There is a strategy to a haunting, be it one that involves a human spirit or a demonic one. This strategy is actually very simple but very effective. Spirits feed on energy. To the negative spirit, the energy that is most appealing is that which is produced by fear. Early in a haunting, things start out slowly. As time passes things become obvious and this is where the fear starts. Now, when a spirit feeds off of fear, it gets stronger. Since it is stronger, it now can do much that will result in more fear. That increased fear makes it stronger still and around and around we go. Slowly at first, then with some speed, the grip gets tighter on the victim. The haunting suddenly becomes dangerous.

Realizing that this strategy exists is very helpful to the client. I usually take a compass and draw circles that get smaller and tighter to illustrate the fear factor. Once they understand this, they can begin to take back some lost ground. If something should happen that might have caused considerable fear but no longer does, the spirit has less to feed on. The less it has to feed on, the less it can use to frighten them with. Thus, you begin to unravel the grip.

In the event of a human spirit, this unraveling process may by itself end the haunting. Human spirits are limited in what they can do anyway so anything that reduces their ability to cause fear weakens them. If they are not that strong to begin with, this can knock them out. When you are dealing with a demonic spirit, it will at first try to retaliate for the change in strategy. If the family can weather that initial retaliation, they can begin to unravel the grip. It will not knock the demonic spirit out but it may weaken it to where strong prayers can finish the job.

If there is one valuable thing I have learned over the years, it is that the simple things are often the best. We too often look for complicated answers to the point where we do not see the simple and best ones right under our noses. Simply foiling a strategy is a small victory for the family against the marauding spirit and that can change the momentum. Confident people fight a much better battle that those who feel defeated. Take every victory wherever you can get it.