Are these attacks from the devil QUESTION from teresa July 19, 2001 Dear Bro John Paul,
I am very thankful that God led me to your web site. I am an OCDS, involved in youth ministry in my parish. I have been married for 24 years to a non christian, Our marriage was blessed by the church 7 years ago. We have 4 children ages 16, 15, 14, and 12.
6 years ago a priest in our parish, whom I didn't know well approached me after bringing my children to daily mass. He told me that he had had a terrible dream about me and the children and awakened to an opressive sense of evil closing in on him. He managed with difficulty to call Jesus and everything was then OK. That night I was in Adoration from 11 to midnight and this priest was in the chapel too. It was raining very very hard. I kept praying that God would protect my family and this good priest from all evil. After about 45 minutes the rain suddenly ceased, like a faucet being turned off and the atmosphere in the chapel seemed lighter. In an inner way I felt our Lord say you have prayed the evil away, but it will come back thru out your life in different forms and ways, but if you hold on to your faith you will always be able to pray it away. then Jesus asked me if I would pray for this priest for the rest of my life. I consented and then Jesus said It will bring you much joy and much suffering.
Over the years this priest and i have worked on many things. He is the confirmation sponsor for my 3 boys and has gotten my husband to attend church regularly for the past 3 years.When i began Carmelite formation 5 years ago, I began writing my spiritual thoughts, sharing my journey in a weekly lettetr with this priest.There is nothing in these letters that I couldn't share with my husband, conffesor or anyone. Fr.occasionally said my letters helped him in his priesthood, but it wasn't until last year that he told me thaty he had saved them all.
He suffers from depression occasionally, is a perfectionist and over the years has confided his stuggles with me.He said our friendship was a gift of God, sustained by grace. He became pastor one year ago and theres has been a real change in the past few month. It is a large active parish and two very influential women on staff don't like me and have been very unkind. It hurts but i just stay out of their way. Our youth core team is beautifully united, has a great program for the kid.
We took the youth to Oregon last month for a Militia immaculata retreat and this priest was very cruel to me. He said he repented of our friendship,doesn't want me to write to him, no longer wants me on the core team, and that he knew i was messed up the first time i went to him in confession 7 years ago. I stopped going to him about 6 year once we became friends Other people have noticed the change in his behavior too,but most of it has been vented on me.
He is in the Ukraine right now teaching english to seminarian for a month and has sent me two nice e-mail,signed them your brother like he used too. I have a friend who is in deliverance ministry, ( something I am not called too). she says he is under heavy bondage and God has as
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on July 20, 2001 Dear Mrs Teresa:
Your story is cut off, but from what I can gather your story sounds a LOT like a situation of a spirit of Jezebel. It sounds like your friend, the priest, was probably under the influence of the Jezebel spirit. The two women you described are probably the source.
In nearly every parish there are at least one or two women with a Jezebel spirit who cause great problems in the parish and with the pastor.
The fact that he is friendly again now that he is in the Ukraine is additional evidence of the spirit of Jezebel back at the home parish. Outside of their influence he is back to normal.
Pray for this priest, pray hard, that he will be able to stave off the spirit of Jezebel and other negative influences.
Also pray for these women. They need it.
Pray for the parish that the spirit of Jezebel and all other evil spirits will be removed and the Holy Spirit come upon the parish in a renewed way.
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