In the latest episode of The Jack Hibbs Podcast, Pastor Jack Hibbs lets the truth fly when addressing the surge in spiritual interest among Americans—especially young people. But rather than celebrating it as a revival, Hibbs urges caution.
“Some very naïve or ignorant Christian who doesn’t know the Word might say, ‘Look, isn’t this great? These kids are so spiritual,’” Hibbs said. “That’s not great. It’s not good. Unless Jesus Christ is the epicenter, the source, the core, the focus, the origin and the finisher of that spiritual reality.”
Hibbs warns that there’s a “real increasing craze” around spirituality, but much of it is rooted in deception. “I think it’s also very dangerous on the other side of that,” he said.
The Real Battle Is Unseen
Referencing The Lord of the Rings, Hibbs draws a connection between author J.R.R. Tolkien’s wartime experiences and spiritual realities.
“Tolkien…was having a hard time coping with the inhumane treatment that war brought to Europe,” Hibbs said. “He looked around and he said, ‘There’s no explanation for this except for what the Bible talks about.’”
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Hibbs pointed to the book of Daniel as proof of the spiritual battle that rages unseen. “Daniel was fasting and praying for 21 days. And then the angel arrives and says, ‘Daniel, I was given the answer to your prayer request a long time ago, but for 21 days, the powers in the atmosphere over Persia resisted me.’”
Don’t Play With Darkness
Hibbs gave a stark warning against participating in occult or New Age practices, calling them “bad news.”
“Ouija boards—bad news. Seances—bad news. Tarot cards—bad news. Going to a palm reader—bad news,” he said. “The Bible says they’re real and you don’t mess with them.”
Quoting Scripture, Hibbs reminded listeners, “You cannot suffer those who practice these things to live. They must be put down. Why? Because they are of demonic activity.”
Spiritual Death Isn’t Annihilation
Hibbs didn’t sugarcoat the eternal stakes.
“When we say spiritual death, we’re actually talking about those who are in hell, those who have been deceived, those who are suffering,” he said. “They live forever, but they live in a forever hell, a forever death.”
The Church Must Avoid Extremes
Hibbs called out two extremes in the church when it comes to dealing with spiritual warfare: hyper-Pentecostalism and theological avoidance.
He criticized one camp for seeing demons in every struggle. “They have a demon of nicotine… they have a demon of anger,” he said. “Everything is explained away by this demon.”
But he also had strong words for the other side. “They won’t even mention satanic stuff…they have to sterilize the whole thing,” he said of those who reduce spiritual issues to mental illness or psychology.
Demons and Believers Don’t Coexist
One of the most controversial issues Hibbs addressed was the claim that Christians can be demon-possessed.
“He [Jesus] is not going to live inside you and allow a demon or Satan to live inside you, too,” Hibbs said. “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.”
He added, “If you know somebody who’s a Christian and they’re possessed, then they’re not a Christian. OK? Wake up.”
Test the Fruit, Not the Label
Not everyone who claims to follow Christ truly does, Hibbs argued.
“When somebody tells me that they’re a Christian, I do not believe them,” he said. “Now I gotta wait and check them out and see if they bring forth fruit that is actually Christian.”
Satan Has Power, But It’s Limited
Hibbs teaches on Satan’s origins, his nature and his limitations. “Satan is a created angelic creature,” he said, pointing to Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 as key texts.
“He’s localized. He can only be where he is,” Hibbs said. “But he clearly has a highly advanced communication system with his fallen angels.”
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He offered a helpful comparison to remember: “Satan’s power—powerless power. Jesus’ power—superpower.”
Stay Grounded in the Word
Above all, Hibbs calls for biblical balance. “We need to have a balance. And the balance is the Bible. Period.”
The episode closes with a plea to study God’s Word and remain vigilant. “We’re trying to just cover every area so that we can get the word of God out to more and more people before I either drop dead or Christ returns. It doesn’t matter to me.”
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
