Jesus teaches that the devil and demons can cause sickness by binding people physically, mentally, and spiritually
Scripture and centuries of Christian teaching say that
demons can cause sickness in certain cases. While not all illness is demonic,
the Bible provides clear examples where physical or mental afflictions are
directly linked to evil spirits. Jesus often cast out demons from people who
were blind, mute, epileptic, or emotionally tormented—healing them immediately
after. In Luke 13, He describes a woman bent over for 18 years as being “bound
by Satan.” This suggests that some ailments have spiritual roots, not just
medical ones.
Catholic exorcists also affirm that demonic forces can
manifest as sickness—especially when medical explanations fail. These are often
referred to as “demonic vexations,” causing pain, disease, or trauma through
spiritual oppression. However, such cases are rare and require careful
discernment. Most illnesses have natural causes, but the spiritual dimension
cannot be dismissed entirely when facing persistent or mysterious suffering.
In an age dominated
by medicine and diagnostics, it seems almost unimaginable to suggest that
demons—figurative or real—could bring illness. Yet Father Gabriele Amorth, the
Vatican’s chief exorcist until his death in 2016, insisted otherwise. For
decades, he confronted cases where sickness and pain resisted diagnosis and
treatment. In his vast experience—he claimed to have performed over 50,000
exorcisms—he uncovered patterns of physical maladies that, when all medical
avenues failed, appeared to stem from spiritual affliction.
Amorth warned
bluntly: “It is essential not to confuse demonic possession with ordinary
illness. The symptoms of possession often include violent headaches and stomach
cramps, but you must always go to the doctor before you go to the exorcist.” He
clarified that among the thousands he encountered, only about a hundred “have
been truly possessed.” His point: doctors first, then discernment. But for
those rare few, the devil’s assault was unmistakable.
Demonic activity
manifests in various forms—some overtly spiritual, others subtly physical. One
classification he used is that of “diabolical vexation,” where a demon inflicts
physical harm without possession. This could mean scratches, burns, bruises,
unexplained broken bones, or debilitating pain. He recounted the story of a
woman whose painful tumour vanished during an exorcism: “In liberating a
demoniac, the woman was contemporaneously cured of a terrible tumour.”
What dairy science
dismisses as psychosomatic, Amorth saw as spiritual sabotage. He described
cases of people experiencing sudden leg tremors, abdominal agony, or mood
swings—symptoms that would strike without warning, often in moments when the
person was near a place of worship or confronted with sacred symbols. The
afflicted might slip away to a restroom, wait for the attack to pass, and
return to work, concealing their suffering in plain sight.
In one memorable
case, a nineteen-year-old girl manifested a physical and spiritual lockdown:
stomach ailment, insomnia, irritability. When Amorth lifted her eyelids, he saw
her eyes entirely white, pupils rolled back—then a voice hissed, “I am Satan.”
He labored with her for two years before liberation.
The link between
spiritual and physical distress wasn’t always direct. Amorth described multiple
possessions, where individuals were held by several demons, sometimes arranged
hierarchically like a legion. Only after the lesser spirits departed could the
chief one be defeated.
What, then, initiates
such assaults? Frequently, Amorth said, it was involvement with occult
practices—séances, wizards, spells—or deeply sinful or reckless behaviour. He
also spoke candidly of curses: “cases of young men cursed by their fathers at
birth, parents cursing their daughter-in-law at their wedding, even a
grandmother cursing a photograph, leading to severe leg ailments.” These
afflictions defied medical explanation and required spiritual care.
Amorth’s approach was never reckless. He held that “an
exorcism does no one any harm,” and that medical and psychiatric clinicians
should be involved whenever possible. He encouraged collaboration:
“psychologists and exorcists… even if he is not a believer… all that is
necessary is that he recognize… that science, at times, can do nothing.”
Indeed, he insisted on discernment—distinguishing genuine spiritual harm from
psychological or physical illness was a specialist’s task, calling for both
faith and prudence.
The symptoms of true
possession were dramatic and unmistakable. Patients might levitate, speak
languages they never learned, display extraordinary strength, or vomit pins and
shards. Amorth recalled a case when a girl began speaking Greek even though she
only knew a dialect, or limbs stiffened and bodies hovered after a fierce
exorcism began—then icy frost gathered on walls. “No two cases are the same,”
he said, describing bodies convulsing or becoming “hard,” “hovering three feet
in the air.”
Yet, for all its
drama, Amorth urged humility: “We are not contending against flesh and blood,
but against the principalities… spiritual hosts of wickedness.” He emphasized
that the battle is spiritual first, physical second. “There is no good spirits
other than angels; there are no evil spirits other than demons.” God’s
weapons—prayer, fasting, sacraments—are the only tools against such assaults.
And though exorcism
was his calling, he stressed that most healing began in everyday faith:
confession, prayer, charity. “Spiritual help, such as serious prayer and the
confession of one's sins, are often more valuable than exorcisms.” The battle
for health, in his view, must be fought on holy ground—through faith in
Christ’s victory, not only with ritual.
Amorth’s legacy is complex. He refused the binary of either
superstition or secular skepticism. He said: “Very few scientists seriously
believe in invisible, intelligent, incorporeal powers… Rare is the doctor who
will admit… that they may be dealing with a different set of causes when faced
with unexplainable symptoms.” As such, he embodied a blend: first, trust
medical care; second, when that fails, ask if it might—and why not—be
spiritual.
The stories are
unsettling: bodies twisting, tumours vanishing, curses passed down through
generations, healing emerging through holy water and sign of the cross. But
Amorth’s most enduring message might be his insistence on compassionate
discernment in the gray areas—areas where neither medicine nor superstition,
but only a marriage of faith and reason, can bring healing.
If modern medicine falls short, if illness resists
diagnosis, the question might not be only “What does science say?” but also
“What does the spirit suffer?” For Amorth, healing always began with seeing
that suffering, then bringing the faith that sets us free—not just in body, but
in soul.
For example, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus heals a man who
was both blind and mute, and it is clear that this condition was caused by
demonic possession. When Jesus cast out the demon, the man was immediately
healed and able to see and speak. This illustrates how physical sickness can
sometimes be tied to spiritual forces. Similarly, in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus heals
a woman who had been bent over and unable to straighten up for eighteen years.
He explicitly says that Satan had bound her in this way, preventing her from
standing tall. By freeing her from this bondage, Jesus not only heals her body
but also liberates her from the devil’s hold.
Jesus also dealt with more dramatic cases of demonic
influence causing physical symptoms. One striking example is when a boy is
brought to Jesus suffering from seizures and violent convulsions. Jesus
identifies the root cause as a deaf and mute spirit and commands the demon to
leave, which brings immediate relief to the boy. This shows that even severe
physical and neurological symptoms can have spiritual origins, and healing
requires addressing that spiritual root.
In several instances, Jesus casts out demons that were
causing mental disturbances, violent behaviour, and other extreme conditions.
The story of the Gerasene demoniac, a man so tormented by demons that he lived
among the tombs and was uncontrollable, highlights how demonic possession can
profoundly affect mental and emotional health. When Jesus commands the demons
to leave, the man is restored to peace and clarity, demonstrating the
connection between spiritual deliverance and mental healing.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus linked physical healing with
casting out demons. He healed many who were oppressed by evil spirits, showing
that these spiritual forces often underlie sickness and suffering. The early
Church, following Jesus’ example, continued this practice by preaching
deliverance and healing together, recognizing that true restoration comes
through freedom from spiritual bondage.
Jesus also gave His disciples authority to cast out demons
and heal diseases, indicating that spiritual warfare and physical healing are
intertwined. This authority wasn’t just for Him alone; He empowered others to
confront the forces of evil that cause illness and suffering. The implication
is clear: healing is not always just about treating symptoms but often involves
spiritual liberation.
In summary, Jesus teaches that the devil and demons can
cause sickness by binding people physically, mentally, and spiritually. His
healing ministry addresses both the physical and spiritual dimensions of
illness, offering freedom from demonic oppression as the pathway to true
health. This understanding challenges us to look beyond just medical
explanations and consider the spiritual realities that affect human well-being.
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