When perusing user-generated content online, it is easy to go down rabbit holes that are hardly edifying. Sometimes, though, you discover a post revealing a person’s hidden struggle, and it ends up teaching you something about a larger phenomenon. For instance, some of the most enlightening YouTube videos regarding red flags in relationships are about the occurrence of narcissistic abuse.
The typical situation for this kind of toxic relationship goes like this: an overly charming male captures the heart of an overly empathic female. She feels that he’s “the one.” Once the smooth operator knows that he has ensnared her, he drops his social mask, and the storybook romance turns into a real-life nightmare. His terrible temper and verbal abuse become the norm, but all the while he leaves breadcrumbs of affection to keep her coming back for more.
His charm is a cheap consolation for the abuse she is trapped in enduring. Not only does he manage to make her feel powerless and helpless, but he also drains her bank account so he can have the lifestyle that he can’t get for himself.
What you will notice in this kind of relationship is that the empath provides the narcissist with “supply.” The woman is willing to give him the attention, praise, and resources he greedily desires. From one day to the next, she feeds his grandiose sense of self. It is only when the victim is totally exhausted by the psychological trickery that she realizes Prince Charming is really a parasitic vampire.
Possibly the most terrible psychological weapon a narcissist utilizes is what’s known as “gaslighting”—a mental tactic that leads the victim to question or deny their sense of reality and judgment. For example, the narcissist convinces the empath that she is overreacting or that her concerns are trivial.
Narcissistic abuse can also happen in families, organizations, and even in national populations. How many times have We the People been gaslit through media manipulation or public-school indoctrination? It’s becoming obvious that their cultural movement is trying to warp our sense of reality. Their self-righteous pundits and activists tout that men have periods, that women lose in traditional marriage, that we should hate our flag and country, that the blasphemous Olympic ceremonies were beautiful, etc. And then they tell us that we are overreacting for pointing out their abnormal beliefs. Like the empath who reclaims her boundaries, we must refuse to be bewitched by their mind games.
Which finally brings me to the subject of witchcraft. In the realm of deliverance ministry, witchcraft can be described as the manipulation of people through occult means. What is interesting for you and me is that this unholy practice is more common than we think.
Even if a person is not intentionally involved with the occult, they are unconsciously utilizing the spirit of witchcraft when engaging in grand manipulation. That is why if you’ve ever experienced narcissistic abuse, you will feel as though there was an attack much deeper, an attack on your soul as if by a cult leader.
As the late-preacher Derek Prince observed in his deliverance ministry, people who engage in manipulation, intimidation, and domination are under the influence of something diabolical. It’s evident they are not listening to the Holy Spirit.
If you want to discover how someone could descend into irrationality and inhumane will-to-power, another rabbit hole worth perusing is the content on deliverance testimonies. There are many videos online of people talking about their experiences of getting ensnared by witchcraft and a life of vice and then becoming free after calling upon Jesus. The overarching lesson here is that when people constantly break God’s commands, they become a curse on themselves and the community.
There are various prayers and Scripture verses for deliverance, but I would propose that what Catholics already do regularly at Mass are some of the most powerful acts against witchcraft. If we as Catholics are more attentive to them, our prayers of petition and intercession would be a more dynamic force against ominous cultural trends. Here are some of my brief reflections on the Sign of the Cross, Sanctus, and The Great Amen after reading Scott Hahn’s The Lamb’s Supper (italicized text below are from the book):
The Sign of the Cross
“St. Athanasius declared that ‘by the Sign of the Cross all magic is stopped, and all witchcraft brought to nothing.’”
Jesus won the ultimate victory for us on the cross. Declare that victory every time you make this blessed sign.
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
Priest: “Now, with angels and archangels, and the whole company of heaven, we sing the unending hymn of Your praise.”
Response: “Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.”
When you pray the Sanctus, you call upon the might of God’s heavenly army to defend you against the forces of darkness. You are never alone in the spiritual battle. Sing it often, throughout the week!
“Some Eastern liturgies even dare to number the angels: ‘a thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand hosts of angels and archangels.’ The word ‘hosts’ in this context connotes military might—like ‘legions’ or ‘divisions.’”
The Great Amen
Priest: “Through Him, with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is Yours, almighty Father, forever and ever.”
Response: “Amen! Amen! Amen!”
“Our ‘Amen!’ here should be resounding; it is traditionally called ‘The Great Amen.’ In the fourth century, St. Jerome reported that, in Rome, when The Great Amen was proclaimed, all the pagan temples trembled.”
Sing “Amen” to the glory of God, and you’ll keep occult forces at bay.
Holy Eucharist
Of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention Holy Communion. In this sacrament, we become united with the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. Diabolical forces are powerless in our communion with our Savior. The caveat here is that you must be in a state of grace, having repented and confessed your serious sins; otherwise, you’ll bring judgment upon yourself (see 1 Corinthians 11:29).
In Closing
Witchcraft is the spirituality of fallen mankind. People have consciously and unconsciously practiced it since ancient times. Human history is filled with innumerable accounts of self-absorbed maniacs manipulating and oppressing unsuspecting citizens. With the spirit of witchcraft, the world compulsively repeats the narcissist-empath relationship.
Being redeemed in Christ is the antidote for toxic social dynamics. Rather than gaslighting, we have truth; in place of narcissism, there is humility; instead of manipulation, there is a guileless spirit; in place of helplessness and powerlessness, there is the armor of God; rather than oppression, there is deliverance; instead of exhaustion and exploitation, we are made new.
“Do not lie to one another, since you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self that is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” (Colossians 3:9-10)
Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash
