Demonic possession is unusual, but did you know demonic influence through oppression is quite common? Demons can and do torment people physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Are you letting them derail you?
Believe it or not, it’s more common than the common cold. Unfortunately, most people don’t give the topic much thought. As the saying goes, demons’ greatest trick is convincing people they don’t exist.
Reverend Chris Lee, an Anglican priest at St. Saviour’s Church in Wendell Park, West London, has been involved with numerous exorcisms. “Full possession of someone is very rare, and it doesn’t happen very often,” Chris told LADbible stories. He shared that a much more common form of possession is oppression, when someone is influenced by evil. “Imagine walking through a dirty puddle and you get splashed by the puddle, and there’s stuff that remains, and so there is a spiritual relevance to praying, blessing, and cleansing over someone.”
The goal of demons, he says, is to interfere with a person’s spiritual life and weaken their connection with their spiritual self. Evil tries to weigh people down with stress and worries of everyday life.
Signs of demonic oppression can include intrusive thoughts, continual anxiety, hopelessness, depression, suicidal thoughts, physical symptoms like headaches or sleep disturbances, unexplained illnesses, addiction, digestive issues, and a sense of spiritual deadness or alienation from God. Some also feel blocked in life, experience recurring setbacks in their career or finances, or have a strong interest in negative occult practices.
The oppression can begin with abuse or unresolved issues. I’ve found that past lives of working with black magic or calling upon demonic energies can tie a soul to them, which then negatively affects the person in their current life (even when they have no conscious memory of the past lives).
Demons can also work through compromised or weak people (neighbors, friends, spouses, relatives, coworkers, strangers) to negatively influence you. Add drugs or alcohol to the equation, and you’ll multiply the likelihood of demonic oppression.
Demonic forces have driven evil agendas for eons, including Marxism and communism, designed to suppress the masses and empower a few.
Chris says the spiritual realm is real and full of angels and demons. He recommends interacting with this realm through the Holy Spirit instead of occult practices or games like tarot cards or Ouija boards, which he says can leave people vulnerable to harmful influences.
In my experience, tarot cards and Ouija boards are not a danger as long as you protect yourself spiritually, only call on God or guides of the Light for help, and never use them while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Besides praying, my free Spiritual Detox Scriptcan help protect against and remove negative energy and spiritual clutter. If part of you resists clearing and protecting yourself, there might be energies with you that want you to stay stuck. Defend yourself and rise above the oppression.
Copyright © 2026 Stephen Petullo
In case you missed it: check out 11 Tips to Improve Your Critical Thinking (and Why it Matters Everywhere) next. It’ll help you balance intuition with solid discernment in every part of life.
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