It's Not About The Demons

Adam Blai, host of The Demonologist Podcast, explains the often-overlooked positive side of exorcism and deliverance work, emphasizing that exorcism is not just about confronting demons but about the deep transformation of the person seeking help. He describes how freedom from spiritual oppression is usually a gradual process that can take weeks, months, or even years, and how each step can reveal more of a person’s true self as destructive habits, anxiety, cruelty, and addiction fall away. Rather than simply removing something negative, Blai notes that the process makes room for grace, healing, and a stronger relationship with God. Specifically, after each individual demon is cast out, the priest will pray for the Holy Spirit to come and fill the person to make them spiritually complete. Blai points out that while not every exorcist follows this practice, all the ones he knows do. They intentionally pray for the Holy Spirit to occupy whatever space that infesting or possessing spirit was taking up—acting figuratively like a parasite, since spirits do not have physical form. By asking the Holy Spirit to fill the vacated spaces as the demons depart, the person receives deep, foundational healing. Blai observes that these overall changes can be so dramatic and rapid that therapists and psychiatrists are sometimes astonished. Ultimately, he frames exorcism as a journey of healing and becoming the person God intended—healthier, more joyful, and spiritually whole.