‘Zombie’ Squirrels Spotted In the US: Are These Pestilences a Biblical Warning?

Grotesque-looking gray squirrels covered in wart-like tumors have been spotted skulking through backyards across the United States, sparking alarm among residents and fascination among wildlife experts.

Photographs shared online show the animals with oozing sores and hairless patches on their heads and limbs, leading some to dub them “zombie squirrels.” Sightings have been reported in Maine and parts of Canada, with cases dating back to mid-2023 but surging again this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Evelyns Wildlife Refuge

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

“At first I thought it was eating something from my front beds, but then I realized it was on its face,” one Reddit user posted July 31 after spotting a gray squirrel with a large tumor on its mouth.

Wildlife experts say the squirrels are most likely suffering from squirrel fibromatosis, a viral skin disease caused by leporipoxvirus. The virus spreads through direct contact with infected saliva or lesions and can resemble herpes transmission in humans.

The disease is often mistaken for squirrelpox, which is more common in the UK and often fatal to red squirrels. Fibromatosis, however, typically runs its course in four to eight weeks. In severe cases, the growths can spread internally and lead to death.

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

Despite their frightening appearance, experts insist the squirrels are no danger to people, pets or birds.

“It’s like when you get a large concentration of people. If someone is sick and it’s something that spreads easily, others are going to catch it,” Shevenell Webb of Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife told the Bangor Daily News. Webb said backyard bird feeders often act as transmission points because infected squirrels leave saliva or fluid behind on seeds.

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

The unusual squirrel sightings come as Colorado officials warned of a separate outbreak, the so-called “bunny blight.” Cottontail rabbits have been spotted with black, tentacle-like growths sprouting from their heads, caused by the Shope papilloma virus.

The Biblical Perspective

While wildlife officials view these outbreaks as naturally occurring diseases, we as Christians can see them as reminders of a deeper spiritual truth. In the Gospels, Jesus warned that before His return there would be “pestilences” affecting the earth (Luke 21:11, Matt. 24:7). These warnings were not limited to human sickness but speak to a broken creation groaning under the curse of sin.

From the moment Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, the entire earth was subjected to corruption (Rom. 8:22). That curse has touched every part of creation, from humanity to the animal kingdom. Outbreaks like squirrel fibromatosis and rabbit papilloma remind us of that fallen state.

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

Though unsettling, these events can point believers to the hope that one day Jesus will return and restore creation, wiping away disease and death forever (Rev. 21:4). Until then, they stand as warnings and signs, reminders that the world is not as it was meant to be and that the day of the Lord draws nearer.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




Muslims in Gaza Describe Life-Changing Dreams of Jesus

On a recent episode of The Rosenberg Report, Joel Rosenberg shared the story of a man in Gaza who had a dream where “Jesus appears to him and says, ‘You’re my man. You’re my man in Gaza. Tell everyone about me.’” He has embraced that mission, leading Muslims to faith in Jesus even in the midst of war.

According to Rosenberg’s guest Tom Doyle, “Once they come to faith in Christ… God replaced the hate with love,” with new believers even praying for the Jewish people they once considered enemies.

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

Joanne Doyle described meeting women in Gaza who live “desperate lives,” with abuse so common that “literally every single woman no matter their age” in one gathering admitted to experiencing it. Many have dreams about Jesus, saying, “I have felt safe in the presence of a man when I’ve been with Jesus.”

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

Doyle also told the story of “Dina,” a preschool teacher who refused to teach jihad during Hamas training camps, saying, “I don’t want to do that. I want to teach them that Jesus is the good shepherd,” even though she knew she “could be killed for that.”

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

The Doyles noted that political solutions cannot accomplish what only the Gospel can. “I don’t think the UN can pull that off… Jesus can transform a heart and then they change,” Tom Doyle said.

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

Despite persecution, a “secret church” is growing in Gaza, with believers meeting quietly to study God’s word and share their faith. Rosenberg closed with a challenge: “Pray that there would be a Holy Spirit revival in Gaza… We just need to saturate the strip with prayer.”

If you would like to hear more about the miraculous visions of Jesus, watch the video above.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




Top 5 Biblical Signs of the End Times Unfolding Before Our Very Eyes

The headlines seem to be getting darker by the day, war rumors, strange earthquakes, pandemics and global deception. Many see these as isolated crises, but some believe they are connected threads in a prophetic tapestry the Bible laid out thousands of years ago. If the warnings are real, ignoring them could be the most dangerous decision a person ever makes.

Pastor Tom Hughes, speaking on his Tom Hughes Report, compared the devastating July 4, 2025, Texas flood to a much greater and eternal storm he says is rapidly approaching. “It’s not just life or death, but eternal life or death,” Hughes warned. “People need to know about it, and people who do know need to warn others.” Hughes believes the Bible lays out clear signs of the end times, and that they are converging in our lifetime.

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

1. Pestilences

Hughes pointed to pandemics as one of the clearest warnings Jesus gave about the last days. He cited COVID-19 as a prophetic marker not only because of its spread but because of “the protocols surrounding it from so-called officials” that reshaped thinking and trained people to “trust whatever the government or science tells them.”

“Jesus said to watch for pestilences, and COVID was a major prophetic event for a few different reasons,” Hughes said (Matt. 24:7; Luke 21:11)

2. Earthquakes in Diverse Places

While earthquakes have occurred throughout history, Hughes noted a marked change in recent decades, with strong quakes striking unexpected locations like Texas and Oklahoma, areas known for tornadoes, not seismic activity. He challenged skeptics who attribute these to fracking, asking how Jesus could have predicted them 2,000 years ago.

“Earthquakes have gotten stronger since the birth of modern Israel in 1948,” Hughes said (Matt. 24:7)

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

3. Wars and Rumors of Wars

Wars have always been part of human history, but Hughes stressed that today’s rumors are unique in scale and reach. He cited Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats as an example of a modern “rumor of war” amplified by mass and social media.

“Any of them can send a message to a few friends while a million strangers listen in. No generation spread rumors like this one,” Hughes said (Matt. 24:6).

4. Widespread Deception

Modern technology has made it possible for falsehoods to sweep the globe almost instantly. Hughes used the example of the false statistic claiming Americans use 500 million plastic straws per day, a figure originating from a 9-year-old’s guess that became accepted as fact worldwide.

“We live in an era when a 9-year-old can deceive the world,” Hughes said (Matt. 24:4, 11).

5. The Rebirth of Israel as the Prophetic Linchpin

Hughes underscored that Israel’s restoration as a nation in 1948 is the keystone for all other prophetic signs. Without it, he said, past catastrophes like the Black Plague could not have fulfilled end-times prophecy. Today, these signs are converging while Israel exists, making the moment unique in human history.

“Without the rebirth of Israel and the return of the Jews to their ancestral homeland, none of the other signs would have prophetic meaning,” Hughes said (Ezek. 37:21-22; Isa. 66:8).

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

Hughes leaves us with an urgent reminder that these signs are not meant to cause fear but to prompt readiness and hope in Christ. He warned that biblical illiteracy leaves people, and even churches, blind to what is unfolding. “The times should not overtake us as a thief,” he said. “We have the light of God’s word. We see and know the warning signs.”

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

The call, Hughes stressed, is for believers to be watchful, anchored in Scripture, and bold in sharing the gospel. In a world swirling with chaos and deception, knowing God’s Word may be the difference between being swept away by the storm, or standing firm until the King returns.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




Could Sept. 23 Be a Turning Point in Biblical Prophecy?

A growing number of Bible prophecy watchers are focusing their attention on Sept. 23, a date that coincides with the Jewish feast of Rosh Hashanah and a week of high-stakes diplomatic meetings at the United Nations. The timing feels loaded with prophetic potential, possibly marking the rapture, the start of the tribulation or the signing of the Daniel 9:27 covenant.

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

Tom Cote, host of the Watchman River podcast, said, “I’ve never seen the Watchman community so on fire for a time period of what’s happening right now in the world and where it’s leading.”

He pointed to the UN’s push for a two-state solution with Israel as one of the key developments in play. “We know that Sept. 23 is part of the week where these meetings are happening at the United Nations where they’re going to try to twist Israel’s arm into accepting a two-state solution,” he said.

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

While some speculate that this period will mark the beginning of the seven-year tribulation, Cote believes another critical event must occur first: a major Middle East war that clears the way for Israel to rebuild the Temple. “Do you think right now… they would give Israel permission to build a third temple?” he asked. “I believe personally it is a serious war. I believe it’s probably the Psalm 83 war.”

Cote rejects the idea that Psalm 83 was fulfilled in 1948 or that it is merely a prayer. “If they were confounded and dismayed forever, why did they all come back? I just can’t see that,” he said, pointing to the ongoing hostility from groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

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

He envisions a scenario where “Iran is going to gather up their proxies… and I think God’s going to step in and eliminate” the immediate ring of enemies, paving the way for a peace deal and Temple construction.

Even so, Cote stops short of setting a date. “Am I saying it is the year? I can’t say that. I don’t have the authority to,” he said. “It might be next year. Might be the year after. But man, I’ve never seen the perfect storm of all storms like it is right now.”

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

He closed with a reminder that watchfulness must be balanced with humility. “I’m looking up right now every day… I’m not trying to pinpoint a day or an hour,” Cote said. That approach echoes Jesus’ own words in Matthew 24:36 that “about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




Did the Red Heifer Ceremony Happen? Conflicting Reports Stir Debate

Conflicting Reports Emerge Over Red Heifer Ceremony in Israel

The rare biblical red heifer, long regarded as a prophetic sign connected to the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, has become the center of controversy after two very different accounts surfaced about whether the long-awaited ritual has already taken place.

In recent weeks, statements from Adam King, a media personality claiming firsthand knowledge of the event, has clashed with information from Mondo Gonzales of Prophecy Watchers, who has spent years closely following the red heifer project.

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

Adam King’s Claim: The Ritual Already Happened

During a recent appearance on the Timcast IRL podcast, fellow podcaster Adam King said that on July 1, 2025, a real red heifer named Tikva was sacrificed in Israel according to Jewish law.

Publicly, it was announced as a “practice run” using a disqualified animal, but King insisted that this was intentional misdirection to avoid political backlash and international outrage. “They fooled everybody and they successfully performed the ritual about a month ago,” he claimed.

King described the sacrifice as being carried out “specifically according to halakha” (Jewish law) and emphasized the rarity of such an event. “The last time that the red heifer was done was over 2,000 years ago,” he said, noting that the first was performed by Moses, the second by Ezra and that throughout all of Jewish history, only nine have been sacrificed.

He further claimed to possess physical proof of the event: “I have with me some of the ashes right here, red heifer ashes… and also hyssop that is from the actual ritual.”



According to King, these ashes, kept in a clay jar in keeping with biblical requirements, are being used to purify people from the “impurity of death,” enabling them to ascend the Temple Mount in ritual purity. He asserted that miraculous healings have already occurred, citing a man with Alzheimer’s who “started remembering everything” and even cases of “sight to the blind.”

King also tied the red heifer ritual directly to messianic expectations, saying, “Now that it’s been done, the Messiah can come” and build the Third Temple. He maintained that the Third Temple cannot be constructed without the red heifer ceremony taking place and linked this development to broader geopolitical events, claiming that Hamas and other hostile actors saw the ritual as a threat. According to him, “The Democrats are trying to stop the Messiah,” and the Oct. 7 Hamas attack was partly motivated by an obsession with halting the red heifer project.

Mondo Gonzales: It Wasn’t the Final Ceremony

Mondo Gonzales, co-host of Prophecy Watchers, has been in regular contact with those directly involved in the red heifer project, including Boneh Israel member Byron Stinson. While acknowledging that a heifer was burned on July 1, he says the location, Samaria, prevents it from qualifying as the final, prophetic ceremony.

“The Bible is ambiguous, but the rabbinic oral tradition in the Mishnah is crystal clear,” Gonzales explained. “It has to be on the Mount of Olives, and from a vantage point where you can look down into the Temple area. This box cannot be unchecked.”

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

Gonzales confirmed that Stinson has described the July 1 ritual as both a “real ceremony” and a “practice” in preparation for the Mount of Olives event. According to Gonzales, Stinson has told him there are still “two, maybe three” qualified heifers remaining, with additional candidates being bred in Israel and Texas.

He also pushed back on speculation that the actual prophetic ceremony could have been done secretly. “There’s no way this could be done in secret,” Gonzales said. “We’re talking about a gigantic bonfire in an area surrounded by Arabs. The police have to be there. The fire department has to be notified. You couldn’t hide it.”

From a Christian perspective, Gonzales stressed that Hebrews 9 and 13 make it clear that Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, rendering any future animal sacrifices unnecessary for believers. “This coming temple is not going to be the millennial one. We know that for sure,” he said, warning that while the Third Temple is prophetically significant, it will ultimately be defiled by the Antichrist before being replaced by Christ’s millennial temple.

The Need for Discernment

While the debate over the red heifer continues, Scripture warns that deception will increase in the last days (Matt. 24:4, 2 Thess. 2:9–10). For that reason, it is paramount for Christians to remain grounded in biblical truth, exercising discernment through God’s Word and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

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

We live in a time when prophetic events can stir intense excitement, and misinformation, spiritual clarity is essential to keep believers anchored in what God has revealed.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




10 Signs of the End Times Are Unfolding Right Now

Pastor James Kaddis says the Bible gives us obvious signs to look for when it comes to the end times, and many of them are playing out right in front of us.

“God made those signs obvious,” Kaddis said, adding that unlike previous generations, “we are seeing things manifesting that have never manifested before… many of the things that are happening in front of us are first time things that quite frankly human history could have never produced prior to the time period that we’re living in right now.”

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

Here are the 10 signs he says are the most consequential and historic, showing us just how close we may be to the Lord’s return:

1. Rebirth of Israel as a Nation

Kaddis called this “so unbelievably consequential to Bible prophecy.” Citing Isaiah 66:8 and Ezekiel 37, he reminded viewers that on May 14, 1948, “Israel became a nation in literally a single day fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy… no other nation in world history has been reborn after nearly 2,000 years of being in exile.” He said the survival of Israel through constant opposition is “direct evidence of God’s covenant and His faithfulness” and that the end times “don’t work” without Israel in place.

2. Explosion of Knowledge and Transportation

Referencing Daniel 12:4, Kaddis said the verse points to both a massive increase in technology and a deeper understanding of prophecy. “In 1900, human knowledge doubled roughly every hundred years… by 2025, it is estimated that human knowledge is doubling every 12 hours,” he said. He explained that modern tools—AI, global internet, digital archives—are “making the understanding of Bible prophecy so much easier” and helping the world move toward the global systems prophesied in Scripture.

3. Strong Delusion and Rejection of Truth

Quoting 2 Thessalonians 2:10–11, Kaddis warned, “We are going to see people holding fast to the lies… and we are watching it right now.” He described a global “rejection of the Word of God” where morality is upside down, evil is celebrated, and the truth is ridiculed. He said the world is being primed to “believe the ultimate lie” after the rapture and to embrace the Antichrist’s system.

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

4. Rising Hatred of Jews and Christians

Citing Zechariah 12:3, Kaddis said the hatred for Israel is “intensifying in ways we have never seen it before” and is accompanied by growing persecution of Christians. “Jerusalem is the most contested city in the world,” he said, adding that the UN “has issued more resolutions against Israel than any other nation… more than all of them put together.” He pointed to antisemitism on college campuses and open calls for Israel’s destruction as fulfillment of prophecy.

5. Rise of Global Government and Economic Control

Looking to Revelation 13:16–17, Kaddis said, “We know that this is around the corner… we see the building blocks all over the place.” He described the push toward one-world governance through tools like central bank digital currencies, biometric surveillance, and cashless economies. “The overwhelming majority of that infrastructure is already in place,” he warned.

6. Global Proclamation of the Gospel

Quoting Matthew 24:14, Kaddis said modern technology has made it possible “to preach the gospel to virtually every people group in existence.” He shared that AI is now being used to translate rare languages for unreached groups. Comparing the reach of his grandfather’s decades of ministry to his own online sermons, Kaddis said, “You are talking about years… worth of listening every single month… it’s extraordinary.”

7. Spiritual Coldness and False Religion

Kaddis cited 2 Timothy 3:5, noting, “Many churches today maintain some form of religion, but literally reject the biblical authority… and His power.” He warned that false prophets are increasing and that “a love for God, His Word, holiness, they’ve all grown cold,” pointing to a wave of ear-tickling messages replacing sound doctrine.

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

8. Scoffing at Christ’s Return

Referring to 2 Peter 3:3–4, Kaddis said, “The Bible said that the world would mock, completely laugh at the idea that Christ would return… and we are watching it.” He shared that even some Christians ridicule the doctrine of Christ’s imminent return, living as if life will continue forever, just “as in the days of Noah.”

9. Creation Groaning

Quoting Romans 8:22, Kaddis said natural disasters are part of “the birth pangs that we often talk about.” He listed earthquakes, volcanoes, heat waves, hurricanes, and food shortages as examples, explaining that “these groanings increase in frequency and intensity” and point to the nearness of redemption for the church.

10. Formation of the Gog-Magog Alliance

Reading from Ezekiel 38, Kaddis said we are watching Russia, Iran, and Turkey form “a military, economic, and political alliance” that didn’t exist until recently. “When we see them cooperating… with mutual opposition to Israel, we should be thinking about that,” he said, calling it a clear stage-setting for the prophetic war described in Scripture.

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

Kaddis emphasized these signs aren’t given to frighten believers, but to wake them up. “These signs… point to our day of deliverance,” he said. He urged Christians to “be about your Father’s business,” sharing the gospel and living holy lives, because “time is short and our redemption draws near.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




Bible Camps Bring Trauma Care and Hope to Thousands of Children

Mission Eurasia is providing trauma care and Christian teaching to tens of thousands of children impacted by war through its “Summer of Hope” Bible camps. The ministry expects to serve 30,000 children across 14 countries this summer, with 80% of participants coming from Ukraine, where lives have been upended by Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“These camps are often the first time in months or years that children can feel safe, play freely and hear a message of hope,” Mission Eurasia President Sergey Rakhuba told Christian Daily International. “They are places where trauma counseling and spiritual care go hand in hand.”

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

Held in partnership with local churches, most camps in Ukraine operate in central and western regions considered less dangerous, though safety can never be guaranteed. Rakhuba recalled a recent incident in Zaporizhzhia when children at camp took shelter during a drone attack, then resumed activities afterward. “They look for reassurance that they will not be left alone and that their families will not be left alone,” he said. “They’re extremely grateful and receptive to care, and they want to be near people who will hug them and keep them safe.”

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

The camps combine games, crafts, and Bible lessons with counseling sessions tailored to children who have faced displacement, violence, or loss. Leaders trained through Mission Eurasia’s Schools Without Walls program serve in their own regions, creating trust through shared experience. “It’s about restoring hope and building connections so children know they are part of a larger, caring community,” Rakhuba said. “Even though the war is not over, they can see they are not alone.”

Follow-up care is an essential part of the program, with local church leaders continuing to support families after the camps end. Many parents and caregivers begin attending church after witnessing the care given to their children.

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

Rakhuba, a native of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, has witnessed firsthand the devastation of front-line and liberated areas. He asked believers worldwide to keep praying for the ministry, for an end to the war, and for God’s protection over staff and children.

“We want children to experience joy, make friends, and hear that there is hope for their lives,” he said. “And we want them to know that hope has a name, Jesus.”

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

Let us pray for all of the children and their families whose lives have been shattered by war, that God would heal their trauma, restore their peace and surround them with His protection. Pray that the Bible camps would continue to be places of safety and joy, where young hearts hear the hope of the gospel and find strength in Jesus. And may the Lord grant wisdom, courage and endurance to the leaders and counselors serving on the front lines of this ministry.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




Global Response to Gaza War Reflects Biblical Prophecy

The war between Israel and Hamas has not only ignited fierce battles on the ground but also sparked an information war, with narratives shifting to portray Israel as the aggressor and Hamas as the victim. Critics warn that this reversal of truth mirrors an ancient biblical warning about calling evil good and good evil.

Christian broadcaster Erick Stakelbeck addressed the issue during a recent episode of The Watchman newscast, describing the situation as a fulfillment of Isaiah 5:20. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,” he quoted. “Hello 2025. Darkness for light, light for darkness … embracing the darkness and trying to cast out the light.”

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

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has been fighting what Stakelbeck calls “wars on seven fronts” against the Iranian “Ring of Fire” network, including Hezbollah and the Houthis. “What they’ve been able to pull off is just astounding,” he said. “I believe the God of Israel has gone ahead of the IDF in some of these engagements.”

He argued that the global backlash against Israel, especially in the West, is fueled by deliberate misinformation. “Tell me that this does not encapsulate what we’re seeing now with Israel and the propaganda war … the relentless castigation of the world’s one and only Jewish state, the lies, the outright bold-faced lies,” Stakelbeck said. “We’re talking about the Western world … where the pro-Palestinian, . pro-Hamas cause, has a firm grip.”

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

One of the most troubling elements, Stakelbeck said, is the expectation for Israel to supply humanitarian aid to Gaza during wartime. “This is the first time in history that I know of … that one of the combatants is apparently responsible for feeding and clothing its enemy,” he said. According to the United Nations, roughly 80% of aid shipments into Gaza are seized by Hamas.

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

Stakelbeck said the narrative has been flipped, with Israel “bending over backwards” to deliver aid while Hamas withholds it for propaganda purposes. “Israel was the target. They didn’t start it. It was unprovoked. But now it’s been flipped,” he said. “Good, evil, evil, good.”

Framing the moment as both geopolitical and prophetic, Stakelbeck compared leaders like Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu to “modern-day Churchills” for resisting globalist pressure. “Netanyahu is fiercely sovereign … at the end of the day, he could do the easy wrong thing or the hard right thing,” he said.

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

Calling it a “wheat and tares” moment for nations, Stakelbeck urged Christians to remain steadfast. “Yes, it’s Isaiah 5:20 times. No doubt,” he said. “But God is moving. And there are many like you … so be encouraged. Stay in prayer, but know the signs and the times.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




More Than 7,000 Christians Killed in Just 7 Months As Persecution Crisis Deepens

Thousands of Christians Killed in Nigeria as Persecution Intensifies

The persecution of Christians in Nigeria has reached a staggering scale in 2025, with thousands losing their lives for their faith. This violence, driven largely by Islamic extremists and radicalized militias, echoes the biblical warning that believers would face hatred and persecution for the name of Jesus (Matt. 10:22). For Christians worldwide, these reports are a call to pray for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria, asking God to strengthen them, give them hope and fill them with courage to stand firm in their faith.

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

Staggering Death and Abduction Rates

The Anambra-based International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) reports that “at least 7,087 Christians were massacred across Nigeria” from Jan. 1 to Aug. 10 of this year. In the same period, “no fewer than 7,800 others were violently seized and abducted for being Christians.”

These numbers translate to “an average of 30 Christian deaths per day and more than one per hour,” according to the report. The abduction rate is similarly horrifying: “an estimated 35 Christians are also calculated to have been abducted daily and roughly two others per hour, in the said past 220 days.”

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

The violence is largely attributed to jihadist groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State affiliates, and radicalized Fulani herders. Intersociety warns that Nigeria is a “safe haven” for at least 22 Islamic terror groups intent on wiping out Christians and indigenous ethnic identities, including the ancient Igbo heritage.

Government Inaction and Growing Threat

Emeka Umeagbalasi, Intersociety’s chair, has tracked religious violence in Nigeria since 2010 and says the trend is worsening. “We have been following the patterns and trends, and the situation is getting worse,” he told The Christian Post. He accuses the Nigerian government of failing to apprehend perpetrators, even arresting Christian victims who attempt to defend themselves, rather than the attackers.

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

Since 2009, the organization estimates that “185,009 defenseless Nigerians” have been killed, 125,009 of them Christians. During that time, 19,100 churches have been destroyed, over 1,100 Christian communities “sacked,” and 600 Christian clerics abducted.

A Biblical Response to Persecution

Scripture reminds believers that persecution is not new; Jesus told His followers that those who follow Him would face trials and suffering (John 15:18–20). Yet the Bible also promises that those who endure will receive the crown of life (James 1:12). As Nigerian Christians endure unimaginable hardships, the global Church is called to intercede for them, praying for their protection, steadfastness, and for their persecutors to come to faith in Christ.

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

Umeagbalasi has urged the United States and Western nations to take stronger action, including reinstating Nigeria on the U.S. “Countries of Particular Concern” list, which carries the possibility of sanctions. Nigeria was removed from that list during the Biden administration’s first year, a move that drew criticism from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Global Advocacy

Other advocacy groups are sounding the alarm. Open Doors US, which tracks global Christian persecution, placed Nigeria in the seventh spot on its 2025 World Watch List, underscoring the urgent need for action and prayer.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.




L.A. Marzulli: Rep. Luna’s Interdimensional Claims Match Ancient Biblical Accounts

Could there be technology on Earth so advanced it would “rival what we know currently with physics” and challenge our very understanding of reality? That’s exactly what U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla. said in a recent conversation with podcaster Joe Rogan, and her claims are sparking serious discussion, including among Christian researchers who see deep biblical implications.

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

“Something We Don’t Know How to Explain”

Speaking to Rogan, Luna said investigations and witness testimony point to phenomena and technology “we don’t have the ability to reproduce,” likening it to “dropping a cell phone… back during the time of maybe cavemen.”

She explained that witnesses in congressional hearings have repeatedly described the entities associated with this technology as “interdimensional” and possibly existing “outside of what we currently know as our own dimension.”

Order L.A. Marzulli’s Newest Book, “The Rungs of Disclosure” on !

Without revealing classified information, Luna told Rogan she has seen “photo documentation of aircraft that I believe were not made by mankind” and cited historical records “maybe even before the time of Christ” that document similar events.

Her concerns extend beyond the phenomenon itself to the secrecy surrounding it. Luna recalled being denied access, along with two other members of Congress, to whistleblower-related information at Eglin Air Force Base. “We were told that we don’t have security clearance or the read in authority on a special access program,” she said. “That’s a problem… you have people who are unelected, that are operating basically in secrecy.”

“It Fits the Biblical Narrative”

Christian author and researcher L.A. Marzulli reacted to Luna’s comments in an interview with Charisma Media, saying her descriptions align with what Scripture says about fallen angels and the Nephilim.

“When she’s talking about interdimensional beings and ancient historical accounts, that’s exactly what we see in the Bible,” Marzulli said. “Genesis 6 talks about the sons of God coming into the daughters of men. This isn’t science fiction, it’s spiritual reality.”

Marzulli emphasized that what Luna calls “interdimensional” is consistent with the biblical understanding of the spiritual realm. “We’re talking about a war between God’s angels and the forces of darkness,” he explained. “And what she’s describing, movement outside of time and space, technology beyond human capability, fits the biblical narrative perfectly.”

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

He also agreed with Luna’s analogy of “a cell phone in caveman times,” suggesting such technology “comes from fallen entities with superior knowledge” and is part of a larger prophetic puzzle. “The secrecy and sudden openness about these things could be part of the great deception the Bible warns about,” he said.

A Call for Discernment

While the topic may sound like the plot of a sci-fi movie, both Luna and Marzulli agree that it demands serious attention. Luna warns of the dangers of hidden information in the hands of unelected actors, while Marzulli urges Christians to filter these revelations through the Word of God.

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

“We have to be discerning,” Marzulli said. “This is not just about physics or science. It’s about the origins of life, the spiritual reality we live in, and the times we’re entering. The Bible told us this would come, and it’s unfolding right in front of us.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.