Did that blog entry title catch your attention? It should. It isn’t even hyperbole. It is not made-up. And it is not an exaggeration. Teenage demon slayers actually have graduated from an actual school for exorcists.
Here is an excerpt from the UK Daily Mail- just to show you that this is a real news article reporting on real events. Apparently, the demon world is winning, the Catholic priests are dying off of old age and no new exorcists have been trained to replace them, so the Catholic Church outsourced. I am not making this up.
‘We’re not like normal teenagers’: Meet the exorcist schoolgirls who spend their time casting out DEMONS around the world
–Brynne Larson, 16, is one of many newly-qualified teenage demon slayers
–Reverend Bob Larson of Spiritual Freedom Churches runs exorcist school
–No set protocol for exorcisms but girls carry a Bible, holy water and a cross
“The five teenage girls might look like they’re in a normal class, eagerly reading their textbooks and answering their teacher’s questions diligently. But the textbooks are Bibles and the girls all have crosses instead of protractors, as they train to become exorcists – real exorcists who fight demons, curses and evil spells. ‘People do look a bit surprised when I arrive,’ admits graduate exorcist Brynne Larson. ‘When people call for an exorcist, they don’t picture a 16-year-old high school girl.’ But Brynne, from Phoenix, Arizona, is one of a new breed of qualified teenage demon slayers, who answered a call when the Church made the admission of there being a worldwide exorcist shortage. But despite drastic efforts, supply has still not met demand for the controversial ceremony. The Vatican’s chief exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth, 85, has revealed that he alone has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession. So if the forces of darkness start getting the upper hand, who should you call? Evangelist Reverend Bob Larson of Spiritual Freedom Churches International – and his remarkable school for exorcists. ‘Think of it more of an exorcist franchise,’ Rev Larson tells MailOnline exclusively. ‘The Church just can’t keep up with demand. But I have 100 teams of trained exorcists working all over the world, and outbreaks of demonic possession are getting out of control.”
Much more at headline-link.
Ohhh, there are so many things wrong with this. Let me count the ways.
First, it is true that “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). There is no question that Jesus is greater than anything, anyone, or any place. He IS the power over demons, and any Christian with the Holy Spirit indwelling them has access to the power of Jesus.
That said, demons are a very serious thing. Demons, remember, are fallen angels who are under the influence of satan. They reject Jesus’ authority and are out only to lie, steal, and destroy. If demons are fallen angels, then take a moment to reflect on the power of the angels.
In Daniel 10:13 the Lord dispatched an angel to bring a message to Daniel the prophet. Another angel, the Prince of Persia, stopped the Lord’s angel from delivering that message for 21 days. Finally Michael the archangel was sent to help the angel being hindered from delivering the message. So the verse shows us that one of satan’s angels stopped an angel of the Lord from completing his duty for three weeks. That is power.
In Revelation, there are angels who execute the will of God during the judgments. In one instance, Revelation 19:17 shows us “…an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,'”
An angel standing in the sun and speaking in a voice loud enough for the birds in our atmosphere to hear? That is power.
In Daniel 10:6, we read a description of another angel: “His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.”
That is a powerful angel.
Even the Apostles were stumped by some demons, and only Jesus could cast them out. When the Apostles asked Jesus why they had failed, “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting”. (Mark 9:29-30).
Angels resisting the Lord’s angels for three weeks, standing in the sun, unleashing judgment, defeating the Apostles, and looking like the one described above? POWERFUL. Though the fallen ones have rebelled against Jesus’ authority they still retain their power and abilities. And who is going to challenge the powerful fallen angels? These newly minted exorcists:
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So…really? Really?
OK, aside from the fact that demons are extremely powerful, the bible says we are to resist them. Not chase them. Not stalk them and cast them out. Resist. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). We are instructed to wear our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) but nowhere does it say that we are to go forth and wield it, except to pray and to resist.
Jesus is our intercessor. (Romans 8:34). If we appeal to Him, He will banish the demon.
The bible gave a credential to the Apostles to “raise the dead, cast out demons.” (Mt 10:5-8). In this sermon by John MacArthur, he explains “The only thing I think about when I hear that is power. I mean, the power to raise the dead and the power to invade the kingdom of darkness, the unseen world of the demons, and overcome that kingdom, that’s power! Now I can’t raise the dead or cast out demons, and neither can you. Today, no one has the power and authority our Lord and His apostles had over demons and death. You say, “Then how does this relate to us?” Because it shows us power. The mark of the apostles was power.”
One of the credentials Jesus gave to the Apostles to cement their calling was an ability to raise the dead and cast out demons. I personally believe that because the credential was given as a sign, that when the Apostles died the sign died with them. Therefore I believe that no one is able to raise the dead nor cast out demons today. I believe that power now rests only with Jesus. ‘But, but’, you say, ‘it seems that people are casting out demons all the time!’
In this same sermon by John MacArthur, he explains further,
“The Jewish exorcists, who were common in the time of Christ and went around casting out demons, charged people. When people were demon-possessed or had family members who were demon-possessed, they would go to the exorcists for deliverance. Ultimately those exorcists had no results because the people were demon-possessed because of sin, and the exorcists couldn’t do anything about that. Nevertheless, people would pay great amounts of money to get exorcised.”
It is the same today. Except instead of being elder Jewish men, they are teenage girls. Does it make sense to you that a youngster in the faith would be given the incredible charge to deal with demons? There are strict standards for the teachers, pastors, and elders on behavior, doctrine and comportment. (James 3:1; 1 Timothy 3:2-3; 1 Timothy 3:11; Titus 2:11-12; Titus 2:3-5). If indeed engaging with demons is the way to go (and I believe it is not) then why, WHY send teens in to the battle when it is clear that the battle belongs to the elders? How wrongheaded is that?
As for the exorcist school, I have an opinion on that one too. The bible is the exorcism school. Otherwise, when one examines demons, it is demons that are on your mind. You study them. You think about them. You ponder tactics to combat them. You gradually become saturated with demons, instead of what you should be saturated with, which are thoughts of Jesus. It is a good way to draw someone away from the thoughts of righteousness and plunge them into darkness.
Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” If you study demons you will not be thinking about the admirable things.
I mourn for the teens being sent in to deal with situations that may be beyond their ability to handle them. And as for the person who is being exorcised, “When an evilf spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
This is because a person cannot be possessed by a demon if they are a believer. (Colossians 1:13,; 2 Corinthians 6:15–16; Romans 8:37; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 John 2:13). If one is possessed, they need salvation, and the remedy for that is Jesus. He will cast out the demon and as a glorious gift, send the Spirit to indwell.
I hope that the Lord comes soon. Everyone will finally be safe. Safe from demons and safe from demon slayers. Safe in the arms of the Strong One who loves us!
ht on the demon slayer article from from EBenzblog
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