The Exorcist's Bestiary

If a demon is getting in the way during a session, I’ll sometimes let it drone on a bit so I can get a feel for the themes it cares about. Sometimes I’ll even egg them on if I think it’ll get me important information as to why they’re there.

I taught about this tactic in a podcast episode once, and it just so happened that my participant that day had seen that episode. That being said, when I went to egg the demon on with my little trick, it responded, “You know I know what they know.” After that, it tried to create discomfort, so I worked to change our direction away from the demon. We usually keep our focus on the Holy Spirit, but sometimes when demons get in the way, I’ll try to discern strategies the Holy Spirit might approve of.

People act as though demons are omniscient. They’re not. They are beings that learn and grow. They are privy to information the same way we are: through our senses. Sure, I don’t know if there are extra “senses” that demons have to discern things, but we’d do good not to empower the idea that they know so much more than they do. I have often seen them get nervous about what they think the Holy Spirit might do during a session, and then they end up being wrong. May we turn our attention instead on the Holy Spirit who gives us God’s omniscience in the ways we need it.