Hollywood has turned demonic possession into a spectacle. But Catholic exorcist Carlos Martins says the most terrifying part goes deeper than levitating bodies or flying furniture: the hatred directed at God and humanity.
“The thing that Hollywood doesn’t pick up well is the demonic mind,” Martins, co-host of “The Exorcist Files” podcast, told Fox News Digital.
“It picks up [the devil’s] demonic power well, throwing of chairs, the screaming, levitating and so on and so forth. But his rage, his inner anger, his disgust with humans and God, that it doesn’t get well.”
Martins identifies that hostility as the disturbing reality behind the physical manifestations. The spectacle captures attention. The malice behind it reveals an enemy intent on destruction.
He described an encounter while assisting another exorcist that, in his telling, exposed both the reach and the limits of demonic intelligence.
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During the session, Martins said, the person undergoing the exorcism confronted him with a threat involving a flight he was scheduled to take the following day.
“Why are you here? You’re not supposed to be here. I’m going to bomb your flight tomorrow,” Martins recalled hearing.
Martins said the session had been so productive that he offered to remain for additional appointments and changed his flight.
When he returned the next day, the person appeared surprised to see him.
“You weren’t supposed to be here,” Martins recalled the person saying.
Martins interpreted the exchange as evidence of extraordinary but imperfect demonic intelligence. The apparent knowledge of his original travel plans contrasted with the failure to anticipate his decision to stay.
We must remember that distinction when confronting spiritual warfare. Satan is dangerous, but he is not all-knowing. His hostility does not place him beyond the authority of God.
Ryan Bethea, Martins’ podcast co-host, said working with the priest and hearing similar accounts from other exorcists strengthened his Christian faith.
“I have walked away feeling, ironically, less scared and more confident than ever,” Bethea told Fox News Digital.
We must take spiritual warfare seriously while keeping our confidence in Christ. James 4:7 directs us to submit to God and resist the devil, with the assurance that he will flee. Our response begins with obedience to God and trust in His authority.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
