Reasons the devil attacks people

[Monica4316]

Hi, I’ve been wondering this for a while… why would the devil attack someone? would it be necessarily for something they did, - like sin, or being involved in the occult… is it necessarily their fault? but I know many of the Saints were attacked too in ways…

thanks

 

[wxboss]

Hi, I’ve been wondering this for a while… why would the devil attack someone? would it be necessarily for something they did, - like sin, or being involved in the occult… is it necessarily their fault? but I know many of the Saints were attacked too in ways…

thanks

Good question, Monica. I think that is one of the age old questions, yet we only have to look to Matt 4:1-11 to find out that temptation is not necessarily due to sin:***
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4Jesus answered, “It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
" 'He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

7Jesus answered him, “It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you," he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.***

Temptation comes to those who threaten the Devil’s plan. Those who are ignorant to them pose no real threat.

 

[Monica4316]

thanks for the reply

that’s about temptation… what about other forms of spiritual attack? like the devil trying to interfere with your mind, etc… or demons appearing to people to scare them

 

[wxboss]

thanks for the reply

that’s about temptation… what about other forms of spiritual attack? like the devil trying to interfere with your mind, etc… or demons appearing to people to scare them

I apologize, Monica, for not addressing the real question you had (I 40+ old so my mind wanders quite easily )

I have had several instances in my life when I believe demons were assaulting me. Each time, I was always pushed toward some instance in my life where I should feel offended about how I was treated. Some wrong that was done against me. And each time, it was always a sudden, intense moment that appealed to my natural inclinations and attempted to make me feel like I was unjustly treated and should therefore exalt myself over another in order to “right the wrong”. It always led me to an extreme that denied God’s teaching and exalted myself over another - something which Our Lord expressly taught against as He taught us to be servants not masters.

I’m sure each case may have alternate objectives, but the one true objective of all attacks is to take our eyes off God and center on ourselves.

I hope this helps .

 

[EmeraldWings]

the devil is really just a bully, he wants to scare us, and he especially hates those he has the least control over, such as the saints,
however, there are those who are attacked by him in a different way, which i assume is what you are referring to, things such as haunting? possessions? in that case, that occurs, as far as i understand it, by opening a door to him, either by something you do(for example, using a Ouija board, looking at porn, taking part in demonic rituals, and so on)
or by actually going so far as to seek the devil and worship him,
there are many ways that i have heard of…but i haven’t researched it to much, so i can’t say much else.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I think Satan physically attacked some of the saints because they were helping to take people out of his control (by calling them to repentance or hearing their confessions) and he just hates that and hates people who do that. He’s frustrated that God is stronger than he is and that God gives power over him to mere humans. But hah!, we know who will win in the end! Just be sober, be watchful, and put your confidence in the Lord. We know that no evil spirit can say, “Jesus Christ is Lord” but we can, and, if we mean it, we defeat Satan. Too bad for him . PS, he has no sense of humor, no joy. We could almost pity him and he must hate that we weak puny creatures would dare to think that about a former prince of heaven.

Any involvement in the occult gives the evil one a hold on us. Sin can open the door too. Repentance and sacramental confession can free us in most cases.

Also, a curse by a family member or someone else or a parent consecrating a child to Satan gives him a hold over the person but it can be broken. God provides ways to do this through the church. In this case the person was not at fault.

 

[Monica4316]

Thanks everyone!

well for me, I try to receive the Sacraments often, I’m not involved in anything occult or against Church teachings, I try to avoid sin… but it seems that for the past two months, the devil has been attacking me in various ways I don’t see demons or anything like that… and I’m not possessed (I hope!). But he’s been putting thoughts in my mind, or trying to confuse me, or make me despair… sometimes the attacks are really powerful and it’s not something I’m just imagining. Also a few times I sensed a really evil presence in my house, as if something is watching me, but it would go away when I would sprinkle holy water over the place… also when I pray, things get better, but not always. I’m not sure why this is happening or if this is my fault

 

[Student09]

Have you talked to a priest or to your spiritual director about this? If so, what did they say?

 

[Monica4316]

Have you talked to a priest or to your spiritual director about this? If so, what did they say?

No one seems to really know WHY this is happening, but I was told that the devil tries to keep us from coming closer to Christ, and also that sometimes this is a cross to carry. Maybe God wants me to learn endurance

 

[Student09]

No one seems to really know WHY this is happening, but I was told that the devil tries to keep us from coming closer to Christ, and also that sometimes this is a cross to carry. Maybe God wants me to learn endurance

Endurance is good for all of us to learn. This life is not supposed to be easy, I guess.

If your spiritual director thinks that the devil is trying to keep you away from Jesus, and not that it is some fault of your own, then I would believe him.

 

[wxboss]

No one seems to really know WHY this is happening, but I was told that the devil tries to keep us from coming closer to Christ, and also that sometimes this is a cross to carry. Maybe God wants me to learn endurance

I believe this is a sure sign that you are on the right path. The Devil knows (or has an inkling of) what God has prepared for you.

Be faithful to Jesus, seek Mary’s intercession and have faith to know that through the Holy Trinity, you will prevail!

Be mindful of the fact that there is nothing that you are going through that Jesus didn’t go through Himself! He will help you along with Mary and all the Saints! You have nothing to fear .

 

[presidentjlh]

It’s funny. Every once and a while, I will contemplate God, and it just makes me realize how stupid Satan is. So I basically make fun of him or insult him, saying something like, “Man, Satan, you sure are stupid.”

And, I’ll be darned if a few minutes later I’m not really feeling tempted to sin. And the times I conquer it, I laugh even harder.

It’s fun to annoy Satan. He’s such a detestable loser, really.