In a city long known for its secularism, the largest Christian revival event in decades drew tens of thousands to the Moda Center earlier this month.

The PDX Crusade, hosted by Athey Creek Church in partnership with other local congregations, welcomed an estimated 35,000 people to the two-night gathering on Aug. 2–3. Popular Christian artists including Chris Tomlin, Zach Williams, CAIN, TAYA, Anne Wilson, Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes led worship, while senior pastor Brett Meador preached the Gospel each evening. More than 3,200 people came forward during altar calls, with volunteers distributing Bibles and connecting new believers to local churches.

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The event marked one of the most significant evangelical gatherings Portland has seen in decades, as reported by Fox News. It follows a 2020 outdoor worship protest that drew 4,000–7,000 attendees and recalls the late evangelist Luis Palau’s 1999 festival, which reached over 90,000 people.

Many who attended the PDX Crusade expressed amazement at the turnout and the hunger for faith in a city often seen as resistant to it. “I’m really excited about it,” Portland resident Laura Lybrand told Oregon Public Broadcasting while waiting in line. “I haven’t seen anything like this in a long, long time.”

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From the stage, Meador addressed the city’s visible challenges with homelessness, crime and spiritual emptiness. “Why is there so much darkness here? I believe it’s because we have often pushed Jesus — the real light of the world — out,” he told the crowd. In a sermon last month, he had criticized Portland’s “stupidity, wokeness and failure” after the Oregon House of Representatives hosted a drag performance to celebrate Pride Month.

According to the Pew Research Center, the Portland–Vancouver metro area is the only one among the nation’s 34 largest where the religiously unaffiliated outnumber Christians, 44% to 42%. Meador, who moved to Portland in 1996 because it was considered the most irreligious city in America, believes that makes it ripe for revival. “I believe the Lord’s doing a great work in Portland, and it’s evident here tonight,” he said. “But we have more work to do and that’s why it’s important for us to declare that He is the light of the world.”

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Some attendees said they sensed something deeper happening in the Pacific Northwest. “I’ve just seen a number of different people over these last few months and years that are moving from different areas to the [Willamette] Valley, because they feel like there’s some sort of revival taking place,” Brandon Porter of Newberg told OPB. “They feel like God’s called them here.”

Athey Creek Executive Pastor Rick Anderson said the leadership is now considering making the PDX Crusade an annual event. “If the city of Portland reflects back and recognizes that this was a catalyst for reviving the church… and really bringing the love of Jesus to a lost and desperate world, we’re going to consider that a success,” Anderson said.

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In a time when America faces deep cultural and moral decay, these massive gatherings of believers signal a renewed desire for spiritual awakening, the kind of revival that can transform cities, restore hope and turn hearts back to God.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

Virginia School Abortion Scandal Shows Why Parents Must Take Back Control

Fairfax County, Virginia, is under fire after allegations that staff at Centreville High School arranged and paid for abortions for two students without notifying their parents.

“We learned yesterday of these concerning allegations from 2021,” Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) told WJLA-TV in a statement. “We are launching an immediate and comprehensive investigation as we take all concerns of student wellbeing very seriously.”

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One student wrote, “(The teacher) scheduled the appointment for me at the abortion clinic in Fairfax, paid the cost of that medical procedure, and kept everything quiet without informing my family. I feared my family would react very badly if they found out about my pregnancy and the abortion.”

The second student reported that she was told she “had no other choice.” Both letters alleged the school’s principal at the time knew about the abortions and paid for them.

Teacher Zenaida Perez told WC Dispatch the student “ran from the clinic” and confided in her afterward. In a recorded interview with the outlet, the family confirmed they were not informed about the intent to terminate the pregnancy.

“I want to stress that at no time, would the situation as described in these allegations be acceptable in Fairfax County Public Schools,” Superintendent Michelle Reid wrote in a letter to the Centreville High School community. “We all have serious questions about these allegations that must be answered. We all deserve to know what happened.”

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Pro-life group 40 Days for Life wrote on X, “A Fairfax high school secretly arranged and paid for student abortions—without telling parents. This isn’t ‘healthcare.’ It’s state-funded child exploitation. Every official involved must be held accountable.”

Karen Hamilton, Republican nominee for the Virginia House of Delegates, said, “This is extremely troubling!! Also, if democrats pass their abortion amendment, parents will be cut out of situations like this. Your kid can’t take Tylenol at school without your permission, but your daughter could undergo a dangerous surgical procedure without your knowledge.”

Penny Nance, CEO and president of Concerned Women for America, stated, “This is absolutely outrageous if this is true and a complete affront to parental rights.” She urged Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares to investigate.

Trump’s School Choice Law Strikes Back at a Broken System

On Independence Day, President Donald Trump signed “the most consequential federal school choice legislation in our nation’s history,” declaring “educational freedom as a new right for students and families across America,” according to an opinion piece by Sen. Bill Cassidy, Sen. Tim Scott, Sen. Ted Cruz, and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos published by Fox News.

“It was long past time for Washington to act – and we did so decisively,” the authors wrote. “Giving parents the ability to choose the school that best meets their child’s individual needs is about more than just test scores – it’s about giving every child a real shot at success.”

The measure, part of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, establishes “the first-of-its-kind tax credit scholarship program for all types of educational settings.” Beginning in 2027, “individuals will receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $1,700 per year for donations to educational nonprofits that fund K-12 scholarships for low- and middle-income students.”

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“Eligible scholarships can cover tuition, books, tutoring, transportation, uniforms, special needs services and educational technology,” the authors explained, adding that “parents and students will receive these scholarships tax-free.”

“Tens of billions of dollars for scholarships will be made available to K-12 students all across America,” they wrote. “Millions of families will now be able to send their children to a school that aligns with their values and beliefs. Parents will be able to reclaim control of their children’s education.”

“Sadly, every single Democrat in Congress voted against the most important civil rights legislation of the 21st century,” the authors said. “But President Trump and the Republican Congress delivered.”

A Moral and Cultural Turning Point

“The right education can change the course of a child’s life. We know this. Our Founding Fathers knew this. And now, every child in America has the right to access an excellent education – regardless of race, income, or zip code,” the authors wrote.

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The Fairfax County allegations serve as a haunting reminder of what’s at stake when parents are excluded from life-changing decisions about their children. Trump’s school choice law represents a direct answer to that problem, empowering families, protecting children and ensuring parents, not union bosses or unaccountable administrators, have the final say in their children’s education.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

Underground Bases, the Days of Noah and End-Times Prophecy

Author and researcher L.A. Marzulli is once again addressing what he calls “the stuff of conspiracy theory,” deep underground military bases, or DUMBs, and why he believes they may have prophetic significance.

“I want to talk about DUMBs, deep underground military bases today,” Marzulli said in a recent video. “There’s no doubt about it. We’ve had whistleblowers that have come out in the decades past talking about deep underground military bases. Bob Lazar hinted at some of this when he worked at Area 51.”

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While acknowledging he cannot fully verify all claims, Marzulli points to confirmed underground infrastructure as evidence that such facilities are possible. “We know that underground bases are certainly a reality. How extensive are they? We don’t know. But is there weird stuff going on? In my opinion, there is weird stuff going on,” he said.

What Marzulli Believes Is Happening Underground

Marzulli connects the idea of DUMBs to biblical prophecy. “I believe that… it’s the days of Noah, which Jesus warns us about. And because of the days of Noah, there’s genetic tampering happening,” he said. “Where is that happening? In deep underground military bases. Is that conjecture? All day long. I get that. Can I vet that? No, I can’t.”

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Citing history, Marzulli referenced Nazi Germany’s Peenemünde site and ancient Egypt’s subterranean shafts under the Giza Plateau as examples of civilizations carrying out major projects underground. “We know this has been done in antiquity and we know it’s being done in modernity,” he said.

Predictive Programming? Hulu’s Paradise

In the midst of renewed public interest in secret underground installations, the Hulu series Paradise presents a strikingly similar setting. The show is set in a city-sized underground bunker in Colorado three years after a doomsday event and follows United States Secret Service agent Xavier Collins as he investigates the killing of the president. While fictional, its premise echoes the themes Marzulli explores raising questions about whether such media could be a form of predictive programming.

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Prophetic Parallels: Hiding in the Last Days

The Bible warns that in the final days before Christ’s return, humanity will retreat to hidden places underground in a futile attempt to escape God’s judgment. Revelation 6:15–17 describes “the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich, the commanders, the mighty, every slave and free person” hiding “in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains” and crying out for the rocks to hide them “from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.”

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For Marzulli, the secrecy of underground bases combined with prophetic Scripture paints a sobering picture. While modern facilities may be built for military, governmental, or survival purposes, biblical prophecy suggests that in the end, such places will not be a refuge from divine justice.

“We live in a very strange world,” Marzulli said. “We have really no idea of what is really going on behind the scenes. Who’s in control? Who’s in control? We have no idea.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

A mysterious interstellar object dubbed 3I/ATLAS has triggered high‑level warnings from Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, renewed caution from NASA and a biblical response from evangelist Perry Stone.

Scientific Alarm: Exact Dates and Object Overview

According to the Daily Mail, Loeb has been observing 3I/ATLAS since its discovery on July 1. He cautions that, if the object is alien in nature, it could arrive near Earth between Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, 2025, a timeline he proposes under the premise of it being an “intercept vehicle” or even a weapon. The period during which it passes behind the sun in October would be strategically ideal for preparation of such an attack.

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Key details about the object:

• Name and discovery: 3I/ATLAS, first observed on July 1.

• Possible arrival window: Between Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, 2025.

• Trajectory: Retrograde orbit that aligns unusually closely with Earth’s orbital plane, naturally improbable, about a 0.2% likelihood.

• Physical description: Approximately 12 miles (19 kilometers) wide, very large for an interstellar object.

• Potential consequences: If hostile, or even natural, it could crash stock markets, erode public trust and generate panic akin to a military surprise operation.

• Speed: Moving at nearly 60 miles per second, too fast for current rockets to intercept.

• Scientific proposals: Loeb has authored three pre-print papers and suggested intercept via NASA’s Juno spacecraft near Jupiter.

• Risk scale concept: He proposes a scale from 0 (“natural comet”) to 10 (“verified technological object”) and urges governments to form interdisciplinary task forces to prepare and inform the public responsibly.

Spiritual Lens: Biblical Insight and Discernment

In contrast, evangelist Perry Stone offers a spiritually framed interpretation of such cosmic events. He grounds the discussion in biblical cosmology and prophetic awareness, urging caution against sensationalism.

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Biblical Perspective on ‘Aliens’

Stone states, “they weren’t aliens. They were fallen angels that came to the earth.” He asserts that what is often framed as extraterrestrial phenomena actually stems from spiritual entities, referencing biblical passages such as Genesis 6, 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude.

The Nature of the Spiritual Realm

He emphasizes that “there are angels, principalities and powers and demonic spirits that are a part of the cosmos,” adding, “they’re on such a higher dimension that it takes the veil from our eyes being removed in order to actually see them.” He reflects that human encounters with such beings, akin to biblical descriptions, have provoked fear and collapse.

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Critical Media and Academic Discernment

Stone strongly warns against speculative sensationalism: “You have to be careful with YouTubers … they give opinions and speculation … and they say those opinions as though they’re facts.” He urges reliance on credible sources: “There are a couple people … with PhD degrees in astronomy … that’s the kind of folks you want to try to keep up with … and not just somebody coming on trying to be a content creator … for them to tell you something.” His posture blends spiritual caution with demand for informed, academic grounding.

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Signs, Technology and Prophecy

Stone connects the detection of interstellar objects to prophecy: “we were never able to understand these type of rock … until the modern invention of the technology that we have today. And that’s … these are things that Christ said were going to happen. Signs in the sun and the moon and the stars.” He sees technological advances as foreseen and prophetic, aligning with the biblical mention of “fearful signs in the heavens.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

Country artist Anne Wilson is giving all the credit to her faith after reaching a major career milestone, surpassing 2 billion streams across platforms and earning a gold plaque for her single “Sunday Sermons.”

“I’m just in awe… two billion streams and ‘Sunday Sermons’ is now RIAA Certified Gold. All glory to Jesus,” Wilson said in a statement. “When I started this journey, I never imagined the songs that He gave me would reach that many people. There are songs that have deeply impacted my life and who I am today, and it just blows my mind that God has used some of my music to do the same for others. This is only a story that HE could’ve written. Thank you, Jesus.”

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The song is part of her latest project, God Story, an EP that she said is “rooted in my story, in God’s faithfulness, and in the hope He gives us in every moment.”

Wilson also shared her heart for ministry through music on Instagram, writing, “These new songs on my ‘God Story’ EP are straight from my heart, every lyric, every melody is a part of the story God’s been writing in my life. I pray they remind you of His goodness through it all.”

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Beyond music, Wilson is preparing to release her first devotional, Hey Girl, aimed at encouraging teen girls in their faith. “Hey girl… you were made for more,” she posted. “I wrote this devotional to remind teen girls who they are in Jesus, chosen, loved and created with a purpose.”

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The 40-day devotional draws from Wilson’s own life experiences, offering “real talk, personal stories, and biblical truth to help you navigate everything from friendships and self-worth to purpose, faith, and peace.”

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As Wilson’s career continues to rise, she remains vocal about giving thanks to Jesus, using her platform to point others to the hope and identity found in Him.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

From devastating earthquakes to rare volcanic chains, the Earth’s activity has been making headlines around the globe. For many, these events are cause for fear, but for Christians, they serve as a reminder that the Bible’s prophetic words are not only alive but unfolding in real time.

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Are We Living in the Beginning of Sorrows?

Author and researcher Josh Peck sees a clear connection between the recent seismic activity and Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24:4-8. “It says, ‘There’ll be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows,’” Peck said. “The question is… are we living in the beginnings of sorrows? Have we been in the beginning of sorrows for a while now?”

Citing the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Russia on July 29, the largest in the world since 2011, Peck pointed out its unprecedented effects. “Seven volcanoes erupted all at once because of this,” he said, noting that the phenomenon hadn’t happened in the region for nearly 300 years. Scientists even confirmed that three of the volcanoes had been dormant before the quake.

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He also pointed to a series of earthquakes in New Jersey and New York, including two within days of each other and a cluster of six minor quakes just weeks earlier. “Everywhere is susceptible,” Peck explained. “Even if not enormous, it’s still a reminder that the East Coast is not immune to these natural occurrences.”

Science Meets Prophecy

Peck highlighted scientific discoveries, such as the Northern Appalachian Anomaly, a massive, slow-moving “blob” of molten rock beneath the eastern United States, but reminded viewers that, while researchers analyze the data, Scripture already warned of such global instability.

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“The increased frequency of these things reminds me of the birth pangs of prophecy,” Peck said. “It starts off small… a little bigger, a little faster, until it just blows up.”

A Reason to Rejoice

According to Peck, the takeaway isn’t fear, it’s faith. “These kinds of things have been prophesied,” he said. “And I’m sure in the end times, especially during the tribulation, this is going to get much, much, much worse.” But to the believer, these fulfillments point to a greater reality: Jesus’ return is drawing nearer.

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As the Bible says, the events it foretells must take place before Christ comes again. For those who trust Him, each earthquake, eruption and headline is another reason to lift their heads in hope.

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

Believers are often reminded that God speaks through Scripture, but Pastor Troy Brewer says the Lord is also revealing His voice through numbers, names and even historical events. By learning to recognize these prophetic patterns, Christians can better understand what God is doing in their own lives today.

Brewer, pastor of Open Door Church in Burleson, Texas, recently shared in his Numbers That Prophesy series that biblical numbers carry significant meaning and are often connected to moments when God radically changes the course of history.

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“All the way through the Word of God, 120 is when God shows up and changes everything,” Brewer said. “It took Noah 120 years to build the ark. Moses was 120 years old, and then God killed him and buried him. How many people were in the upper room when the Holy Ghost came? There you go.”

Brewer teaches that prophetic understanding is not limited to seeing the future. He believes the primary role of prophetic people is to hear what God is saying in the present. “The largest percentage of the role and the responsibility of people who operate in prophetic gifts is not about foresight,” he said. “It’s about being able to look at the things that are going on right now and say, ‘This is what the Word of God is. This is what the Lord is saying.’”

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This perspective, Brewer says, is rooted in Romans 1:20, which declares that God’s invisible qualities “are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” He explains, “God’s clearly speaking through everything going on around us. If that was a dream, what would it mean? If that was a dream, I’d search it out. Well, I don’t have to dream this, this is happening right here in front of me.”

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He also encourages Christians to pay attention to names and historical details, pointing out that they often hold a prophetic message. Using Mount Everest as an example, Brewer said, “Everest is a prophetic name. It speaks of eternity, ‘ever rest.’ The tallest mountain in the world named Everest is 29,029 feet tall, and 29 represents mountains in the Bible. That’s not coincidence; that’s God speaking.”

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For Brewer, this way of seeing deepens a believer’s awareness that the Lord is active in the details of life. “If you can begin to see the numbers that prophesy around you, God will show up and change everything,” he said. “You’ll never be the same again.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

Former psychic medium Jenn Nizza is warning parents that occult practices are becoming increasingly accessible and normalized through social media and pop culture.

“Our culture is so plagued,” Nizza told CBN’s Billy Hallowell during the National Religious Broadcasters Convention. “My biggest concern would be social media making the occult, making the new age so accessible and the illusion of it. Attacking the youth, coming for the youth.”

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Nizza pointed to platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where “crystals and manifesting are huge” and tarot card readers and psychic mediums can be found “right at the click of a button.” She also expressed concern about satanic imagery in the entertainment industry, saying, “Satan is just putting it right in everybody’s face. It’s right there attacking the kids with the Grammy shows, the Olympics.”

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According to Nizza, one of the greatest deceptions is portraying evil as entertainment. “It makes you think, ‘Oh, well he’s not really real, he’s not really there,’” she said. “That’s the biggest deception there is.”

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She cautioned that not all occult influences look dark or threatening, noting that “friendly” TV mediums such as Theresa Caputo or Netflix personalities still “talk to the same demons” as those practicing openly gothic witchcraft. “People are deceived and the enemy is going to deceive people however he can do it,” she said.

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Nizza, who left the psychic industry after becoming a Christian, urged parents to be vigilant. “We’re not promised tomorrow,” she said. “We’ve got to stand firm for the truth today.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

Evangelism has never been easy, but for many Christians, the thought of openly sharing their faith can be downright intimidating. While some may picture street preachers with megaphones or door-to-door visits, veteran evangelist Ray Comfort believes the heart of evangelism isn’t about theatrics, it’s about genuine compassion, urgency, and a willingness to speak the truth no matter the cultural climate.

In a recent interview with Billy Hallowell of CBN, Comfort, founder of Living Waters and author of 50 Years of Open Air Preaching, shared his perspective on the moral state of the world, the state of the church, and why he believes the widely used “sinner’s prayer” misses the biblical mark. “I’m hoping things will get better,” he said, “I’m hoping we’ll get politicians that stand for righteousness, I’m hoping that abortion would be illegal, a slaughter of babies in the womb, what a horror beyond words, and the sexual perversion.”

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Yet Comfort doesn’t believe society is trending in that direction. Citing Scripture, he warned, “In the last days evil men will become worse and worse, and so we need to prepare ourselves… for a dark time and say, God give me courage.”

Comfort says the moral decline is undeniable. “Fifty years ago we didn’t have what we’ve got now,” he reflected. “You didn’t lock your cars in America or lock your doors. Women weren’t murdered when they’d go for a walk around the block or a jog on a track. Things are getting worse and worse and darker and darker.” But rather than despair, he sees an opportunity for believers: “The darker it is, the more my light is going to shine. And if God be for us, nothing can be against us.”

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One of Comfort’s deepest concerns is that the church has grown hesitant to speak plainly about eternal realities. “Hell is very real, and it seems the church has forgotten that,” he said. “If you’re fearful to share the gospel with unsaved people, don’t pray for less fear, pray for more love, because that’s the problem.”

When it comes to leading people to Christ, Comfort is clear about what he won’t do. “I am not a big believer in the sinner’s prayer, in fact, it’s unbiblical, it’s not in Scripture,” he said. He noted that even in biblical examples of repentance, no one was led in a repeated prayer.

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Instead, he likened true repentance to heartfelt sorrow. “If a man’s committed adultery against his wife and he’s willing to go back and apologize, I don’t need to go to the door and say, ‘Your husband’s here to apologize, here he goes, you ready?’ and then feed him the words. She’s going to slam the door… she wants sorrow to spill from the heart.”

For Comfort, the aim is to guide people toward that kind of genuine response to God. “If someone’s ready to repent, I say, ‘Are you sorry for your sins?’ and they say yes, I say, ‘Let me pray for you.’ And I pray that God would open their heart, that they understand the cross and find a place of genuine repentance and this day be born again.” He stresses that salvation is never in human hands. “I’ve never saved anybody, it’s God that saves. All I do is plant the seed, others water, but God causes the increase.”

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Even after 50 years of open-air preaching, Comfort’s message is the same: the gospel is the only cure for the moral and spiritual crisis facing the world. “The gospel will take a human heart that is so selfish it’ll kill a baby in the womb to where it will nurture a child, the same person,” he said. “The gospel makes us new creatures in Christ that long to do the will of God.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

The occult may appear to be entertainment to some, but those who understand the spiritual realm warn that it is anything but harmless. Objects linked to dark practices or rituals are believed to serve as open doors for destructive forces. These forces, once invited, can influence lives in ways that lead to turmoil, sickness, addiction or even death. Such dangers are often dismissed in popular culture, yet many maintain that the consequences are both real and severe.

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Revivalist Isaiah Saldivar recently issued a public warning to comedian Matt Rife after the performer announced he had become the legal guardian of Ed and Lorraine Warren’s home, occult museum, and more than 750 haunted artifacts, including the infamous Annabelle doll. “This stuff is not a game. It’s not a joke. Do not get involved in this,” Saldivar said in a recent video.

“You are opening yourself up to demonic spirits”

Saldivar connected Rife’s purchase to the recent death of Dan Rivera, who had toured with the Annabelle doll before dying unexpectedly in his hotel room. “It wasn’t the doll that killed him. It’s the demonic spirits that he opens himself up to when you start touching and getting involved in these occult items,” he said.

Warning Rife directly, Saldivar explained, “When you open yourself up to this stuff, you are opening yourself up to demonic spirits. And you don’t know what will come in—spirits of addiction, murder, anger, rage, bitterness.” He added that such spirits seek to inhabit people, not just objects, and can bring devastating consequences.

“The world is hungry for the supernatural”

Saldivar noted that Rife’s acquisition reflects a larger cultural trend: “People are so hungry for the supernatural… but they go to the wrong sources. Instead of going to God and His power and His Spirit… you go to the dark side and you look for the supernatural.”

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He also took issue with comments made by psychic medium Matt Fraser, who warned Rife about the Annabelle doll but described the spirits as “souls that have not transitioned.” Saldivar corrected this, saying, “They’re not souls. They’re demonic spirits… fallen angels that are looking for bodies to inhabit.”

A call to stop “playing with fire”

Addressing Rife and anyone dabbling in occult practices, Saldivar was blunt: “You are playing with fire when you start playing with these things and think it’s no big deal.” He urged viewers to get rid of any occult items in their possession, quoting Scripture’s command to “expose the works of darkness.”

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“The spiritual realm is very real,” Saldivar continued, stressing that the Bible warns of unseen forces at work in the world and calls believers to resist them. “Stop today. Get rid of your witchcraft. Get rid of your occult items. This is dangerous, and it will destroy your life.”

James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.