During the autumn season, we hear more about – and even see celebrated – witchcraft, the occult, and other dark practices.

Join host Father Ed Hauf, OMI, and his guest, Sandra Rodriguez, a prayer group member who together with Father Ed, have experience praying for persons to be healed from demonic influence. Hear their discussion of these issues, and the importance of freedom in Christ.

Prayers from Fr. Ed Hauf, OMI

Spiritual Warfare Prayer 

Heavenly Father, I bow in worship and prayer before You. I worship You, and I give You praise. I recognize that You are worthy to receive all glory and honor and praise. I cover myself with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as our protection during this time of prayer. I surrender myself completely and unreservedly in every area of my life to You. I take my stand against all the workings of Satan that would hinder me in this time of prayer.

Father, because of the victory won for us on the cross, I declare that all principalities and powers and all evil spirits are subject to me in the powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I command all demonic forces to leave my presence. I am thankful for the armor You have provided, and I choose to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of peace, and the helmet of salvation. I lift up the shield of faith against all the fiery darts of the Enemy and take in my hand the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and use Your Word against all the forces of evil in my life. I reject out of my life all the insinuations, the accusations, and the temptations of Satan. I put on this armor and live in complete dependence upon You. Heavenly Father, I choose to live in obedience to You and in fellowship with You. Open my eyes and show me the areas of my life that don’t please You. Give me the courage to deal with those areas. Work in my life that there be no ground to give Satan a foothold against me. Show me any area of weakness. By faith and in dependence upon You, I choose to resist my old nature and to submit to my new nature. I stand today in all the victory of the resurrection and the provision You have made for me to live above sin. I resist the old nature with its selfishness, and I submit to the new nature with its love. I resist the old nature with its fear, and I submit to the new nature with its courage. I resist the old nature with its weakness, and I submit to the new nature with its strength. I resist the old nature with its deceitful lusts, and submit to the new nature with its righteousness and purity.

I affirm that You have not given me a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. I give my emotions to You. I give my will to You, and I choose to make the right decisions of faith. I give my body to You, and I rejoice in Your mercy and goodness.

Father, I pray that You would show me the way Satan is hindering and tempting and lying and counterfeiting and distorting the truth in my life. Enable me to be the kind of person that would please You and to give You Your rightful place in my life. I yield my life to You and I refuse to be discouraged. You are the God of all hope. I claim in every way Your victory over all satanic forces active in my life, and I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

“Soul-Ties”

Here are some examples of situations that could create bad soul-ties:
* Sexual sin: Sex unites people physically, emotionally and spiritually. If we have sex with people other than our spouse in a sacramental marriage, we create soul ties that cause all kinds of problems (spiritual confusion, emotional confusion, sex addiction, compulsive behaviors, habitual masturbation, pornographic addiction/obsession, etc.). This connects us with the demon of lust. Since sexual activity was created by God as the liturgy of the Sacrament of Matrimony, anyone indulging in it with someone other than his or her spouse is living a lie, and therefore is connected with the demon of deceit.
* Looking at sex images, memories, objects and fetishes: These activities can establish a soul tie with an evil spirit. An example of this is found in Hosea 4:17 when Ephraim became joined with his idols. A tie may not be established in every instance, but it is certainly possible. Example objects from sinful sexual relationships: a favorite porn depiction, a garment worn by a former lover, pictures of former lovers, a cherished sinful sexual memory.
* Sexual abuse/molestation: This can result in soul ties between the perpetrator and the victim. If you have been involved in sexual abuse, please seek healing prayer and
Christian counsel as you proceed in your journey to freedom.
* “Unhealthy” relationships: Examples include relationships characterized by manipulation, guilt, emotional abuse, co-dependency, unnatural affection, envy and/or lust, sexual relationships with someone not my spouse.

You may not have had all of these things happen to you but if you have at least had one of these items happen in your life you may need to pray this prayer.

“Father God, I thank you for saving me from destruction. I praise you for sending Jesus to die for my sins. Please forgive me for my sins against you. Specifically, I confess that I have sinned recently or in the past by (details of the sin & names of partners). I repent of that sin and renounce it now. Lord, please purify my heart from this sin, the memory of it, and any associated fantasy I have entertained in my mind regarding it. In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of his blood shed on the cross, I cut myself free from any soul ties that may have been established with _________(name(s) of partners or specific objects). I now commit him/her/them to the care of Jesus Christ for him to do with as he wills.
Satan, I rebuke you in all your works and ways. I rebuke any evil spirits that have a foothold in me. In the name of Jesus, I command you evil spirits to leave me and go directly to Jesus Christ. Father, please heal my soul of any wounds resulting from these soul ties. Please reintegrate any part of me that may have been fragmented through this/these soul ties and restore me to wholeness. I also ask that you reintegrate all the parts of any person(s) I sinned with that have been fragmented by sinning with me, and restore them to wholeness.
I command every portion of my soul (my thoughts, my will, my emotions, my personality and mind) and heart, all of me: spirit, soul and body, that has been fragmented, torn or broken or cursed, to come back into its proper place…to be healed; every piece of my heart to be returned; my soul to be restored and every bondage and related soul-tie to be completely broken, destroyed and totally de-tached from me, in the name of Jesus! Father God, in the name of Jesus, I ask now, that You heal my heart and guard it by Your Power and Your Love, and keep my heart and mind through Christ Jesus.Make me every which way whole…in every area of my life. I desire to live in a manner that pleases You, and brings glory to Your name. Thank you, Lord, for your healing power and your perfect love for me. May I glorify you with my life from this point forward. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.