In my opinion, yes. Maybe not in all cases, but I guess in something like 90% of them. This I would say from first hand experience as someone who once suffered from demonic possession. I am a former NPR news reporter and am now a writer and author.

As you join me in reading my article, you are sitting in a realm inhabited by the demonic and the angelic. It’s called supernatural. You are probably protected from seeing this realm that surrounds our earthly realm. Protected in God’s mercy because if we could see what some of the demons that hover over us look like trying to grieve us or direct our paths, we would flee in terror and we would not be able to get through our days.

I was first educated at Ohio State University and graduated with a degree in television journalism. I became a news reporter at a commercial radio station and then an NPR affiliate where I worked in radio and television. Later I went to Los Angeles as an entertainment reporter. Teachers and news editors teach journalists to be cynical until they learn the facts. In my hard news reports I preferably had to interview multiple sources to get the facts, before broadcasting a story or writing an article.

In my own personal battle with alcohol, drugs (cocaine), and manic depression, I had several run-ins with the supernatural, most of which horrified me. I think it was strong proof that something demonic was going on. After much research, I came to the conclusion that something clearly demonic was at the origin of my battles with mental illness and addictions.

My spiritual warfare with the demonic took what I call internal and external battles. There were many internal battles with demons that manifested in manic depression, drug addiction, and alcoholism. But it wasn’t until I had an OUTSIDE battle with the demonic, like something out of a horror movie, that I wasn’t convinced that evil and supernatural spirits are real. Demons can inhabit within the body and mind and outside the body in the environment, atmosphere, etc. Only through God can we effectively and permanently expel them.

Since then I have been delivered by the power of prayer and fasting to Jesus Christ and have not had to take medication in 11 years. I once took Haldol, Mellaril, Lithium, Thorazine and Elavil, heavy psychotropic drugs. They put me in quiet rooms and padded rooms, with straitjackets and restraints. One doctor said he was manic depressive, probably with a “hint” of schizophrenia. Oh great. I glanced at his clipboard that he had left in my room and it said, “He suffers from a serious mental illness. Serious indeed, I felt like the walking dead at times.”

As those who suffer from or are still tormented by bipolar illness know, it is often cyclical with normal periods when you are of sound mind.

It was in various normal periods years ago, between mania and depression (bipolar illness), where I was simply going about my daily business, that demons began to manifest. Anyone who has been to a truly haunted house knows what I am talking about.

Anyone who has seen The Exorcist knows what I’m talking about. Why were people so stunned and so scared of even that Hollywood version of possession and liberation? Because deep down, we feel like we could be vulnerable. That there was a lot of truth there. (It was based on a true story about a boy after all. I’m not Catholic, but I go to a Bible-based Christian church and my deliverance was through prayer, fasting, and prayer from Scripture. an exorcist, had the Great Physician, Jesus Christ.)

On February 17, 1994, while living in Los Angeles, I had one of my last terrible and tormenting battles with the demon realm. My husband and I separated and I was lounging on the couch that night. I looked up to see three entities in the shadows that looked like three men in the corner where my husband had often prayed to a (false) god and burned incense.

I called who was there, the evil entities laughed and said “We are demons”. If it had been a Saturday Night Live television sketch, I would have laughed too. But these evil spirits manifested in my living room and it was NOT funny.

Two days later I felt a strong presence of pure atmospheric evil in my apartment. The water ran without me turning it on, the toilet clogged, a strong smell of sulfur and cat feces permeated the air. (He didn’t have a cat).

I had an appointment and I left the apartment. At that time I smoked cigarettes and went back in because I had forgotten them. The evil presence was still there, and I nervously scrambled to get my cigarettes. Before I could walk out the door, I was suddenly attacked by a horrible invisible demonic presence that clawed at my back and shot from the base of my spine into my brain. I ran out of the apartment terrified. I felt my personality and essence had been taken from me and days passed before I could pray.

It wasn’t until I was able to call on the name of Jesus that I felt the presence fade away. A year later I moved to New York City, trying to get away from demons for sure! Which is silly because they are either in you or they have no problem following you wherever you go or both. The good thing was that I found a great Bible believing church in New York. I learned to pray and fast, to memorize and meditate on the scriptures, to have fellowship, and to invite believers to pray for me.

When I was willing to give up my old lifestyle, I called on Jesus to save me. Then I called on a prayer partner to release me. His trust in Christ as a healer and his prayer gave me the assurance that he would be delivered. The next three days I began to pray and fast. This was a spiritual warfare, truly a supernatural battle for my mind, body and soul.

On February 25, 1998, I walked into a cold, deserted park in the New York City area and prayed for deliverance from alcohol, drugs, and mental illness. I cried and fell flat on my face with my arms outstretched, begging for my freedom. In the invisible realm I felt a heaviness rise, I felt the bonds breaking, the chains breaking, and a sense of liberation. I came out of that park as a free woman.

I do not advise anyone to stop taking their medication abruptly. Psychiatrists serve their purpose for those who are catatonic or a danger to themselves or others. Pray for wisdom. I spent a year before my release turning away from psychotropic drugs and bathed in the protection of prayer to God. If you are not released immediately, it is not because God does not love you. Meditate on the scriptures and you will begin to feel peace, purpose, power, and protection.

Mary Magdalene had seven devils (demons) until the Lord cast them out. It is speculated that he once suffered from mental illness. Anyone with seven demons is not in their right mind! One of the scriptures I meditated on was:

“When Jesus got up early on the first day of the week, he first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast seven demons.” Mark 16: 9

A formerly “crazy” woman, yet Jesus gave her the honor of being the first person to see the risen Christ. He then made a woman the first evangelist when he told Mary Magdalene to run and tell the disciples that she had seen him. Finally, more than 500 witnesses saw Jesus themselves. He had beaten death as he said he would.

The Jesus of the Bible, whom I and other believers know, is not just the Lover of your soul. He is a Healer and Liberator. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is powerful and powerful beyond human comprehension. He will summon a heavenly host of warrior angels to fight when you call.