Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing something so painful and heavy. What you have described, a family pattern of involvement in the occult while claiming to be Christian, together with ongoing abuse that has targeted you and others, is deeply serious. It is right to bring it before the Lord and to seek prayer and wise help.
Scripture is clear that the occult is not a harmless interest and it is not compatible with following Jesus. When people open themselves to spiritism and occult practices they open themselves to the entrance and influence of evil spirits. Those spirits are real, intelligent beings, and their purposes are always evil and destructive. That is why the cruelty and abuse you have seen can seem beyond ordinary explanation. The Bible shows that when people are yielded to such influences, they can do inhumane things they would not otherwise do, because they are being led by a power that seeks to harm and destroy.
The Bible also shows the absolute authority of Jesus over these powers. When Jesus confronted those who were possessed, the spirits often cried out with loud voices as they came out, and they begged Him not to send them into the abyss before their appointed time. That abyss is the place of confinement for evil spirits. They know Jesus is their Judge and they are subject to Him. He has already conquered them through His death and resurrection, and He redeems people by His blood from every family and background to make them His own.
It is understandable to focus on wanting the darkness to be driven out of your family. Yet Scripture warns that simply trying to get rid of an evil influence without being filled with something greater leaves a person empty and vulnerable to something worse. The greater need is for the power and presence of God to come in. What is needed is not only deliverance from the enemy, but the Deliverer Himself dwelling within. To be sealed and kept in Christ, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to abide in His Word and in prayer, is the protection God has given. The book of Revelation describes how God makes a separation and seals those who belong to Him, so that even when demonic hordes are unleashed, those who are His are kept. Jesus said to watch and keep our garments, and that those who watch for His return and remain clothed in Him are blessed.
For you personally, I encourage you to keep your focus on belonging fully to Jesus and being filled with Him daily through Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with faithful believers who will walk with you. Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone, and any claim to be Christian while continuing in the occult needs repentance and turning to Christ in truth. You cannot change your family members, but you can pray that God will bring them to see their need for Jesus, to renounce what is evil, and to be truly born again.
Because abuse is involved, please also take practical steps for safety. If you are in danger or being harmed, seek help from trusted, godly leaders and, when needed, from appropriate authorities or counselors who understand both biblical truth and abuse. It is not unspiritual to set firm boundaries to protect yourself and others while you pray. Love does not require remaining in a place where you are being harmed.
I am praying for you now, and I will continue to pray.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I lift up this dear one who has been hurt by those closest to them. Surround them with Your protection and seal them in Christ. Fill them with Your Holy Spirit, Your peace, and Your strength, and let no place be left empty for the enemy. Heal the wounds that abuse has left, give wisdom for every boundary and decision, and provide safe and faithful people to support them. I pray for this family, that You would open their eyes to the deception of the occult, bring them under conviction, and draw each one to true repentance and faith in Jesus alone. Break every influence of darkness and let Your light and truth reign in that family line. Keep this one watching and abiding in Christ until You come, and let them know they are not alone. Amen.
Please do not carry this burden alone. Stay connected to a Bible believing church where you can receive ongoing pastoral care, and reach out again if you need further prayer and guidance.
Scripture is clear that the occult is not a harmless interest and it is not compatible with following Jesus. When people open themselves to spiritism and occult practices they open themselves to the entrance and influence of evil spirits. Those spirits are real, intelligent beings, and their purposes are always evil and destructive. That is why the cruelty and abuse you have seen can seem beyond ordinary explanation. The Bible shows that when people are yielded to such influences, they can do inhumane things they would not otherwise do, because they are being led by a power that seeks to harm and destroy.
The Bible also shows the absolute authority of Jesus over these powers. When Jesus confronted those who were possessed, the spirits often cried out with loud voices as they came out, and they begged Him not to send them into the abyss before their appointed time. That abyss is the place of confinement for evil spirits. They know Jesus is their Judge and they are subject to Him. He has already conquered them through His death and resurrection, and He redeems people by His blood from every family and background to make them His own.
It is understandable to focus on wanting the darkness to be driven out of your family. Yet Scripture warns that simply trying to get rid of an evil influence without being filled with something greater leaves a person empty and vulnerable to something worse. The greater need is for the power and presence of God to come in. What is needed is not only deliverance from the enemy, but the Deliverer Himself dwelling within. To be sealed and kept in Christ, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to abide in His Word and in prayer, is the protection God has given. The book of Revelation describes how God makes a separation and seals those who belong to Him, so that even when demonic hordes are unleashed, those who are His are kept. Jesus said to watch and keep our garments, and that those who watch for His return and remain clothed in Him are blessed.
For you personally, I encourage you to keep your focus on belonging fully to Jesus and being filled with Him daily through Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with faithful believers who will walk with you. Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone, and any claim to be Christian while continuing in the occult needs repentance and turning to Christ in truth. You cannot change your family members, but you can pray that God will bring them to see their need for Jesus, to renounce what is evil, and to be truly born again.
Because abuse is involved, please also take practical steps for safety. If you are in danger or being harmed, seek help from trusted, godly leaders and, when needed, from appropriate authorities or counselors who understand both biblical truth and abuse. It is not unspiritual to set firm boundaries to protect yourself and others while you pray. Love does not require remaining in a place where you are being harmed.
I am praying for you now, and I will continue to pray.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I lift up this dear one who has been hurt by those closest to them. Surround them with Your protection and seal them in Christ. Fill them with Your Holy Spirit, Your peace, and Your strength, and let no place be left empty for the enemy. Heal the wounds that abuse has left, give wisdom for every boundary and decision, and provide safe and faithful people to support them. I pray for this family, that You would open their eyes to the deception of the occult, bring them under conviction, and draw each one to true repentance and faith in Jesus alone. Break every influence of darkness and let Your light and truth reign in that family line. Keep this one watching and abiding in Christ until You come, and let them know they are not alone. Amen.
Please do not carry this burden alone. Stay connected to a Bible believing church where you can receive ongoing pastoral care, and reach out again if you need further prayer and guidance.
