Spiritual warfare is not optional for Christians. Scripture makes it clear that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of darkness that seek to control regions, destroy families and draw people away from God.
In every generation, the enemy works to reestablish footholds through deception and false worship, but the authority of Jesus Christ remains greater. The battle for souls demands discernment, prayer and boldness to confront these forces with the truth of God’s Word.
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On a recent episode of The Confessionals Podcast, host Tony Merkel welcomed Rebecca Greenwood, author of Dethroning the Queen of Heaven, to expose the return of ancient demonic powers and discuss how Christians must respond. Greenwood explained that what the Bible calls the “queen of heaven” is not a benign figure but a dark principality that has manifested in cultures for thousands of years. “When you begin to study this queen of heaven like I was doing at that time… the Hebrew word that is used in this Scripture, it’s malkah and it is defined as a female ruler, one who is a governmental head of a kingdom” (Jer. 44).
Greenwood emphasized that names such as Ishtar, Hathor, Isis, Jezebel and Lilith are all variations of the same ancient spirit. She recounted a spiritual encounter where Jesus revealed to her “throughout history and time… all of these different forms of the queen of heaven had established.” These spirits, she said, are not myths but real forces of darkness influencing societies through occult practices and bloodshed.
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One of the most notorious is Lilith, whom Greenwood described as “a screeching owl, a night hag, a night witch” tied to death, sexual bondage and even infant mortality. In Houston, she recalled receiving a prophetic warning: “You have three weeks to pray or the night hag is going to establish her stronghold over the city.” After focused intercession, Greenwood said the death rate among young people began to drop drastically, a breakthrough she attributed to the power of Christ overthrowing demonic influence.
Jezebel stands as another prototype of these destructive powers. Greenwood noted how her violent death illustrates the nature of principalities. “It was the real dogs that devoured her body and ate her. So what she gave her worship to turned against her and devoured her,” Greenwood explained. This, she said, shows how the enemy ultimately consumes those it deceives.
The ministry of confronting these powers is not about human strength but about walking in Christ’s authority. Greenwood was clear: “We love people with the heart of our heavenly Father. But what we are allowed to hate is Satan and his army of darkness.” Believers, she said, must always act under God’s assignment, declaring, “We’re not coming for victory, but from victory with victory.”
Christians today face a world where Jezebel, Lilith and the queen of heaven are resurfacing in culture under different names and practices. The Bible calls believers to confront these spirits not in fear but in the authority of Jesus, who has already triumphed over the powers of darkness.
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Now more than ever, Christians must take up the armor of God and wage war against principalities with prayer, intercession and the Word of God. At the same time, the church cannot neglect the Great Commission. The task is not only to cast down strongholds but to preach the gospel to every creature, rescuing souls from the grip of darkness and growing the Kingdom of God until Jesus returns.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
