[HarleyD]

I don't wish to sound argumentative. I see this at post #171:

Calling in a priest or pastor who has no experience in such matters could also make things worse. So having an ordinary priest or pastor simply bless the house will not solve the problem. It may temporarily put a halt to whatever is happening but it won’t end it.

Contact a priest or pastor who has experience in these matters. He will explain what needs to be done. Together with him, your family must claim authority over the house, your lives, whatever it is that is being affected.

Finally, your family must be spiritually prepared to take action. Don’t take action until you are spiritually confident in your ability to do so.

What precisely a priest or pastor is going to do? What exactly is "claiming authority" over a house all about? What kind of action are they going to take against a demon?

All authority has been given to Christ. We have no authority:

Joh 5:26-27 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Our Lord who steers the universe controls the demons as well as the angels. He will protect and guide us away from all harm.

[BuckeyeTexan]

Claiming authority in Christ’s name ...

When I bought my first home, the very first thing we did before we brought in a single box was bless the house. We annointed every door and window. As we did so, we claimed Christ’s authority over the house and protection upon all who would enter it or reside there. Then we asked for Christ’s blessing upon the house.

The only action one can take against a demonic presence is to cast it out in the name of Christ. But I would encourage anyone engaging in spritiual warfare to spend much time in the Word and prayer before taking any such action. I’ve seen people who are not solid in their faith attempt to do such things in Christ’s name only to make things worse. If one doesn’t have a close personal relationship with Christ, claiming His authority over a demonic presence can embolden that presence because it knows your faith is weak. So it will “attack” you to demonstrate that its power is greater than your faith.

[BuckeyeTexan]

I didn’t answer your question about the priest/pastor. Sorry.

Seeking the counsel of a priest/pastor who is experienced in such matters is important for those who are unsure how to handle a demonic presence. What can a pastor do? He can provide wise counsel. I absolutely recommend against having a priest/pastor perform “mumbo jumbo rituals and chants.” That isn’t going to help.

“You” have to live there. “You” must deal with the presence.

[editor-surveyor]

> “All authority has been given to Christ. We have no authority”

.
Your statement is self-contradictory.

We have the authority through Christ, if we are covered by his blood. That is the Priesthood of the new covenant.

[Quix]

We have no authority:

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The last of MARK 16 disagrees with you, Harley.