The Exorcist Files - S2- Case #15 "A Family Affair", Pt 1

Episode Date: May 23, 2025

A long line of witches faces disruption when the youngest decides to leave the "family business". Thank you to our sponsors for making this show possible.Graza.co- use EXFILES to get 10% off of TRIO which includes Sizzle, Frizzle and Drizzle, and get to cookin’ your next chef-quality meal!Fount of Grace- beautiful Catholic Jewlery and sacramentals. Give a gift with meaning and spiritual significance. Code EXFILES for a speial discount. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There we go. Just a little of your blood is all we need. Grazie to the spiritus. Accepta that's a sangre for his force and his life, liberty. This will work? Will I get the position? The spirits say you will receive the call tomorrow. The job will be yours. Thank you. Thank you. How much do I pay you? Do you have the money?

Yes, I do. Wrap it in that red cloth. Yes, um, here. Now, the strand of his hair. Here, I, this, this isn't going to hurt him, right? He will live. Do you want this or not? Yes. Good. Then it is done.

Congratulations on your promotion. Welcome back to The Exorcist Files, where yes, which is in fact, be crazy. Today we tell the story of a young woman who was the inheritance. of generations of occult power, occult power that was purchased at a price, and was to be wielded for generations. But she wanted out. And as we shall see, one does not simply leave the occult family business, because just when you think you're out, they try and pull you back in. As a reminder, listener discretion is advised. This contains mature themes, sometimes crass language, and offensively bad dad jokes. You have been warned. And with that sobering reminder,

Let's put our AirPods or headphones together for the minister who helps us ward off the sinister, our very own Father Carlos Martins. Witchcraft has its roots in the events that took place in the Garden of Eden. The rebellion of our first parents was not only a denial of the obedience due to God. Even worse, it was an attempt to impose our will over his. Witchcraft divination, sorcery, fortune-telling, necromancy, and every other form of occultism, are a repetition of the Eden rebellion

because they are a repetition of the same sins. They attempt to deny God's sovereignty and they usurp his power. Incidentally, these two sins were the same ones committed by Satan and his fallen angels at their rebellion. Thus, every occult deed echoes the rebellion of Satan. and is an act of communion with him. As an exorcist, I have seen the evil of witchcraft firsthand.

While it packages itself in many different forms and iterations, every one of them is a rebellion against God. When I met Valentina, she and her mother Alejandra, were in the throes of Brucharia, a form of witchcraft indigenous to Mexico and Central America, and widely practiced in many parts of Texas and the southwest, where I spent years doing ministry. Alejandra was a witch in a long line of witches,

and she was proud of her occult abilities, which earned her the title of Bruha. She raised her daughter in a household where witchcraft was common practice, and it was a point of pride for her to raise her daughter in the family business, so to speak. Alejandra prepared Valentina from an early age, instilling in her the importance of tapping into the power of the spirits.

And when Valentina reached adolescence, Alejandra began more formal instruction. Valentina, how's school? Oh, mija, what's wrong? What happened to your dress? I don't want to talk about it. Nope, talk to me. What happened?

This girl, Jessica, she pretended to trip, and she threw juice all over me and started saying it was my period. And all the girls started laughing. Aye. What a horrible girl! Why are they picking on you? I don't know. They say I'm weird. Clothes are funny.

And actually, they said, We are weird. I see. You know what? They are jealous, Miha. They see greatness in us and they fear it. Because, maybe. Miha, the world is filled with bullies like them.

But you are strong. We are strong. Forget them. The destiny of these girls is the stripper pole. Mom, come on. It's time. I want to show you something. Bring me one of the chickens from the coop. Mihita, let me show you how we handle bullies. Valentina went out to the chicken coop and brought one to her mother, who decapitated it and sprinkled the blood in a circle on the ground in an elaborate ritual. Valentina was 14 at the time and recalls her mother entering into a trance

and repeating the name Jessica over and over again. Valentina came home from school later that week and shared something disturbing. How was your school today, my dear? Mom, we need to talk. Yes, me'amor. Jessica and the girls didn't show up again. Mrs. Kovale said they are really sick. Jessica's actually in the hospital with problems with her, you know, down there.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Something is going around for sure. Mama, did you do this? Did we do this? Baby, I told you they would regret what they did. This is good for them. It's discipline. It will teach them who they need to respect.

But I don't want them to be hurt. I just wanted them to stop. Oh, honey, I know. Sometimes you have to hurt someone to stop them from hurting you. Do you understand? The strong west discipline the weak. She'll be fine. I didn't do anything permanent. It just feels strange, mom. It doesn't really feel right. People will always fear us because of our power. We come from a long line of strong women with strong connections to the spirits. Your great-grandma had it. Your grandma had it. I have it. I have it.

And you, my korezon, have it too. You don't ever have to be afraid. And if Jessica ever teases you again, she'll have something even worse happen. If you were to visit Alejandra's house, your first observation might be hearing the cacophony of animal noises. Goats, chickens, dogs, and all sorts of animals were housed in their yard. but they were not for companionship or food, but for sacrifice. They were slaughtered in blood rituals to enhance the strength of curses.

Though the house was on the outskirts of town, Alejandra had no shortage of clients who came to see her, but far from an operation run by a charlatan who preyed on people's superstition, her practice yielded bona fide results. And the word got around. Clients came to her regularly, some seeking love, others' wealth, and the darkest one's death. She even claimed the ability to perform spell-induced abortions for poor women who couldn't afford clinical procedures. The next scene is sobering, and some listeners may want to skip it.

Problem and you want my help. I... Yes, I'm pregnant. I can see it in your aura. Yes. It's a child, okay? We can't afford the four we already have. I haven't even told my husband.

Can you help? Of course. Do you have one? I have it. Here. Stop crying. You will be free of your burden tonight. Place some money on the table.

Now, I want you to drink this. What is this? Will it hurt? Yes. Now drink. Okay. I guess that's not so... Oh!

Let it do its work. Within the hour, the child will be dead. You will be free. It hurts... Yes. The spirit realm has accepted your child. Your pain is a doorway by which the child enters the spirit realm. Oh, never know.

He will never know. The unwanted life has been taken. Alejandra made her living by practicing witchcraft. Bringing about success through her spells and delivering misfortune through curses and offering readings and divination services were her bread and butter. She was firm with her pricing, especially if there was no prior friendship with the client. And while her prices turned some new clients away, the ones who were desperate enough always found a way to come up with the money.

Most felt they had no other recourse to obtain what they wanted. Seeing the local witch was cheaper than lawyers and doctors, and in their eyes, she was far less risky than hiring a hitman and much less expensive. They came to Alejandra because they didn't know where else to turn. This sense of fatalism is, of course, the delight of the adversary. He makes many think they have no other option but to take matters into their own hands and engage in sorcery. Those who fall into this lie sin gravely and join the demonic rebellion. For many of us, our main knowledge of witchcraft probably stems from TV or film,

like John Chew's hit film Wicked or Hocus Pocus, the original, of course. But as father pointed out, witchcraft is an umbrella term that can include many things, including divination, spellcasting, potion making, cursing, hexing, and communicating with spirits in the dead. Basically, it can mean any and all things occult. Latin American witchcraft, or Brouharia, often incorporates pagan, indigenous, and African elements. Many practices have a connection with santa ria and voodoo, which are forms of witchcraft that use candles and dolls to affect curses. One well-known ritual is called La Limpia de Juevo, or egg cleansing, which consists of rolling a raw egg over the body to absorb negative energy. curses, or the effects of the evil eye.

The egg is then cracked into a glass of water, and the results are interpreted to see if the negative energy has left the body. Interestingly, using eggs for divination has roots that go as far back as ancient Greece and the druids of Scotland. I will go out on a limb and say, that's probably not what Christ meant when he said his yoke is easy. Now, before we go on, it's important to state that many who practice Brouharia do so because they were brought up with it,

or their intention is simply to seek healing, justice, or divine intervention for wrongdoings they've suffered. If you thought this was a valid way to heal or a genuine source of power, it's completely understandable. Such circumstances are important to take into consideration. But just because someone attempts to cast spells does not mean they are aware it is sinful. The motive may have been genuinely good, but you know what they say. The road to you know where is paved with good intentions. Alejandra's desire to protect her daughter was a good thing. But it is a good thing. But it is a It is still rebellion against a God by attempting to circumvent his predetermined limits. And if Alejandra ever invites you to dinner, watch out.

It's probably Pollo, very loco. Amen. Father Martin's here. I want to do a quick plug for one of the most powerful tools I've seen for breaking free and growing closer to Christ. Exodus 90. The Exodus 90 challenge begins this year on January 20th. But this isn't just a 90-day program. Exodus 90 is a spirituality for modern men that is built on three ancient pillars,

prayer, self-sacrifice, and fraternity. We all long for something more. We long to be the men God created us to be, sons of a loving father. It's time to turn away from our idols. It's time to break free from the pharaohs that hold us in bondage. If you're ready to make a fresh start and embark on a journey to uncommon freedom in Jesus Christ, then download the Exodus 90 app today. This is your chance to break free, refocus, and rediscover who God is calling you to be in the new year.

It starts January 20th. So go to Exodus 90.com slash X-Files to learn more about Exodus 90. That's Exodus 90.com slash X-Files to join tens of thousands of men from all over the world for Exodus 90. Again, it begins Monday, January 20th. God bless you. Alejandra lived in a Hispanic community, meaning it was heavily Catholic. She considered herself above organized religion, but occasionally attended Mass. not out of religious devotion but to solicit business.

She left her business cards on a literature table, having learned over the years that not all who attend church have perfect trust in God. The cards didn't advertise her as a witch, but as a, quote, spiritual consultant. A term vague and intriguing enough to convince some that she is worth contacting. While these cards were promptly discarded when church staff found them, Alejandra still managed to get enough clients out of the endeavor to make it worth it. She knew that many attended church only because they want something from God. When such persons found her card, it was sometimes just the right temptation for them to contact her.

Over the years, Alejandra had overcome many seasons of drought in her business through this means of advertising. For Alejandra, Brugheria wasn't just superstition or a source of power, it was her whole identity. Whether they know it or not, the power which is yield does not come from themselves but from the agency of demons. Demons act on their behalf. However, no one works for free, and that also applies to demons. And their payment is always costly. tragically, many witches have no idea how steep the demonic price is until that bill comes due. And friend, it always comes due.

Alejandra was confident that her daughter Valentina would follow in the family's occult heritage. Valentina possessed a spiritual sensitivity that made her mother sure she would become a formidable brouha. Nevertheless, she always seemed to naturally fear her. mother's preter natural activity and resist wholehearted involvement. Valentina's natural goodness and sense of fairness made her see her mother's cursing of unsuspecting victims as an act of bullying and meanness. By the time Valentina graduated high school, she was ready for the adventure of university. Her mother wanted her to attend a local community college so she could continue to live at home and under her supervision.

However, Valentina wanted to taste independence. She received an offer of admission from a small university about two hours drive away. Her acceptance of that offer ultimately led her to diverge from the path of occultism once and for all. They should just get rid of finals. What? Why? We all know the deal. We don't pay attention.

all semester and then we have to memorize the entire textbook and 24 hours just to pass a stupid test. Well, I mean, okay, look, I respectfully disagree, Val. Uh-huh. Look, I actually studied, and believe it or not, I feel prepared. What? Without me? Who did you study? You, you had a study partner affair. Okay, all right, yes, guilty. But, okay, can you blame me? Come on. You're busy all the time.

And you know that church group I always invite you to? And you always turn me down? Yes. Well, shockingly, it's filled with really nice people who wanted to study together. Mm-hmm. And so we've been prepping all week. Great. So now I am the only one who's going to fail.

Well, it's not too late. I mean, we actually have a Bible study tonight. It's really fun. You should come. I don't know. I don't know. Christian stuff isn't really my thing. Oh, come on.

Don't you guys like to sing and play lame games? Like, go fish? Go fish We're not like 8 year old You sure about that? Oh well, I mean sometimes But no Come on, we hang out, we talk

And we discuss the most famous book of all time Oh, and, by the way There's free dinner Wait a second Yeah So you could come, get some free food And then, you know, just stay and study with us after There's food? Good food? For free?

Yeah, like really good food I mean, they splurge just try it out 5 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on Parkside only if they have tacos maybe Valentina attended the Bible study that night

Jesus, thank you for what you have given us and give us grace to walk each day in your footsteps in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit okay thanks everyone see you next week oh Anna good luck with finals See? That wasn't so bad, right? I mean, they ran out of cloth.

Shut up. No, you're right. It was cool. Everyone is just really nice here? They're also so peaceful. And that's even with finals in eight hours. Are you sure they're not trying to sell us something? Oh my gosh. I cannot with you. No, for real.

Everyone here is really cool. There's something different. You can sense it. Peace. spiritually. Okay, wait, so are you spiritual? Actually, I don't really know what you believe. That's complicated.

I know the spirit realm is powerful. I do know that. I've seen it through my mom. She comes from a long line of spiritual consultants. What does that mean? It's just that my mom and grandma were into some weird stuff. Look, never mind. My family's different, Sammy.

You're going to think I'm crazy. Well, everyone's family is crazy I mean, look at me I was into reading tarot cards and astrology charts You were? Oh yeah I had terrible anxiety and depression And I got into that stuff to try and fix it How have we never talked about this?

Well, it's not something I dropped casually Into most conversations, you know? Like, hey, I used to do tarot cards, pass the chips I mean, besides, every time I brought up religion You changed the subject You're right, I did but you're good now. I mean, about the depression and anxiety.

How did you fix it? I have had terrible anxiety lately, and I don't know if it's school or being away from home or what. So it was actually a book that helped. Okay, I was worried you were going to say a drug or something. Oh, hello. What book? I'll order it right now. Well, I just happened to have one right here.

All right. There you go. A Bible? Really? Wow. How long were you sitting on that one? I know, I know. But I'm serious.

Look, I even flagged a verse street. Um, right here. Philippians. There. I prayed over the Bible, and, I mean, being real, Val, this book did help me a lot. Huh. You know, okay, just ask God if it's real and see what happens. I mean, you believe in spiritual stuff, so why not?

You said it. There is power in the spirit, right? I don't know. For me, please. I think it would help. Fine, but I'm still not sure you weren't trying to sell something. Well, come back next week and find out. Come on, let's go.

Valentina went into her room that night and quickly forgot about the Bible. She began to study. and prepare for finals. But as she was studying, she couldn't shake from her mind the conversation she had had with Sammy. There was something about everyone in that room. The love they showed her

and the peace they possessed. She loved and respected Sammy dearly because of her kindness and friendship. So Sammy's opinion mattered a great deal. Unable to concentrate on anything else, she finally got up and reached for her Bible. A bookmark was on Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7. She began reading to herself.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your own. hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The words resonated with her. She read them a second time and then a third. The passage seemed so full of clarity. She remembered Sammy's challenge to say a prayer,

and she sat on the edge of her bed and did just that. God, I want to believe like Sammy and the others do. I want the peace they have. If you're real, show me. I would really like that. The sky didn't light up. There was no thundering cloud. But Valentina felt a calm, transcendent peace well up inside her.

Her mind kept going to the Bible study session and the goodness everyone showed her. She also found herself humming the hymn the group sang that evening. The stress of finals disappeared. appeared. She felt God was real, that he loved her, and was convinced he had a plan for her. Yes, I want this. My answer is, yes, God. She felt better than she had ever remembered. Some might try to chalk up her experience to a placebo effect or simply the brain's release of endorphins. But Christians throughout history know what this experience is.

Valentina made an invitation to God. She asked him sincerely and with her whole heart to reveal himself to her. And she was ready to embrace him if he did. God took her up on her offer. Despite Valentina's being alone in her bedroom, this experience was not a solitary one. As she experienced the Lord's peace, two hours away, her mother knew something had changed in her daughter.

She felt a break in the force, so to speak. When Valentina chose membership in God's kingdom, the demons connected to her family line were less than pleased. And they made it known. Valentina found a new fervor for life and got more involved with the Catholic Church on campus. She and Sammy volunteered together at a local food bank, began attending a weekly prayer meeting, and dove headfirst into learning church teaching.

She also regularly met with. with the campus priest, Father Douglas, for baptism formation and spiritual direction. As she grew in the faith, Valentina learned about the dangers of the occult, but kept the extent of her family's occult participation hidden. She was embarrassed and didn't want the rest of the group to think she was strange, having experienced enough of that as a kid. On the other hand, her mother believed Valentina's rejection of Brueharia was a rejection of her and the family heritage.

Hoping it was only a phase, she reminded her daughter about Bruhadilla's power and usefulness. With every visit home, her mother relentlessly tried to take up the cause of the occult. Carita, who are you texting? No one.

Just talking about some school stuff. What's his name? Mom. Is he cute? Mama, well, is he? Um, yeah, he is. See? Don't try and hide from me.

Look how ready you are. I see more than just with my eyes. It's nothing. Seriously. He's in my sociology class, and sometimes I see it in my study group. They only text about school stuff. Do you know if he likes you too? I don't know. He probably doesn't.

You know we have ways to fix them. No, ma no. We talked about this. I want nothing to do with that stuff. No? I'm just saying we make something up for him in the kitchen. You put it in a cup in your next study group. All you have to do is three.

No, Mama, I'm done with all of that. I told you. That stuff is wrong. Please, no more of that. Fine. Fine. Dinner is almost ready. Set the table, miha. You'll come back to me. I'll make sure of it.

Alejandra knew it would take a dramatic display of power to win over her daughter's mind. She did not believe that Valentina's embrace of Christianity was her own doing, but thought it was due to some external. interference. She was convinced that her daughter had been deceived by someone, and she would stop at nothing until she was safely back in the fold. Her unrelenting drive to make this happen eventually led her to the brink. If you type in how to break a spell into an internet search engine, it will yield thousands of results, but scrutinize them. The overwhelming majority will be from which posting about removing a spell

inflicted by another witch. While witches embrace their craft because of the power it gives them, the irony is that most suffer from chronic fear and anxiety. Far from being liberating and empowering, witchcraft holds its practitioners in fear. And the greatest object of this fear, ironically, is other witches.

Witches are notoriously suspicious of one another. When something significant and unexpected goes wrong on a witch, she worries that another has attacked her with a spell. In other words, she becomes preoccupied that someone is doing to her what she herself does to others. They say what goes around, comes around, and that is especially true if you're a basic witch. I was surprised to learn that in many traditions, it is simply assumed that you will be the target of curses and spells. Here's a fun example. In 17th century England, people used, quote, witch bottles, containers filled with urine, nails, and hair as a kind of spiritual trap to bounce spells back at the sender. That's right,

urine was thought to ward off evil spells. And if you're like me and wondering why, it was thought that the inbound magic attack would be drawn to the urine, the spell mistaking it for the essence of the person being targeted, and then the magic would be neutralized, or sent right back to its sender. It was thought your urine had some of your spiritual essence in it. Of course, you may have also just had too much multivitamin. Demons use paranoia and suspicion to their advantage. In fact, I suspect they often initiate it. Like the mob, demons cultivate their confidence from fear. They'll get a witch into such anxiety that desperate to free herself, from a perceived hex or curse, whether it is an actual curse or when the demons have faked,

she makes a deal with the quote-unquote spirits for new powers or assistance. In exchange, the demons demand something drastic and critical, something inordinately damaging to fuel the curse. This can include a wide range of perversions, such as taking the life of a loved one, or at least sacrificing that loved one's future. Tragically, the loved one is almost always a child. Self-mutilation on the part of the witch. There's an example of this in First Kings chapter 18 where the prophets of Ball, when they are taking on the prophet Elijah,

slashed themselves with swords and lances until blood poured forth from their wounds. Demanding the witch's own free will, such that she is bound to the commands of the spirits forever, becoming their puppet, but retaining just enough awareness to suffer. Eternal pain. The spirits may demand that the witch agreed to endure unending physical or emotional agony,

even after the curse is complete, with no hope of relief. Someone in his or her right mind would rightly ask, who would accept such a deal when the collateral demanded is so cruel, irreversible, or morally devastating. But that's the point.

Demonic collateral is always catastrophic and exploits the requester's desperation. Even towards their allies, demons will eventually show they have no allies. Incidentally, this lack of loyalty is also why evil can never win. At the end of the day, evil always cannibalizes itself.

Alejandra was aware of the other local witches practicing in the area. When Valentina revealed her embrace of Christianity and repudiation of the occult, Alejandra assumed that another witch, or maybe more than one, was hexing her to bring that about. Alejandra began fighting back against this perceived threat. Over the next month, she began sending a flurry of magic, spells, and incantations against all the witches she knew were practicing in the vicinity. It was an all-out war.

Dwenches for attacking my daughter. Disgusting vile whores. Make them eat their own shit. Make their blood desecis pluck out their eyes and their eyes. turn their bones into dust. Listen me, spirit of those amigos. Take this gift to this soul as the offer of your indebted servant and attack those filthy wretches for their attack on me.

Tomar and receive, tommas and receive, to ma'at and receive. As the Joker famously stated in the dark night, if you're good at something, never do it for free, and demons are great at predatory lending, and they ain't ever free. Across history and across cultures, curses have long been understood as transactions with spiritual forces, and those spirits are not interns. They want to get paid. In ancient Mesopotamia, for example, clay curse tablets were found in temple ruins dating as far back as 2400 BC, calling on gods to smite enemies while recommending blood

or personal belongings to bind the victim. It seems as long as humans have been around and having issues with one another, they have been. have been turning to the occult to try and secure an advantage. The Greeks and Romans took it further. They wrote curses called Deficionis on lead tablets, then nailed them shut and buried them in graves or wells, hoping to bind the mouths, limbs, or will of their enemies. These weren't vague threats. They were precise legal-style contracts with the underworld. Plus, lead isn't great for you, as you know. In Latin America, Brouheria and Santaria practices often include curses or or Trabahos that call on or euryshas or dead spirits and may involve animal sacrifice or the use

of menstrual blood, bones, or clothing from the target. What's consistent across these traditions is the belief that curses will always cost something. Whether it's fatigue, illness, mental deterioration, or spiritual torment, it's long been said that demons or spirits behind the curse take payments. In fact, in many traditions, curses aren't just one-way street attacks, their contracts. You invoke a spirit's help, and that spirit gets access. Not just to victim, but also to you. Perhaps this is why we hear stories of deterioration of health from those who consistently attempt to draw on magic. Something is being taken. Even in the 21st century, curses are alive and well. Witches on TikTok have openly shared rituals for hexes and binding

curses, drawing widespread criticism from both traditional witches and online occultists. There is also an abundance of online courses purporting to teach spells, magic, and rituals. But take note, these are not accredited institutions, and I don't think your course credits will transfer. We assure you, it will cost far more than $9.99 a month. Can you say hashtag disaster class? Alejandra's casting spells and curses against other witches was a daily occurrence. While they didn't always involve sacrificing animals, they did include incantations and sacrifices of some sort. For example, she often slit her flesh to her. introduce her blood into a curse.

In an attempt to make a greater contact with the spirits by way of a trance, she'd stand for hours in the sun during the height of summer without drinking, even to the point of passing out. At one point, Alejandra made herself so sick that she remained in bed for several days. As the weeks passed, her curses, incantations, and sacrifices brought her no close or to her goal. Valentina remained distant, and in their phone calls with one another, she quickly hung up the phone if her mother brought up her need to return to Brouharia or expressed any disdain towards the Christian faith. Yet, Alejandra refused to believe that

rival witches were not responsible for her daughter's rebellion, and rather than let down her measures of retaliation, she increased them. But concurrent with her attack on rivals, Alejandra also attacked Valentina's new friends. I'm agravio of those who enganyarriam with the of this animal, that a maldition caiga so on his morada.

Oh! Come against my family and our power cursed. Spirit Realm, I command you. Curses are real. While they are not something a Christian needs to be afraid of, they are something to be aware of.

Most of the bad things that happen to Christians are because of their own sinful actions. But God, in his wisdom, permits curses to exist and to be effective within the universe he created. And Alejandra's curses were certainly effective. Valentina's friends began having horrible. nightmares. Sammy had always hated spiders. I mean, who doesn't. But each night she dreamt of spiders

crawling all over her and trying to get into her mouth. She'd awake, gasping for air. Oh, no. Get away. Oh, God. One night, she awoke coughing and gagging because she was choking on something in the back of her throat. She spat it out. Turning on the light, she observed the largest spider she had ever seen, still alive and missing some of its legs, which she was picking off her tongue. With the spider dead, she began to pray. She had been dealing with a return of her anxiety, and this was the final straw. It is stories like these that make me ask, on which day did the Lord make spiders? And why didn't he rest that day?

Or did spiders, along with cockroaches, mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and warranty scam telemarketers find their creation after the fall. We will never know. I'd like to know here that it is the teaching of the church that when someone converts to Christianity and accepts Christ as their Savior, they are immediately covered by the blood of Christ and are made a new creation. This, however, does not make Christians completely immune to the demonic. Many people wonder why the demonic can oppress Christians.

As we've covered in other episodes, this is mainly due to our cooperation with sin. When she decided to give her life to Christ, Valentina renounced all agreements with her spirit guides and any other demonic packs she had made in the past. If she struggled with any residuals of her past, her pastor was not aware of it. And sometimes someone can have such an incredible heart change through Christ that those demons can never bother them again. Now, as far as nightmares, this is a commonly reported symptom with demonization. It did get me thinking, why do nightmares actually happen?

and how could demons, theoretically, be influencing them? Nightmares occur during REM sleep, that deep, dream-filled stage of the night when your brain is anything but at rest. While your body lies paralyzed, your brain lights up like a Christmas tree, and the part that lights up the most, the amygdala, your brain's fear center. It's the same region that activates in life or death situations. Psychologists have long debated why we have nightmares. One theory, called the Threat Simulation Theory, suggests that nightmares are like fire drills for. for your brain, mental training and rehearsals for how you'd handle danger or difficult situations. While many assumed that was simply what marriage was for, it turns out your brain may just want to

stay prepped. Others believe dreams reflect our waking life stress and trauma, what's known as the continuity hypothesis. In both cases, nightmares may not be as random as we might think. But then the question, if so many people report nightmares as a manifestation of demonic oppression, just how would the the demons be doing that? How could demons actually influence nightmares? I honestly have no idea. Are they manipulating the matter of our brains? Are they causing chemicals in our brain at night to cause these nightmares? Or in our dream state? Are we somehow more vulnerable as we are powered down for the night? Or is it the spiritual side of us that is under attack when demons cause nightmares? What we do know from scripture, though, is that God certainly does give dreams. And he is the one

who can interpret them. As Joseph in the book of Genesis chapter 40 verse 8 says, dream interpretations belong to God. So for now, though, we'll just have to abide by the words of the not-so-saint Stephen Tyler and quote, dream on. On the next Thursday, several nights later, Valentina met with her Bible study on campus. It turns out something was going around, and it wasn't just spiders. And so when Jesus says, ask anything in my name, he doesn't mean that Hawaii trip you're dreaming of. I mean, come on, Maybe, Lord. But what he means is, align yourself with God's will. Because it is within that alignment that heaven invades earth.

Got it? Yeah. Good. So on that note, who's got any prayer requests? Come on, first one's free. You know that. Yeah. I've been feeling really afraid lately.

And I've been waking up with night. tears. I've never had this happen before. I'll wake up gasping for air and it's, it's just awful. Yeah, same for me. I've been having horrible dreams too. Yes, me too. You as well? Yeah, same here. Every night. Really? You too? What? All of you? Okay, when did this start? Um, maybe two weeks ago, and it's been every single night. All right, let's take a moment and pray. Father, I think I know what's happening.

Sammy, your nightmares were about spiders, right? Yes. Wait, how did you know? El Trouajo Negro. It's the black work. Father, our group is being cursed. In the world of Brouharia, there is a term uttered with reverence and fear, known as Travajo Negro, or the Black Work. It refers to the darker side of the craft.

The rituals designed to harm, manipulate, and afflict. Practitioners of these rituals will often use personal items, as we've mentioned, hair, clothing, or even bodily fluids, mixed with things like graveyard dirt, animal bones, and of course, the blood of sacrificed animals. While the intended recipient of the curse will receive the affliction, there's also a cost for the one casting the spell. As we said earlier, in these traditions,

every curse cast is a pact, and demons will always send their invoices, and they will want to collect. Valentina recognized her mother's work. Her mother placed a curse designed to intimidate the members of her church group. One by one each admitted to experiencing intense anxiety and being plagued by night terrors. Father Douglas led the group in prayer,

asking God to take authority and break the curse. We thank you, Lord, for your assurance that no weapon against us, may prosper. Bless and protect this group in your mighty name, the name above all names. St. Michael defend us in battle. We ask you block any

cursing or witchcraft placed upon this group in the name of Jesus. Render all curses and no void of power. Take their nightmares away and give them tranquil, restful sleep. Thank you, Lord. The name of the Father,

of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Valentina called her mother and confronted her. You cursed my friends. What are you talking about? Mama, don't lie to me. You did El Tramajo Negro on my friends. Me either. No, Mama, you're the slave.

I am free now. You kill helpless animals just to curse people. You don't even know. It's sick. Can't you just trust me and trust God? I found something that's better. Something that actually gives me peace. And I'm the happiest I have ever been.

Enough. You are Valentina Perez, I'm a daughter of God. And I have given him my life. And you and I are done if you can't accept that. You don't have to like it or agree with it, but, Mama, you have to accept it. Mama, I love you, but Jesus is my savior. and I renounce all this evil spiritual shit our family is involved in. I can't do it anymore.

I'm done if you can't accept who I am. I love you. And I pray for you every day. I always will. And with that, Valentina severed ties with her mother for the time being. They wouldn't speak again for months. But despite the silence, Alejandra was nowhere near, ready to surrender. In fact, she became even more intent on destroying anyone who contributed to

this change in her daughter. Now, don't go cursing us just because our time is up. We will be back next week to find out just how this family affair pans out. How about their story end? Well, tune in next week, and in the words of one witch, we will spell it out for you. I know. That was lame. Much love, friends. See you next week. We hope you enjoyed today's episode. We want to give a very special shout out to our supporters, Christopher Sharp and Michael Duffy, whose generous contributions helped make these episodes possible. Many have done well, but you, of course, succeed them all. To keep in touch with us and get some of our anointed merchandise, you can visit our website or follow us on the gram at Exorcist Files or at our website,exorcistfiles.tv. You can also,

and I know you will, email us absurd and overly specific criticisms at Exorcist Files at gmail.com. We'll do our best to get back to you, but we get hundreds of emails. All cases recounted by Father Carlos Martins from his personal archives. Today's cast includes The Role of Alejandra by Lexi Flores, The Role of Valentina by Vanessa Carmichael, Father Douglas by Brandon Collins, Sammy by Rachel Hemsley, The Clients by April Langley, and Mandy Kinones. Music and scoring by James Cavell and Tom Staley,

mixing, mastering, mastering, engineering, and all that incredible. sound design by Dan Blesinger and Michelle Martinez. Script written by Ryan Bithay and Father Carlos Bartons and Brandon Collins and Rachel Collins. Thank you for your help on this one. Executive producers are Ryan Bitha and Father Carlos Martins.