Leviathan is a ruling demon that uses many different means to cause believers to circumvent God’s plan for their lives. Its primary tactic is to build a demonic network focused on twisting the truth and instilling pride, but it can manifest in many different ways. When we learn to recognize the toxic operations of Leviathan in our lives, families, businesses, churches, ministries, communities, cities, regions and nations, we will be able to defeat the wily schemes of the enemy and cut off betrayal at its root.

Slander and Strife

The Leviathan spirit will twist not only the words but also the thoughts of people it binds. Slander is an operation of manipulation. It brings heavy accusation under the cover of darkness, in secret. Instead of choosing a pathway of biblical restoration, it will make hidden accusations to tear down another person. This demon attempts to drive a wedge in relationships by attacking minds. Slander thrives in the lives of people who are double-minded and who waver in assignments and relationships. The Bible clearly warns about slander:

“You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people” (Lev. 19:16a).

“And he who spreads slander is a fool” (Prov. 10:18b).

Slander refuses repentance and responsibility, and it continues to place blame. It will attack those who are the target of offense. Prideful people become angry when they do not get their way and attack others with their words. They will use slander and accusation as tools to exact revenge on another. And slander goes hand in hand with another tool of Leviathan—strife.

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” (Prov. 10:12).

“A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends” (Prov. 16:28, NASB).

The spreading of strife is demonic. Releasing toxic and negative reports about others can be an act of betrayal in and of itself, and it impairs the advancement of the kingdom of God. The Bible tells us in Matthew 18 that if a wrong has been committed, the first step is to go directly to the person. The intent should be to mend the wound and restore the relationship.

Leviathan will twist conversations to create havoc. It will release nasty decrees against men and women of God. Leviathan will prophesy destructive and slanderous things over the lives of choice servants, and it will sow strife. Those bound by this spirit have a tongue that is out of control. Not only do their minds need deliverance, but their mouths as well! Leviathan creates offense and justifies the spreading of slander. It is a sneaky demon that operates under cover.

Pride Produces Destruction

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18, MEV).

Pride is an instrument the enemy uses to block men and women’s discernment. When you are bound by Leviathan and stuck in pride, you are not allowing the Holy Spirit to convict you and draw you out of sin. This is one of the objectives of pride.

Prideful people find fault. They identify demonic operations and manifestations in the lives of everyone else but fail to take ownership of their own issues, whether in family and personal relationships, business relationships or ministries. This is a setup to keep them bound. Leviathan is good at pointing the finger instead of looking in the mirror. It takes humility to go through deliverance. You must admit the issue, confront the bondage and come before God in a posture of full submission. Many people miss this because they are too concerned about their images and reputations. They must become truly broken before the Lord.

Standing Against the Lord

The arrogance of Leviathan will cause people’s hearts to become hardened as Pharaoh’s did when Moses told him God wanted Him to let the Israelites go. They will actually stand against the plans of the Lord. This is both foolish and dangerous.

Each of us must live with eternity in mind. We are going to give account of our lives, our words, our deeds and our actions. Did we cooperate with God’s plans on earth? Did we live radically and passionately for Jesus? We cannot afford to pursue our own paths instead of the plans of the Lord. We want to stand before the great judgment seat of Christ and receive rewards, not rebukes.

We do not want to miss the mark and not tell the story that we were called to tell while on earth. God has ordained us for mighty plans and purposes. The great joy of our lives is to discover the plan of God and live it out each day. I call this “the great discovery.” It is an adventure. We don’t want to have a hard heart and miss it.

Prideful people lose sight of God’s grace in their lives. They become self-reliant, self-promoting and self-protecting. People bound by pride emphasize their own abilities, their own talents and their own achievements. They really discount the presence of God. When God calls a man or a woman to do something, He can provide the talent in a moment! He is the creator of the universe. It is easy for Him to place ability and gifts inside human beings. What He is really looking for is surrender. We need to wholeheartedly pursue the plans and purposes of the Lord rather than giving way to the Leviathan spirit and standing against them out of pride and arrogance. {eoa}

This article is excerpted from Chapter 4 of Betrayal From Hell by Ryan LeStrange (Charisma House 2020).

Ryan LeStrange is the founder and apostolic leader of an international network of ministries known as the TRIBE Network. He is also the senior leader of the iHub movement, through which he plants and oversees a network of governing churches, apostolic and revival hubs.

In 2 Timothy 1:5-6 (NIV) Paul admonishes Timothy with these words, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

As I read this endearing letter from Paul to his spiritual son Timothy, I can feel the warmth and paternal nature of Paul’s heart. He very deliberately reminds Timothy of his heritage and legacy that connects to his grandmother, mother and Paul himself. It is evident that the purpose of this section of the letter is to call Timothy into remembrance of his spiritual foundations and to allow this to spur him on in his walk with God.

I do not make a habit of living in the past. However, I also never allow myself to forget where I came from and how throughout my many years of serving God that He has been faithful on so many levels. It is this reality that oftentimes gives me strength and endurance, especially when I find myself in battles that exhaust me and reveal the weakness of my humanity.

I have also found that the primary element in the life of a follower of Jesus is that we must steward and guard our hunger for the Lord. The heart cry of Moses was, “Lord, show me your glory” (Ex. 33:18b). In essence, he longed for God himself and not just the benefits that He provides to His followers.

God will answer the prayer that comes from the heart that hungers and thirsts for Him above everything else. James 4:8a (MEV) declares, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” This promise reveals God’s faithfulness to His children throughout the generations. However, the foundation of the narrative is that we must draw near to God and seek Him incessantly as His children. It is this prayerful posture that positions us for eternal treasures that cannot fade.

As we deliberately remember the wonders of knowing the Lord, it is impossible to maintain a strong hunger for more of the Lord when we allow our lives to be filled with distractions that continually pull us away from Him. We must have a single eye for Jesus alone and refuse to be distracted by lesser things that have a tendency to become idols in our lives.

Meditate on the following verses and allow them to stir a fresh hunger in your heart for the Lord and His wonders:

—”My soul is crushed with longing After Your ordinances at all times” (Ps. 119:20, NASB).

—”At night my soul longs for You, Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently; For when the earth experiences Your judgments the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9).

—”Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth” (Ps. 73:25).

—”My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?” (Ps. 42:2).

—”Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life'” (John 4:13-14).

—”Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal” (John 6:27).

5 Dynamics of Remembering the Wonders of the Lord

1. The greatest impact we can have on others is that of knowing God in an intimate way.
2. We can teach our natural and spiritual children to do ministry; however, if we don’t impart into them a pattern of deep intimacy with the Lord, we are guilty of imparting learned behavior patterns void of the experience of God Himself.
3. When “deep is not calling out to deep,” we easily fall into the trap of doing good works void of the secret place of intimacy with the Lord.
4. It can become easy to compromise our devotion life when we learn how to do the works of ministry (ministry success can actually bring about a deception).
5. When ministry becomes a pattern that is void of deep passion, then it can become stagnant and can lead to frustration and burnout. The only real place of joy and satisfaction is in knowing Jesus personally and all the activity that surrounds Him will never take the place of Him. “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him” (Ps. 34:8).

Listen to the full Maintain the Flame episode on the Charisma Podcast Network here. {eoa}

Keith Collins is the founder of Generation Impact Ministries and Impact Global Fellowship. He is actively involved in itinerant ministry, teaching and writing. In recent years, Keith served as the president of the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry and as the director of FIRE School of Ministry, which were both born out of the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, Florida. His recent book, Samuels Arising: Waking Up to God’s Prophetic Call, is now available on Amazon, and his podcast, titled Maintain the Flame, can be heard on iTunes and at . You can contact Keith via his websites at or .

I heard the Lord say, “I am calling forth the intercessory influencers to make a mark in the spirit realm that the enemy can’t ignore. He will bow at the sound of your voices in the name of Christ. I am calling forth intercessory influencers who will decree My Word in the atmosphere so angels can rise up and use it as a sword to fight and execute My plans in the earth.

“I am calling forth intercessory influencers who will set aside childish things and the distractions of this age to hear My heart and pray My Word. As they press in to deeper dimensions of prayer, they will see an increase in influence, increase in favor and an increase in wisdom. Intercession is not for the faint of heart, but it moves My heart to action. Intercessors, stand on your watch, pray and receive My mantle of influence.”

A mantle of influence. That’s quite a word! What kind of influence? Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, which has a spiritual bent, defines influence this way: “a power whose cause and operation are unseen; spiritual power, or the immediate power of God on the mind; as divine influence; the influences of the Holy Spirit.”

The Intercessor’s Reward

I’ve always said some of the greatest rewards in heaven will go to the intercessors. Intercessors in all their diverse functions and gift mixes release prayer power that activates God’s will in the earth. Persistent intercessors can change the course of history. But intercessors will not just get rewards in heaven. They will receive rewards in this lifetime.

I believe one of the rewards in this life is influence. I believe another is intimacy with the Lord. You can’t go all in with intercession without the Lord revealing more of Himself to you. As He said to Abraham, who was a praying prophet, “I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward” (Gen. 15:1b)

Click here to read the rest of this article. {eoa}

An exciting opportunity is extended to us in a recent episode of Live Your Best Life With Liz Wright on the Charisma Podcast Network. Liz shares a vision where the Lord gave her a key and commissioned her saying, “Unlock My end-times church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” In another experience, Jesus promised her, “If you create a space for Me, I will come.” The space that Liz has created to unlock the bride of Christ is in the form of the International Mentoring Community, a group of like-minded Jesus-lovers who want to experience more of Him.

Liz has made this community accessible for every believer at any stage of their journey, with the purpose to grow deeper with Him no matter their current experience. There are many in the body who the Lord has spoken to about equipping the bride through intentional community, and this is one such expression. This is strongly on Jesus’ heart in this hour, and it is essential we step into personal, experiential relational with Him. As Liz says, “He wants us to know Him, and now’s the time to do it.”

In partnership with this dream of the Lord’s heart, Liz has also written a book, Reflecting God: Spiritual Keys to Unlock the Supernatural You. Everyone who joins the International Mentoring Community will receive a free digital copy of this bestselling book. In this episode, Liz reads from Reflecting God to empower the listener into gaining heaven’s perspective through activational keys of Scripture.

The experiences Liz shares in this episode are so rich and are an invitation to every believer. Her testimonies are a prophecy of what Jesus wants to do in your life. You too can know Him deeply and have encounters with Him. If you want help, support and community in this journey, then the International Mentoring Community is the perfect place to find it! {eoa}

As children of God, our hearts long to walk in the fullness of God and to see His favor in our lives. We want to see His blessings and to excel with great success in what we put our hands to.

Since this is the case, it’s vitally important that we bring definition to what success looks like in the kingdom of God. Often, the system of this world is diametrically opposed to the systems of God’s kingdom. For example, from a worldly standpoint, the apostle Paul’s mission wasn’t always successful. He suffered severe persecution and eventually died as a martyr. From a natural viewpoint, it doesn’t seem like God’s favor always encompassed Paul. But from a biblical perspective, we know that God’s favor and success in the kingdom doesn’t look like our circumstances going perfectly all the time and it certainly doesn’t mean we won’t face persecution.

Many snares lay before the child of God. Pursuing success, blessings and favor from a carnal and worldly viewpoint will majorly limit our breakthrough as believers and hinder us from truly and purely walking out God’s divine assignment in our lives. We need to embrace humility, fear God and cling to Christ in truth and faith. When we value God’s Word above all else and submit to the daily process of knowing Him, we begin to supernaturally see God’s favor burst forth all around us. God refuses the proud, but He lavishes grace on the humble of heart. Humility looks like trusting in God’s Word and His ways above all else.

On the latest episode of the Awaken podcast, Michael Lombardo speaks with internationally renowned minister and Bible teacher, Andrew Wommack. Together, they discuss Andrew’s latest book entitled More Grace, More Favor. At the core of his message is the necessity of humility, the fear of God and walking in the Word. Andrew gives a biblically sound message that will help all believers truly walk in the favor of God. Tune in and find out more. {eoa}

While Kevin was a college student, he attended the church my husband and I pastored. He read my book, One Voice. Afterwards, he shared with me things that happened to him when he was a child. As he talked, I could feel the pain in his voice.

Kevin truly loved the Lord, yet he longed for something greater. As he pursued God with all his heart, he was blessed with a mentor who had a prophetic mantle upon his life. It was this prophetic voice God used to make a huge difference in Kevin’s life. He experienced complete deliverance from the pain and strongholds of his past. You see, he was only 5 years old when he was subjected to molestation.

Did you know?

—It is estimated that 1 of 6 boys and 1 of 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 12?

—68% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police?

—98% of rapists never spend a single day in jail?

—66% of sexual assaults are from a family member or someone they know?

When Kevin at 5 years of age experienced sexual abuse, he didn’t know it was abuse. Abusers speak tenderly to their victims. It’s usually someone who is trusted, a family member or a close friend.

When I counseled Kevin, he shared how the abuse eventually impacted his identity. He became confused about who he was. He discussed how the door was opened for demonic activity. The deep, dark secret affected his life to the point that he began searching for love and acceptance—in all the wrong places. He struggled with thoughts of his manhood. “Am I really a man—something feels off.” The taunts from other children, the names they called him seemed to confirm his uncertainties. His search took him to straight bars, gay bars, sex, drugs and alcohol—all in his efforts to find love and acceptance.

Kevin was an amazing athlete. Basketball was his passion, and he was good at it. Putting his confidence in his talents, abilities and money led to open doors to rejection and shame. He was living a life with no boundaries. One fateful day, his search for his identity came to an end. A gentleman spoke with him after a basketball game. Through this conversation, God spoke to Kevin’s heart. There was a hole in his life. It was empty. All the time he was accumulating stuff, he was lacking everything. The love of God changed everything. During the conversation, this man saw an open door to share a word of salvation. As a result, Kevin had a genuine experience with God.

“Your broken past will try to shape you into a person that God never intended for you to be,” says Kevin. “Did you know the devil has traps set for you? He has a strategy and a plan? He knows if he can get to you as a child, then he feels like he’s got you. But there’s power in one voice! One voice has the potential to change everything, even your past,” says Kevin.

The Word of God says, “I know the plans I have for you” (Jer. 29:11). That means God has designs for your life. He is the architect of your temple, your destiny, your purpose, your life!

Kevin elaborates how the enemy tried to shape him into a person he was never meant to be through childhood sexual abuse and molestation. It was one voice that spoke into his life at different stages of his healing that made a difference; that changed everything! He talks about how God has promised to take what the devil meant for harm and turn it around for good! That is exactly what God did for him!

In the One Voice podcasts you will hear how God can take a broken life and make something beautiful out of it. You will see that the enemy works in darkness, in secrets, inviting shame and guilt so as to keep you silent, angry and lonely. No longer will we be silent! We will tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help us God!

In the episodes that follow you will hear more of Kevin’s story. His and more stories will declare how the power of God’s voice speaks truth into our lives—giving us new life. The old has passed away and behold, God is doing a new thing! The old life is buried; the new life is resurrected in Christ Jesus. Jesus puts within us a brand-new heart, with new desires and new thoughts!

Tune in each week to hear real-life stories of how God is bringing people out of total darkness, shame, guilt and despair into the marvelous light in Jesus Christ! We will bring into the light the stuff the church has left silent. {eoa}

As antifa members hurled rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails at Seattle police last week, city officials focused their energies elsewhere in the city by fencing off a nearby park to keep the Christian organization Let Us Worship from peacefully assembling.

Walker Wildmon, vice president of operations and public policy analyst at American Family Association (AFA), which advocates for religious freedom, says the city’s choice underscores the growing threat to American religious liberty.

“The Let Us Worship movement is an inspiration and couldn’t have come at a better time,” Wildmon said. “As government officials continue to unfairly target Christians, it is all the more critical that we continue to participate in corporate worship with fellow believers. Despite unconstitutional government edicts, churches across America must continue to open and remain open.”

Officials obstructed the planned prayer and worship event from occurring because Seattle officials claimed it jeopardized the “public health of residents,” Fox News reported.

AFA noted that concern for the public health—or of Seattle’s police—seemed not to factor into the decisions of officials who indulged the violent antifa gathering nearby, which led to a police officer being assaulted.

AFA has rebuked local and state officials often this year for using COVID-19-related concerns as a pretext to abuse power by unlawfully restricting houses of worship from holding services.

Wildmon says instead of seeking permission to gather, Christians should embrace their constitutional right to do so.

“As Attorney General William Barr said a few months back, the Constitution is ‘not suspended in times of crisis,'” Wildmon said. “Instead of Let Us Worship, I suggest we begin calling this movement We Will Worship.”

Despite Seattle officials closing the park, Let Us Worship organizer Sean Feucht pivoted the event to become a “worship protest,” as Fox News reported, that gathered on Labor Day.

Feucht, a California-based pastor, who has organized more than 20 rallies nationwide, noted the irony that while police officers dealt with antifa members’ attacks, “the city focused their energy on our peaceful worship and prayer rally,” writes Fox News. {eoa}

For more than 40 years, The American Family Association has operated within the mission to inform, equip and activate individuals to strengthen the moral foundations of American culture and give aid to the church here and abroad in its task of fulfilling the Great Commission. Visit AFA Action Alerts here.

View the media page for AFA here. For more information on American Family Association, visit or follow AFA on Facebook or Twitter @AmericanFamAssc.

In a little over two months, voters could decide whether we throw away America.

iVoterGuide President Debbie Wuthnow asks, “Will America continue standing on the principles of freedom outlined by our Founding Fathers, or will we instead throw it all away and replace it with something else?”

“Our vote this November is more critical than ever,” Wuthnow says. “That’s because the forces opposing America have been unleashed. The choice is ours.”

It boils down to three choices:

1. Keep religious freedom or let government dictate church practices.

—The first target of the “cancel culture” is religious freedom. Faith is dangerous to the radical agenda, and so it must be eliminated.

—Leaders like California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom banned indoor worship for territory covering 80% of that state’s residents.

—Legal defense organizations are inundated with cases where churches and individual Christians have been severely restricted across the nation.

—Governments have allowed churches and religious figures to be torn down or threatened.

The Choice Is Clear

Will America vote for candidates who see faith as “nonessential,” or will we vote for candidates who will renew America’s historic affinity for faith in God?

2. Keep American heritage or tear down and rewrite American history as evil.

—In June, protests over racial tension turned a corner far beyond race. Peaceful protesters were replaced by radicals taking over blocks of cities, and tearing down statues and monuments of heroes—from Founding Fathers to first responders—even abolitionists like former African American slave and statesman, Frederick Douglass.

—Leaders of these movements proclaim themselves to be “trained Marxists” and are honored by many candidates for office this election.

—Radicals claim that America is, at its core, an evil nation, and always has been—that America is not a great nation with flaws, but instead that America is built on a foundation of evil, ignoring the good.

—The American flag is a target of derision for famous athletes and others.

The Choice Is Clear

Will America vote for weak candidates sympathetic with the radical agenda, seeking to totally change our society and system of government, or will we vote for candidates who will counter these mistaken views, correct the errors and uphold America’s basic principles?

3. Keep the rule of law or defund the police.

—As Democratic-run cities across the country vote to defund their police departments, “progressive” politicians make very weak disagreements in order to appease their base.

—Violent crime is skyrocketing in areas where police have been put at a disadvantage. And in many cities, police are retiring early due to lack of support by elected officials.

—”Christian voters realize that citizens must always be aware of the potential for abuse by government, including law enforcement,” says Wuthnow. “But we are also aware that ‘no authority exists except from God’ (Rom. 13:1) and that the police are ‘a minister of God to you for good'” (v.4).

The Choice Is Clear

Will America vote for politicians who accept social chaos and disorder, or will America vote for politicians who will restore and maintain social order, knowing that where there is no social order, there is anarchy and, eventually tyranny?

It is imperative that Christian and conservative voters this coming November understand what kind of a future the political candidates favor:

—Big-government tyranny or freedom?

—Religious freedom or state-mandated thought control?

—The rule of law or mob rule leading to tyranny?

If Christian voters understand where candidates stand on the issues, they will:

1. Vote biblically and responsibly.
2. Turn out to vote in greater numbers.

Information can lead to better leaders!

“America’s basic principles are on the ballot this November,” says Wuthnow. “The choice is ours.”

A critical question iVoterGuide helps voters answer is, “What have those who have been entrusted with power as an elected official done with that authority in the time they have possessed it?” {eoa}

iVoterGuide is your one-stop resource for candidate ratings and election information in 2020. From a Christian and conservative perspective, iVoterGuide’s expert researchers give you an in-depth analysis—and overall rating—for about 8,000 candidates in 3,500 races. In addition, iVoterGuide gives you election dates, registration deadlines and polling locations.

Learn more at .

Now that the new Netflix movie Cuties is available for viewing, we know that it is far worse than we imagined. Yet there are movie critics and movie stars who are celebrating this trash rather than denouncing it. What has happened to our culture? Have we lost all vestige of a conscience?

In the words of Kyle Hooten on Twitter, “‘Cuties’ just released and it’s WAY worse than anybody expected. Netflix just published soft-core child pornography, and they’ll probably get away with it.”

Jason Howerton’s tweet was even more emphatic: “I’m dead serious, people should go to prison for this. ‘Lawfully defines as pedophilia’ and look at the media ratings. All of you are going to hell. #Cuties.”

As my wife, Nancy, asked when I sent her some links, “How can this even be legal????” How indeed.

Before the movie came out, but based on initial reports, I asked, “At what point does this stop? At what point does our society say, ‘Enough is enough’ when it comes to the assault on our children? At what point do we stand up as a nation and put a stop to this attack on innocence?”

Now that the movie is out, with a sickening segment posted for viewing on social media (viewer discretion advised), we must say, “Enough!” as loudly and clearly as we can.

A good place to start would be canceling Netflix subscriptions. As Robby Starbuck tweeted, “The 11 year old girls who were sexually exploited filming Cuties shot those scenes in front of a director, a DP, a gaffer, their parents, a choreographer, an MUA, a hair person, a camera assistant, a wardrobe person, extras and more. Not one adult protected them. #CancelNetflix.”

Yes, these are young girls dancing sexually in the presence of adults (no doubt to be viewed online with glee by sexual perverts). Young girls who could be your daughters or granddaughters. Young girls being exploited for profit. And Netflix distributes this without consequences? Enough!

Yet, despite this outrage, one which is uniting social liberals with social conservatives, the movie has its admirers.

In the words of actress Tessa Thompson, “#CUTIES is a beautiful film. It gutted me at @sundancefest. It introduces a fresh voice at the helm. She’s a French Senegalese Black woman mining her experiences. The film comments on the hyper-sexualization of preadolescent girls. Disappointed to see the current discourse.”

So Thompson is disappointed to see mothers and fathers and others grieved over “the hyper-sexualization of preadolescent girls,” failing to realize that they are being exploited in this very movie.

In other words, the movie does not simply tell a sad story about young girls being sexually exploited (many would argue it celebrates their sexploitation). The movie itself exploits the children. But rather than being brokenhearted over the contents of the movie, Thompson is “disappointed” to see the negative reaction to the flick. This is turning morality upside down.

Yet Thompson is not alone, and what I am about to report provides a glimpse into the morally confused bubble in which many in the film industry live.

On the Rotten Tomatoes website, viewers gave the movie a rating of 3%, an incredibly low (but rightly deserved) score. (As of this writing, there were 1,047 viewer ratings.) But film critics gave it a score of 88%, a very good rating. (This was based on 32 reviews.) They really loved the film!

This sums up the perversion of much of the film industry—the lack of morality, the lack of conscience, the lack of family awareness.

And what is the critics’ description of the film? “A thoughtful look at the intricacies of girlhood in the modern age, Cuties is a coming-of-age film that confronts its themes with poignancy and nuance.”

Only one word comes to mind to describe my reaction to their words: sick.

No wonder America is so morally lost. These critics are our guides and our prophets.

Yet, the truth be told, I’m not in the least bit surprised. Not when a sexually degrading, vulgar song can be the No. 1 hit in the nation (and in other nations). Not when there is an epidemic of porn sweeping the land, affecting the religious and non-religious alike. Not when our legislators pass laws protecting sexually aggressive adults (who have sex with younger teens). Not when we celebrate 11-year-old drag queens dancing in gay bars.

So it is not just the film critics who are sick. It is not just those who exploited those young girls in Cuties (this includes their parents, who allowed it) who are sick. No, our whole nation is sick, drowning in a sea of depravity.

It is that serious. There is no hyperbole in my words.

And so, while canceling our Netflix subscriptions is a good place to start—in recent weeks, the series Lucifer was trending at the top of the charts—it can only be a starting point.

This is a time for deep personal reflection. A time for searching of soul and heart. A time of sweeping repentance.

In short, either we have a massive spiritual and moral awakening, or we perish. What will it be? {eoa)

Now and always, all human life is sacred, from the womb to the grave.

Nothing grieves me more than knowing our nation has legalized the massacre of more than 60 million babies. In some states, elected officials are now seeking to legalize the nefarious acts of infanticide and euthanasia.

We destroy our most vulnerable through abortion and euthanasia, and we compel our health care professionals to participate in the taking of human life. We reject even the most basic legal protections for the unborn, the disabled and the sick.

Lest you think I overstate the matter, consider this: In 2019, our U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation making animal cruelty a federal crime. But in February of this year, our elected officials wouldn’t extend to an unborn child the same protections they give to a dog!

The Senate failed to pass one bill that would have banned abortions when unborn babies are at the stage they can feel pain and dismissed another that would require health care professionals to provide medical care for babies who are born alive after an unsuccessful attempted abortion. This is unadulterated evil.

Incidentally, the votes on both bills were almost entirely along party lines with nearly all Republicans voting to advance a culture of life and almost all Democrats voting to advance a culture of death.

For years, Democrats claimed they wanted abortion to be “safe, legal and rare.” Now, women are encouraged to “shout your abortion,” and the Democrats’ platform calls for the legalization of abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. So much for rare. And safe? Any supposed commitment to safety went out the window when abortion advocates turned a blind eye to abortionists like Kermit Gosnell and Ulrich Klopfer—both men whose parade of horrors were the embodiment of pure evil.

But our moral depravity doesn’t end there. We’ve turned abortion into a high-tech eugenics device. So seared is our conscience that in the United States today, approximately 70% of unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted. After all, if inconvenient children don’t deserve to live, why should “flawed” children fare any better?

The thirst for death continues even after birth. I have long believed that Roe v. Wade was perhaps the greatest evil perpetrated by our society. Still, I never imagined that a major political party would advocate for the killing of children after birth—infanticide! Yet, that is exactly what is happening.

Last October, the Family Research Council released data demonstrating that only 15 states offer strong protections for babies born alive after an abortion. In contrast, 16 states have no laws defending these precious children. Last year, New York passed a so-called “Reproductive Health Act.” This direct assault on life amounts to infanticide. It allows for the murder of a child by abortion any time up to the very moment of delivery. And if that child should manage to survive the assault and the effort to kill him or her, the law allows the abortionist, who may not even be a physician, to leave the infant to die on a table on a porcelain plate. This is beyond belief. It is the absolute worst kind of evil imaginable, and some of our government officials want to export this law to every state across the country. This one issue alone should compel every Christian to vote in this election!

Not content to attack life at its inception, we’ve begun to embrace euthanasia, which continues the horrible targeting of the most vulnerable among us. The so-called “right to die” movement permits the elderly, the sick or the mentally ill to end their lives, often aided by the very medical professionals sworn to protect them. A 2018 Gallup Poll found that 72%of Americans think euthanasia should be legal.

What is the answer to this horrible disregard for life? Our Declaration of Independence proclaims the unalienable right of “life.” But too often, our government officials fail to uphold even this most basic ideal. We need politicians who stand for life and policies that protect life. We also critically need a societal change of heart. One by one, the lies of abortion and euthanasia have been exposed. Now the truth about the God-given value of human life must be proclaimed! The church must find its voice. And you must find your voice.

We can still change this nation and return to being a people who recognize the sacredness of life. But it won’t happen unless we act now. Start by being a voice for life, by offering love and support for single moms, funding or volunteering at local pregnancy centers and demonstrating in word and deed that the elderly, the sick and the disabled are all precious in the sight of God. But don’t stop there. Learn about the political party platforms and candidates running for office.

Vote for public servants who respect the sanctity of life at every stage, and who aren’t afraid to govern accordingly.

From conception to our last breaths on this earth, all life is a sacred gift from almighty God. It must be cherished in our hearts and protected through our actions, both in our capacity as individuals and also through our laws and policies as a nation. {eoa}

Dr. James Dobson is a celebrated psychologist, Christian leader and founder and president of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI), which is dedicated to preserving the biblical institutions of marriage and family by encouraging, inspiring, supporting and leading parents and children to build their lives on God’s Word. Dobson is the author of 71 books dedicated to the preservation of the family.