors in his day, they did not heal like Jesus and his apostles healed. Jesus said you need faith to heal, expel demons and commit miracles. He even rebuked his disciples when they could not expel the demon from that child because of “their lack of faith.” So is it faith that we lack and hence no healing, exorcisms or miracles? Probably. The Church just seems so "meh"on this topic, like when Jesus said to heal and drive out demons in his name, he didn’t really mean it.
 
The demons were their sins.
We still have them everywhere, but few people care about amending their lives.

Not everything in the BIble is literal. Some things, yes, but not all.
 
We lack confidence and belief. And then we expect Jesus to do everything. We are called to be transformed. Your question can be extended to the sacraments. When the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles something out of the ordinary was happening affecting their daily lives. We are too satisfied with the way things are and not really open to the power of the Holy Spirit because it might ask too much of us, a change in life,
 
The Demons were Demons. Do you think it was the man’s sins that left him and went into the swine? Do you think it was a man’s sins that caused him to cry out “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Is exorcism a glorified form of confession, driving out a man’s sins?
 
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Nap66 said:
So is it faith that we lack and hence no healing, exorcisms or miracles? Probably. The Church just seems so "meh"on this topic, like when Jesus said to heal and drive out demons in his name, he didn’t really mean it.
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No healings, exorcisms or miracles? What about the exorcist priests? What about the healings that are verified for the beatification and canonization of saints? What about Eucharistic miracles? Padro Pio? Incorrupt saints? Apparitions?

“Meh?” No.
 
angel12 said:
No healings, exorcisms or miracles? What about the exorcist priests? What about the healings that are verified for the beatification and canonization of saints? What about Eucharistic miracles? Padro Pio? Incorrupt saints? Apparitions?
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Jesus said we could do it. Just any ordinary person with faith. Not just priests or saints. The church never talks about what us ordinary people can do with faith in Jesus. If you were to talk about wanting to get a demon out of someone you know or that God talks to you, or you see apparitions, or that you believe in faith healing, the majority of Catholics would think you are cuckoo, and need psychological help ASAP. That’s not what Jesus taught. He said all of us can expel demons, heal and maybe even move mountains with faith.

I will say I am heartened by the Church’s increased interest in exorcisms, the existence of demons and the devil. It’s a start to get back to Jesus’ teachings.
 
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KnightTemplar said:
The Demons were Demons. Do you think it was the man’s sins that left him and went into the swine? Do you think it was a man’s sins that caused him to cry out “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Is exorcism a glorified form of confession, driving out a man’s sins?
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I agree. Demons and Satan exist. Literally, not figuratively. Even the Church is finally coming back to that thinking. We’ve let them roam too long in the shadows, pretending all evil comes just from our sins. Not so. I spoke to a young priest the other day (just out of Seminary) about a possible demon-obsession/possession in someone I know. I told him that I appreciated that he didn’t roll his eyes at me (although he probably did when I left). Jesus wouldn’t have wasted time on expelling demons so much during his ministry if it wasn’t important.
 
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Shakuhachi said:
We are too satisfied with the way things are and not really open to the power of the Holy Spirit because it might ask too much of us, a change in life,
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I am confused about the Holy Spirit. When Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples, they were immediately transformed and knew exactly what to do. They went out and healed, expelled demons and preached the Gospel. Supposedly we have the Holy Spirit in us as well through baptism. But where is the transformation? Do we not tap into the Holy Spirit enough or ever? Is that the missing link for healings, expelling demons, etc?
 
Nap66 said:
He even sent his disciples and the 72 others out specifically to heal people, drive out demons and preach the gospel.
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These were ordained Priests.

We lay persons are called to Evangelize, to spread the Good News through our words and deeds of love.
 
TheLittleLady said:
Would you show me the Scriptures that support this idea?
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Sure. I believe these relate to everyone and not just priests or the disciples.

Luke 9:37-56
“[37] The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large
crowd met him. [38] A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you
to look at my son, for he is my only child. [39] A spirit seizes him and
he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at
the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. [40] I
begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”
[41] “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
[42] Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground
in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and
gave him back to his father. [43] And they were all amazed at the
greatness of God."
[49] “Master,” said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."
[50] “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

Mark 9-23
"If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."

John 14:12-14
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works
** than these shall he do;** because I go unto my Father.

Mark 16:17-18
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Matthew 9:20-22
And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made
well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.
 
Nap66 said:
But where is the transformation? Do we not tap into the Holy Spirit enough or ever? Is that the missing link for healings, expelling demons, etc?
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I don’t think most of us are fully open to the transformation and thus do not “tap into the Holy Spirit enough”. Perhaps because we also have too much ego invested. if were were to be able to do such things most of us would be inflated with pride.
 
Many a times we are people of little faith who do not make use of the gift (the Holy Spirit) that the Father gave us. We thought it could only happen to the apostles at Pentecost - that the Holy Spirit does not have the power to do it to others and that Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit is not true. sigh
 
Yes but there are a few who did have great faith and trust in God and performed miracles while alive. Some great saints in the history of the Church.
 
Dan_Defender said:
Yes but there are a few who did have great faith and trust in God and performed miracles while alive. Some great saints in the history of the Church.
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That’s the thing. Jesus says we all can do it with faith. The saints were just regular people as well when they performed miracles, healed or expelled demons. What makes them different from us? Faith that Jesus talked about. Imagine if we all had that faith, how different this world would be. I don’t have that faith, and at this point I don’t really know how to get it.
 
Nap66 said:
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
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You have a mish mash of passages, some where Christ is speaking in generalities, others where He addresses his Apostles. Yes, we are all called to do great works of love and mercy and to have faith!

In the “cast out demons” passage, Christ is commissioning the first Bishops, the eleven original apostles. Christ is giving authority to the Bishops. Today, it is still the same, each person’s Bishop determines the need for exorcism, that Bishop appoints an exorcist.

If you wish to take this literally for every Christian, time to get to handling rattlesnakes!

The Commissioning of the Eleven.

[But] later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised.

He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages.

They will pick up serpents [with their hands], and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
 
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