This article originally appeared on Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s blog “Standing on My Head,” and is reprinted with permission. Visit his website, browse his books, and be in touch at dwightlongenecker.com.
Father Roger was just over five feet tall. A very spiritual priest, he was much involved in the healing ministry, exorcism, and visiting prisons and mental hospitals. He told me that one day he was walking down the corridor of a mental hospital when around the corner came a huge man–well over six feet tall and three hundred pounds. He was bellowing out blasphemies and was rushing straight for Roger brandishing a kitchen knife.
Roger stopped and said, “In the name of Jesus, drop the knife!”
The man halted, dropped the knife, and turned and walked away as meek as a lamb.
It’s a reminder that the name of Jesus has power in the spiritual realm. We repeat the Holy Name at the center of our rosary prayer and should do so with a pause and a bowed head. This is the heart of the prayer: an invocation of the Holy Name.
The Holy Name should be used for every kind of deliverance prayer.
When you are tempted, invoke the Holy Name. When you are under a cloud, invoke the Holy Name. When you are being attacked, invoke the Holy Name.
Remember that the name “Jesus” means “Savior” so call on him when you need to be saved!
Also, remember that the names of saints are powerful.
Call on your patron saints by name. The devils hate the holy names of Jesus and Mary. When an exorcist casts out a demon, he always demands the name of that demon. That’s because the named demon must respond to the Holy Name of Jesus when it is uttered by a priest giving the command of deliverance.
It was through the name of Jesus that the apostles obeyed Christ’s command to take authority over the demons and it is through the Holy Name of Jesus that we prevail in spiritual warfare today.