Anthony Tyrone ‘Tony’ Evans (born 1949) is an American pastor, speaker, author and widely syndicated radio and television broadcaster. He earned a BA at Carver College in 1972, a Th.M. in 1976 and a Th.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1982.

Over 40 years ago, Dr. Evans founded the Christian Bible teaching and resource ministry The Urban Alternative (TUA). TUA’s current activities include radio programs, television, internet, social media and conferences. Millions of individuals experience The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans through the daily radio broadcast playing on nearly 1,400 radio outlets and in over 130 countries.

Dr. Evans has served as the senior pastor at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX, for over 40 years. Since he and his wife Lois launched the non-denominational church in 1976 with 10 members meeting at their home, they have witnessed its growth to now over 10,000 congregants with 100 plus ministries.

In 2021, Dr. Evans delivered a powerful message at the National Religious Broadcaster’s Convention under the title God is Shaking Things Up. He began his message by sharing his 3-year struggle with the loss of a sister, brother, brother-in-law and father, and, in late 2019, of his wife of 50 years, Lois.

He then turned to the culture and said: “The white church has become too Republican. Too many have wrapped our faith in the American flag, and when you go for a nationalistic faith you have contaminated the gospel. Not because you’re Republican, but because you’ve now made the nation subject to the wrong kingdom, instead of the nation having to adjust to our King and His kingdom.

“But the Black church has become idolatrous too because what we have done, we have wrapped Blackness in cultural identity. So we have often been more Black than biblical. We have decided that our color can trump Christ and so we will endorse a political party who will endorse evil, say nothing about the evil of abortion, the evil of homosexuality [and] the evil misuse of government because of a race issue.

“God doesn’t ride the backs of donkeys or elephants. He sits as King of Kings. He sits as Lord of Lords.”

To this we respond with a full-hearted amen!

In line with Dr. Evans’ proclamation, it once again needs emphasizing that there is nothing inherently good or bad about the Democrat Party or the Republican Party. Nothing more than Civics 101, both are simply holding vessels where like-minded constituents are housed.

Yet, the shape of the current culture and American Christendom’s piddling influence on it are the dire consequence of a theological disconnect where Christian leaders, in the words of Dr. Peter J. Leithart, seemingly join “academic theologians who have never been engaged in any political struggle more serious than annual departmental budget battles.”

The cultural war is not about donkeys and elephants. Far from it. It is about two distinct religions—godless secularism and biblical Christianity—that are advocating different creeds and directions as they vie for ideological supremacy and civic control of the ideas and values of culture.

Ignorance as well as credulousness is required to accept as true the false idea that America’s current civil religion—secularism—can be regarded as “neutral.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Not believing in God is every bit of a religious decision as believing in God.

Having the Bible as the principal component of contemporary public education—as America’s Founders intended—is every bit of a religious decision as the 20th-century Warren Court’s (1953-1969) ban on prayer to Jehovah in public schools in 1962, and the eradication of the Bible from public education in 1963.

In his excellent “1 & 2 Kings Commentary,” Dr. Peter J. Leithart observes that “It is debatable that the framers of the American Constitution envisioned a secular state, the First Amendment has come to be understood as a protection of all religious belief, though not necessarily a protection of religious behavior (e.g., polygamy is not a protected religious behavior).

“According to contemporary interpretations of the First Amendment, it makes no social and political difference what people believe. They can worship a thousand gods or none, they can worship Yahweh or Allah or Jesus, and it has absolutely no public consequences.

“All can live in harmony and peace despite our religious differences because the sacred canopy overarching all our particular religious commitments is a commitment to the American civil religion, a religion to which all Americans adhere.”

Time will tell whether the 2023 Asbury Revival was a movement of God or a subjective human artifact. But it is certainly this type of activity of the Spirit moving across high school and college campuses that will lead to personal repentance, spiritual awakening and rebirth desperately needed among Millennials (those born from 1980 to 1994), Gen Z (born 1995 to 2009) and Gen Alpha (2010-2024).

The film Jesus Revolution is now playing in theatres everywhere. It depicts the Christian awakening that began among hippies on the West Coast in the late 1960s. We encourage you to go and see it. Here is the trailer.

Since politics is downstream from culture, every church in America should be prompting a pastor, deacon, elder or congregant to run for local office in 2024, 2026, 2028 and thereafter. And by that, spreading the “leaven of heaven” all across the nation as the countermeasure against the blasphemous barrage of godless secularism.

Biblical Christianity will have to move out of the church building and return to the public square if we are to make it through.

Nonetheless, there is much to be grateful for as Gideon’s and Rahab’s are entering the public square. {eoa}

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David Lane is the founder of the American Renewal Project.

This article first appeared on Curt Landry Ministries.

*Note: This is the second of a two-part series. You can view the first part here.

5. Anoint Your Neck

Anoint your neck: This is something that the Lord showed us quite a while ago. We just anoint the back of our neck.

If you can imagine, taking your thumb and index finger and holding them to make a “U” shape. Then put it over the top of, if you’re right-handed, you put it on your left hand, and you bounce it on top of your wrist. Most of the time it fits on your wrist, but if you take it to the flat part of your hand, it won’t hit.

Isaiah 10:27 says,

• “In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat.”

In the spirit, when the enemy comes to yoke you into bondage when you anoint your neck, it means that your neck becomes fat, and the yoke won’t fit. Think of an animal; when it is healthy and anointed, the yoke won’t fit. The temptations will still come. But they won’t be able to steer you to the right or the left.

So, blowing the shofar and anointing your neck, I know that sounds different, but the Scripture says that anointing oil breaks the yoke of the enemy where it used to hold you back. And so, when it’s broken off, it no longer fits on you because the oil has made your neck fat.

And that’s Isaiah 10:27. The oil is also symbolic of the anointing of Jesus, Yeshua, and it’s sending the Holy Spirit upon to break the yoke of slavery of anything you’ve been in bondage to. And anointing your neck reminds you that the Holy Spirit is given to you to fully equip you for all the Lord asks you to do.

So, it’s something that you can do. And I’ve done this with my grandchildren. We anoint their heads, and I speak out their name. I speak the name, and when I do, each name has been carefully chosen. And so I say, “Your name is Joseph. Joseph means anointed one, sent of God. Arie means the lion, the anointed one, sent of God.” And then I speak his last name, and then I anoint his head. I break the yolk off any generational curses of inequity, anything coming against him now that would stop him from being the anointed one and the Ariel, the lion of the tribe of Judah. Those are just practical things you can do with your children and your grandchildren.

6. Pray Under the Tallit

If you have a prayer shawl, or tallit, pray under it. It’s symbolic of God’s covering. If you need a tallit, oil and shofars, you can go to curtlandry.com. We have high-quality products that are all from Israel. We have them there. And we can get them sent to you from the United States.

But a tallit is symbolic of God’s covering and protection. It’s a secret place where you meet with the Lord. It’s a tool to help you experience the presence of the Lord in a new way, in a powerful way. The tallit serves as a reminder of a shelter in the secret place of the Most High, just like we pray in Psalm 91.

When you cover yourself in a tallit, remember that the tallit does not hold supernatural power. It’s just a symbol. And above the revelation of the tallit, where it’s an intentional connection to God.

When I put my tallit on, it will usually be in my office, when I go in my office at home, which is my studio where you see me doing videos there. We were blessed to be able to build that onto the house as a special place.

When I go in there, that’s a special place. But when I go in there and put the tallit over, I get on my sofa and sit, and just sometimes just sit and meditate and rest upon the Lord, the downloads come.

Because there’s a visual thing happening, I’ve got the worship music on. So there’s an auditory thing happening. But I feel the kinesthesia of God’s love will surround me.

And often, you’ll feel like you want to rock, or you just want to be in the presence of God, or you want to pray in tongues. And it’s an awesome experience. And these are just things you can do to maintain victory in spiritual warfare.

7. Take Communion

The seventh thing I want to say, and this is so powerful, is just taking communion regularly. And what Christie and I do is, we bring home some of the matzah, the bread from Passover, at House of David. We’ll have our Passover at House of David and bring some of the matzah home. It’s unleavened. And put it in a zip lock. It lasts forever. But there’s something about going back saying, “Oh, my gosh, we’re remembering the nine blessings of Passover out of Exodus.”

And so we’ll get the juice or the wine or whatever we will do then. And we take that Passover bread. And it’s really great. I keep mentioning the grandchildren, but it’s so important when I say to them, “Do you remember we had this matzah?” And they’ll say, “Passover. Passover. House of David.” And they remember. A lot of what this is just remembering. But regularly taking communion reminds you of the price that Jesus, Yeshua, paid, giving His life and blood, praise God, so that we are cleansed, restored, redeemed and forgiven.

And because of the blood He shed, you have an inheritance and every spiritual blessing in heaven. And when you take communion, you proclaim the work He did on the cross to give you a new identity, to create a new record in the Courts of Heaven.

In Conclusion… The Enemy’s Accusations Don’t Have to Stick!

I love what Paul said in Ephesians. He said that there was a workmanship prepared beforehand. I’m always really focused on, “Lord, let me have the timing. Let me have the ears to hear, the heart to believe and the courage to step out in this time of spiritual warfare. And Lord, I thank You that through the discipline of praying and spiritual warfare, it sanctifies us and gives us peace with God.”

It’s easier for you to identify when the enemy tries to trick you and shame you and say, “Oh, you’re not saved. You’re not going to succeed. You’re not going to do, and you’re la, la, la.” and keep his mouth shut when you say, “You know what?…

• I’m going to create a new routine.
• I’m going to keep the Feasts of the Lord, not legalistically, but because God’s called me to the table.
• I’m going to be a Sabbath-keeper.
• I’m going to bring tithes and offerings.
• I’m going to have a quiet time every day.
• I’m going to read His Word every day.
• I’m going to anoint my neck and remind myself every yoke’s been broken.
• I’m going to pray under my tallit once a week.
• I’m going to take communion at least once a week.

I’m going to believe God that…

• If I am diligent with this and present myself to be approved before God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed but rightly dividing the Word of truth, according to 2 Timothy 2:15
• If I am wise like Joshua and say, this book of the law shall not depart from my mouth, but I shall meditate in it day and night, that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it.

…For then, God will make my way prosperous, and I will have good success.

And I love what it says in Psalm 119:1-3, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep His testimony, who seek Him with their whole heart. They also do no inequity. They walk in His ways.”

And in closing with this, I love this, in 2 Peter 1:5-8, “But also, for the very reason, giving all diligence, adding to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness love. For these things are yours and abounding, and you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” {eoa}

Click here to view Rabbi Landry’s book on spiritual warfare!

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Curt Landry, founder of Curt Landry Ministries, and his wife, Christie, travel extensively, preaching and teaching about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Together, their passion is to empower families to live and leave Kingdom legacies and understand their own personal heritage.

“Jesus Revolution” is apparently resonating with everyone—believers and non-believers alike—and the box office numbers are showing it.

In its three-week run since debuted in theaters on Feb. 24, the film starring Kelsey Grammer and “The Chosen’s” Jonathan Roumie has surpassed $40 million in sales and is showing no signs of slowing down. In its opening weekend, it earned a third-place position at the box office, far exceeding its expectations while raking in $15 million.

In an exclusive interview with Charisma News this week, co-producer and director Jon Erwin shared how the movie’s delay in getting made turned out to be God working in His perfect timing.

“It’s great to see those headlines that say the faith audience shocks the industry,” Erwin said. “After such a long, long season of an industry being rebuilt, the last three years have been the most disruptive time ever in the history of theatrical movies.”

Indeed the film is shocking the world. Lionsgate Entertainment, the studio that made the film, has reported that “Jesus Revolution” has become its highest-grossing movie—secular or Christian—since 2019.

“The numbers are incredible, especially coming out of a pandemic,” co-producer Kevin Downes told Christian Headlines. And, Downes said, moviegoers eager for faith films are “not going away.”

Pastor Greg Laurie, portrayed by Joel Courtney and whom the film is centered on as he meets hippie street preacher Lonnie Frisbee (portrayed by Roumie), told Fox & Friends Weekend that “the timing of this film is incredible, and I believe God’s hand has been on it from the beginning.

“[The film] seems to be resonating with everyone, believers and non-believers. Young and old … God is still in the business of changing lives. … What happened to us some 50 years ago can still happen for people today.” {eoa}

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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor for Charisma Media.

Prophets are God-given ministries (Eph.4:11) placed in the church to guide us. We’re called to “not despise prophesying but test all things and hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:20).

Accountability is essential to steer clear of the counterfeit and support the authentic.

Chris Reed is the Chief Executive Officer and President of MorningStar Ministries in Fort Mill, South Carolina. He is also a respected, prophetic voice that is bringing encouragement and warnings to the church in these end times.

He speaks of repentance, revival, reformation and reaping of the harvest Jesus prophesied at the end of the age (Matt.13:39).

Take 10 to “keep step with the Spirit” in these turbulent yet momentous hours of history.

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God is amazing at using what Satan intends to harm people and turn it around for good.

Today’s media is widely considered a cesspool of perversion and ungodly lifestyles portrayed in a fun and accepting manner. But God is bringing about a new kind of media that glorifies Him and the biblical principles He established when He created the Earth.

With faith-based films and series having historic success recently with productions like “Jesus Revolution,” “Come Out in Jesus Name” and “The Chosen,” it is no surprise that New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Cahn’s “The Harbingers of Things to Come” was named a Runner-Up upon its nomination for one of the “Best Documentaries of 2022” by the Western Cultural Project.

According to “The Harbingers of Things to Come” website:

“Is it possible that what has happened to the United States and the world, from COVID-19 to 9/11, are part of an ancient mystery? Is it a warning? Does the mystery tell us what is yet to come? Do we have the key to uncover it?”

Cahn takes audiences on an epic journey from an island off of Massachusetts Bay to the Supreme Court, from Ground Zero, through the New York Harbor, to the Statue of Liberty to uncover this stunning mystery. Uncover…

• The ancient signs that warn of impending calamity
• The mystery that goes back to the prophet Jeremiah that pinpointed 2020 as the year a plague would come to America
• The harbingers that appeared in the last days of an ancient nation that have now appeared on American soil
• What all these things reveal about what is still to come
• The key, the hope and what you need to know about the future

As reported by Charisma News, after only two days in theatres, “Harbingers” was seen by over 100,000 people and grossed more than $1 million.

To find out how to watch or stream “The Harbingers of Things to Come,” click here to visit their website at harbingerofthingstocome.com. {eoa}

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

Following are snippets of the top stories featured on cn.mycharisma.com over the past week. We encourage you to visit the links to read the stories in full.

Fruition of David Wilkerson Prophecy Is Shaking the Church

Mario Murillo says David Wilkerson saw it coming. The scope and sensationalism that has engulfed our churches for years—something that has left the church empty and dry—will no longer be tolerated by God. True children of God want more, and a separation, Murillo says, is coming our way very soon for a “massive number of Christians” who will experience this strange miracle.

“The Holy Spirit is separating them. He has selected them for special grace and power to do mighty acts at the edge of history,” Murillo says. “They will be uniquely equipped to face the sophisticated evil of our time. But it all begins by making peace with the Holy Spirit and restoring His rightful place in our hearts and in the church.

“Take a close look at the book of Acts and you will see the disarming down-to-earth way they related to the Holy Spirit. While they revered Him deeply, they had a sense of his nearness and His involvement in their day-to-day operation. They behaved as if He was close by and they could almost see Him. Most of all, they anticipated His instructions.”

Repentance Led Rick Warren to Support Women’s Authority in Church

Three years ago, former Saddleback Church pastor and founder Rick Warren found himself in the unenviable position of repenting for a stance concerning the church he had held for many, many years.

Since founding Saddleback Church in California in 1980, Warren held the widespread belief that women should not be allowed to have authority within the body of Christ and to preach the gospel. It’s something he simply took for granted.

But in 2020, when the COVID pandemic hit, Warren, who retired from his position at Saddleback last year, began “reading every book I could find on the Great Commission and on church history.”

40 Gang Members Crash Revival With Mario Murillo

A palpable presence of God covered Mario Murillo’s, Bakersfield tent revival as gang members poured in from the streets riddled with fentanyl overdoses. As soon as their feet hit the tent grounds they knew they were walking through in desperate need of one thing, Jesus.

In a Charisma News interview, Murillo describes an unprecedented unity among the local churches as the national yearning for God continues to grow in the country.

Bakersfield is located right off the Kern River, just north of Los Angeles, California. “There is no doubt the laws of science are being overruled,” Murillo says. Life-long physical body injuries are being healed along with emotional trauma.

New Biblical Film Labeled a Cross Between ‘The Chosen’ and ‘The Passion of the Christ’

When early viewers refer to an upcoming Christian film as “The Passion of the Christ” meets “The Chosen,” there’s little doubt the movie will be a good one.

But there is another reason why “His Only Son,” an Angel Studios film that releases on March 31st just in time for Resurrection Sunday, is expected to make an impact on our culture.

The movie, which bills itself as a “biblically accurate” and authentic film based on the story of Abraham and Isaac, and one that took five years in to make, is breaking records for its successful crowdfunding model, Fox News Digital has reported.

Demons Manifest, Deliverance Arrives at Locke’s Movie Premiere

Throughout the Gospels there are firsthand accounts of Jesus casting out demons and taking authority over them.

Following in His footsteps, the disciples continued this practice of delivering the afflicted from spiritual torment that had physical manifestations.

So why have so many modern-day Christians abandoned the practice of deliverance ministry? {eoa}

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Right now in the body of Christ, a great deal of attention is being paid to the issue of deliverance. The compelling new movie by Greg Locke, “Come Out in Jesus Name,” debuted in theaters this week and is taking the nation by storm. Charisma News has brought you complete coverage of this phenomenon and of miracles happening on site.

However, this is one burning question that has left many in debate about the spiritual gift of deliverance: Can a demon possess a Christian?

Cultural commentator and author Michael Brown, who writes a column for Charisma titled, “In The Line of Fire,” answers the question with an unequivocal “no” in a recent interview with Charisma News’ John Matarazzo.

“Can a Christian come under demonic power? Can a Christian be demonized in an sense where they are tormented or afflicted spiritually, emotionally, mentally and they need to be set free? Yes, it’s possible. We can open the door in certain ways we can get beaten down and yield the authority that we have in the Lord. Any number of things can happen. That is possible.”

But … “Can a Christian be indwelt by a demon the same way they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit? No. … Can a Christian be demon possessed so that a demon controls them and they have lost their own? Well, no, because then Jesus is no longer their Lord, and they are no longer under His authority.”

Brown certainly believes that deliverance is for Christians. He says that he believes Christians can come under demonic power, and that strongholds can infiltrate the life of a believer due to demonic activity or perhaps a physical affliction that individual may have.

Healings, Brown says, are deliverances, and deliverances are healings. They overlap.

Decades ago, Brown says he began teaching on the subject of deliverance with a journey through the entire New Testament.

“Jesus often healed the sick and drove out demons. It’s side by side. Demons are driven out and people are healed,” Brown says. “Those things can happen with believers today as well.

“But again, if we mean that a Christian is indwelt by a demon the same way they’re indwelt by the Holy Spirit, with demons and the Holy Spirit dwelling side by side within a human being, then no, I don’t believe that is possible.

“If they are quote ‘demon possessed,’ which is probably a wrong way of translating the Greek anyway, then Satan owns them and Jesus no longer owns them. I see that as impossible.

“Over the decades, I’ve had no problem telling demons to get out or come out, because they are somewhere that they don’t belong. But I don’t believe a Christian is demon possessed or has a demon in that sense. It’s a demonic stronghold that is entrenched somewhere in their lives and we’re telling it you must leave in Jesus’ name.

Brown says he has yet to view Pastor Greg Locke’s movie, “Come Out in Jesus Name.” In 2022, however, he was interviewed by the “Demon Slayers Podcast,” members Vlad Savchuk and Isaiah Saldivar, whom he claims both said they were “controversial” and that they had practiced deliverance.

It was then that Brown realized that deliverance was “about to be a big hot subject in the church.”

“It was then I thought, ‘let’s just start talking about what the Bible says about demons,” Brown says. “I started doing that on the radio last year. And, of course, we have a whole series I did in the late 1980s on angels, demons and deliverance. We went back to that and went through every relevant scripture.

“And then, of course, with Pastor Locke’s movie coming out and the explosion of controversy around that, I thought, ‘OK, this is something we need to talk about as a body and as a family.'”

Division comes from misunderstanding the Bible, and from different definitions of terms like deliverance, exorcism, possession and oppression.

But how does the body of Christ not get caught up in petty discussions and disagreements about what these terms really mean?

“The first thing is that we have to recognize that we’re going to have some differences here,” Brown says. “It’s not the end of the world, and we don’t have to flip out over it. … So, the defining issue of what makes us brothers and sisters is not where we stand on the topic of deliverance. Let’s not magnify it beyond proportion. We may have some differences and that’s fine, it’s not the end of the world. We just have to accept that and move on.”

Brown wants to make it clear that he is not speaking out against Greg Locke, Vlad Savchuk, Isaiah Saldivar or others who appear in the movie. Brown hasn’t watched clips of the teachings of the “Demon Slayer Podcast.”

One thing Brown does know however, is that the discussion of deliverance can get “whacky really quickly.”

“It’s so dramatic and it’s so wild,” Brown says. “It seems so supernatural. Our whole focus is on demons and deliverance, and it’s not on Jesus. It’s on intimacy with God. It’s not on growing in the Word. It’s uncovering demons and strongholds and uprooting them and we become more devil conscious than God conscious. That’s always a danger. And there’s always the danger that when you get enough people in the room with kind a mass hysterical reaction.

“So, when God moves, let Him move in reality, let Him move in power. And then, rather than trying to defend something, we need to say, here’s what we believe based on Scripture. Here’s the fruit that we see. So, interact with us based on Scripture, examine the fruit rather than trying to defend everything that happens.” {eoa}

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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.

As the late broadcaster Paul Harvey once said, “If I were the prince of darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness.”

This exact plan by the devil has been in motion since the Garden of Eden, and he has an entire army of demons at his command to accomplish this goal.

These torturous spirits have free rein in the lives of those who reject Jesus Christ as Savior, the One who claimed victory over sin and death.

For many Christians, the question of “Can I become possessed as a follower of Jesus?” fills their mind with fear and uncertainty.

One of the leading voices in deliverance ministry, Apostle Alexander Pagani, sat down with Charisma News to discuss the topic of deliverance from demonic spirits.

“We know that the devil’s number one form of deception is to make the world believe that he doesn’t exist,” explained Pagani. And when it comes to minimizing who and what the devil is in American culture, he is doing a great job of it.

The caricature of who the devil really is in society, and the line of thought that he is just some red, little man in hell, has opened the floodgates for demonic possession, oppression and influence in people’s lives.

Deflecting away from the tormenter that he really is, Pagani helps shed light on a trick the devil is playing over members of the Christian church to this day.

“The devil’s number two form of deception is to make the church believe that we blame the devil too much. So, we never blame him. And I believe that’s what’s happening. This false narrative of over-blaming the devil, I have yet to see someone over-blaming the devil,” says Pagani.

Pagani is referencing the old trope that previous generations of Pentecostals and charismatics over-spiritualized life and accused any bad thing in life to a demonic attack.

Believing that Christians became hyper-spiritualized, many simply abandoned the spiritual warfare that had offered protection against assault from the devil for generations.

If people want evidence to the effect this has had on America, simply look at society today.

Golden pagan statues are being erected in American cities, television is filled with satanic programming and the biblical order that God created is being dismantled in every facet of society.

With the unsaved offering countless examples of what demonic possession looks like in culture today, Pagani has a passion to educate Christians on the protection that being filled with the Holy Spirit offers them in the spiritual battles taking place today.

“A Christian is not possessed, as in owned by, a demon. No, number one, we are bought with a price. Number two, we have the precious Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest expectation of our blessed hope living on the inside. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, it is impossible for [a] Christian to be owned by the devil,” says Pagani.

“But can a Christian possess a devil, not demon possession…as in having a demon? Obviously, yes. Paul said, ‘Neither give place to the devil.’ …When the work of the flesh is not contained and crucified through the work of the Holy Spirit within us, then a stronghold becomes a strong man,” he added.

Coming off the smashing success of the deliverance movie, “Come Out in Jesus Name,” people are witnessing just how powerful and necessary deliverance ministry is. It removes the demonic influence, oppression or possession in their lives that they were not even aware of.

That is how powerful the deception is that Satan has instituted in the world.

Learn more about the power of deliverance ministry in Alexander Pagani’s book “The Secrets to Deliverance: Defeat the Toughest Cases of Demonic Bondage.” {eoa}

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

With American society in a downward moral spiral for decades now, Christians have been hoping and praying for a nationwide turn back to God.

But is that an event that will occur on a national level according to Scripture?

Charisma News sat down with Messianic Rabbi Kirt Schneider, host of the international program “Discovering the Jewish Jesus,” to discuss if America will ever return to her Judeo-Christian roots.

“My view is a bit controversial, with some prophesying a great revival, the greatest revival the world has ever seen, and there may be a great revival. But concerning the Earth and America and Western culture, I do not think America will ever be a Judeo-Christian country again, in the way that we think of in the past,” Rabbi Schneider explained.

“There have been too many breaches, too much that has been broken. The breakdown of morality of the family…we will not be able to repair what has been broken,” he continued.

Rabbi Schneider points to what Scriptures say in Jesus’ own words in Matthew 24 telling of “famine, epidemics and earthquakes,” and that those are just the beginning the sorrows.

The events of the End Times are not only cataclysmic events that cause suffering, but a corrupting of biblical morality so that the earth will be as it was in the days of Noah.

This does not mean there will not be an active church carrying out the will of the Lord during the End Times and into the Tribulation. In fact, Rabbi Schneider shares that Christians can expect a strong remnant to be on the earth.

“There are some churches that are going to be committed to preaching the Word, they’re going to be committed to dying to self so Jesus can increase; they’re going to be willing to pay the cost to be rejected for their bold stand, that Jesus is the only way; they’re going to be willing to stand up and reject the LGBTQ agenda,” Schneider shared.

“There are going to be those remnant communities of people until the end. But by and large, we’re going to see people compromising more and more, because Jesus said straight and narrow as a way that leads to life. Find it.”

In the book of Revelation, the world must come to such an immoral and spiritually bankrupt condition that it allows for the beast and false prophet to come into power.

Paul also writes about the breakdown of society from a moral perspective in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 saying:

“Know this: In the last days perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, slanderers, unrestrained, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Turn away from such people.”

Anyone who is paying attention knows that in many ways, society is continuing its moral collapse. But this is necessary for the End of Days to be ushered according to the Word of God.

“Chaos is one of the primary manifestations of evil. So I am a voice crying in the wilderness saying ‘Stop looking for some great turnaround,’ that America is going to somehow become this great Christian nation again, because I believe the Scripture says that we’re going to go from bad to worse, and that Jesus will not return until this happens,” says Schneider.

In the meantime, Christians are still called to answer the Great Commission and share the truth of Jesus Christ with as many as will listen. The church is not called to be idle during these times, but to ramp up its efforts to pushback against the spreading darkness and share salvation with as many souls as possible. {eoa}

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

In the Bible, you read about wine being a common drink among the Jews. Wine was enjoyed at feasts, in fellowship with friends, with the Lord’s Supper and even kept inside of the Temple. But, did you know the wine most frequently consumed during Jesus’ time on earth was much different than the wine people drink today?

Charisma magazine sat down with Evangelist Perry Stone who shared his thoughts on the consumption of alcohol today. Describing a common setting while out to dinner with those who do drink wine, he says, “I don’t preach to them, I just tell them I don’t, and when they ask why I go into the history. The wine in Jesus’ day was mixed with water and it would take 27 glasses of wine to equal the alcohol of two martinis,” he says.

“Instead of just trying to attack people, know the Bible. Why do you believe what you believe? The Word of God does what you can’t,” Stone says.

Here are three reasons why wine today is different than in the days of Jesus:

• To keep wine fresh during Bible times, the focus was natural fermentation, not the fermentation often used today which breaks down the sugars into ethyl alcohol.
• There were no additives or chemicals in wine during Jesus’ day, the taste of the wine would have been closer to grape juice.
• Water was added to dilute wine, the practice of two or three parts water and one part wine was common during that time.

Tune in to the rest of the interview with Perry Stone to learn how he witnesses to unbelievers with unconditional love. He shares his transformative journey of loving people where they are, and how that has led to testimonies of miraculous transformation in those we may least expect. {eoa}

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Shelby Bowen is an assistant editor for Charisma Media.