Is an exorcism supposed to cause the possessed person to vomit?

The Bible reveals that demons do exist and that they can possess people. Several times in His ministry, Jesus cast out demons, demonstrating His authority over the spiritual realm (see Mark 1:34). Demons cannot possess a true child of God because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (see 1 John 4:4). Unbelievers, who do not have the Holy Spirit indwelling them, can be subject to demonic possession.

What is the procedure for casting a demon out of a person? The Bible never gives any instructions on the matter. That has not stopped people from coming up with their own methods, usually involving certain prayers, commands, hand motions, talismans, liturgies, and rituals. The Roman Catholic Church has its own ritual of exorcism, and various “prophetic deliverance ministries” provide how-to videos online: “How to Cast Out a Demon: 7 Easy Ways,” “Be More Effective in Casting Out Devils,” etc. Some of these guides advise making the possessed person vomit. Throwing up or spitting up is seen as prompting the demon to leave the body or a sign that it is doing so.

If vomiting is a sign of deliverance, then it should follow that burping signals that the demon is getting ready to come out. And this is exactly what some ministries teach. Incessant burping is a good sign that the exorcism is working; vomiting is the goal. According to some, shedding tears is another way to expel a demon—the demon will come out with the tears. Other purported exorcists advise the possessed person to spit or blow his or her nose.

The problem with all such instructions is that they are entirely extrabiblical. Nothing in Scripture instructs Christians on the precise manner of casting out demons. Some people feel that, to facilitate an exorcism, there must be an expulsion of some type of bodily fluid—puke, tears, saliva, snot, etc.—but no such thing is supported by any of the biblical stories involving casting out demons. The Bible references vomiting, for example, about ten times, but never in connection with casting out demons (see Proverbs 23:8; 25:16; and 2 Peter 2:22, e.g.). The link between vomiting and exorcism is a manmade concept.

We should be careful not to get too focused on the occult. Satan is eager to exploit anything that could cause us to lose our focus on God. And casting out demons is no proof of true faith: “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:22–23, ESV).