On a recent episode of the Revival Lifestyle Podcast, host Isaiah Saldivar welcomed Emmanuel Campana to share his incredible story of deliverance from the occult. The episode dives deep into his journey from witchcraft and darkness to freedom in Jesus Christ.

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

“I feel the Lord is saying we need to keep exposing the darkness,” Campana explained early in the interview. “We need to keep exposing the new age. And some of you have kids that are involved in this… the Lord can use this to speak to them to help bring them out of these lifestyles.”

Campana grew up around the church but experienced deep family brokenness. He drifted into the world of witchcraft, tarot cards, spirit guides, and even called himself a wizard. At the height of his involvement, he described moments of terrifying possession: “My body was just writing a whole bunch of demonic symbols… my body was not under my control at all. The only thing I could do was watch myself through my own eyes.”

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

But in that darkest moment, he called on the only name that could save him. “I yelled Jesus,” Campana said, describing how the power of Christ instantly broke the hold of the enemy.

How Jesus Turned Darkness Into Destiny

• Set him free from demonic possession and occult bondage.
• Delivered him from addiction, depression, and identity struggles.
• Replaced fear with peace and purpose.
• Raised him up to disciple others and share the gospel.

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

Today, Emmanuel Campana is walking in freedom and helping others find the same hope he found in Jesus. If you want to hear more about this amazing testimony, watch the full interview in the video above.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

A surprising biblical connection

Joel Rosenberg is asking a question many Christians and political observers are watching closely: Does Bible prophecy say the Saudis will make peace with Israel?

In a recent YouTube exclusive for The Rosenberg Report, he explained, “There’s no specific prophetic passage anywhere in the Bible, Old Testament or New, that says there will be peace between these countries in any type of specific way. But…when you read Ezekiel 38 and 39, particularly chapter 38, it strongly implies it.”

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

Rosenberg pointed back to Scripture’s history, reminding viewers that Arabia and Israel were not always at odds. “Think of the story of the queen of Sheba,” he said. “She was so impressed by King Solomon’s wisdom and the favor of God on him that she gave him all these treasures and she effectively said, ‘Let’s make peace.’ And they built a relationship. They built a peace treaty. Go read it.”

What prophecy actually says

While the Bible never names Saudi Arabia in a modern sense, Rosenberg argued that Ezekiel’s prophecy of the Gog and Magog war offers important clues.

Pre-order Jonathan Cahn’s Newest Book, “The Avatar” on !

“When you read the beginning of Ezekiel 38 about this coming prophetic attack on Israel, the prerequisite of that prophecy is that Israel is living securely in the land,” Rosenberg said. “The Jews have come back after exile, rebuilt the ancient ruins, made the deserts bloom. Things are going really well in Israel. Things are peaceful. They’re prosperous. And Israel has quiet on all sides.”

That sets the stage for Gog, identified as a Russian leader, to lead Iran, Turkey and others against Israel. But Arabia is not included in that list. Instead, the passage notes that “Sheba and Dedan,” ancient names Rosenberg identifies with Arabia, will stand on the sidelines.

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

“That doesn’t tell us definitively that the people of Sheba and Dedan have a peace treaty with Israel,” Rosenberg clarified. “It does strongly imply that the people of Sheba and Dedan aren’t in the conflict. They’re not in the coalition with Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya, Sudan and these other countries. They’re outside.”

Prophecy in motion

For Rosenberg, the prophetic implications are significant. The fact that Arabia could stand outside a coalition against Israel would have been unthinkable for most of the past century.

“That would have been impossible to imagine for the last 80 or 100 years,” he said. “It’s much easier to see now because the United Arab Emirates, which is also part of the Arabian Peninsula, they have a peace treaty with Israel. So does Bahrain. So does Jordan. So does Egypt. The Saudis don’t have the deal. Not formally, but effectively they want calm, quiet, and even peace with Israel.”

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

While he emphasizes that no direct prophecy guarantees a Saudi-Israeli peace treaty, Rosenberg believes today’s developments are aligning closely with Ezekiel’s picture of a secure and prosperous Israel, setting the stage for events that point to the last days.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

CBN News is reporting that China is developing pregnancy robots complete with artificial wombs to help couples struggling with infertility. Host Raj Nair called the development “absolutely wild,” quoting Dr. Zang Quiang, the doctor leading the project, who said: “The artificial womb technology is already in a mature stage. And now it needs to be implanted in the robot’s abdomen so that a real person and the robot can interact to achieve pregnancy allowing the fetus to grow inside.”

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

Nair was joined by Billy Hallowell, who did not hold back in his reaction: “This is horrifying on a number of levels. You know, a God designed the body in a very particular way… a baby growing inside the womb of a human mother, there’s a connection point there that you want to see happen that is not happening in this case.”

Pre-order Jonathan Cahn’s Newest Book, “The Avatar” on !

Hallowell warned that not only is the technology deeply unnatural, but its testing would almost certainly lead to the loss of human life.

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

Together, the two broke down the disturbing implications of what such technology could mean:

• Robots are being priced around $14,000, far cheaper than human surrogacy which ranges from $100,000–$200,000.
• Hallowell stressed that science is moving so fast it won’t be surprising to see this happen, but the ethical costs are severe.
• Both highlighted that robots should never be used to replace the God-ordained role of mothers or the sanctity of life within the womb.
• Hallowell urged Christians to start with prayer: “God, is this of You? Is this not of You?”

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

This disturbing report highlights just how unnatural and dangerous this pursuit is, crossing moral lines in the name of science. To hear the full conversation between Raj Nair and Billy Hallowell, watch the video above.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

Prophecy Watchers host Gary Stearman and author Jonathan Brentner recently discussed the uniqueness of the rapture and how today’s world events point to prophecy unfolding.

Brentner stressed that the rapture is distinct from the second coming of Christ. “It’s not part of the Second Coming. It’s different from the Second Coming,” he said. The difference comes down to timing. “When the rapture happens in 1 Thessalonians 4, Jesus raises the dead in Christ first. At the Second Coming… it might not even be the same day. It might be several days later.”

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

He added that the groups raised are not the same. “He raises the dead in Christ. But when at the second coming, it’s just a subset of believers as tribulation saints.”

Pre-order Jonathan Cahn’s Newest Book, “The Avatar” on !

The conversation also touched on global turmoil, especially the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel and the alarming rise of antisemitism. “Antisemitism… as we speak, and you know the Palestinians are perfectly willing to kill all the Jews,” Brentner warned. He noted the disturbing calls to wipe out Jews “from the river to the sea.”

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

Both Stearman and Brentner said these events reflect deeper spiritual forces at work. “We see that the same today in Iran. It’s almost as though that spirit is alive and well,” Brentner said, connecting current hostility to the ancient enemies of Israel.

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

Despite the dark outlook, Stearman reminded believers that Scripture also promises hope. “The world is preparing for something unspeakable,” he said, but added that the Bible provides assurance for those in Christ. Brentner agreed, saying the rapture points to “something that’s going to happen to Christendom… at the very near future. And it’s a beautiful thought to be having at this time in history.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

What would you do if you saw evil rising in your nation while most people looked the other way? That was the reality for Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the brilliant German pastor who recognized the threat of Adolf Hitler long before the world understood the full scope of Nazi terror. Author and radio host Eric Metaxas says Bonhoeffer’s story isn’t just history, it’s a prophetic warning for Christians in America right now.

“Bonhoeffer was one of those voices who…was trying to wake up the church, because he knew just as we know today the Lord has appointed the church to be the voice of the nation, to be the conscience of the nation,” Metaxas said in a recent interview on Daystar. “The pagans aren’t going to be held accountable. We are the ones that are supposed to know.”

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

Metaxas explained that while it’s easy now to say the Nazis were obviously evil, that wasn’t how it felt in Germany at the time. “Most Germans at the time had no clue when the Nazis were beginning to take power who they really were. Nobody could dream of the Holocaust and the death camps, trust me when I tell you they couldn’t dream of it,” he said.

Pre-order Jonathan Cahn’s Newest Book, “The Avatar” on !

Bonhoeffer stood firm even as many churches, both liberal and conservative, chose silence. “They all have good reasons to kind of keep their head down,” Metaxas said. “But he sees pagans saying, ‘I’m going to stand up against Hitler.’” Bonhoeffer eventually joined the plot to assassinate Hitler, believing God expected both prayer and action. “The Lord says, ‘Yeah, well I expect you to pray but I also expect you to act,’” Metaxas said.

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

The Nazis executed Bonhoeffer in 1945, just weeks before the end of the war. To Metaxas, his life is a heroic example but also a prophetic warning to today’s believers. “Exactly what happened to the German church is happening to the American church now,” he said. “If you don’t speak up…it’s the famous quote we don’t know who said it, but it’s often attributed to Bonhoeffer: ‘Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.’”

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

Metaxas said Christians who claim they are “just preaching the gospel” while avoiding difficult issues are missing God’s command. “God is not buying that lie,” he said. “When He calls you to speak the truth, don’t tell them you’re going to preach the gospel. Speak the truth.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

As he pushes to bring an end to the bloodshed between Russia and Ukraine, President Donald Trump made it clear this isn’t just about politics, diplomacy or even the Nobel Peace Prize. For him, it’s about something bigger, he’s thinking about eternity.

“If I can save 7,000 people per week from being killed – I want to get to heaven, if possible; I’m hearing I’m not doing well,” Trump said in a televised phone interview Tuesday morning. “If I can get to heaven, this will be a reason.”

"I want to get to heaven."

President Trump makes a humble admission as he pushes to end the war between Ukraine and Russia.

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 19, 2025

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

A President Focused on Peace

Trump’s words came after a whirlwind of calls and meetings with European leaders and even Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, according to Trump, eagerly answered a late-night call from the Oval Office. The urgency, he said, couldn’t be delayed.

“One gentleman said, ‘Let’s meet in another month or two,’” Trump recounted. “I said, ‘A month or two?! You will have 40,000 people dead. You do it tonight.’”

Unlike many of his predecessors, Trump’s message is plain: time is short, lives are at stake, and peace is worth pursuing immediately. “I want to get things done,” Trump said. “If it works out, I’ll go to the trilat [trilateral meeting] and close it up.”

Contrasting With Other Leaders

Trump hasn’t been shy about drawing a line between his leadership and that of other presidents. On Crimea, he pointed squarely at former President Barack Obama: “Obama gave it away. They took the most valuable piece surrounded on four sides by ocean, a beautiful piece of property. Why the heck did he do that to them? In one of the dumbest real estate deals I’ve ever seen.”

Pre-order Jonathan Cahn’s Newest Book, “The Avatar” on !

On NATO, he contrasted his approach with that of former President Joe Biden. “Since I’ve been there, we don’t pay,” Trump said. “I got NATO to go from 2% to 5%. We sell to NATO, and NATO pays us immediately. Then they give it to Ukraine.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio even noted that Trump is the only one in the world who can bring Putin to the table. And Trump himself added, “France and Germany, and the U.K., they want boots on the ground. Putin is tired of it; they are all tired of it.”

A Leader Surrounded by Faith

In many ways, Trump’s desire for peace highlights something deeper. While he often frames his efforts in terms of saving lives and “getting to heaven,” the Bible makes clear that no one earns heaven by their works, no matter how noble.

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

The apostle Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Jesus Himself declared, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). That means peace initiatives, historic deals or even saving countless lives cannot open the gates of heaven, only faith in Christ can.

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

As President Trump works tirelessly to bring peace where so many others have failed, it is a reminder that his quest for peace is a noble one. Yet Scripture is crystal clear that eternal life does not come through great accomplishments or historic treaties, but only through faith in Jesus Christ.

Let us pray that President Trump, even as he pursues peace on the world stage, comes to the full realization of what the Bible teaches about salvation, and that his heart is drawn to the One who is the true Prince of Peace.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

Spiritual warfare is not a metaphor or a superstition, it is a present reality. The Bible warns that demonic forces seek to kill, steal and destroy, and when Christians dismiss this as fiction, we leave ourselves and our families vulnerable. Culture has long painted the occult as entertainment, but recent events surrounding the infamous Annabelle doll remind us that the spiritual battle is deadly serious.

Annabelle on Tour

As reported by The Blaze, the doll at the center of the Conjuring film franchise is now traveling across the country on the “Devil’s on the Run” tour. Ticket-holders are invited to pose for selfies, laugh, and even touch the case holding the doll. “Although well intentioned, this tour is exceptionally irresponsible,” Christopher Reese wrote, warning of the dangers of trivializing demonic power.

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

Reese recalled that Ed Warren himself placed a sign on the doll’s case that read, “Warning, positively do not open.” Yet videos show attendees mocking the doll and treating it as a spectacle. Reese asked soberly: “If the stories of those who made light of the doll are true, what might happen to scores or hundreds of other people now engaging in similar behavior?”

A History of Darkness

The true story behind Annabelle is far more chilling than Hollywood portrays. According to Reese, the doll began moving on its own, leaving messages like “Help us,” and even manifested drops of blood on its chest. Violence escalated when a man was attacked with “seven claw-like slashes across his chest.” The Warrens concluded the doll was not haunted by a child’s spirit, but was a vessel for a demon.

The Warrens also documented incidents where individuals who mocked the doll suffered fatal accidents the same day. To Reese, this shows that “all the evidence pointed to demonic activity.”

A Tragic Warning

In July, tour organizer Dan Rivera died suddenly in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, after hosting an Annabelle event. He was only 54. The coroner said there was “nothing suspicious,” but Reese raised a sobering question: “Given that this doll, which has allegedly killed or severely injured people in the past, was being transported around the country and made into a carnival-like spectacle, one has to wonder if his death was more than a coincidence.”

Even the Warrens’ grandson, Chris McKinnell, rebuked the tour: “My grandfather’s warning still stands: ‘Positively do not open.’ If they keep doing this without understanding what they’re handling, someone is going to get seriously hurt.”

False Safety and True Power

Reese pointed out that many in the paranormal community claim protection through rituals, crosses, or holy water. But these are powerless without Christ. “It’s not holy water or rituals that protect a person from the attacks of Satan,” he wrote, “but the fact that through regeneration the person has been delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.”

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

Quoting Scripture, he reminded believers of the authority given through Christ: “Because Christians have become children of the King, they gain his divine protection and can call upon his authority to drive away the enemy” (Luke 10:19; Eph. 6:11-13; James 4:7).

This Is Spiritual Warfare

Reese warned against trivializing the demonic, stressing that Annabelle is not simply an object with “negative energy,” but one attached to “a spiritual being with a will and intelligence” whose “intentions are malevolent.”

He compared today’s fascination with the doll to the failed exorcism of the sons of Sceva in Acts 19, who were overpowered by a demon because they lacked the authority of Christ: “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” The result was humiliation and injury—a reminder that demons are not to be toyed with.

Time To Take the Fight Seriously

The rise of occult tourism, paranormal entertainment, and now even plans to turn the Warrens’ home into a paranormal Airbnb is a sign that our culture has forgotten the seriousness of the demonic. Reese’s conclusion is sobering but essential: those without Christ have “no defense from demonic attacks,” while even Christians must avoid reckless curiosity.

The truth is simple but urgent: only Jesus Christ has the power to break demonic chains, and only the Holy Spirit equips believers to stand firm in the evil day.

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

It is time for Christians to stop treating spiritual warfare lightly. We are not called to play games with the enemy but to put on the full armor of God and resist him. The devil is on the offensive, and the church must no longer sit back in complacency. It is time to take the fight to him.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

A new Lifeway Research report reveals that many pastors step away from the pulpit not because of retirement, but due to challenges such as conflict, burnout, and shifts in their personal sense of calling. The findings shed light on the difficulties clergy face in leading congregations and the toll ministry can take on their lives.

As reported by The Christian Post, Lifeway surveyed 730 former pastors from four Protestant denominations and found that around one-third pointed to either burnout or church conflict as reasons for leaving. The study noted that while some pastors remain in ministry in a different role, many left the pastorate earlier than expected due to significant struggles.

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

“The lead stated reason was a ‘change in calling,’ with 40% of respondents citing this as the cause of their departure,” the report said. “Other cited reasons included family issues (10%), personal finances (10%), illness (6%), being a poor fit with a church (6%), denominational issues (4%), and the church closing due to the COVID-19 lockdowns (3%).”

Conflict proved to be a particularly damaging factor. According to the survey, 87% of pastors experienced conflict at some point in their last congregation, with nearly half (49%) reporting a “significant personal attack.” Additionally, 56% said the disputes arose from proposed changes within the church.

Pre-order Jonathan Cahn’s Newest Book, “The Avatar” on !

Lifeway also found that many pastors had relatively short tenures. “Forty-three percent reported leaving their positions as pastor after serving just one congregation, while another 43% reported serving as a senior pastor for 10 years or less before leaving,” the report explained.

Despite these difficulties, over half of former pastors remain in ministry in other capacities. “Lifeway also reported that, despite leaving the position of pastor, 53% of respondents said that they continue to work in ministry, though in a different capacity,” the report noted.

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

The study also drew comparisons to a similar 2021 survey, showing both consistencies and shifts in the top reasons pastors step away:

• 2024 study: 40% change in calling, 18% conflict, 16% burnout
• 2021 study: 32% change in calling, 18% conflict, 13% burnout

The broader context shows these struggles are not isolated. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research reported that 53% of clergy had seriously considered leaving ministry at least once since 2020, citing the strain of shepherding congregations through the pandemic and other challenges.

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

As the church continues to face cultural and spiritual pressures, this report showcases the need for prayer and support for pastors. Christians are called to lift up those who serve, asking God to strengthen, encourage and sustain them as they lead His people.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

The Bible warns us of a coming seven-year tribulation, a time when God’s wrath will be poured out on a world that has rejected Jesus Christ. For many, it’s easy to pass over that phrase quickly, “seven years of tribulation,” without truly grasping the weight of what it means. But when you stop and think about the length of that time, and the suffering described in Scripture, it becomes clear why the Bible says it will be unlike any other period in human history.

On a recent episode of the Watchman River podcast, host Tom Cote shared how the reality of this hit him powerfully. “Last night, I was really thinking about this and something hit me like a freight train,” Cote said. “I’ve never literally thought about how long that seven years is for the people that are here. I don’t know why. I just kind of always say seven-year tribulation, seven-year tribulation. Yesterday, I think the Lord gave me a glimpse where He put it in my heart to realize how long that seven years is.”

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

Cote explained that while Christians often focus on the rapture and the marriage supper of the Lamb, it’s easy to forget what those left behind will endure. “We talk about the shock that will happen to the world a day or two after the rapture,” he said. “But what about a month after the rapture? What about two months after the rapture? What about a year or two after the rapture?… It’s terrifying. It’s a long time.”

He went on to describe what life may look like in those years. “Probably no toilet paper during the seven-year tribulation. Probably no clean running water. It’s a different world. God is showing his wrath to a Christ-rejecting world,” he said. “It’s a nightmare. You don’t want to be here for the seven-year tribulation. War, famine, pestilence, death, inflation.”

Pre-order James Lasher’s Newest Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

Turning to Revelation 6, Cote highlighted the third seal, where a black horse rider brings food scarcity so severe that a full day’s wages would only buy a small amount of bread. “I just think, ‘Oh, that day would be really bad. You got to work a whole day for a loaf of bread.’ It’s every day. It’s a seven-year tribulation,” he said.

Cote added that for those who come to faith in Jesus during the tribulation, persecution will be brutal. “People who believe in Jesus during the seven-year tribulation will be hunted down and basically beheaded for their faith,” he warned. In his view, martyrdom may even seem merciful compared to trying to survive the full seven years.

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

Ultimately, he reminded listeners that Jesus Himself said if He did not return at the end of the tribulation, “there’d be no flesh living. Nobody would be alive. It’s a horrible time.”

A Call to Repentance

The sobering reality of the Great Tribulation gave Cote a renewed sense of urgency to call people to Christ. “When you start understanding how long that seven-year tribulation is, you just want to tell everyone about Jesus today,” he said. “It gave me an urgency last night thinking about this of just sharing the gospel with everyone and just trying to get as many people on that ark, trying to get as many people to repent, meaning turning from unbelief to belief in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. I don’t want anyone to be left behind.”

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

“Seven years is a long time. Please keep listening and believe in Jesus today because what’s coming to this world, and it’s coming soon, that seven-year tribulation is speeding toward us right now.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

From new plagues to pestilences, outbreaks of strange and deadly diseases have long been seen as part of the signs Jesus warned would appear before His return. A rise in flesh-eating bacteria along the Gulf Coast and the reemergence of pneumonic plague in Arizona are the latest reminders that even in an age of modern medicine, the world remains vulnerable to ancient scourges described to us in the Bible.

As reported by Israel365 News, “a recent surge in deadly infections, including flesh-eating bacteria along the Gulf Coast and a rare case of pneumonic plague in Arizona, has drawn eerie comparisons to the biblical plagues of Egypt and prophetic descriptions of the end-of-days War of Gog and Magog.”

While Jewish scholars have noted parallels to Zechariah, we as Christians can also point to Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:7 that “there will be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in various places” as signs of the approaching end of the age.

Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!

Public health officials have confirmed a sharp rise in cases of Vibrio vulnificus, a dangerous strain of bacteria commonly found in warm saltwater and brackish environments. “So far in 2025, at least eight people have died and 22 others have been infected by the bacteria, which thrives in warm coastal waters,” the report said.

The Louisiana Department of Health noted that 17 cases required hospitalization, with four deaths, more than double the state’s annual average for the past decade. Florida reported 13 cases and four deaths as of late July.

Pre-order James Lasher’s Newest Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

The Cleveland Clinic warns that infections can progress quickly and cause “blistering skin lesions, fever, sepsis, internal bleeding, organ failure, and in some cases, necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection that kills flesh around an open wound.” Health officials urge beachgoers to take precautions, such as avoiding raw shellfish, not entering the water with open wounds and using protective footwear.

Alongside the Gulf Coast outbreak, plague has also resurfaced in the American Southwest.

Get your FREE CHARISMA NEWSLETTERS today! Stay up-to-date with current issues, Holy Spirit news, Christian teachings, Charisma videos & more!

“A person died from pneumonic plague in Arizona last week, the first death from the disease in this region in nearly two decades,” according to the report. The bacterium, Yersinia pestis, was the cause of the Black Death in the Middle Ages, killing tens of millions. The World Health Organization now categorizes it as a re-emerging disease, with nearly 50,000 human cases worldwide in the past two decades.

We must use biblical discernment to see such events as reminders of the brokenness of creation since the fall of man in Genesis 3 and warnings of the times to come. Scripture speaks of pestilence as part of God’s judgment, yet also as a call to repentance and faith in Jesus before the fullness of the Great Tribulation unfolds. Revelation describes devastating plagues that will strike the earth during the end times (Rev. 6:8; 16:2-21).

Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!

While medical experts emphasize prevention and treatment, we must interpret these “wake-up calls” as opportunities to return to the hope of the gospel message. As pestilences reappear even in an age of advanced science, believers are reminded that Christ’s words remain true and that His return is drawing near.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.