Christian prayers to protect against demons & cast them out
There are numerous Christian prayers that ask God for protection against demons. That being said, their power and efficiency is generally no greater than a common “Hail Mary” or “Our Father” prayer, since God is always aware of what we need, and what we need to be protected from.
The simple act of praying should be sufficient in most cases, but for those that want peace of mind, below are 11 prayers specifically designed to combat demons and evil spirits, taken from the prayer book of Pope Leo III.
Protection prayer
Move away from us all evil and malignant spirits, Lord. That all evil men and pernicious women move away from us, flee us, and us them, that all enemies and adversaries move away from us, that they do not have the capacity to reach us. We ask by the virtue of the Most High. And if somebody, Lord, wants to harm or do even the least evil to me, put me under your Holy protection, my God, I, [YOUR NAME], who are your creation. Condescend to do good to me. I ask you by the virtues and merits of all your Holy Angels, who draw power through you unceasingly; and by all your Patriarchs, your Apostles, your Saints, and your Holy Paradise. Deliver and preserve your servant from the malignities of the glances of all my enemies, and the same of those which could harm me. Thus, it is.
Amen
Source: Enchiridion of Pope Leo the Third
Prayer to Archangel Michael
Most glorious prince of the heavenly hosts, Archangel St. Michael, defend us in the battle and in the tremendous struggle we carry on against the Principalities and Powers, against the rulers of the world of darkness and all evil spirits. Come to the help of man, whom God created immortal, fashioned to his own image and likeness, and rescued at a great price from the tyranny of the devil.
With the great army of the holy angels fight today the battle of the Lord as thou didst of old fight against Lucifer, the leader of the proud, and his apostate angels, who were powerless against thee, and they had no longer a place in heaven; and that monster the old serpent who is called the devil and Satan, that seduces the whole world, was cast into hell with his angels.
But now that first enemy and homicide has regained his insolent boldness. Taking on the appearance of an angel of light, he has invaded the earth, and, with his whole train of evil spirits, he is prowling about among men, striving to blot out the name of God and of his Christ, to capture, to destroy, to drag to eternal perdition the souls destined to the crown of eternal glory.
Arise, then, unconquerable Prince, defend the people of God against the assaults of the reprobate spirits, and give them the victory. Holy Church reveres thee as its guardian and patron; it glories in thee as its defender against the malignant powers of hell; to thee God has committed the souls that are to be conveyed to the seats of the Blessed in eternal happiness.
Pray, then, to the God of peace, that he may put Satan under our feet, so completely vanquished that he may no longer be able to hold men in bondage and work harm to the Church. Offer up our prayers before the Most High, so that the mercies of the Lord may prevent us, and lay hold of the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and hurl him bound in chains into the abyss where he may no longer seduce the souls of men.
Amen.
Source: Collection Of Prayers And Good Works, To Which The Sovereign Pontiffs Have Attached Holy Indulgences
Prayer Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael
O God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon thy holy name and humbly beseech thy clemency, that, through the intercession of the ever immaculate Virgin and our Mother Mary, and of the glorious Archangel Saint Michael, thou wouldst vouchsafe to help us against Satan and all the other unclean spirits that are prowling about the world to the great peril of the human race and the loss of souls.
Amen.
Source: Collection Of Prayers And Good Works, To Which The Sovereign Pontiffs Have Attached Holy Indulgences
Deliverance prayer to the Virgin Mary
O most powerful Virgin, who alone didst overcome all heresies in the entire world, deliver thy Christian people from the snares of the devil; cast thine eyes upon their souls, deceived by the cunning of the evil one, that, having renounced all their wicked heresy, the hearts of thy erring children may repent, and return to the unity of Christian truth, through thy intercession with our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth God for ever and ever.
Amen.
Source: Collection Of Prayers And Good Works, To Which The Sovereign Pontiffs Have Attached Holy Indulgences
Protection prayer against evil
I beg you, my Lord, God, very Holy, by all your Holy Names, hear and answer my prayer. I entreat you to want it as well. Preserve me from all peril, of the contrariness and traps of demons. Deliver me, always to you, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of the Martyrs, God of all the Saints, and of the Holy and elected of God, intercede for me, God, for me, [YOUR NAME], if good, if gentle, if civil, if humble of heart. You, who does not want the death of the sinner, nor the loss of his heart.
Amen.
Source: Enchiridion of Pope Leo the Third
Prayer to cast out, expel or exorcise demons
The Christian prayer below designed to expel a demon that possesses either a person or a home.
It should be recited in one piece, but it is structured around 9 components, where each component fulfills a specific role so as to bring the believer closer to God, while also inviting God into their life and deliver them from the demon.
Below is the prayer, and the breakdown of each component and why it is important.
- Personally affirm your faith in Christ:
Neither God nor Jesus will protect and save one who does not believe or has faith, and so faith must be affirmed:
“Lord Jesus Christ, I believe You are the Son of God and the only way to God- that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again so that I might be forgiven and receive eternal life.”
- Humble yourself:
Humbling is required, because God does not help those who think themselves superior to Him.
“I renounce all pride and religious self-righteousness and any dignity that does not come from You. I have no claim on Your mercy except that You died in my place.”
- Confess any known sin:
Confession of sins is essential, because sinning is what opens the door to evil spirits. By confessing the sin, one also tells God that they are aware of their mistakes and are ready to repent.
“I confess all my sins before You and hold nothing back. Especially I confess. …”
- Repent of all sins:
Confession without asking for repentance is hollow.
“I repent of all my sins. I turn away from them and I turn to You, Lord, for mercy and forgiveness.”
- Forgive all other people:
Just as God forgives all of our transgressions, so too must we forgive all other people in our lives who have wronged us, for good can only come after forgiveness has been given.
“By a decision of my will, I freely forgive all who have ever harmed or wronged me. I lay down all bitterness, all resentment and all hatred. Specifically, I forgive…”
- Break with the occult and all false religion:
God is incompatible with any belief in occult objects or their power, such as Ouija boards, voodoo dolls, demonic summoning rituals etc.
Thus, disposing of such occult objects and ceasing belief in occult religion is necessary for God to intervene on the believer’s behalf.
“I sever all contact I have ever had with the occult or with all false religion-particularly. … and I commit myself to get rid ot all objects associated with the occult or false religion.”
- Prepare to be released from every curse over your life:
“Lord Jesus, I thank You that on the cross You were made a curse, that I might be redeemed trom every curse and inherit God’s blessing. On that basis I ask You to release me and set me free to receive the deliverance I need.
- Take your stand with God:
Taking your stand with God means choosing God’s truth over any other teaching, and also recognizing His authority and power.
“I take my stand with You, Lord, against all Satan’s demons. I submit to You, Lord, and I resist the devil. Amen!”
9. Expel and cast out the demons
This is the final step of the prayer, where the casting out of demons begins.
Demons can be cast out from bodies in subtle ways: breathing, a sigh, a cough. Other times it can be more dramatic, such as convulsions or screaming.
“Now I speak to any demons that have control over me. [Speak directly to the demons.] I command you to go from me now. In the name of Jesus, I expel you!”
Prayer of Saint Cyprian
Before writing, fast for three days, then confess. Then, recite what follows.
“O Lord, enlighten me this day, so I may write the sentence of the demons. Purify me, O my God, who lives and reigns in this century and all other centuries. Thus, it is. Amen.”
One writes on virgin parchment, on Sunday, at the hour of the Sun. Incense it and wrap it in clean fine linen.
Once made, when one wants to see the effect, fast for three days, then confess, like above. It is useful to invoke and bind demons.
Source: Enchiridion of Pope Leo the Third
Besides these prayers, there are also many other protection methods against demons, evil spirits and witchcraft.
Occult magic prayers against demons
The prayer spells below belong in the category of “occult”. They are taken from a Renaissance grimoire called The Key of Solomon, and combines religious ceremonies from Christianity and Judaism as well as Greco-Roman and Arab magic.
Unlike Christian prayers, the magic prayer spells in the Key of Solomon function through the innate power and magic of the practitioner, or by channeling the power of divine figures.
Christian prayers on the other hand expel demons through an appeal to God by the believer.
Prayer curse to terrify demons into submission
In ceremonial magic, spirits or demons who refuse to appear when evoked in ritual may be cursed to burn in fire by the magician.
This threat is said to terrify the spirits into obedience. The grimoire Key of Solomon gives this curse:
We deprive ye of all office and dignity which ye may have enjoyed up till now; and by their virtue and power we relegate you unto a lake of sulphur and of flame, and unto the deepest depths of the Abyss, that ye may burn therein eternally forever.
Prayer that chains demons in a box
This prayer curse is called “Curse of the Chains” or “The General Curse” (also called “The Spirits Chains”), and involves ritual cursing and a sealing of the disobedient demon inside a box bound by iron chains:
O spirit [NAME OF DEMON], who art wicked and disobedient, because thou hast not obeyed my commands and the glorious and incomprehensible Names of the true God, the Creator of all things, now by the irresistible power of these Names I curse thee into the depths of the Bottomless Pit, there to remain in unquenchable fire and brimstone until the Day of Wrath unless thou shalt forthwith appear in this triangle before this circle to do my will. Come quickly and in peace by the Names Adonai, Zabaoth, Adonai, Amioran. Come, come, Adonai King of Kings commands thee.
The magician then writes the demon’s name and seal on parchment which he places in a black wooden box that contains sulfur and other foul-smelling ingredients.
He binds the box with iron chains, which imprison the demon. The magician hangs the box on the point of his sword and holds it over a fire, saying:
I conjure thee, Fire, by Him who made thee and all other creatures of this world to burn, torture and consume this spirit [NAME OF SPIRIT] now and for evermore.
The magician warns the demon that his name and seal will be burned in the box and then buried.
If the spirit still does not appear, the magician works himself up into a greater fury of cursing, calling down the wrath of all the company of heaven, the Sun, the Moon, the stars, and the light of the hosts of heaven. As a final measure, he drops the box into the fire. The demon will find this unbearable and will appear.
Buddhist
Buddhist Vajra Armor Protection Wheel
Below is a fragment of a Buddhist mantra, one designed to protect the practitioner against evil energies, spirits and harm in general.
While this fragment alone does provide some protective powers, Buddhist practitioners claim that completing the entire ritual will give the greatest protection.
If you are interested, the rest of the Vajra Armor Protection Wheel can be downloaded as a free PDF from this link.
I become the very ferocious dark blue Vajrapāṇi,
Holding a vajra and a snake lasso
My holy body is complete with the glorious ornaments of the charnel grounds,
And I stand with my two feet stretched out on a lotus and sun.
I abide amidst a blazing transcendental wisdom fire.
From my holy body fire garūḍas, iron scorpions,
Black pigs, wind, fire, and the noxious vapors of poison
Are emitted like violent winds and hailstorms,
Destroying all disease, epidemics, spirit harms, and interferers.
At the conclusion of the session, think that all your diseases and spirit harms are totally destroyed. Then abide for a while in the state of meditation on the ultimate mode of existence—emptiness—of yourself and all phenomena, beyond what is to be protected and that which protects, which are truths for the all-obscuring mind.
Vairochana protection mantra
The Vairochana mantra is a protective Buddhist meditation prayer, and simply by reciting it is said to help the practitioner receive success, as well as protection against weapons, fire, water, poisons, substances mixed with poisons, black magic and even protection from harm by kings, thieves, robbers and so on.
You can also write this mantra down, or simply print it, and leave it a room to ward off sickness, harm and contagious diseases.
If you wish to print the mantra, it is available as a free PDF from this link.
The mantra:
I prostrate to the Three Rare Sublime Ones.
I prostrate to the Tathagata, Foe Destroyer, Fully Completed Buddha
Arya Vairochana, King of Light.
I prostrate to the bodhisttva, great being Akashagharba.
TADYATHA / KALA KALA / KILI KILI / BIRI BIRI / HURU HURU / VAIROCHANA RASMI SANCHODITA AGACCHA / ARYA AKASHA GARBHA MAHA KARUNIKA PURAYA HASHANA / DHARAYA BUDDHA VIKSHCHAYANA / CHARA CHARA CHIRI CHIRI SVAHA
Just by reciting this mantra one gains success and cannot be harmed by weapons, fire, water, poisons, substances mixed with poisons, or black magic. Nor can one be harmed by kings, thieves, robbers, and so forth.
Wherever this mantra is written and left, people do not have sicknesses, harm, or contagious diseases, and one will achieve the concentration called stainless light.
Here the mantra called The Heart of Arya Vairochana (the exalted one illuminating the aspects) is completed.
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