This is Part 2 of a three-part series on exercising faith in prayer. Today we're talking about casting out darkness.
Casting out is a practice that has been used from the beginning of Earth’s creation. After Satan deceived Eve in the garden, masked as a wily snake, God cast him out. That is one of the first interactions we see between God and Satan. God then taught Adam and Eve the necessary tools that they would need in order to survive in a fallen world before they were also driven out of the Garden of Eden. One of those tools certainly was casting out.
Casting out represents our active resistance against evil influences. Calling upon Jesus Christ to rebuke evil is a testament to His supreme power over all things and deepens our trust in Him. This practice not only helps cleanse our spiritual environment but strengthens our resolved and faith and hope.
This is an action that the Savior performed while he ministered among the Jews. He taught that it is part of faithful followers of Christ. He said that casting out in the name of Jesus Christ is a sign of those who believe in Him.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly think, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18)
I share this information with you today, so you know that you have the ability to cast out as well. What are some of the benefits of casting out? Here's a list I've thought of.
The act of casting out helps to clear our space.
It also helps cleanse the vessel, meaning your vessel.
We feel more peace as darkness departs.
It reinforces our spiritual armor (see Ephesians 6:11-13).
Finally, it helps us feel more connected to the Divine while we proceed on our faith-building journey.
Clearing our space is a fancy phrase for protecting the space outside of our body. If you think about it, we are already at spiritual war. I mentioned that it helps us to fortify our armor. In the same way, when we have a protected space to think and pray, it helps us to have a clearer mindset to move forward.
Cleansing the vessel for me means taking inventory of the energy flow within your body, (mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual). I like to make sure they are balanced and have no interference with my connection to Christ. That may sound confusing. Another way to put it is to have a pure heart and clean mind. Some people are able to feel energy and others are not, and that's okay. When you’re cleansing the vessel, you’re simply creating a purer body, allowing better energy flow.
In 2018, my developed a closer relationship with Heavenly Father. As I understood his voice better, I started to receive keywords that would be more effective in casting out. By keywords, I simply mean words that would more effectively and accurately specify what I wanted to accomplish in prayer and casting out. I received these phrases through prayer and meditation. Sometimes a demon, devil, or an unclean spirit needed to be called out by name to be cast out and disposed of properly.
As I practiced these processes, the realm of spiritual warfare started to open to me. I started to see weapons of light and of dark. Jesus Christ taught me how to recognize curses, contracts, and how to facilitate ancestral healing by casting out these adversarial influences. The more I followed this direction the more peace I felt on a daily basis.
I'm at a point now where I know when there is an imbalance because of the promptings of the Spirit and the way my heart feels. I set a specific intention that if and when there is an issue, the Spirit of God will alert me so I can become aware of the breach in my energy systems. Once I'm aware of it, it's my choice whether or not to take care of it.
I can then pray and ask Jesus Christ what it is and how to regain a state of peace and connection with Him again. I follow His instructions to come back into alignment with heaven. It's that simple. It doesn't need to be complicated.
The process of casting out should not be difficult. It is simply a prayer. Here are some steps I use when I cast out.
Set the intention to be aware of a breach in your sacred space.
Ask God in the name of Jesus Christ what it is, and how to cast it out.
Follow God's instructions and double check to make sure it is accomplished.
Once darkness is left, make sure to fill the space with light.
Enjoy the peace that follows.
I invite you to set the intention that the Spirit can help you be aware of adversarial influences in your life. So many people go around without any clue they have dark influences attached to them. That should cause fear, but it can make it more difficult to feel the light. For me, that darkness can feel like a sudden pain in my body or a heaviness in my heart. When I feel that, I pray in the name of Jesus if I need to cast out. If so, then I’ll ask God for any keywords to include in my prayer.
You don’t have to ask what it is. Sometimes it doesn’t matter. I like to know so I better understand what to avoid next time. Either way, if there is something bothering you, try casting out first. You can use a simple prayer like I mentioned earlier my mom used—"In the name of Jesus Christ, get behind me Satan!” You can also ask Heavenly Father if there is a specific way to cast out. Sometimes the suggestions from heaven can be more intricate. For me they often include filling my body with healing light.
Many years ago, I had a serious problem with anger. I remember the Lord inviting me to say, "In the name of Jesus Christ I cast out the demon of anger, along with any weapons of darkness, and send them to my Heavenly Father to be disposed of properly." After I spoke these words I felt a positive shift in my body. I would feel peace again as the anger abated. Repeating this prayer over time helped me conquer my anger. Now, I rarely have bursts of anger like I did before.
Jesus gave a parable warning us that those who vacate can come back if you don’t make a change. Jesus said, “Now when the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and it does not find it. Then he saith, ‘I will return to my house from which I came;’ and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they come in and live there; and the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation” (Matthew 12:43-45).
But it doesn’t have to be that way. What Jesus is saying is that person did not do anything to change their ways. They did not fill themselves with light but continued doing those things that invited dark entities in the first place. Darkness can’t be where there is light. Light never leaves because it gets dark. It’s the opposite. Just like when you turn on off a light switch, the darkness doesn’t chase away the light. The darkness comes because the light left. So it is with spiritual things. If you are filled with light, you don’t have to worry so much about the darkness because it won’t be able to abide in you.
Depending on what religious beliefs you come from, you may not have cast out before. I have many friends who wished they knew these steps years ago. Maybe you already knew how to cast out. Hopefully, you’ve learned a new tip or trick today. Either way, my prayer is that sharing this will bring you hope and give you courage in a dark hour.
When The darkness comes, I bless you that you will have the courage. I bless you to know how to cast out as the Spirit directs. I bless you to go forward in faith and fortitude, having an eye single to the glory of God! I bless you that you will not feel like the victim, but you will feel like the victor! I bless you to feel God's love for you and know that God wants you to have the ability to create peace within your life! I feel His love for you !