Newpapers, online magazines and bloggers across the coutry are buzzing this week about televangelist Juanita Bynum landing in jail.

The controversial prophetic preacher, recording artist and author was arrested and carted to Lew Sterrett Justice Center—and spent the night there—after failing to show up at a Dallas civil proceeding that named her as a defendant.

The case involves a judgment that ordered her to shell out $140,000 to ALW Entertainment. Apparently, she did not follow through on a commitment to perform in a play ALW was producing. Charisma News contacted Bynum’s office Wednesday but did not receive a response.

Of course, Bynum is hardly the only television evangelist to sit behind bars. Last July, Maryland pastor Robert J. Freeman, a televangelist who lived in a $ million home with five fireplaces and two four-car garages, was sentenced to 27 months in prison related to a bankruptcy case. Also known as “Dr. Shine,” the charismatic pastor was convicted for hiding church assets so he could get out of paying a mountain of debt faith couldn’t move.

“Freeman lived a life of fraud and deception, using millions of dollars from church members, and fraudulently obtained credit to pay for luxury cars and a mansion while falsely representing in court that he was indigent,” Maryland U.S. attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement.

Who could forget televangelist Creflo Dollar landing in jail for allegedly choking his daughter? Charges were later dropped, but his mug shot appearing in media headlines caused quite a stir. Televangelist Eddie Long didn’t land in jail, but the civil suits against him have piled up. Some hoped doomsday prophet and televangelist Harold Camping would be arrested for his false prophecies about the end of the world that led so many astray.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of televangelists who have had brushes with the law. But it was somewhat exhausting to recall all of these scandals. Believe me, I don’t like reporting on them any more than you like reading them. But if we turn a blind eye to these issues—or let the secular media take the lead—we are neglecting our responsibility as Christian media. (I’m sure that statement will drive plenty of debate, but are we really supposed to ignore anything negative that happens in the body of Christ, even when it’s all over the secular media? There’s a difference between responsible reporting and heresy hunting.)

So I said all that to ask this: Why do so many televangelists land themselves in jail? Many famous Christian preachers have been in jail—I’ve been in jail—but that’s supposed to be part of your pre-Christian testimony rather than the event that brings reproach on your ministry.

I’m not here to throw stones or drag anyone’s name through the mud. But we need to deal with this problem in the church. So I’ll ask the question once again: Why do so many televangelists land themselves in jail? Are they being falsely accused? Perhaps sometimes. Did they fall into temptation? Certainly that’s happened. Did they slide into deception that greed introduces? I think that’s the answer more times than not.

When you look at the list of televangelists that have landed in jail, you’ll notice a running theme: greenbacks, big bucks, mighty dollars, finances, Benjamins, dead presidents, dinero, moolah, dough, riches, lucre—money. Then again, it’s not really the greenbacks, big bucks, mighty dollars, finances, Benjamins, dead presidents, dinero, moolah, dough, riches, lucre—the money. It’s the greed.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10). That’s why the writer of Hebrews warns us, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5). I’ll stop there. Amen.

What are your thoughts? Why do you think so many televangelists are landing in jail? For all those who make headlines, there are many Christian leaders without television followings who are also landing in jail. What say you?

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at ;Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including Did the Spirit of God Say That? You can email Jennifer at @ or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

After following the news in the wake of last week’s terror attack at the Boston Marathon, it is obvious and understandable that emotions in our nation run the gamut.

We are saddened by the physical and emotional pain that our friends and fellow Americans face as a result of those killed and injured. Our prayers for healing and comfort go out to the victims and their families during this time.

We are angry that someone had the audacity to commit this heinous crime on a day (Patriot’s Day) that was about everything that is right with our nation (courage, honor, freedom) on our own soil—our home.

We are confused as to why and how this could have happened. Who committed this act? Why did they do it? As our fine law enforcement officials investigate, we believe that answers will be forthcoming.

We are afraid. Many people in our nation are now living in fear on a variety of levels:

• People are in fear that it could happen again.
• Witnesses may face fear of the memories of that horrific day.
• Victims are fearful of moving forward into a future of uncertainty.

Terror, by its very definition, is about eliciting a fear response. Terror means “extreme fear.” Terrorism is not simply about killing and wounding innocent men, women and children; it is about inciting fear in those who remain and causing people to live in fear.

The problem we face is that fear (terror) is a vicious cycle. Fear is a magnet to demons. The more we discuss and voice our fear with our lips, the more demons are attracted to the atmosphere of fear. Fear is more than emotion … fear is a spirit. Second Timothy 1:7 tells us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

In the Bible, Job was considered a righteous man. However, Job had a fatal flaw. In Job 3:25, Job confesses, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.”

Job feared the loss of his children and his treasures, and Satan was drawn to that fear. And while we may think fear is an unavoidable part of life, living in fear is an existence we do not have to settle for. First John 4:18 tells us “perfect love casts out fear,” and according to Proverbs 29:25, we have this promise: “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”

Abraham Lincoln is arguably the greatest president our country has ever seen. However, history bears out that he lost every single election in which he ran until he ran for president. What if he had allowed fear from past experiences to convince him to quit? How different would our country look today?

Former South African President Nelson Mandela once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” For the believer in Jesus Christ, the opposite of fear is more than courage … it is faith and hope.

For those of you who watch my television program Abba’s House With Ron Phillips, you are familiar with my co-host, Angie McGregor. What many of you may not realize is that Angie is a gifted songwriter and singer.

Several years ago, in the immediate shadow of 9/11, Angie released a song that resonates today. Having faced down some fear in her own life, she penned the song, simply titled “I Will Not Fear.” After the events of 9/11, this song took on a whole new meaning for all of us who heard it.

For more than 30 years, Ron Phillips has been the pastor of Abba’s House (formerly Central Baptist Church) in Hixson, Tenn. As a lifelong Southern Baptist, a dramatic encounter with the Holy Spirit in 1989 changed his life and ministry to one that grasps who we really are in Christ and the gifts and fullness that are available to us through a Spirit-filled life. His television program, Abba’s House With Ron Phillips, blends solid biblical exposition with a simplicity anyone can understand. In addition, for 14 years, Phillips hosted the daily 15-minute radio program CenterPoint across the nation via radio and throughout the world via the Internet. He has now authored more than 20 books, including Awakened by the Spirit, Our Invisible Allies, Everyone’s Guide to Demons and Spiritual Warfare, The Foundations on the Holy Spirit series and his latest release from Charisma House, A God-Sized Future.

For the original article, visit .

My child, it is My desire that you will do what is right in My sight and that you will walk in the ways of righteousness. Seek My face, and like My servant Josiah, purge your life and your home of the powers of darkness that arise as altars of wickedness in this present generation. Break down the wickedness of the media, which has corrupted the eyes of this present generation. Take authority over the powers of the enemy that are permeating the airwaves and releasing filth and violence upon this land. Seek My righteousness, and fill the eyes and the ears of this generation with the wonders and miracles of My great love and power.

2 Chronicles 34; Ephesians 2:2; Leviticus 26:30

Prayer Declaration

Lord, I take authority over the princes of media in the name of Jesus. Let the high places of witchcraft be destroyed, and let the eyes and ears of this present generation be turned to Your righteousness. Make me a beacon of light in this evil world, and raise up a standard of righteousness in this land.

This article was excerpted from from Daily Declarations for Spiritual Warfare by John Eckhardt.

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Joseph’s descendants were very different than him. They obeyed when their desires were met and when God manifested His mighty power on their behalf. Whenever they were discouraged or felt abandoned, they quickly drifted into disobedience.

The first symptom of such drifting always came in the form of complaining. Those offended with God usually are not so foolish as to directly oppose Him. Instead, they resist His Word or leadership. The children of Israel complained about their leaders, but Moses answered with, “Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord” (Ex. 16:8).

Complaining is a killer. It will short-circuit the life of God in you faster than almost any other thing! Complaining indirectly communicates to the Lord, “I don’t like what You are doing in my life—and if I were You, I would do it differently.” Complaining is nothing more than a manifestation of insubordination to God’s authority. It is extremely irreverent! God hates it! Joseph feared God, and he never complained.

That is why the Lord admonishes us, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing” (Phil. 2:12-14).

God sternly warns us not to allow complaining to take root in our hearts. We are not left helpless by its intense attack. The fear of the Lord is a force within us that will keep that killer out. Proverbs 14:27 confirms this: “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.”

Joseph lived in a spiritual desert for more than 12 years. It appeared that nothing was going his way. There was nothing to strengthen and encourage him. But there was a fountain from which Joseph drew—one deep within.

This fountain provided the strength Joseph needed to obey God in tough, dry times. It was the fear of God! Joseph was able to avoid the pitfalls of hatred, offense, jealousy, resentment, anger and adultery through the life-giving waters of that fountain.

When others would have fallen into the traps of death, Joseph was able to turn away and minister to others—even in his darkest hours.

Joseph was wise in his behavior because he feared God: “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom” (Prov. 15:33). Those who fear God are wise. Daniel points out, “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Dan. 12:3).

Joseph passed the ultimate heart test by giving of himself and declaring God’s faithfulness in his darkest hour. It wasn’t long before Joseph’s wisdom caused him to shine brightly in Egypt. His virtue could not be hidden but was revealed to an entire pagan nation.

Interestingly, it was Joseph’s behavior while in prison and his response to his fellow prisoners that eventually led to his promotion. In Genesis 40, we read that the Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief baker were among the prisoners. Both had dreams, which were interpreted by Joseph.

To the butler, Joseph proclaimed the meaning of the dream: “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his
hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler” (vv. 12-13).

But for the baker, the interpretation was not so good. Joseph said, “This is
the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you” (vv. 18-19).

If there had been a morsel of complaint in Joseph’s heart, he would not have ministered to either the butler or the baker. If he hadn’t ministered to them, he would have remained in prison until his death.

In his final moments, Joseph would have still been murmuring about what appeared to be God’s unfaithfulness, when in reality God’s promise would have been aborted because of Joseph’s lack of godly fear. But God was faithful to release Joseph from his prison chains. At the appointed time, Joseph was summoned by the pharaoh himself to interpret a dream, at the recommendation of none other than the chief butler. And an entire nation was delivered from famine because one man—Joseph—feared the Lord.

In the latter half of the twentieth century, the church has displayed a lack of the fear of God. Therefore, we are viewed as a reproach rather than as shining stars before our nation in need. Our sins are frequently broadcast by the media, and we have lost the respect that believers should have. We have not demonstrated the faithful, God-fearing qualities found in Joseph. May God help us with His grace!

John Bevere is a popular speaker at conferences and churches and the author of best-sellers The Bait of Satan and The Fear of the Lord. He is host of The Messenger TV show and directs Messenger International ministry. This article was excerpted from his popular book Fear of the Lord. 

Do you have an orphan spirit or a spirit of sonship? Here are 11 ways to find out.

Ever since Adam and Eve were alienated from God the Father in the Garden of Eden, an orphan spirit has permeated the earth, causing untold damage! (By “orphan,” I am referring to a sense of abandonment, loneliness, alienation and isolation.) Almost immediately after the fall in Eden, the fruit of this orphan spirit resulted in jealousy, culminating in Cain murdering his brother Abel because God the Father didn’t receive Cain’s offering. To make matters worse, in contemporary society, with the breakup of the nuclear family, large amounts of people are not only alienated from God but are brought up without the loving care and security of their biological fathers.

I believe all of the emotional, physical and spiritual ills of society can be traced to humans feeling alienated from God and their biological fathers. Orphaned men have a hard time connecting to their spouses, their children, those in spiritual authority and their supervisors, and they have a hard time accepting and loving themselves. There are presently millions of incarcerated men who are acting out lives of violence and rebellion because their earthly fathers abandoned them. There are churches filled with pastors and leaders who use people and destroy relationships because they are driven to succeed, and it’s due to their need for a father’s affirmation—which is a hole too large for ministry success or performance to fill.

The only way to break this orphan spirit is for people to be filled with a sense of the Father’s love for them in Christ, which then enables them to become mature sons who serve God out of knowledge of His undeserved grace instead of trying to earn the Father’s love through performance.

The orphan spirit is perhaps the greatest curse on the earth today. It will take spiritual parents with great spiritual depth and authority to break and reverse this curse to perpetuate a generational blessing. Only when a person is healed of fatherlessness through the love of God is theorphan spirit broken so they can begin the process of entering mature sonship. Sonship is so important that all creation is presently crying out for the manifestation of the mature sons of God (Rom. 8:19)!

The following 11 traits contrast the orphan spirit from the spirit of sonship:

1. The orphan spirit operates out of insecurity and jealousy. The spirit of sonship functions out of love and acceptance.

Those with an orphan spirit are constantly battling jealousy and insecurity, since security originates in a secure relationship with our parents. Those with an orphan spirit are so insecure, they even have a hard time hearing a biological or spiritual father praise their siblings or co-laborers. But those with the spirit of sonship are so secure in the Father’s love and favor that they’re content to serve in any capacity needed, whether or not they are in charge or celebrated in the process.

2. The orphan spirit is jealous of the success of his brothers. The mature son is committed to the success of his brothers.

Those with an orphan spirit are happy when their brother fails because it makes them feel good about themselves. On the other hand, those with the spirit of sonship joyfully commit themselves to serve, celebrate and help their brothers succeed, since they don’t work for human accolades but out of a deep sense of the love and affirmation of Father God.

3. The orphan spirit serves God to earn the Father’s love. The mature son serves God out of a sense of divine acceptance and favor.

Along these lines, those with an orphan spirit are constantly striving and trying to earn the Father’s love through accomplishment in ministry or career. Those with a spirit of sonship already know they are accepted in Christ and serve others out of the abundance of this acceptance.

4. The orphan spirit tries to medicate its deep internal alienation through physical stimulation. The mature son walks in the joy and presence of the Lord for comfort.

Those with an orphan spirit are constantly trying to push down their sense of alienation, loneliness and lack of self-worth through constant work, going from one relationship to the next, physical gratification and a life of narcissism and self-indulgence. However, the more they indulge, the more addicted they become and the larger the hole in their heart becomes because only the love of the Father can fill the deep emotional needs they have.

Those walking in sonship bask in the presence and love of God and practice the joy of the Lord continually as their source of strength because they understand that grounding their security and self-life in anything other than God is like trying to build a house on sinking sand.

5. The orphan spirit is driven by the need for success. The Spirit leads the mature son into his calling and mission.

Many attempt to accomplish great things to satisfy the deep yearning in their hearts for their father’s approval. This results in them being driven to succeed instead of being led by the Spirit. Even many leaders get their churches into huge debt to build huge buildings, driving the people around them because they are blinded by their own innate feelings of inadequacy. They think they can feel good about themselves with great accomplishments.

Only those with a strong sense of sonship will allow the Lord to direct them and bring opportunities to them without trying to drum up their own success.

6. The orphan spirit uses people as objects to fulfill goals. Mature sons serve people to bless the kingdom.

Those with an orphan spirit tend to use people as objects to accomplish their goals. Whenever we objectify people, we manipulate them with words threats, and anything necessary to have our way and control them. Mature people who walk in sonship don’t use people; they serve and release people to fulfill their destiny in Christ.

7. The orphan spirit repels children. The spirit of sonship attracts children.

Leaders and parents with an orphan spirit are constantly in turmoil, fighting and striving for their own way, which gives their spiritual children the sense that their leader is in competition with them instead of loving them. This results in repelling spiritual and biological children, which can forfeit influence over the next generation! Those who walk in sonship walk in the Father’s anointing and draw children toward them because their children hear the voice of a shepherd who cares for them.

8. The orphan spirit has anger and fits of rage. The spirit of sonship rests in the Father’s ability to control and guide the future.

Those with an orphan spirit have issues with uncontrollable anger, fits of rage and other forms of manipulation because they feel they must control others and their circumstances in order to fulfill their goals. This is because they lack the trust necessary in their heavenly Father to guide and control their future.

Those walking in sonship walk in the Father’s rest and have ceased from their own works so the Father can have His way in their lives.

9. The orphan spirit is always in competition with others. The spirit of sonship is always blessing others.

Those with an orphan spirit are always trying to outdo others in their church, family, business or denomination because they receive their identity through being better than everyone else. Those who walk in sonship are constantly seeing how they can bless others, since they already have the affirmation of God in their souls. They want to freely share His love with others.

10. The orphan spirit lacks self-esteem. The spirit of sonship walks in the love and acceptance of Father God.

Those with an orphan spirit have a hard time loving and accepting themselves. Those walking in sonship are filled with a sense of divine love and acceptance that enables them to walk confidently in the joy of the Lord in spite of the fact that all humans are sinners and fall short of the glory of God.

11. The orphan spirit receives its primary identity through material possessions, physical appearance and activities. The spirit ofsonship is grounded in sonship and the Father’s affirmation.

Those with an orphan spirit never have enough career success, material possessions, pleasure or illicit relationships to satisfy the hole in their heart related to their identity. Consequently, they are constantly striving to gain satisfaction through the use of various things or people in their lives. In many cases, even their form of dress—including an inordinate amount of tattoos, skin piercings and hairdos—can be their way of standing out as unique in a cry for attention due to a lack of self-esteem and fatherly affirmation.

Those who walk in sonship are so grounded in their divine Father’s affirmation that they can be satisfied serving in the background and can celebrate the success and attention others receive. The void in their soul has already been filled with the unconditional love of the Father.

In conclusion, the greatest gift known to humankind is to accept, receive and walk in the love of the Father, who so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that we may not perish or waste our lives away but experience the abundant life that only our divine Father can give.

This article originally appeared on .

Joseph Mattera has been in full-time ministry since 1980 and is currently the presiding bishop of Christ Covenant Coalition and the overseeingbBishop of Resurrection Church in New York, a multiethnic congregation of 40 nationalities. He has hosted his own radio show, Light Your City, and a weekly cable television program, The Ekklesia. He is the author of four theological books on the kingdom of God, entitledRuling in the Gates (2003), Kingdom Revolution (2009), Kingdom Awakening (2010) and Walk in Generational Blessings (2012).

In his most recent State of the Union address, President Obama made this bold declaration: “Let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families.”

A wonderful thought, to be sure. But would this single step actually raise the incomes of millions of working families? Historically, minimum-wage laws and unions have actually hurt the black community.

Did you know that there was a time in our country, after the Civil War, when white unemployment was higher than black unemployment? It seems almost unfathomable now, but that was the case in the early decades of the 20th century. This was intentionally changed after Congress enacted the first federal minimum wage law: the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931.

As most of us remember from history class, the 1930s saw a plethora of public works projects introduced to combat the unemployment associated with the Great Depression. (Whether or not this worked is a topic for another day.) But during that time, many impoverished blacks left sharecropping to come north in search of such jobs. The Davis-Bacon Act was created specifically and explicitly to prevent blacks from “taking” these jobs from local white workers.

Congressman Robert Bacon of New York began crafting various pieces of legislation to discriminate against black workers when a black construction crew from Alabama was brought to his state to build a hospital for veterans in 1927. Because most blacks lived in the South, any laws restricting the use of migrant labor discriminated against them. Since blacks were not admitted to trade unions, any law that favored union labor automatically excluded blacks. Bacon submitted 13 such bills over the next four years, culminating in the Davis-Bacon Act.

The act mandated that federal contracts pay their workers the “prevailing wage.” As innocent as this might sound, records of the debate over the bill reveal that everyone understood the “prevailing wage” meant the union wage and that this meant there would be no blacks working on federal projects. In fact, when testifying before the Senate in favor of Davis-Bacon, American Federation of Labor union president William Green complained, “Colored labor is being brought in to demoralize wage rates.”

The federal minimum wage may no longer be racist in intent, but it is still racist in its effects. Labor is affected by supply and demand, just like anything else. If we pass a law that raises the cost of printer paper to $100 a ream, companies will find a way to use less printer paper. In the same way, when the law raises the cost of labor, companies purchase fewer hours of labor.

Larger corporations may relocate their operations to countries without such laws, and smaller businesses may start paying workers “under the table” in cash. This means that law-abiding American workers will find their hours cut—or worse yet, they will lose their jobs. And those most likely to be affected are the teenagers and lower-skilled minorities who hold most entry-level positions.

In reality, we all know that a single mother working 40 hours a week for minimum wage will struggle to make ends meet. But while an extra dollar an hour might buy her a bag of groceries, it won’t keep the lights on or gas in the car. What people do in that situation is work two minimum-wage jobs or have their teenaged children work part-time to help with the household expenses. But if there are fewer such entry-level jobs available, that family’s income will not increase, as the president hopes it will. It will actually decrease dramatically.

If immigration reform brings 11-20 million workers out of the shadows and one-half of them are unskilled, raising wage minimums will dramatically affect the current economic equilibrium at the low end of the wage totem pole.

It seems to me that a major strategic approach toward training untrained workers for jobs will be necessary. As immigration reform is negotiated, future quotas will have to focus on the “true needs” of our nation so that our current problem is not repeated in 20 years.

Instead of lifting more people out of poverty, minimum-wage hikes inevitably lead to greater unemployment. Even more problematic, they prevent the neediest individuals from gaining the work experience that is vital to their economic advancement.

Hiring always involves risk for employers. (Most studies indicate it costs more than twice an employee’s salary to find and train a replacement.) One of the best indicators of whether or not an employee will work out is his or her work history. But how can young people or lower-skilled workers develop a work history while entry-level jobs are disappearing?

The first federal minimum-wage laws were created with the specific intent to prevent blacks from breaking into the labor market and obtaining better opportunities for themselves. New raises in the minimum wage may not carry the same intent, but they will undoubtedly have the same effect.

Instead of widening the gulf between the employed and the unemployed, we need a growing economy where employers compete for workers. Only then will we see more jobs and higher wages at the same time.

Harry R. Jackson Jr. is senior pastor of 3,000-member Hope Christian Church in the nation’s capital. Jackson, who earned an MBA from Harvard, is a best-selling author and popular conference speaker. He leads the High-Impact Leadership Coalition.

Never underestimate how much Satan hates you. He loathes you with an icy hatred that exceeds any ire you have faced on this earth. His hatred is ultimately directed toward God.

When Satan recognized Jesus as God’s Son, his hate and fear compounded. On one occasion the demons cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24). On another occasion the demons cried out to Jesus, “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” (Matt. 8:29).

Satan is God’s creation—never forget that. He was not created evil; he became evil. We have an enemy whose hatred of God is also directed at us. When Satan was cast down, taking with him all those who entered into his conspiracy, he devoted himself to blinding men and women. He blinds them by exploiting their hate, their jealousy and their desire for self-vindication and vengeance.

All he ever does is attempt to defeat God. He is deceived, telling himself he will somehow win in the end. Although he knows his doom is sure, he still tries his best to take all he can with him to hell.

The next time the devil, called the accuser in Revelation 12:10, reminds you of your past, remind him of his future: “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur … [He] will be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10).

Satan may win some battles, but God has won the war.

What the devil does, then, is tempt us. He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). He comes like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). He does his best work through our unforgiveness. If he can get you to hold a grudge, he can play with you like a toy. Refusing to let others off the hook is your way (even if you don’t mean to) of beckoning to the devil, “Come and get me.” One important advantage of totally forgiving others is that Satan “might not outwit us” (2 Cor. 2:11), so that “Satan will not outsmart us” (NLT). Therefore if he finds the seed of resentment in you, it makes easy work for him.

Unforgiveness means resentment, and resentment is at the heart of jealousy. Satan can see jealousy in us quicker than you can bat an eyelash. The moment he sees jealousy in us, he is merely waiting for the moment to exploit us, pounce on us and engineer us to do his wish.

Don’t let Satan have that pleasure with you. Don’t give him that satisfaction. My loving counsel to you: Learn to recognize jealousy in yourself as soon as possible, and then fear it. Fear jealousy as you would fear being trapped by a violent fire. Run from it. When you see it in yourself, do all you can to resist it.

R.T. Kendall has been the pastor of Westminster Chapel in London for the last 25 years. He now lives in Key Largo, Fla. He is a well-known speaker and the author of Jealousy: The Sin No One Talks About, from which this article was excerpted.

Prayer is one of the ways we release the will of God upon the earth. We must study the Word of God in order to know the will of God. This is why prayer and the Word must be combined. Daniel was able to pray effectively because he knew the Word of God concerning His people (Dan. 9:2–3).

We should pray with understanding (1 Cor. 14:15). Understanding the will of God will help us pray correctly. The Word of God is the will of God. We are not to be unwise but understanding of what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:17). Prayer also helps us walk perfectly and completely in all the will of God (Col. 4:12).

Life and death are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21). Right words are forcible (Job 6:25). The words we speak are spirit and life (John 6:63). We can be snared by the words of our mouth. We need to articulate the thoughts of God by praying and confessing His Word (Is. 55:8). God’s Word released through our tongue will cause His power to manifest in our lives.

Words are used to convey our thoughts. The words of God are the thoughts of God. We are releasing the mind of God when we pray and confess His Word. The thoughts of God are peace and prosperity (Jer. 29:11). They are designed to bring us to an expected end.

Jesus taught us that our faith is released through our words (Mark 11:23). Our faith-filled words can move mountains. There is nothing impossible to those who believe. Our faith is a key to seeing miracles and breakthrough on a consistent basis. Whatever we ask in prayer, believing, we will receive (Matt. 21:22). The Word is near us (Rom. 10:8). The Word is in our mouth and heart. This is the Word of faith. The mouth and the heart are connected. We speak from the abundance of the heart.

The Word of God in our heart will come through our mouth. Faith in the heart will be released through our mouth. God watches over His Word to perform it (Jer. 1:12).

We are encouraged to call upon the Lord. He has promised to show us great and mighty things (Jer. 33:3). The Lord delights in our prayers. He delights in answering our prayers. Before we call, He will answer (Is. 65:24). The Lord’s ears are open unto the prayers of the righteous (1 Pet. 3:12). The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). We are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).

John Eckhardt is overseer of Crusaders Ministries in Chicago. Gifted with a strong apostolic call, he has ministered across the U.S. and in more than 80 other countries. He produces a weekly TV program, Perfecting the Saints, and is the author of more than 20 books, including Ordinary People, Extraordinary Power and the popular Prayers That … series (Prayers That Rout Demons, Prayers That Break Curses, Prayers That Bring Healing, Prayers That Release Heaven). For more, visit his ministry at . This article was excerpted from his book Prayers That Rout Demons. 

Sofia the First, Disney’s new preschool princess on television, doesn’t need a prince. She’s the daughter of a poor single mother who marries King Roland. This daughter of a shoe cobbler must learn what it is to be a princess. She’s aided by visits from famous Disney movie princesses.

In The Wall Street Journal, Nancy Kanter, senior vice president of original programming and general manager of Disney Junior Worldwide, says, “We knew we didn’t want it to be a young woman looking for a man … We’re undoing all that damage.”

On Kanter’s blog, she says, “Kids learn from everything around them: parents, family, school, friends, and the media. It’s so vital that key social issues are conceived appropriately. From an early age, youngsters need to be taught about social issues such as the best way to make friends, being honest and having grace. It’s important that they are taught that it doesn’t matter what they wear, but it’s what is in the inside that makes them special.”

In another post, she writes, “Whether in a book or on TV, I am often struck by the power of story and its ability to not only bring children to a place they might never have dreamed of, but also by its influence on behavior and attitude. It’s why we pay so much attention to role modeling in our shows. Children imitate what they see and when they see the right things—truly valuable and aspirational things—they take them to heart and make them their own.”

Where will Sofia go? Where will she lead 2- to 5-year-olds?

Clearly, the creators see a role for the media in shaping the social and moral values of 2- to 5-year-olds. It’s fine to promote honesty, grace and civility, but any message that undermines the traditional family is harmful. Children raised by their natural parents are far less likely to live in poverty, quit school, use drugs, commit crimes or spend time in prison. If Disney actually cares about the long-term well-being of children, it would promote the traditional family rather than the “modern family.”

It would even be of benefit to Disney to do so. Children raised by their natural parents have far more disposable income to spend on Disney tickets, theme parks and merchandise than do children raised by single mothers. Few single mothers marry a king who can turn their daughters into princesses. More often the daughter of a single mother becomes a single mother herself. The havoc wreaked on children is immense. The economic impact is severe.

Sofia the First, which first aired Nov. 18, has already become the top show among 2- to 5-year-olds.

“These children are the Walt Disney Company’s most important audience,” says Anne Sweeney, co-chairman of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group. “They’re the future, and this is their first introduction to our brand.”

The name Disney has traditionally been associated with family entertainment. Disney’s future is strengthened when the family is strengthened. It’s damaged when the family is undermined.

Tremendous research goes into the production of a program like Sofia the First. Disney would be wise to do tremendous research on the cause of poverty and the cause of high disposable income. They may learn that a princess who has both a mother and a father to take care of them and guide them, and a princess who marries a prince, is more likely to escape poverty and become a better Disney customer.

David Outten is production editor at Movieguide. This article orginally appeared on .

Carol Garlow, the wife of pro-family advocate and pastor Jim Garlow, has gone home to be with the Lord after a brave and very public battle with cancer.

“We have tried to be very transparent for the past five years, nine months and 26 days, and we will be transparent once again,” wrote Jim Garlow, pastor of Skyline Church in La Mesa, Calif., on April 16. “Carol and I have just returned from her oncologist’s office. By mutual consent between Carol and her doctor, treatment has been discontinued. Hospice is now beginning.

“Although no doctor can ever predict (and he was quick to point that out), it is believed that Carol has approximately one to two months of life left on this earth. I am typing these words through tears and, candidly, in a bit of disbelief and shock. But, as quoted in the Easter sermon two weeks ago, ‘We are not as those who grieve with no hope, nor are we as those who hope with no grief.’ (John Nielson) We have unshakably strong hope. We have indescribably deep grief.”

Carol passed away Sunday afternoon. Jim, an active promoter of Pulpit Freedom Sunday, wrote, “42 years ago, we ended our wedding vows with the words, ‘… until one of us shall place the other in the arms of God.’ I just did that.”

Carol’s diagnosis came in 2007, just weeks before a group of pastors gathered at Skyline to organize an historic battle for traditional marriage via Proposition 8. Abdominal cancer kills about 80 percent of its victims within five years of diagnosis.

Alan Sears, president, CEO and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, was one of the first to offer condolences:

“Our hearts join Jim’s and the tremendous number of others who are mourning the death of Carol Garlow. Her unwavering faith and perseverance was an example to many. She loved God, was a pillar of strength for her husband and had an immense impact, including upon those of us who have worked closely with the Garlows in support of religious freedom. Our prayers are with Jim and the entire Garlow family.”

Read our earlier story on the Garlows: Jim Garlow: My Reason to Fight.