Even though as a book reviewer I have a steady stream of books coming to my doorstep, occasionally I will revisit books that have impacted me. I have often written – and in my podcasts spoken of – the very real battle surrounding all of us. Spiritual warfare is real. When it is said that the devil prowls around the earth looking to ruin the souls of man, it’s true. Adam Blai explains the demonic in his must-read book Hauntings, Possessions, and Exorcisms.
What Blai does in this book is offer a guide for readers to understand how to defend themselves against the demonic. You might ask just what credentials Blai has that make him the perfect person to write this book. Well here’s your answer. Blai is an auxiliary member of the International Association of Exorcists in Rome. He regularly trains priests on how to perform exorcisms, and he has written the “training manual” currently used by exorcists.
What readers will learn in the pages of this book will be uncomfortable and alarming. I would say this book is a serious eye-opener. If you do not understand or believe in spiritual warfare, be forewarned. Buckle up; it’s going to be quite a ride. All of us need to know and understand the reality of the battle raging all around us. Satan and his minions are real. They prowl this earth looking to ruin whomever they can lure into their sphere of influence. We must be on guard; our souls depend upon it.
There is a lot to be intrigued by in this book. One such area is in the very beginning of the book, where Blai relates the rules that govern the spiritual world.
- Demons cannot do anything extraordinary without someone exercising their free will and allowing them to do so.
- Demons are allowed to use deception to gain rights over a person.
- Demons will not stop interfering with a person until told to leave by the authority of God.
All three of these are important to know and understand. The key point being, we are in the driver’s seat. If we lead a virtuous life, if we follow God’s law, and if we enter into a deep life of prayer, we can successfully fend off these attacks.
Blai also share’s his story in the pages of this book. One doesn’t just wake up and decide they are going to be involved in exorcisms. His journey is interesting, and it also provides the details on how he has become a trusted source and the trainer of exorcists throughout the Church.
Blai has become an expert in this field. However, he does not carry himself like one. His humility bleeds through in the pages of his book. His presentation of the facts is sober and restrained. It is evident he wants to relay but not glorify the subject matter at hand. Take, read, learn, and arm yourself for the battle raging all around.
Interview Highlight:
Question: We need to stress that these cases of possession or instances where people think a demon is involved, that this is not something for amateurs, this is not something the average person should be delving into, is it?
Adam Blai: Yeah for sure. You are talking about very serious situations both spiritually and on the human level. Without sounding dramatic, it is a very serious situation. People can be so upset, worn down and terrified, they can be suicidal at times, which of course you need appropriate help for that. The demonic parlor tricks that go on can be very serious for the person and there is a lot at stake. It’s not something it be gotten into lightly. The other big factor is that this work really needs to be done under a bishop’s authority, and why is that? That is because of the full authority Jesus gave to the Apostles over demons and the living apostles. Of course the bishops have inherited that full authority that Jesus gave, and they delegate that authority to their exorcists. That is what gives us the ability to demand the truth or obedience from the demons.
If a person goes into a room with a possessed person and tries to boss around the demon or demand its name or demand information and they don’t have apostolic authority delegated to them, and because the Church rules only the exorcist should be speaking to the demon, not only is the demon going to say, “I don’t have to listen to you, you have no authority over me,” it’s going to start testing you and trying to decide where your weak spots are and whether you can be destroyed. Demons by their very nature seek to infect, and taint, and draw as many of us away from God as they can. If you go into that room and they’re in a body that can speak, and look, and reach out, you are vulnerable to that demon not necessarily possessing you but starting to manipulate you. These are cunning, really nasty creatures, and it’s not the kind of thing you just want to play around with.
The complete interview can be found at https://catholicstand.com/off-shelf-adam-blai-hauntings-possessions-exorcisms/.
By Pete Socks, Special to The Witness
