Saint Peter tells us: “The devil prowls like a roaring lion, seeking to devour.” Our reality is that of an ancient and ongoing spiritual war, the Evil One always working towards his singular goal. Satan and his fallen angels seek our spiritual annihilation, tempting us to sin and trying to drag us down to the depths of Hell.
“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” – Ephesians 6:12
Despite the spiritual stakes at hand, the very real threat of the Devil rarely rankles us. While we may have an implicit understanding of our role in this battle we have all been drafted into as spiritual warriors, how many of us can say we understand the demonic in a practical way? For most, these realities remain in the realm of mystery. How can we ever hope to confront the Devil in our own life without the full knowledge of how he operates, his strengths and weaknesses, and without knowing of the wealth of spiritual weapons the Church has entrusted to us to employ against his wicked ways?
For Charles D. Fraune, author of Slaying Dragons: What Exorcists See & What We Should Know, these are the same questions that led him through a period of deep spiritual growth and specialized theological study to confront what the Devil had been up to in his life, and learn how the Devil truly operates.
In Slaying Dragons, Fraune compiled the vast wealth of information from famed exorcists like Father Chad Ripperger, drawing from talks, videos, conferences, articles, and books to hand down invaluable teachings about the true realities involved with spiritual warfare and the spiritual weapons given to us by Our Lord. Exorcists “see behind the veil,” and their counsel is infinitely invaluable: they deal directly with the diabolical, seeing the power of the Sacraments and sacramentals against the diabolical firsthand. They learn how demons hunt us, and how cracks in our spiritual armor let them into our lives.
After reading Slaying Dragons, you’ll never think about Holy Water or blessed salt the same way. You’ll never think about your temptations to sin or demons the same way, either. The book elegantly addresses your misconceptions, fears, and sinful curiosities, quelling your conscience on all things diabolical. Above all, you will learn there is no cause to fear demons. In fact, you will learn that through obedience to Christ, demons actually have cause to fear us.
In Slaying Dragons, Fraune breaks down how the Devil attacks us. Not through ostentatious displays of demonic ability, but slyly and surreptitiously. He distracts us from our spiritual concerns, tempting us with the smallest of moral compromises.
“It is difficult for him to barge right into our lives. He prefers, instead, to sneak in slowly and subtly. The devil’s technique is to get us to compromise morally so he can first get a toehold in our life, then a foothold, then a stronghold. At that final point, he can tear our lives apart.”
He also breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of the Devil. Through their angelic nature, they have a vast intellect and exist out of time, able to observe us all and gain the knowledge needed for tailor-made temptation to encourage us to commit sin. Through their fallen nature, however, they are weak. They have a gross aversion to grace. Living a prayerful, humble life with obedience to Christ is enough to make demons shy away.
Furthermore, Fraune reveals insights into exorcisms only an exorcist would know. During an exorcism, demons can reveal unconfessed sins of anyone present, what a priest was doing the day prior, or even what is happening elsewhere in the world at the same time. The demon may mock the priest and spew blasphemies in an attempt to frustrate the exorcist from his duty, speak on behalf of the possessed in hopes of convincing them that an exorcism is no longer necessary or futile, and even attack the mind of the exorcist with disordered thoughts and temptations.
He also delves into the best spiritual weapons to push back against the Devil and his cohort. Sacraments are the ultimate defense: Baptism, reception of the Eucharist, and devout Confession. The full power of the Sacraments comes in conjunction with sacramentals: the Rosary, holy water, blessed salt, candles, oil, and others that “can more deeply dispose us toward devoutly embracing the Sacraments like Confession.”
“A true and devout and perfectly contrite Confession not only obtains pardon for
our sins but can also shatter the power which the Evil One has gained over us through those sins. This will obtain for us true spiritual liberation and lasting peace.”
our sins but can also shatter the power which the Evil One has gained over us through those sins. This will obtain for us true spiritual liberation and lasting peace.”
Are you ready to learn more from the Church’s spiritual masters on the front lines dealing with the demonic and the diabolical? Are you confident you’ll be ready to confront the Devil when he rears his ugly head in your life and tempts you with sin? Learn more about your enemy: his nature, motives, strengths & weaknesses, and how you can best defeat him. Grab your copy of Slaying Dragons: What Exorcists See & What We Should Know now! You can also visit the official website at www.TheSlayingDragonsBook.com for more news, commentary, and publications on the topic of spiritual warfare.
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