How much power is given to witches or demons?

[fakename]

What effects can the devil cause and by extension, what effects can a witch cause?

 

[mdgspencer]

An eyeopener when it comes to the power witch’s spells may have is the book by the chief exorcist of the diocese of Rome, Gabriel Amorth–this book is “An Exorcist Tells His Story” (Ignatius Press, 1999).
This thread will probably lead to a great host of differing ideas, but when t comes to first-hand knowledge, I would read Father Amorth’s book. You could probably get it interlibrary loan from a local library if you would rather not buy it from a source like amazon.com

 

[Thankfulness]

Only God really knows the answer to your question, and we can become fearful and discouraged if we become caught up in the question, because we do see the effects of evil choices all around us in our world, yet we know the final victory is God’s.

Rather than speculating on the devil’s unleashed power which we cannot measure, this is what we need to know about satan’s power. Like Jesus in the wilderness, we can say “no” to the devil’s crafty temptations. The devil likes to help us to see as desirable and welcome, many things that are evil and dangerous to human temporal and spiritual welfare. The devil can appear as an angel of light, as scripture tells us " for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14

Satan offered Jesus good benefits in exchange for His employing the devil’s tactics, but Jesus refused. See biblegateway.com/passage/…+4&version=NIV
The devil promised Him “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

Ephesians 4:27 “do not give the devil a foothold”.

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

1 Peter 5-11 “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

 

[Cryptic1]

Yours is a very interesting question, and I’m curious to know why you ask. All I can offer you is information taken from the book “Everyone’s Guide to Demons Spiritual Warfare” by Ron Phillips. According to Mr Phillips, the following demonstrates how demons operate:

1. Demons can exist both inside and outside human beings
2. Demons travel at will
3. Demons need a human host in order to rest
4. Demons can communicate using the vocal apparatus of their host
5. Demons have individual personalities and identities
6. Demons consider the body they live in to be their home
7. Demons can plant thoughts and influence mental health
8. Demons can remember, think and plan
9. Demons can communicate with each other
10. Levels of evil exist within the demonic hierarchy

In answer to your question, I would say that a lot of power is given to demons. I would also say that most Christians would be well served to understand the nature of demons. If we acknowledge we are in spiritual warfare, we must see that it is important to not only know who our opponent is, but also to know our opponent’s strengths and weaknesses as well. I would guess that most people are not aware of the power demons have been given to operate in our world, but since we are in the last days, it would be wise to know who we are really dealing with.

God Rocks

 

[Anathama_Sit]

What effects can the devil cause and by extension, what effects can a witch cause?

Greetings Fakename,

Probably this answer is not what you are looking for. The effects are whatever God’s permissive will allows. The devil could destroy the world and all of us in a blink of an eye, and yet God does not allow this.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

 

[paduard]

Greetings Fakename,

Probably this answer is not what you are looking for. The effects are whatever God’s permissive will allows. The devil could destroy the world and all of us in a blink of an eye, and yet God does not allow this.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

Yes I agree with this response. Nothing can happen that God does not allow, and that through Our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[fakename]

“Probably this answer is not what you are looking for. The effects are whatever God’s permissive will allows. The devil could destroy the world and all of us in a blink of an eye, and yet God does not allow this.”

So in your experience and/or opinion, there is no apriori knowledge of what the devil can do subject to God’s will? So there is, in brief, no science that can describe all the contingencies of the devil’s power? But if that’s so, then how can we “know our enemy”; it would seem that the devil would be unpredictable and he is more fearful when you can’t predict him than when you can.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

See the book of Job. Job never does know what was going on; he just learns to trust God to make it all come out right. However, Satan is strictly limited by God at each step.

 

[Anathama_Sit]

“Probably this answer is not what you are looking for. The effects are whatever God’s permissive will allows. The devil could destroy the world and all of us in a blink of an eye, and yet God does not allow this.”

So in your experience and/or opinion, there is no apriori knowledge of what the devil can do subject to God’s will? So there is, in brief, no science that can describe all the contingencies of the devil’s power? But if that’s so, then how can we “know our enemy”; it would seem that the devil would be unpredictable and he is more fearful when you can’t predict him than when you can.

Greetings Fakename,

Wow nearly missed this response because I did not see it quoted as usually. Sorry about that.

No one can really know all that Satan and his demons are capable of doing except God. For who of us can fully understand angelic nature. Nothing happens that is either directly willed or permissively willed by God. It follows that whatever Satan and his demons do or cause, it is either directly or permissively willed by God.

I have worked and still work extensively with several exorcists and am studying demonology. Demonology is the study of demons and the theology connected with them. A theology is a science though not in the sense “empirical.”

No science can fully describe an angelic nature now what angelic natures can do. But what we do know about the devil is given through Divine Revelation. No human can predict what he can do. Yet God in His Mercy does not allow the Devil to run rampant nor to carry out his nefarious will.

If one is scared of what the demons are going to do and that they may be in danger, that person is not having enough faith and trust in God. Remember God created Him and knows them so much better than we do. Rest in that knowledge and be at peace.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

 

[fakename]

Does one know about the existence of angels by natural reason as well?

 

[Anathama_Sit]

Does one know about the existence of angels by natural reason as well?

Greetings fakename,

Perhaps we are aware of things out there by our natural reason that there must be a higher nature than ours. There are things that happen in this world that no scientific explanation is given. So perhaps we come to an agreement of a higher nature out there.

However, I believe that we know that Angels certainly exist with certitude because of Divine Revelation. We can come to with our natural reason that there was a first mover, one who started everything [God.], but not with angels.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

 

[fakename]

I thought that people reasoned: “If God creates things to imitate his goodness, then there has to be a better imitation than man. So angels exist since.”

Wrong?

 

[Anathama_Sit]

I thought that people reasoned: “If God creates things to imitate his goodness, then there has to be a better imitation than man. So angels exist since.”

Wrong?

Greetings Fakename,

I cant’ exactly point out what is wrong with this reasoning, but this reasoning is wrong. Give me a few days to get some books out and look some of this stuff up. I should know this off the top of my head but I have had trouble remembering things of late.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

 

[Cormacnl]

What effects can the devil cause and by extension, what effects can a witch cause?

I suspect the main power of demons and witches is to provide a convenient excuse or scapegoat for pious believers who want to shift the blame for their own inner failings on an imaginary foe.

Witches in certain places and at certain times have one more dubious power: being abused and in some cases murdered by believers.

Did we learn nothing from the witch trials of the Middle Ages?

 

[fakename]

Actually, I talked to my confessor today and he told me that witches and such even have the power to control anything material (imagination, emotions, etc.). But at the same time I heard that some of the powers of witches were just exaggerated beyond belief. So I’ll have to figure out in what sense witches are powerful and in which they are not.

Also, angels can be known by reason as I was additionally told.

 

[Anathama_Sit]

Actually, I talked to my confessor today and he told me that witches and such even have the power to control anything material (imagination, emotions, etc.). But at the same time I heard that some of the powers of witches were just exaggerated beyond belief. So I’ll have to figure out in what sense witches are powerful and in which they are not.

Also, angels can be known by reason as I was additionally told.

Greetings Fakename,

How about focusing on how powerful God is and trusting in that power?

And angels are known by Divine Revelation. Though by reason one can know that there is something more than human nature, I suppose. But I thougth I explained this in my post below.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

 

[fakename]

"Greetings Fakename,

How about focusing on how powerful God is and trusting in that power?

And angels are known by Divine Revelation. Though by reason one can know that there is something more than human nature, I suppose. But I thougth I explained this in my post below.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit"

1. if there’s a devil, then I want to know as much as possible about him to avoid him, clearly.
2. If you have an argument, then enunciate it. I don’t think you gave one though.

I just trust my confessor because a) he said some pretty reasonable stuff, b) I just trust his authority since I assume that he knows more about scholastic theology than I do.

My own argument in favor of angels existing are several: 1) we can prove the existence of God so much more can we prove the existence of what is less than God, 2) again, there has to be something more Godlike if God creates things to imitate him. But the only thing higher than a rational soul that moves by argumentative steps, and is still a creature, is a subsisting intellect which knows everything intuitively. But the very definition of angel is a subsisting intellect that knows things intuitively. So angels exist.

 

[Anathama_Sit]

Greetings Fakename

1. if there’s a devil, then I want to know as much as possible about him to avoid him, clearly.

I realize where you are coming from. However, if you spent as much time as you do on worrying abou the devil, about witches, about spell casting, and ect. in trying to learn and know God and come to a closer Union, you would soon be so enraptured by God that you would not think on these lines.

Am I saying that it is not a good thing to learn about the devil, no I am not. What I am saying is that from what you have been posting and sharing I see very little about your relationship with God and much anxiety about the devil and what he can or cannot do. I am not getting peace when I read your posts.

Many of the saints did learn about the devil, but never, never in the manner that you are going about it. Trust in God. God will protect you. If something happens it is his permissive will. He will always bring a greater good out of evil.

I wish and would have you to know in every fiber of your being the peace of God. I would will and do will that your Union with God becomes very special and very close. When one is totally focused on God, guess what they will avoid sin and doing things that displease him. Let everything be done out of love for God and not out of fear for the devil or whatnot.

1. If you have an argument, then enunciate it. I don’t think you gave one though.

I just trust my confessor because a) he said some pretty reasonable stuff, b) I just trust his authority since I assume that he knows more about scholastic theology than I do.

I have given the argument, but I will spell it out even more carefully.

One we cannot know that Angels exist by reason alone. Why not? Becuase Angels are a part of Divine Revelation. And for something to be Divine Revelation it must be revealed by God and cannot be reached by human reason alone.

By our human nature we can know that we are not alone in the universe. But we would not have any reason nor could we know that there were angels out there had God not revealed it. You could not being arguing with me about whether you can know angels or not without God revealing it.

I am not saying that your confessor is wrong and I would, by the grace of God, not be critical of any priest for they are God’s greatest gifts on earth, for without them there would be no Sacraments. However, by the definition of Divine Revelation and that God revealed that there are angels, I hold to that angels cannot be known by human reason alone.

My own argument in favor of angels existing are several: 1) we can prove the existence of God so much more can we prove the existence of what is less than God, 2) again, there has to be something more Godlike if God creates things to imitate him. But the only thing higher than a rational soul that moves by argumentative steps, and is still a creature, is a subsisting intellect which knows everything intuitively. But the very definition of angel is a subsisting intellect that knows things intuitively. So angels exist.

First of all we are not arguing whether angels exist or do not exist. I do not know why are you saying this when I have neither implied this. What we are arguing is whether you can know if angels exist by human reason alone or by Divine Revelation.

So I will not answer your third point.

If this post seems a bit judgemental, it is not the intention of this post to do that. I have prayed about writing this post and whether to submit it. And I do so.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

 

[fakename]

I have given the argument, but I will spell it out even more carefully.

One we cannot know that Angels exist by reason alone. Why not? Becuase Angels are a part of Divine Revelation. And for something to be Divine Revelation it must be revealed by God and cannot be reached by human reason alone.

**To the above post: However it seems that the above argument gets the definition of revelation wrong. (1) revelation from God can be either about things which reason could reach but would not reach w/o it, or (2) about things which reason could never in principle, reach. So it doesn’t follow that if something is revealed, then it is not capable of being rationally proved. **

Again though, if reason can attain to a proof of God alone, then it can certainly do so for angels.

 

[Anathama_Sit]

I have given the argument, but I will spell it out even more carefully.

One we cannot know that Angels exist by reason alone. Why not? Becuase Angels are a part of Divine Revelation. And for something to be Divine Revelation it must be revealed by God and cannot be reached by human reason alone.

**To the above post: However it seems that the above argument gets the definition of revelation wrong. (1) revelation from God can be either about things which reason could reach but would not reach w/o it, or (2) about things which reason could never in principle, reach. So it doesn’t follow that if something is revealed, then it is not capable of being rationally proved. **

Again though, if reason can attain to a proof of God alone, then it can certainly do so for angels.

Greetings Fakename,

Angels were revealed in Sacred Scripture. Without them being revealed in Sacred Scripture [God revealing] we would not know of them. I can go into great lengthes to reason with you on this one, but I find that you are wishing to cling to your assertion and that is fine, that is your choice.

I do not want to waste time on a lengthy post showing why Angels cannot be known by reason alone when you probably will not read it or even consider it.

I grow tired of this and I wish you the best.

In closing I would like to quote a passage from Dr. Ludwig Ott’s Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma.

Natural reason cannot prove the existence of the angels, since their creation is a free deed of God. From the known sequence of stages of the perfections of the creatures, however, the existence of purely spiritual created essences can, with a high degree of probability be inferred.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit