Neal Lozano - Resisting the Devil: A Catholic Perspective on Deliverance

Resisting the Devil

Resisting the Devil:

A Catholic Perspective on Deliverance

A Bridge between Exorcism and the Sacrament of Reconciliation

By Neal Lozano

Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
Huntington, Indiana 46750

Nihil Obstat: Msgr. Michael Heintz, Ph.D., Censor Librorum Imprimatur: John M. DArcy
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend
May 29, 2009

The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat or Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

Except where otherwise noted, Scripture citations used in this work are taken from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV), copyright 1965 and 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America copyright 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

English translations of Vatican documents are from the Vatican Web site, www.vatican.va.

Every reasonable effort has been made to determine copyright holders of excerpted materials and to secure permissions as needed. If any copyrighted materials have been inadvertently used in this work without proper credit being given in one form or another, please notify Our Sunday Visitor in writing so that future printings of this work may be corrected accordingly.

Copyright 2009 by Neal Lozano. Published 2010.
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ISBN: 978-1-59276-709-0 (Inventory No. T1030)
eISBN: 978-1-61278-187-7
LCCN: 2009941611

Cover design by Tyler Ottinger / Cover photo: Jupiter Images Interior design by Siok-Tin Sodbinow

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Endorsements for Neal Lozano, Resisting the Devil

I am convinced that this book, and the model of deliverance prayer that it describes, are of tremendous importance for the new evangelization. Neal Lozano is one of the pioneers of an approach to deliverance prayer that is simple yet effective, pastorally sound, and fully integrated into the sacramental life of the Church. He shows how this form of prayer, rooted in the New Testament, is a powerful way to experience, and help others experience, the full freedom that Jesus came to give us.

Dr. Mary Healy, author of The Gospel of Mark, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture

Neal Lozanos book Resisting the Devil is an extremely important work. By bringing a Catholic perspective to this aspect of Church life he has placed our conflicts with evil spirits within the great tradition of Christian spirituality ranging from the early Church to our modern awareness of psychology. Not only can this common sense work establish the need and the nature of deliverance, but it also places deliverance once again as a dimension, in one form or another, of every serious Christian life. I would hope that every spiritual director and counselor will read this study and deepen their practice of this ministry of mercy.

Fr. Francis Martin, Professor of New Testament, Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC

Finally, a thoughtful work that facilitates a balanced dialogue between deliverance ministry and the Churchs rite of exorcism. I warmly recommend this book to anyone journeying with individuals variously afflicted by the Evil One.

Fr. Jeffrey Grob, JCD/PhD, Pastor, Canonist

As a retired bishop who served in episcopal ministry for thirty years, I welcome Neal Lozanos book, Resisting the Devil. Over the years, I experienced both the need for the ministry of exorcism and deliverance and the lack of ministers capable and willing to exercise these ministries not because of a lack of good will, but rather because of a lack of understanding and formation. Lozanos book is a valuable contribution to the growing body of literature on these ministries, and as such responds to a long-standing, current, and serious need in the life of the Church.

Most Rev. Adam Exner, OMI, Archbishop Emeritus of Vancouver, Canada

Resisting the Devil is a must-read for all those involved in pastoral ministry, spiritual direction, and for those who administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. His work enlightens the reader to the great need for deliverance ministry among Gods people and discovering the gift of freedom found in Jesus Christ.

Msgr. Myron Cotta, Vicar General, Diocese of Fresno, CA

The Lord has given Neal Lozano wisdom and compassion for those many Catholics who while trying to live their faith, experience pain, emptiness, bondage and confusion. For decades he has served people who need to experience the Fathers healing love and the freedom that Christ and His Spirit can bring. Neal is a brave and compassionate pioneer whose motivation is to heal the wounds of sin and free the afflicted from the influence of the demonic. His new book, based on a well-considered theological understanding and broad pastoral experience, is a significant contribution to making this wisdom available to the wider Church.

Ralph Martin, author of The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints

In Resisting the Devil, Lozano targets his own Roman Catholic tradition with his message of a general, church-wide, lay ministry of deliverance. And it is this very focus that makes this book uniquely valuable to Protestant beneficiaries of Neals ecumenical ministry. Neal patiently relates the general charism of deliverance to the Churchs official Rite of Exorcism and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, on the one hand, and to New Testament data on the other. Thus, he treats Protestant readers to a broader historical perspective, schooled in some important distinctions, and once again challenged by the comprehensive grace of God revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is a valuable complement to Neals Unbound: a Practical Guide to Deliverance.

Stephen S. Taylor, Associate Professor of New Testament, Biblical Theological Seminary

With each passing year since I first learned about deliverance from Neal Lozano in 2002, I become more convinced that it is a missing key to healing in those many patients who just dont seem to get much better with counseling and medication alone. The reason may be that Medicine and Psychology do not, generally, conceive of man in his totality and do not make an account directly for the effects of sin and evil on his condition. Most importantly to me, Neals Unbound Model is a wonderfully simple guide to help believers get in touch with their true self and then to apply the healing power of forgiveness and renunciation in daily life. I have seen firsthand how Neals approach to deliverance has brought hope to many by offering truth to them in a loving, effective way. I highly recommend