‘Amazing Grace’ Echoes Through Mississippi Church as Deadly Tornado Rips Through Town

As violent tornadoes tore across Mississippi on Wednesday night, leveling homes and ripping apart buildings, members of a small church in Purvis huddled together in prayer and sang Amazing Grace while a tornado tore through their church, according to a report by AccuWeather.

At least 17 people were injured after more than a dozen tornadoes were reported across Mississippi, leaving widespread destruction in multiple counties and triggering three tornado emergencies, the most severe type of tornado warning.

One of the hardest-hit locations was Coaltown Baptist Church, where church members had gathered for a meal before the storms intensified.

Pastor Jimmy Breazeale said tornado sirens began sounding as members of the congregation were finishing dinner, prompting everyone to move into a hallway behind the sanctuary for shelter.

“They were actually singing ‘Amazing Grace,’” Breazeale said.

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The pastor said the congregation sang and prayed together to comfort one another as the tornado closed in on the building.

“One man looked outside, and he said, ‘It’s coming,’” Breazeale said. “The wall was just moving back and forth.”

The tornado ripped apart portions of the church, destroying the fellowship hall and tearing the steeple from the building before tossing it into the parking lot.

“We didn’t realize it at the time, but the roof was gone,” Breazeale said. “Just total devastation. We were just thankful to God that we were all safe.”

Despite the extensive damage, no one sheltering inside the church was injured.

Gov. Tate Reeves said preliminary assessments showed widespread destruction across the state, particularly in southern Mississippi. In Lamar County alone, officials reported 275 homes damaged, 50 apartment units left inaccessible and 30 roads closed because of debris.

In neighboring Lincoln County, more than 200 homes were impacted, with emergency officials reporting “major damage” and several injuries. Authorities urged residents to stay off the roads as crews worked to clear debris and restore power.

The Cajun Navy deployed emergency resources to affected areas, including a 50-person shelter pod, generators and pallets of supplies, while shelters were opened with support from the American Red Cross.

The National Weather Service confirmed at least seven tornadoes from Wednesday’s outbreak as survey teams continued assessing the damage Thursday. At least three EF3 tornadoes have already been confirmed, including one storm that tracked more than 35 miles across parts of the state.

The storms also unleashed intense lightning activity across the Southeast. According to the AccuWeather Lightning Network, there were 215,695 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes recorded within 24 hours. In Tylertown, at least one home caught fire after being struck by lightning.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




Super El Niño Warning: Scientists Say Massive Weather Pattern Could Arrive Within Months

Scientists monitoring Pacific Ocean temperatures say conditions are increasingly pointing toward the possible arrival of a “super” El Niño later this year, following months of unusually warm ocean readings across large portions of the globe.

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, April 2026 recorded the second-highest sea surface temperatures ever observed, with daily averages nearing the record levels seen during 2024.

“Scientists have revealed an ominous sign that a ‘super’ El Niño is inching closer,” the Daily Mail reported.

El Niño is part of the naturally occurring El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle, which alternates between warmer El Niño phases and cooler La Niña phases every few years. During El Niño events, warmer Pacific Ocean waters spread eastward and release heat into the atmosphere, often affecting weather patterns around the world.

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Where ocean warming exceeds 2 degrees Celsius above average, scientists often classify the event as a “super El Niño.”

The Copernicus report found that average sea surface temperatures across much of the globe reached 21 degrees Celsius, or 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit, during April.

Forecasters currently estimate a 62% chance that the ongoing La Niña pattern could transition into El Niño conditions between June and August.

If a super El Niño develops, it would mark only the third such event in roughly the last 30 years. The most recent occurred during 2015-2016 and was one of the strongest ever recorded.

Climate scientist Zeke Hausfather warned that current indicators suggest this cycle could become especially powerful.

“El Niño is coming, and it is shaping up to be a big one,” Hausfather wrote on X.

He added that if stronger forecasts materialize, “2027 looks increasingly likely to set a new record, perhaps by a sizeable margin if we end up on the high end range of the El Niño forecasts.”

While scientists continue monitoring conditions in the Pacific, weather experts stress that El Niño and La Niña are natural climate cycles that have operated for thousands of years and periodically influence global temperatures, rainfall and storm patterns.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




Pastor Convicted for Preaching John 3:16 in ‘Dark Day’ for Religious Freedom

A retired pastor in Northern Ireland has been convicted for preaching near an abortion facility after delivering a sermon that included the reading of John 3:16, a case many Christians are warning marks another alarming erosion of religious liberty across the Western world.

Pastor Clive Johnston, 78, was found guilty Thursday at Coleraine Magistrates Court of violating an abortion clinic “safe access zone” law after holding an open-air Sunday service near Causeway Hospital in July 2024, according to reporting from Christianity Today.

Johnston, the former president of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, now faces a criminal record and potentially thousands of pounds in fines under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act.

Commenting after the verdict, Johnston called the ruling “a dark day for Christian freedom.”

“We held a small, open air Sunday service near a hospital. We made no reference whatsoever to the issue of abortion,” Johnston said. “And yet the buffer zones law is so broad that holding a Sunday service has been found to be a criminal offence.”

The pastor stressed that no harassment or intimidation occurred during the gathering.

“If someone is out there causing trouble, stirring up violence, harassing or verbally attacking people, then, absolutely, go ahead and prosecute them,” he said. “But I wasn’t doing any of those things as the police video shows and as everyone involved in this case accepts.”

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The message at the center of the prosecution included the reading of John 3:16, one of the most recognized verses in not just Christianity, but the world: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

The Christian Institute, which supported Johnston’s legal defense, condemned the conviction as a dangerous attack on freedom of speech and religion.

Simon Calvert, deputy director of the organization, said before the hearing that “John 3:16 is a wonderful, famous verse and everyone knows it says nothing about abortion.”

He accused authorities of “overstepping the mark” by treating gospel preaching as political protest.

“Prosecuting Pastor Johnston for preaching ‘God so loved the world’ near a hospital on a quiet Sunday is a shocking new attempt to restrict freedom of religion and freedom of speech,” Calvert said.

The case is already drawing international concern among Christians who see it as another sign of a rapidly shifting culture increasingly hostile toward biblical Christianity and public expressions of faith. For many believers watching events unfold across Europe and the West, the conviction stands as another reminder of Scripture’s warnings that societies rejecting God would eventually call good evil and evil good.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




Historic UAP Disclosure: Pentagon Releases Never-Before-Seen UFO Files to Public

The federal government officially opened the vault Thursday on one of the most controversial subjects in modern American history, releasing a new wave of previously classified files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena in what officials are calling an unprecedented transparency effort.

The announcement came directly from the Department of War, which unveiled a new online portal housing declassified UAP records from across the federal government. The release is part of a sweeping interagency initiative called the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, or PURSUE.

According to the Department of War, the effort includes coordination between the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Energy, NASA, the FBI, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office and additional intelligence agencies.


“This release follows the direction of President Donald J. Trump to begin the process of identifying and declassifying government files related to UAP in the interest of total transparency,” the Department of War said in its announcement. “No other President or administration in history has followed through on this level of UAP transparency.”

The newly launched government website, , now hosts declassified videos, photographs and original source documents connected to UAP investigations. Officials said additional material will continue to be uploaded on a rolling basis.

“The American people can now access the federal government’s declassified UAP files instantly,” the statement said. “The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place — no clearance required.”




The announcement marks a dramatic shift from decades of secrecy, ridicule and fragmented disclosures surrounding UFO investigations.

“While past administrations sought to discredit or dissuade the American people, President Trump is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files,” the Department of War stated.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called the disclosure effort historic.

“The Department of War is in lockstep with President Trump to bring unprecedented transparency regarding our government’s understanding of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,” Hegseth said. “These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves.”

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the release is only the beginning.

“Today’s release is the first in what will be an ongoing joint declassification and release effort,” Gabbard said, adding that intelligence agencies are conducting a “careful, comprehensive, and unprecedented review” of UAP records.

FBI Director Kash Patel described the move as a “landmark release of UAP records.”

“For the first time in history, the American people have unfettered access to declassified government files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon — a level of transparency that no prior administration has delivered,” Patel said.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the scientific implications of the disclosures and the ongoing search for answers.

“We will remain candid about what we know to be true, what we have yet to understand, and all that remains to be discovered,” Isaacman said. “Exploration and the pursuit of knowledge are core to NASA’s mission as we endeavor to unlock the secrets of the universe.”

Officials noted that while the files were reviewed for national security concerns before publication, many of the materials “have not yet been analyzed for resolution of any anomalies.”

The release instantly ignited renewed public fascination with UAPs and disclosure efforts that have accelerated in recent years following military footage leaks, congressional hearings and growing demands for transparency from both lawmakers and the American public.

Now, for the first time, the federal government says the files are open for anyone to examine.

To view the government’s website on the UFO files, click here.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




Scientists Prepare to Breed ‘De-Extinct’ Dire Wolves in Shocking Genetic Breakthrough

The prospect of bringing extinct species back to life is rapidly moving from fantasy to reality.

Biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences announced its genetically engineered dire wolves are now old enough to breed, marking a major milestone in the controversial field of “de-extinction.”

The company previously revealed it had created three dire wolf pups by reconstructing the extinct animal’s genome using ancient DNA and genetically modifying gray wolf embryos to resemble the prehistoric predator.

“The plan is to create an inter-breedable population of dire wolves in which they would eventually breed naturally to create a sustainable population of the world’s first de-extinct species,” chief animal officer Matt James told The Telegraph.

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The wolves currently live on a secure 2,000-acre preserve in the United States under constant monitoring.

“The dire wolves are doing great,” Ben Lamm, chief executive and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences, said in comments published by the Daily Mail. “We hope to have more dire wolf pups by the end of the year.”

The announcement has renewed ethical and ecological concerns about reviving extinct species.

Some scientists argue the animals are not true dire wolves, but genetically modified gray wolves designed to mimic the extinct predator. Others warn modern ecosystems may not safely support resurrected apex predators.

“There would also be the potential for increased human and wolf conflict,” paleontologist Nic Rawlence of the University of Otago previously told the Daily Mail.

Ecologist Stuart Pimm of Duke University questioned whether extinct species can truly be restored after ecosystems have changed so dramatically.

As biotechnology advances, the debate is no longer whether extinct species can be revived. It is whether humanity should revive them at all.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




LA Marzulli Reveals Why UFOs Are Not What Most Christians Think

The conversation around UFO disclosure is no longer living on the fringes of the internet. It’s exploding into the mainstream. Government officials are talking. Former intelligence figures are speaking openly. Videos once dismissed as conspiracy theories are now debated on national platforms.

And according to L.A. Marzulli, the church cannot afford to remain spiritually asleep while the world races toward what he believes is a coming supernatural deception.

During a recent interview with Charisma, Marzulli delivered a sobering warning: many Christians fundamentally misunderstand the nature of the UFO phenomenon because they fail to distinguish between demons and fallen angels.

“The whole UFO phenomena is demons,” Marzulli said many Christians wrongly claim. “Well we need to stop and talk about this.”

That distinction sits at the center of Marzulli’s decades-long research into UFOs, the Nephilim and biblical prophecy.

“The disembodied spirits of the Nephilim are demons,” Marzulli said. “They are earthbound. They need a body to manifest in this dimension. Fallen angels do not.”

He continued: “Fallen angels are eternal beings. Eternal beings which do not need bodies because they already have them and those bodies are eternal.”

That statement completely reshapes how many believers view disclosure.




For years, parts of the church have treated UFO encounters as nothing more than hallucinations, fantasies or purely spiritual illusions. Marzulli rejects that framework entirely.

“It’s not demonic delusion,” he said. “It’s nuts and bolts craft. It’s real and it’s physical.”

Marzulli points directly to Scripture to support his case.

When Abraham entertained angels, they ate food. When angels entered Sodom, the men of the city physically saw them and attempted to assault them. Satan physically transported Jesus during the temptation in the wilderness. In Daniel, angelic beings battled the “Prince of Persia.”

“This is all reality,” Marzulli said. “So when you get these ridiculous statements, ‘Oh, it’s all demonic.’ No, no, no, no, no. Time out. It’s not. This is fallen angel technology is what we’re looking at here.”

That phrase, “fallen angel technology,” surfaced repeatedly throughout the interview.

Marzulli argued the supernatural realm described in Scripture contains advanced technology humanity does not yet understand. He referenced the “chariots of fire” surrounding Elisha, the flaming sword guarding Eden and the supernatural architecture described throughout the Bible.

“Technology is all through the Bible,” he said. “The heavenly realm, the supernatural, has technology that we don’t understand.”

This is where the conversation becomes urgent for believers.

Marzulli warned Christians that misunderstanding the physical aspect of the phenomenon could leave them vulnerable if dramatic public manifestations occur.

“If this thing appears in the sky and lands in a city near you, you’re going to freak out because you’ve been told a false narrative,” he said.

That warning ties directly into what Marzulli calls “the coming great deception,” a phrase he connects to 1 Timothy 4 and 2 Thessalonians.

“The Spirit expressly states that in the latter days, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and the doctrine of demons,” he said.

Marzulli believes the modern disclosure movement, New Age channeling and even Hollywood predictive programming are preparing humanity for a supernatural explanation that removes God from the equation.

But he insists Christians do not need to fear if they remain grounded in Scripture.

The Bible already warned us deception would come. Jesus already told us to watch. Paul already warned of seducing spirits. Revelation already describes a world desperate for answers apart from God.

Disclosure may dominate headlines in the days ahead. The church cannot afford spiritual laziness while the world asks questions about beings, dimensions and the supernatural.

Because if Marzulli is right, this conversation is no longer science fiction.

It is our present reality.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




New Christian Mobile Network Aims to Create Safer Internet for Families

A new Christian mobile phone provider is launching with a mission to create a safer digital environment for families and believers navigating an increasingly explicit online culture.

Radiant Mobile says it will offer wireless service combined with network-level filtering designed to block pornography and other harmful online content. The company officially launched this week and operates as a mobile virtual network operator through T-Mobile’s infrastructure.

Radiant Mobile founder Paul Fisher told MIT Technology Review the company wants to build “an environment that is Jesus-centric.” The filtering system is designed to block pornography by default while also allowing parents and users to customize additional protections on devices.

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“We’ve got to figure out some way to close the door to the digital space,” Chief Operating Officer Chris Klimis said regarding concerns about pornography exposure and online dangers facing children and families.

According to reports, the service uses technology from Israeli cybersecurity company Allot to categorize online content and apply filters directly through the wireless network itself.

The company also plans to include Christian-based content for subscribers, including devotionals, Bible-focused videos and family-friendly material. Fisher said part of the company’s monthly subscription model could eventually support participating churches.

Radiant Mobile joins a growing movement of faith-based technology alternatives aimed at helping Christians engage the digital world while maintaining biblical values and stronger protections for families.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




Christian Massacre in Nigeria: Fulani Extremists Attack Funeral During Burial Service

Christians in Nigeria are once again mourning after Fulani Islamist militants reportedly attacked a funeral service following the massacre of eight believers in Plateau State earlier this month, according to a report from The Gateway Pundit.

The violence began April 5 when extremists stormed the Christian village of Nding in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area during the night. Christians in the region say communication services are often disrupted before attacks, leaving villages isolated and unable to call for help.

A witness from a neighboring village reportedly posted online during the assault, warning, “We are posting this as it is happening, but unfortunately, it may take the security forces hours to reach the community. I pray everyone is safe!!!”

By the next morning, a pastor identified as James said eight people had been killed, including members of one family. He also described a growing campaign against Christian farmers in nearby regions.

“The Fulanis came in the night in the hundreds, cutting the farms belonging to the Christians… garden egg farms, maize farms, tomato farms, cabbage farms,” Pastor James said.

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“These people are using the farms and produce as the only sources of their livelihood…. Now they are denied all this?” he continued. “The question still remains…. What are they going to rely on now? How will they pay for their immediate needs?”

Pastor James later sent another urgent message reporting that militants attacked Christians again while victims from the previous night were being buried.

“This one just happened today again in the morning when the indigenous tribe, my own people (Berom), were in the burial ground trying to bury the eight people killed last night,” he said.

Local journalist Masara Kim livestreamed himself fleeing the funeral attack as gunfire echoed behind him.

“I’m so freaking tired. I gotta take another rest, not used to running these long distances,” Kim said while climbing uphill away from the shooting. “And now I just did it, climbing uphill with serious gunfire.”

Moments later, he cried out, “Oh God, it’s coming. It’s coming. It’s coming. It’s coming, Jesus. It’s getting worse.”

The report said many Christian villages remain defenseless even when police stations are nearby. In some areas, local Christians say authorities arrive long after attacks are over while villagers are left to bury the dead and rebuild shattered communities on their own.

The cries coming from Nigeria cannot be ignored. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are living where faith in Jesus is literally a life or death decision. Yet they continue to stand firm because choosing Christ is choosing eternal life. Christians around the world should pray fervently for protection, strength and justice for believers in Nigeria who refuse to deny the name of Jesus in the face of terror.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




UFO Disclosure Explodes: Trump and Kash Patel Say Secret Files Are Coming Soon

President Donald Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel are turning up the pressure on one of the most talked-about subjects in modern American history: UFO disclosure.

The disclosure movement is no longer confined to internet forums and conspiracy culture.

Trump reignited the firestorm with comments made April 29 during a White House event with NASA’s Artemis II astronauts and later reported May 3 by The Associated Press. Trump announced that the Pentagon is preparing to release what he described as “very interesting” UFO files tied to unidentified aerial phenomena and government investigations.

“We’re going to be releasing a lot of things that we haven’t,” Trump said. “I think some of it’s going to be very interesting to people.”

The comments came just weeks after Trump promised supporters at a Turning Point USA event that “the first releases will begin very, very soon.”




Now Patel is adding fuel to the growing disclosure push.

During a May 5 appearance on Sean Hannity’s podcast, Patel said the Trump administration has launched an interagency effort to declassify and release UFO-related records from across the federal government.

“[Trump] stood up an interagency process with the Department of War leading that effort to get out the documentation,” Patel said.

“They’re going to be publicly releasing this information very soon. We are all for it.”

Patel also said Trump is responding directly to growing public demand for answers.

“President Trump listens to what the American public has an interest in,” Patel said.

The administration’s comments have energized UFO researchers, transparency advocates, lawmakers and even religious leaders who have spent years demanding answers about unexplained aerial sightings near military installations and restricted airspace.

Whether the coming releases contain groundbreaking revelations or another round of heavily redacted documents, one reality is becoming impossible to ignore: the UFO conversation has moved directly into the center of the White House, the Pentagon and the FBI.

But we, as Christians, must remain anchored in Scripture, above headlines or any form of deception the enemy may send our way.

No revelation from Washington will overturn the truth of God’s Word. The Bible already warns that deception, signs and wonders will increase in the last days. We must stay spiritually discerning, grounded in prayer and glued to the truth of Scripture no matter what the world claims to uncover next.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.




Exposing the Demon of Selfishness: How Spiritual Warfare Starts Within

Selfishness is often dismissed as a personality flaw, but Scripture presents a far more serious reality. A recent teaching from John Eckhardt confronts the issue head-on, framing selfishness as a destructive spiritual force that demands both recognition and action.

Eckhardt warns that selfishness is not harmless or isolated. “There are a lot of demons connected to selfishness,” he said. “How selfishness can destroy a person’s life and affect other people as well. It is a terrible, terrible bondage.”

The Hidden Network Behind Selfishness

According to Eckhardt, selfishness operates within a broader web of spiritual issues that feed and reinforce one another. “It’s in the rebellion side and it’s connected with stubbornness, self-will,” he said. “It’s connected to lust and harlotry and whoredom… these are some of the spirits that work along with selfishness.”

He adds that the problem often manifests in multiple forms. “There’s self-will, self-pity, self-promotion, self-exaltation, there’s selfish ambition. There are a lot of things that go along with selfishness. There’s covetousness, greed, vanity, pride.”

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What It Means to ‘Cast Out’

Eckhardt roots his teaching in Scripture, pointing to the first appearances of “casting out” in the book of Genesis. “We see early in scripture that in the beginning… this term drove out, cast out is used as punishment. As punishment as judgment,” he said, referencing Adam and Cain being driven from God’s presence.

That pattern continues throughout the Bible and into the ministry of Jesus. “When you cast out demons, it is a picture of God’s judgment upon them, upon their wickedness, their rebellion,” Eckhardt said. “It is a sign of judgment.”

He emphasizes that this authority is not limited to a select few. “Mark 16, in my name shall they cast out devils,” he said. “It’s really a sign of God using you to execute judgment against the kingdom of darkness… it’s something that every believer can do.”

The Danger of Ignoring It

Eckhardt cautions that neglecting spiritual issues allows them to take root and grow. “What you don’t cast out, what you tolerate in your life will continue to dwell there,” he said. “Some things have to be cast out. Some things have to be expelled.”

He draws a parallel to Israel’s failure to fully drive out opposing nations. “The nations that Israel did not cast out became thorns in their sides and became a problem to them,” he said. “So what you don’t cast out will vex you, harass you, become a thorn.”

The Call to Deny Self

At the center of Eckhardt’s message is the call of Jesus to live a life of self-denial. “If any man will follow me, let him deny himself. Let him deny himself. Take up his cross… and follow me,” he said.

He points to practical steps believers can take to confront selfishness. “Fasting is a powerful way of self-denial, helping you to deny yourself,” Eckhardt said. “Really fasting can break the power of selfishness.”

The message is clear: following Christ requires more than belief. It demands surrender.

Selfishness cannot coexist with a life fully yielded to God. The call to take up the cross is a call to lay self down, confront what remains and walk in the authority Scripture makes available.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.