If a child reports feeling a demonic presence, what should we do?

[Pergamum]

If an older child reports feeling a demonic presence at night or they believe demons are present with them, what would you tell them to do? Many kids have night terrors and sleep paralysis can be scary for some, and every culture has tales of the incubus who haunts sleepers at night, so it is a worldwide thing. My friend has kids who are scared at night and report demons.

Here is naturalistic explanation: https://www.livescience.com/61227-i...775dcMrjZzfnhzR8LPiYQOpqwD4dl7hDTvVEX8Lml4yuY

 

[Tom Hart]

It should be noted that such phenomena are more likely to be reported in a setting where they are expected to occur.

We ought to be careful of jumping to conclusions that some event is necessarily demonic.

Does your friend himself believe that these reports are real? What has he taught his children about demons?

And how old are the children? Do they have friends that might influence them? Age might matter a lot in this respect.

But the most basic question is this:
What is the nature of these experiences? We can only proceed to judge them based on the answer to that.

 

[Ed Walsh]

If an older child reports feeling a demonic presence at night or they believe demons are present with them, what would you tell them to do? Many kids have night terrors and sleep paralysis can be scary for some, and every culture has tales of the incubus who haunts sleepers at night, so it is a worldwide thing. My friend has kids who are scared at night and report demons.

I thought this article on sleep paralysis was very interesting and perhaps does explain much of the phenomenon. But from my experience, I cannot rule out satanic influence completely. I would have to know the family directly to make any judgment at all on this. And even then, I might be stumped.

Sorry but I don't think I can be any more help at all at this point.

 

[Solparvus]

This happens to me somewhat ordinarily. Sometimes I perceive I'm still in my bedroom. Wherever I perceive I am, it's always very dark. I never see the attacker, but an awful dread comes over me, there might be a voice, and I feel myself under direct assault, and I fight as though fighting someone physically. Interesting the correlation between sleeping position and the phenomenon, but I can't believe such a monstrous sensation is merely natural, and I'm a little skeptical about cited studies since they are often misunderstood by those who quote them. I'm more cautious about attributing this to a naturalistic explanation than a spiritual one since by default we Americans tend toward naturalism. That's just what we're taught, and the mindset we unconsciously assume because of our environment. Scientists and psychologists often (usually?) develop their assumptions as though there were no soul, no spirits, and as though the sum of our being is in chemical reactions. Those are dangerous assumptions which will produce wrong conclusions. And I've experienced things worse than these night terrors when awake.

What do I do? By this point when I feel such things I even know in my sleep it's a dream, so I know how to end the thing. Usually I will just struggle and fight while in the dream itself so that I wake up, then bring some spiritual comfort to mind once I do. At times I've even thought on God in the dream to allay the panic, which did help even before I woke up. It's kind of scary at first, the prospect of going back to sleep. The devil is chained, he has fallen like lightning. That doesn't stop him from roaring, but even in these things the King has him on a short leash. The proof is in the fact that this is the worst he really gets to directly do to me.

Far as I know, I haven't experienced the sudden death syndrome they speculate about. And if I did, I'm not allowed to tell you about it, and won't write any books.

Been browsing old posts to try to sort out just what the devil can and can't do. Here's an old one worth bringing to the front.

https://www.puritanboard.com/thread...u-are-being-spiritually-attacked.37281/page-2

 

[Scott Bushey]

What do I do? By this point when I feel such things I even know in my sleep it's a dream, so I know how to end the thing. Usually I will just struggle and fight while in the dream itself so that I wake up, then bring some spiritual comfort to mind once I do.

This happens periodically. I never lose the battle. I end up pummeling the attacker like a super-hero.

 

[Pergamum]

My friend is in a place where there is an open demonstration of the occult at times. And the locals believe in such stuff.

 

[Pergamum]

This happens periodically. I never lose the battle. I end up pummeling the attacker like a super-hero.

I usually end up in math class and I forgot my pants again.

 

[OPC'n]

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-paralysis

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

One thing to do is to teach people to sing the Psalms. King David would play music for King Saul when he was afflicted. (1 Samuel 16:14-23) The Scriptures tell us to be filled with the Spirit singing the Psalm. (Ephesians 5:18,19)

 

[Seeking_Thy_Kingdom]

I have never found the source of the quote but, for now allegedly, Luther battled often with Demonic activity and is quoted as saying to them:

“I am a Christian, of the same flesh and blood as is my Lord Christ, the Son of God. Settle your account with him”

Also he said that singing the Psalms would drive away demons.

 

[py3ak]

There are two separate issues. One has to do with the whole explanation for why people report these experiences. The other is what the sufferer from them is supposed to do. On that second score, Randy's advice is very practical: a turn to the Psalms combines our two spiritual weapons of the word and prayer.

 

[bookslover]

Children tend to have vivid imaginations. That's something not to be ruled out. Monsters under the bed and all that.

 

[Ed Walsh]

[QUOTE="PuritanCovenanter, post: 1213535, member: 519"]King David would play music for King Saul when he was afflicted.[/QUOTE]

At one time, Elisha also used music as an aid to the filling of the Spirit.

But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
2 Kings 3:15 KJV​

 

[SolaScriptura]

Since I *do* believe in the supernatural, and therefore do believe that angels and demons exist... It is true that such experiences may be "merely" natural phenomena explainable by a medical or psychological rationale... but I can't inherently rule out the possibility that it isn't spiritual in origin.

Regardless, when it comes to children, I would explain that it *probably* is not a demon, but regardless, demons are subject to the Holy Spirit who resides within believers, so we should not be afraid. Then I'd guide the child through praying for courage and for relief from these troubling sensations.

Then, knowing how frequently I am re-afraid of the same old things, I would be patient when the child expresses fear subsequent times.

 

[Leslie]

If an older child reports feeling a demonic presence at night or they believe demons are present with them, what would you tell them to do? Many kids have night terrors and sleep paralysis can be scary for some, and every culture has tales of the incubus who haunts sleepers at night, so it is a worldwide thing. My friend has kids who are scared at night and report demons.

Since you live in a non-Western environment, as I do, this is an option for you. Find a national pastor who is able to deal with these things. We have a friend who has had great success. First, ask him if this is truly demonic. If the answer is 'yes', then ask him to deal with it. My husband and I together prayed for a girl who was demonized (the West would have said 'catatonic schizophrenic') for 2 hours with no success whatsoever. This pastor dealt with her for a half-hour and she was totally restored to normality.

 

[Dachaser]

If an older child reports feeling a demonic presence at night or they believe demons are present with them, what would you tell them to do? Many kids have night terrors and sleep paralysis can be scary for some, and every culture has tales of the incubus who haunts sleepers at night, so it is a worldwide thing. My friend has kids who are scared at night and report demons.

Here is naturalistic explanation: https://www.livescience.com/61227-i...775dcMrjZzfnhzR8LPiYQOpqwD4dl7hDTvVEX8Lml4yuY

Reassure them by the scriptures that Jesus is Lord over them, and that we have authority over them in His name!

 

[Nomos]

Since you live in a non-Western environment, as I do, this is an option for you. Find a national pastor who is able to deal with these things. We have a friend who has had great success. First, ask him if this is truly demonic. If the answer is 'yes', then ask him to deal with it. My husband and I together prayed for a girl who was demonized (the West would have said 'catatonic schizophrenic') for 2 hours with no success whatsoever. This pastor dealt with her for a half-hour and she was totally restored to normality.

How did you come to the conclusion that this national pastor was a biblically-certified exorcist? Did he explain how one can differentiate between mental illness and demonic influence? And what does it mean he "dealt" with her for 30 minutes?

 

[lynnie]

hey Perg....

Oldest son, age 9-10, started sleeping in his brother's bedroom every night. Twin beds in that room. Informed us that demons were coming into his bedroom at night.

Being the nice Mom I said I'd go sleep in his room and see what happened. All three other brothers were by this time wide eyed worried about demons coming into the room where I was. Didn't listen to their dad saying not to worry. Honestly, I thought son just had weird fears.

Now the room was on the third floor, and one window was directly opposite the third floor hang out room of the girl next door who was into weed and drugs and witchcraft, and covered with tattoos and piercings. Nice parents (college prof and an artist) and the girl was pleasant enough.

Got into bed, started to fall asleep, and two demons came in from that house next door. I could not see them with my eyes, but it was as if my inner man saw them clearly. Shrouded figures. They looked around in the room and stood there.

I started to feel a panicked feeling of not sure what to do- bind them, rebuke them, tell them to go? I felt like the Lord told me to ignore them and go to sleep, so I did.

Next day I told the kids that yup, two demons came into the room from the girl's room next door, and I was going to ignore them. It was a big subject for a bit with the kids. Son kept sleeping with his brother for a couple years and finally went back after neighbor went off to college. That son has never strayed from his faith, lol.

Don't go to some naturalistic explanation. Demons are real, and the kids know it. I can't tell you if you should pursue any exorcism type thing over the rooms, but for us, telling our kids the devil and demons want attention and will try to get attention and just ignore them seemed to be the best route.

 

[Pergamum]

hey Perg....

Oldest son, age 9-10, started sleeping in his brother's bedroom every night. Twin beds in that room. Informed us that demons were coming into his bedroom at night.

Being the nice Mom I said I'd go sleep in his room and see what happened. All three other brothers were by this time wide eyed worried about demons coming into the room where I was. Didn't listen to their dad saying not to worry. Honestly, I thought son just had weird fears.

Now the room was on the third floor, and one window was directly opposite the third floor hang out room of the girl next door who was into weed and drugs and witchcraft, and covered with tattoos and piercings. Nice parents (college prof and an artist) and the girl was pleasant enough.

Got into bed, started to fall asleep, and two demons came in from that house next door. I could not see them with my eyes, but it was as if my inner man saw them clearly. Shrouded figures. They looked around in the room and stood there.

I started to feel a panicked feeling of not sure what to do- bind them, rebuke them, tell them to go? I felt like the Lord told me to ignore them and go to sleep, so I did.

Next day I told the kids that yup, two demons came into the room from the girl's room next door, and I was going to ignore them. It was a big subject for a bit with the kids. Son kept sleeping with his brother for a couple years and finally went back after neighbor went off to college. That son has never strayed from his faith, lol.

Don't go to some naturalistic explanation. Demons are real, and the kids know it. I can't tell you if you should pursue any exorcism type thing over the rooms, but for us, telling our kids the devil and demons want attention and will try to get attention and just ignore them seemed to be the best route.

Yes, no need to make our kids into functional deists or practical atheists. Demons are active. We just cannot be sure what is what. And I have been actually cursed before and in the midst of people doing incantations to invite demons into them (we live in a strange land).

Once a person did feats of strength with the power of demons he said and he said he was safe as long as there wasn't a stronger spirit. So I told him he better hope he doesn't die because the Holy Spirit was present. And he ended up being taken away in an ambulance. His feats of strength were pretty cool, though (eating glass, sticking pointy things into his skin), until he almost passd out.