Ok, I'll come right out and say it: I didn't like this book and I didn't finish reading it. There, I resisted one temptation to which I often succumb, the temptation to do things I know are wrong (like telling untruths) to please others (in this case, the nice folks at The Catholic Company who provided a complimentary review copy of the book). Actually I think one reason I didn't care for the book is that I was looking for more concrete suggestions about how I could resist that and other recurring temptations.
What is Resisting the Devil all about?
Do you find yourself struggling with a particular sin or dysfunction over and over again? Do you feel hopeless in finding freedom despite your best efforts? Do you still feel guilty, ashamed, and doomed to repeat a besetting sin, even after receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation?
In Resisting the Devil, author Neal Lozano shows that sometimes evil spirits tell us lies that lock us into sins and personal problems. He explains the practice of deliverance, a way of dealing with such demonic influences that is supported by the teaching and tradition of the Catholic Church. Lozano's "Unbound" Model, based on three decades of experience in deliverance ministry, builds a bridge between the sacrament of Reconciliation and exorcism. People only very rarely need exorcism.
Readers of Resisting the Devil: A Catholic Perspective on Deliverance will:
Learn how to recognize the activity of evil spirits
See how deliverance from spiritual bondage can be gentle, safe, and effective
Understand how deliverance differs from exorcism and how deliverance and Reconciliation can work together
Read the testimonies of women and men who have been freed through deliverance ministry
"Resisting the Devil is a thoughtful work that facilitates a balanced dialogue between deliverance ministry and the Church's rite of exorcism. I warmly recommend this book to anyone journeying with individuals variously afflicted by the Evil One."
-- Rev. Jeffrey S. Grob, Associate Vicar for Canonical Services for the Archdiocese of ChicagoThe book gave scriptural support for the idea that demons actually exist and that we are supposed to use the power of Jesus to drive them out. The author briefly outlines his "Unbound" model of deliverance ministry. He gives stories of people healed by it and talks about integrating it into the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
I don't really think this is a bad book, but it is a book that didn't hold my interest nor did it meet my needs.
