The Exorcist's Bestiary

I recently took a participant through an inner healing session. After an experiencing the Holy Spirit in their imagination, a demon was kicked out and they were set free. They gave me permission to share this powerful poem they wrote about their encounter.

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I used to be locked in a cage.

Cold metal. Dark water.

Fear thick like fog, pain pressing against my chest.

I rattled the bars ‘til my hands bled,

Desperate—aching—to escape.

But the cage…was never locked.

And still, I stayed.

Because the whispers told me I belonged there.

They crept in, slithered deep, wrapped around my mind.

Lies…so many lies…

And I believed them.

Every. Single. One.

 

Fear became my prison guard.

Regret—my chains.

I was paralyzed.

Afraid to move.

Afraid to leave.

Until He called my name.

And suddenly—

I stepped out.

Not running.

Not soaring.

Dragging.

Dragging my freedom behind me like dead weight,

Tangled in the very pain I thought I left behind.

 

Then—light.

A warmth I hadn’t felt in years.

And I saw Him.

Saw His face.

Three years later…He came to me again.

This time, He asked for my freedom.

The very thing I fought for.

The very thing I clung to.

“You’ve focused so much on being free,” He said.

“You forgot…you already are.”

My heart pounded.

Knees buckled.

Breath…shallow.

“But what if I fail again?”

“What if I have to start over?”

I knelt before Him, drowning in fear and regret.

And He knelt too.

Met me there.

Looked me in the eyes.

Hand on my shoulder.

“This burden isn’t yours to carry,” He whispered.

“Give it to Me.”

So, I tried.

Tried to lift it—

That heavy, suffocating weight of “freedom” I had clung to so tightly.

But I couldn’t.

He reached down.

Took it from me like it was nothing.

Lifted it—

And threw it into the water.

 

And suddenly—

The world shook.

The enemy roared.

The lights—

Went out.

Panic.

Terror.

“Please, Lord, don’t leave me!”

 

Then—light again.

And there He was.

Standing on the water.

Unmoved. Unshaken.

Waiting.

In His hands—black keys.

I knew what they meant.

Knew before He even spoke.

“The lights will go out again,” He said.

“But this time…

Trust Me.

Focus on Me.

No matter how dark it gets.”

 

So, I let go.

Let go of fear.

Let go of doubt.

And I chose to trust.

 

The lights went out.

But this time…

The water split in half.

Behind me—darkness.

Before me—Him.

Standing in the light.

The enemy snarled,

His breath cold against my back.

But I didn’t stop.

Didn’t turn.

Didn’t tremble.

I walked forward.

Step by step.

Eyes on Christ.

Heart in His hands.

 

The demon screamed and snarled, and tried to grab at me—

Then silence.

Stillness.

 

The darkness faded.

And His peace—

Washed over me.

I reached Him.

Held Him.

And in that embrace—

I heard it.

 

My own heartbeat.

It felt…different.

Raw.

Sensitive.

Jesus looked at me.

And with just one word—

He changed everything.

“New.”

Now…

It’s quiet.

No more whispers.

No more “what ifs.”

No more fear.

Just me.

Just peace.

And the last thing He said?

“The Truth shall set you free…

And you shall be free indeed.”

Then He turned,

Walked away,

Still holding the keys.

 

And I?

I am free.