I recently read an article, Exorcist Chat #206: Am I a Spiritual Sensitive? (catholicexorcism.org), describing what a “spiritual sensitive” is.
To another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the discerning of spirits; to another, diverse kinds of tongues; to another, interpretation of tongues. ~1 Corinthians 12:10
I have, on occasion, felt the presence of a demon. I even saw one in the eyes of someone. We were arguing when, knowing my own weakness, I said, “By the grace of God and the strength of Christ I can take your heat!”
In the next moment, I saw a shadow cross his eyes. Suddenly, all the fire had gone from his face. And even though he yelled at me to leave his office, the volume and intensity of his voice had, in a moment, deflated.
I myself have had much healing and deliverance from “familiar spirits,” spirits that I grew up with while not realizing the beliefs attached to them were lies.
A couple of years ago, I confronted an acquaintance about a choice, a very important choice, she had made. As she attempted to defend her position, one after another of her arguments flew at and through my head as if they were invisible arrows. I could imagine seeing an arrow with the slipstream of wind curling up around it as it flew through the air.
It was as if I could feel that arrow and the slipstream go through my brain making me lightheaded, unable to think properly. Even though it obviously wasn’t a physical arrow, it felt physical. My head moved back as if the arrow were hitting and going through it. Then as it exited, my head rebounded forward. Then, as my acquaintance spoke another lie, I felt the same sensations of my head moving back then rebounding forward again.
That physical sensation hasn’t happened often, only once or twice before. It wasn’t until this conversation that I fully understood that some people can be so convinced of something evil that they believe it is true, even though Scripture and the Catechism are very clear about certain things.
Another time, I had taken a last-minute flight over the weekend. If I had known I was going out of town that weekend, I wouldn’t have scheduled a meeting. On that Sunday, I was leading a meeting of a handful of people in the middle of the afternoon. I had to take a 6:00 AM flight to get back in time to set up tables, coffee and snacks for the meeting, as well as pick up brochures from the printer. As the plane came in for a landing into the airspace of Detroit, my mind was completely occupied with my to-do list.
Suddenly, I started weeping. My mind in high gear working out my plan of action to get everything accomplished, my eyes filled with tears. What was happening? I wasn’t upset. I wasn’t overwhelmed, just purposeful. Why was I crying? My attention went to the Holy Spirit. I looked around wondering if I could see something that might cause my sudden sadness. Then I felt it. Then I understood.
The plane was descending. I could feel the spiritual atmosphere change from neutral to evil. It was like climbing into a bathtub, moving from air to water. The shift was that tangible to me.
Then there was the time that I drove into a neighborhood to get a signature from a client who had not been able to come into the office. You can read the whole account at Spirit of Mammon. Suffice it to say that as I drove from that perfectly lovely upper middle-class neighborhood with nothing extraordinary about it, I felt the very strong presence of the spirit of Mammon.
A couple of years ago, I took a Spiritual Gifts Inventory and wasn’t surprised to find that my number one spiritual gift is discernment of spirits.
In my Intercession ministry, I am more often aware of the heartache and inner wounds of the person for whom I am praying, than I am of evil spirits.
