It is important that the victim of evil help themselves through the sacraments, prayer, fasting, and putting into practice the plan or points discussed with the exorcist of the diocese or the priest in deliverance who is helping you. The following practices, as appropriate, should be observed by the person who is experiencing any form of spiritual possession, obsession, oppression, or demonic attack.
Sacramental grace is the most powerful weapon against evil, particularly the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation (Confession). Therefore:
Include the Deliverance Prayers in this document as part of your daily prayer life.
Go to Eucharistic Adoration as often as possible. Bring your deliverance prayer books and pray for deliverance for yourself and for others afflicted by evil spirits.
When the devil afflicts or harasses you, say:
“In the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, leave my body, my soul, my whole being.”
Examples from the saints:
In the name of Jesus of Nazareth and by His Precious Blood, I renounce, rebuke, and command the demon afflicting (your name or the name of someone else afflicted by an evil spirit) to stop afflicting (me / him / her) and to go to the foot of the Cross of Jesus Christ for His just judgment and sentence. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, I claim for myself the holy virtue and grace of (the name of the Saint that you are named after, the Saint you chose for your Confirmation name, or another one of your favorite Saints of the Church).
Rejecting temptation is an important victory in the spiritual warfare. This prayer can help you do that:
Close your eyes, look at the face of Jesus on the Cross and say:
“Lord, You know that I am struggling here and I detest this. Lord, I give You this temptation (name the temptation) and ask You to convert this into a holy and powerful grace to rescue 100 other people who are about to commit this sin. I do this in Jesus’s Name.”
Deepen your relationship with your guardian angel by praying personally to that spirit as your protector; ask your guardian angel for protection from evil spirits. (See Deliverance Prayers from the Liturgy below.)
Offer special prayers of your own to Jesus. Ask for the strength and courage you need to overcome the work of the devil and the fallen angels / demons / evil spirits.
Put a bottle of holy water next to your bed and in your bag or purse. Bless yourself with the holy water prayerfully and reverently, saying:
“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
This remits venial sins and affords additional protection against evil spirits when received with the proper disposition.
Ask a priest and/or bishop to pray for you. If you suspect serious oppression or possession, ask specifically for an evaluation for deliverance ministry or exorcism through proper diocesan channels.
Ask a community of cloistered religious sisters or brothers to pray for your deliverance from evil. These members of the Church lead lives of great holiness, and their intercession is very powerful before the throne of God in heaven.
Request a Mass intention that you be freed from evil. You do not have to mention the specific intention publicly—only give your name and intention to the parish office as appropriate.
Offer these sufferings to God as your share in the Cross of Christ. Unite them to His Passion for the salvation of souls.
Search for exorcism and deliverance prayers in reliable Catholic sources (for example diocesan websites, bishops’ conferences, books or materials recommended by priests in good standing). Avoid unapproved or occult sources.
Pray to Mary, the Mother of God, asking for her care and protection from evil. Consider the Rosary, the Memorare, and other Marian prayers, especially under titles used in spiritual warfare (for example Our Lady Help of Christians).
Maintain good physical health:
Physical health supports spiritual resilience.
Bless yourself with water, oil, and dust from the Holy Land (properly blessed, if appropriate). Use other sacramentals of the Church as well, such as:
Read, pray, and reflect on the following verse and the whole passage on the “Armor of God”:
“…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.” (Eph 6:10)
Then read Ephesians 6:11–18, which describes putting on the whole armor of God (truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, the Word of God).
Pray the following while making the Sign of the Cross:
“May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.”
Offer the following as a prayer when you are attacked by demons:
“With the Name of Jesus, we shall overthrow the demons; we shall put them to flight. With this Name, if they dare to attack us, our battles will be victories.”
— Sermon on Temptation, thoughts of the Curé d’Ars (St. John Vianney)
Read the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul. In it she describes her struggles with the devil and how she prevailed. For example, #509:
“In the adversities that I experience, I remind myself that the time for doing battle has not yet come to an end. I arm myself with patience and in this way I defeat my assailant.”
Read “Exorcists Explain Ireland’s Rise in Demonic Activity” (if included) and go to Confession at least once a month. Our Lady of Medjugorje is reported to have said, “What person does not need the grace of confession every month?”
If you are in a state of mortal sin, go to Confession as soon as possible.
Pray the Rosary daily for the following intention:
“My liberation from the evil spirit afflicting me so that I live the rest of my life in peace and am able to do my part in God’s plan of salvation.”
Pray:
“May the Most Precious Blood of Jesus liberate me from all evil.”
Put into practice all the points above. Do as many as you reasonably can every day. Make a note of which prayers and practices seem to be the most effective against the evil spirit afflicting you, and give those priority in your future battles in the spiritual warfare. Remember that deliverance is often gradual; perseverance and obedience to the Church are essential.
Pray the Our Father from the Gospel of Matthew:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Mt 6:9–13)
If you are being tormented, afflicted, or harassed in any way by a demon or evil spirit—for example, if you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide—immediately offer the following prayer from the heart with humility and confidence. It is a traditional deliverance prayer promulgated by Pope St. Pius X. If you have Saint Michael the Archangel devotional oil, anoint yourself on the forehead before or after offering this prayer.
“St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
This prayer is for places—rooms, houses, conference halls, etc.—that may be infested by evil spirits.
I command all evil spirits, in the Name of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus of Nazareth, to depart from here. I cast out every unclean spirit, every phantom, every encroachment of the devil. Yield, then, to God.
(Sprinkle the perimeter of the room with holy water.)
Lord Jesus Christ, in Your love and mercy, establish a perimeter of protection around this room (building), around N. and myself and all our loved ones, and those who pray for us and their loved ones.
May the holy angels guard us and all our possessions, including our houses, cars, pets, computers, phone lines, water lines, gas lines, sewer lines, electrical lines, all sources of supply in or out, and everything else essential to our peace and well-being.
I ask that no demonic bondage, door, demonic entity, portal, astral projection, or disembodied spirit may enter the space of 100 yards in all directions.
I ask that any demons within this vicinity or any that should try to enter here be rendered deaf, dumb, and blind; that You would strip them of all weapons, armor, power, illusions, and authority; that You would bind them, rebuke them, and disable them from communicating or interacting with each other in any way. Remove them, sending them directly to the foot of Your Cross. Jesus, Son of the Most High, I ask this in Your glorious and holy Name. Amen.
Roman Missal, 3rd Edition, Appendix II, Rite for the Blessing and Sprinkling of Water
Blessing of Salt:
“…that, wherever this mixture of salt and water is sprinkled, every attack of the enemy may be repulsed and your Holy Spirit may be present to keep us safe at all times.”
Pray the Liturgy of the Hours. This prayer is for all the People of God, all the baptized. The best app for it is iBreviary, available at the App Store and Google Play. These prayers are particularly pertinent for the spiritual warfare:
iBreviary > Pray (upper left) > Prayers > “The Chaplet of St. Michael the Archangel” and other prayers found below it in the Prayers section.
Ritual of Baptism: Exorcism and Pre-baptismal Anointing; Renunciation and Profession of Faith.
Have the house blessed by a priest using the Book of Blessings (an official liturgical book of the Church).