For decades, Dr. James B. De Young taught the New Testament and the Book of Revelation at Western Seminary. Now, he says the spiritual encounters described in Scripture are not just historical records—they’re happening across the globe, every day.
Appearing on Prophecy Watchers, De Young discussed his book Supernatural Encounters: Divine and Demonic, which highlights both biblical and modern experiences with spiritual forces.
“My purpose was to update the fact that the Bible relates to us supernatural encounters truly from beginning to end,” he said. “But it doesn’t stop there.”
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According to De Young, the growing fascination with the paranormal in mainstream culture is no coincidence. He points to events like the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel as not just political or military actions, but as deeply spiritual events rooted in ancient demonic strongholds.
“It turns out that that place of Gaza throughout biblical history… has been a hotbed of demonic activity,” he said. “So it’s not surprising that Hamas and the terrorists… are being motivated by satanic and evil desires.”
De Young emphasizes the biblical reality of spiritual warfare.
“Those principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in heavenly places that we read about are not just academic,” he said. “They’re active.” Drawing from Ephesians and Daniel, he warns that spiritual forces are influencing world leaders, and that “Satan and all of his fallen angels are here all over the world trying to turn the world against God.”
He also highlights the danger of occult involvement among youth.
“It is said of teenagers that 73% of them have been involved in some form of the occult,” De Young stated.
From witchcraft to divination, many find themselves trapped in deeper levels of bondage. But deliverance is still possible through the name of Jesus Christ.
“He’s greater than Satan, greater than the demons,” De Young said.
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From the rapture of Enoch to Paul’s confrontation with demonic culture in Acts, De Young urges believers to understand that Scripture isn’t abstract theology—it’s a supernatural record of divine intervention and spiritual conflict that continues to this day.
“It brought the Bible right up here where I say, ‘Wow, I’ve experienced some of these things myself,’” said host Gary Stearman. “You bring a kind of reality to the Bible that I think we need to see.”
As De Young warns, the battle isn’t just spiritual—it’s real, it’s personal and it’s escalating.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
