by Cheryl Knight, President, C.A.R.E., Inc.

"How can I tell if it is a personality or a demon?" " My survivor is always in danger, what can I do?" "Why do survivors continue to suffer?" These are some of the questions that I have struggled with since I began working with the ritual abuse population. I have attended conferences throughout the United States seeking an answer to these questions. I could have saved myself thousands of dollars if I would have gone back to what I was taught as a new Christian. The Bible gives us clear answers on all of the questions I was struggling with throughout the years. HOW CAN I TELL IF IT'S A DEMON OR AN ALTER PERSONALITY? When I pray and bind the demonic and ask Jesus Christ to prevent them from interfering in the session in ANY manner - they are bound. That which is not bound are alter personalities. "Jesus replied I tell you the truth if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, Go throw yourself into the sea and it will be done. If you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matt 21:22 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, it will be yours." Mark 11:24. When I would pray and bind, I would then ask the client "what happened?" A cult personality would come out and reply "nothing." I believed them!! After I went back to the basics - pray and believe, I could no longer be deceived and progress began to happen in BIG ways. Many alters believe they are demons, what a testimony to those personalities to see us pray and bind and find themselves free and not bound. It is absolute proof to them that they have been deceived and God's truth, through prayer, set them free. MY SURVIVOR IS ALWAYS IN DANGER - WHAT CAN I DO? I became crisis oriented working with ritual abuse survivors. They would call me and say "Help - I have been told that I am going to die and I need help NOW." The cry for help and the need was very real indeed. The danger was as real as it was for the disciples when they found themselves in a boat during the middle of a raging storm in Matt. 8:24-27. "Without warning, a furious storm came upon the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him saying Lord save us! We are going to drown. He replied You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked what kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him.!" The danger was very real, it was a "furious storm" and death was certainly a reality for the disciples. Remember, many of them were fishermen, they knew danger when they saw it. The same Jesus that calmed the wind and the waves is the same Jesus we can call upon today. What did Jesus teach His disciples during this very real crisis? Don't focus on the crisis - focus on Jesus who controls even the winds and the waves. So what should I do when my survivor is in danger? "Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matt 7:8. The focus needs to be on the One with the answers and direction WHY DO SURVIVORS CONTINUE TO SUFFER? For the same reason we are all called to suffer: "Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:17-18  Like the early church, if we stand to harm Satan's kingdom, we are in grave danger. Our survivors pose a real threat to Satan and therefore they will suffer and often be in danger until Jesus comes. If we, as non SRA survivors, are not suffering or in physical danger at times, then maybe we need to ask ourselves "why?" Are we not a threat to Satan and His kingdom? "Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." Psalm 44:22, Romans 8:36.