Have you ever gone to another city or another country and seen that it has an unusually high rate of a certain crime? Or you noticed it has an unusually high practice of a certain sin. In Haiti, there is a big b widespread practice of voodoo. In Scotland, there is a history intertwined with witchcraft dating back to the 16th and 17th century.
In certain regions in India, there is a stronghold of idolatry. In places like Amsterdam, there is a pervasive spirit of sexual immorality. And in certain regions of Mexico and Colombia, there is strong violence.
Now, what l am about to show you proves that territorial spirits are real. But first, take a look at this incident in the Bible. And this is especially important for anyone who challenges this notion of territorial spirits. You only have to remind them that in Daniel 10, we're introduced to a principality, an evil prince angel. Daniel had prayed and prayed for days and weeks with no answer. And finally, when an angel appeared to him, the angel told him in Daniel 10:13 that the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days. But Michael, an arch angel, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia. The evil prince of Persia fought an angel from God for 21 days until Michael, a chief angel, a prince angel from heaven, had to come and defeat the prince of Persia.
This tells you that the prince of Persia had a hold on this region. This principal spirit had such a strong and evil influence over that location that it could block and delay the answer to Daniel's prayer.
Atlanta, a city of sexual immorality. Atlanta is a city full of influence. It's a center for music, business, politics, and culture in the American South. It's become a hub for hiphop and rap music, genres that regularly glorify violence and sexual sin and rebellion against authority. And many of these artists grew up in church. They know the language of faith, but many have drifted. The thing about Atlanta is that sexual sin is not hidden. It's paraded. It's celebrated. It's profitable. And it's destroying lives. 1 Corinthians 6:18 tells us, "Flee from sexual immorality." Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. But while the pervading sin in this city might be sexual sin, God has not forgotten his believers in Atlanta. There are still preachers who are spreading the true unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now, let's go over to Salem, a city on the north coast of Massachusetts above Boston. You will find that they host an annual event every October. And here's the description of the event. The witches of Salem honor this time with festival of the dead, an annual event series that explores death's macabra customs, heretical histories, and strange rituals. Presented by Salem Warlocks Christian Day and Brian Kaine, hosted by the foremost authorities on the spirit world, Festival of the Dead beckons guests to step through the veil into a realm where spirits await. End quote. The festival is said to be attracting nearly 1 million visitors every Halloween season. Streets are packed with tourists from all over the country hoping to take part in these celebrations of Halloween. What type of spirit do you think is driving all of those people to attend such a festival? Would this be a place where you would expect to see a believer in Christ?
The second city to be aware of is Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles, a spiritual stronghold. Los Angeles is not just a major city. It's a spiritual battleground.
At the heart of it is Hollywood, a global engine that shapes the world's thinking, values, and desires. Hollywood is not neutral. It has become one of the most effective tools the enemy uses to blind the minds of unbelievers and to tempt and dull the conscience of believers. The entertainment industry in Los Angeles constantly promotes a worldview that is completely opposed to God. Over and over, we see movies and shows that openly mock Christ, twist scripture, and ridicule the church. Sin is celebrated, and righteousness is ridiculed. Sexual immorality isn't just present in Hollywood, it's glorified. What God calls sin, Hollywood calls freedom. And they package it in high definition, dress it up with celebrities, and sell it as normal and good. This is not just a cultural issue. This is a spiritual issue. The enemy uses the glamour of Hollywood to lure people into loving the world. But 1 John 2:15 is clear. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him." People chase fame, beauty, money, and influence because that's what Hollywood exalts. And perhaps the most dangerous part is this. Even Christians can be lulled to sleep by the bright lights of Hollywood. When we consume hours of godless entertainment and call it harmless, we're slowly desensitized. Our convictions grow weaker, and we're in danger of looking more like the world than like Christ.
New Orleans, a city of spiritual darkness. New Orleans is a city known for its music, its food, and its festivals. But beneath all the colour and culture lies something much deeper and much darker. Spiritually speaking, New Orleans is a place with strong ties to the occult, sensuality, and open rebellion against God. Voodoo is not just history here. It's alive and active. Rooted in witchcraft and spiritism. Voodoo invites people to interact with demons all under the disguise of tradition and spirituality. It's not harmless. It's demonic. It leads people away from the truth of God's word and deeper into spiritual bondage.
Then there's Martyra. Every year, millions flood the streets to indulge the flesh. Drunkenness, nudity, and all manner of things. This is not just about one festival. It's a culture of indulgence. The city markets itself on pleasure, on letting go, on living without conviction. But the Bible is clear. Where there is no fear of God, destruction is never far behind. The spiritual darkness in New Orleans runs deep. It's not just in voodoo shops or in the French Quarter at night, but it's frightening because all of these things are celebrated. But always remember that God is not absent. He has his people in New Orleans and believers who will stand as the light of the world.
Las Vegas, sin city. Las Vegas wears its reputation proudly. This is a city where sin is marketed as entertainment. This is a place built on gambling, sexual immorality, alcohol, and lust. LasVegas isn't just a city of temptation. It's a city of spiritual numbness. People don't just sin there. They stop caring that sin matters. They stop feeling the weight of guilt. The lights are bright, the music is loud, the drinks are flowing, but the conviction is gone. In such a place, sin is a cultural stronghold. When sin becomes a product, when it becomes tourism and business, you are looking at a city under spiritual deception.
So from all of these places. we have to know that the devil has strongholds. Remember that the Bible even refers to him with a small G as the god of this world. Satan is not passive. He is active. He is strategic and he works through systems and even cultures to oppose everything God has established. But many Christians are asleep. They walk through these places unaware, undiscerning, unaffected. We need to be alert as believers and sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit when he warns us.
Did you know that the fastest rising film genre in the world is horror films?Horror films now contribute about $1 billion annually at the North American box office, significantly more than in previous decades. But why are people so interested in supernatural things? Why is there such a strong interest in the occult? This article recently caught my eye. Occultism is widespread in our society, ready to deceive those who lack biblical discernment. Allow me to read a few lines of interest. And I quote, "In its widest sense, magic is the attempt to influence persons and events by utilizing the powers of the unseen realm through the use of the occult. It is at this dark intersection that the supernatural becomes a tool whereby the user can transform his or her psychological will into material fact. Although some people are prone to romanticize the occult, it is fundamentally a counterfeit religion that offers self-guided dominion in place of god-guided service. The reason that people are drawn to these practices is due to the fact that occultic or evil spiritual power serves the user's own selfish interests through the manipulation of dangerous, dark, destructive, and demonic forces. Did you know that the same evil powers that the Old Testament magicians of Egypt had, that same power will show up again in these last days? We are warned that in the last days, a false religion will influence many people. This false religion will have a supernatural power behind it and it will turn many people away from the truth of God. Don't be fooled into thinking that those involved in the occult will always look dark or openly evil. While some are openly hostile to Christianity, many today hide their beliefs behind words like tolerance, spirituality, or enlightenment. They make it sound kind and open-minded. But it's still deception. If Christians aren't careful, we'll take in worldly ideas without realizing we're also taking in dangerous occult influences. This kind of mixture, blending truth with error, is called syncretism, and it's spiritually deadly. By definition, syncretism means the amalgamation or attempted joining together of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. So you can have for example a little bit of the Bible, a little bit of Buddhism, a little bit of new age and it becomes a spiritual potion that serves up a false religion. Today the occult is everywhere and it often comes in subtle attractive forms. That's why every believer must think biblically. Scripture warns us that in the last days, there will be a powerful false religion that will lead many people astray. It will look spiritual, from God's truth. We must be alert, grounded in the word, and not compromise.
Now, I want to talk to you on a more personal level about the supernatural. Normally, when you're under spiritual attack, strange things don't just start happening out of nowhere. Glasses don't mysteriously shatter in front of you. You don't go outside and see a hooded figure levitating up in the sky, or a mysterious fog doesn't just surround you while you're out in the middle of a walk. No, this is not how the devil operates. l'll even tell you that a spiritual attack doesn't look like how Hollywood represented. You know, a villainousl looking man with an intimidating appearance sitting in a tub in what becomes a very dramatic scene. No, spiritual attacks do not look like this. Most of the time, spiritual attacks can come in the following ways.
¹ First, a crisis of faith. This is the devil attacks you with wave after wave of doubt and disbelief. He wants you to question God. A crisis of faith involves experiencing intense doubt, worry confusion, and fear. All of the things that God's word tells us are from the devil. The enemy's goal here is to undermine trust and dependence on God. Secondly, it's isolation. Isolation from other godly people who can strengthen you. The devil wants you alone and vulnerable. Isolation as a spiritual attack is the strategy of separating a believer from meaningful relationships within the Christian community. The enemy's aim here is to leave a person spiritually exposed and without support. When isolated, you're far more vulnerable. This tactic aims to cut off sources of spiritual encouragement, accountability, and strength, leaving individuals vulnerable and easier to influence negatively. And finally, intense temptation.
Here, the devil wants you to cave into all manner of sin, and it's often a sin with great consequences in your physical life. Intense temptation involves repeated or heightened urges towards sin, often in areas with significant practical consequences. The enemy targets personal vulnerabilities to entice believers into sinful behaviors, damaging their relationship with God and others. The goal of this spiritual attack is to lead believers into sin resulting in spiritual guilt, shame, and damaged relationships. Now, for the believer who finds themselves in a spiritual fight, if you are in a season where your faith is being tested, remember God's word.
Romans 8:31 says, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Remember that Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "Be strong and of good courage. Do not fear nor be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, he is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you, nor forsake you." Remember that God's word says in Luke 10:19, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy. Nothing wil harm you."
I have never really understood why things relating to evil have such mass appeal. Have you ever seen how popular entertainment relating to paranormal activity or events are? And I wonder when people open their eyes and stare at a screen and they watch these things related to the occult, related to witchcraft and demons, do they know they're opening up a gateway in the spirit? You see, the devil is a master deceiver. He's cunning. He takes the tiniest bit of truth and wraps it all around in a lie. So, a movie looks harmless. The music is harmless because no one really listens to the lyrics, right? It's all about the beat and the melody. Right? Wrong. People unknowingly expose themselves to unclean spirits all in the name of entertainment.
Let me give you this illustration. We have two gentlemen. Let's call gentleman number one, Frank and gentleman number two, the other one, Steve. Now Frank he loves to listen to Christian audio books. Everything from the history of the early church, the story of persecuted Christians in the Middle East down to the biographies of notable Christian figures like Billy Graham and Charles Spurgeon. He spends hours upon hours listening to such audio books. And when he's not, he listens to gospel music as well as Christian related podcast. Now Steve, Steve is an eclectic. He loves everything that catches his interest. And by everything, I mean anything from the latest horror movie at the cinema to documentaries about the occult. He also has a strong ear for secular music, rock and roll in particular. And when you spend time with these two gentlemen, it's clear that Frank's faith is strong and vibrant. Very clear because he's constantly listening to messages of encouragement, messages that uplift his faith in God. But Steve, he's lukewarm. He's comfortable watching demonic entertainment. His ferveny for God is non-existent. And that's because he's opened all the wrong doors.
Now, if you're always looking at things related to ghost, demons, and witchcraft, then don't you think you're giving the devil room? And be warned, if you give him an inch, he will take more than a mile. The devil will always take you further than you're willing to go. He will always keep you longer than you're willing to stay. And he will always try and make you pay more than you are willing. Now, it's always interesting when you meet a believer who will say that they have faith in the Lord. They believe in Jesus Christ. They believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. But when you mention demonic possession, when you attempt to talk about the reality of demonic influences in society and entertainment, there are some Christians who flat out refuse. One thing that you should be aware of in this life is that there is a physical world and there is a spiritual realm. And often times what happens in the spiritual realm is manifested in the physical realm. Think about it for just a moment.
In the Bible, when the disciples failed to cast out a demon, Jesus told them that this kind can only come out by prayer and fasting.
In other words, you need to win the battle in the spiritual world first before you can win it in the physical world. Praying and fasting are spiritual matters that can bring tangible results in the physical world. And so with this understanding, I want you to know that a lot of the time when we're facing unexplainable difficulties or what appears to be an abnormal trial, we are in fact being attacked in the spirit. And I want you to also know that people can be possessed by demons. People can be oppressed by demons. People can even operate and function under the influence of demons. In fact, demons are cunning. They can have complete control over one aspect of a person's life. That's why you'l find people who you thought you knew well. They'll come out with the most horrific scandals and commit unspeakable acts. They have what I like to call hidden demons. These are the clever demons. They don't really show themselves out in the open, but operate only behind closed doors in darkness and secrecy. Now, let's talk about a few things you should look out for when it comes to recognizing demonic activity. These are key things that can help you recognize whether someone is under demonic influence.
One of the clearest signs of demonic activity is when someone has a supernatural ability concerning the future. Demons are the driving force behind divination and fortunetelling. Indivination is a practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means. So how do we know that demons give such an ability?
Well, in Acts chapter 16, Paul and Silas encounter a girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination. This girl could foretell the future. And the Bible says in Acts 16:16 to18,"As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortuneelling."
She followed Paul and us crying out, "These men are servants of the most high God who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she kept doing for many days. Paul having become greatly annoyed turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. This girl had a demonic spirit that gave her the ability to fortell the future and discover hidden knowledge. And that spirit had to be cast out. So be warned. Do not ever get involved with anyone who has this type of demonic influence. As children of God, we're not to consult or involve ourselves with soothsayers, fortune tellers, palm readers, or even astrologers. Deuteronomy 18:10 explicitly states, "There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens or a sorcerer."
² Now, the second sign you could look out for when identifying if someone is operating under a demonic spirit is when that person is volatile and uncontrollable. This is when you see someone who's demon-possessed. They'll be often uncontrollable, volatile, appear to have supernatural strength, needing multiple people to restrain them.
Mark 5 2:4 says,"And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately
there met him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Note how the Bible says, "No one could bind him." No one could bind him. Chains, nothing. He had often been bound with shackles and chains, and he tore apart the chains strong enough to subdue and tame him. This volatile and uncontrollable behavior is a clear sign of demonic influence. This behavior is completely the opposite to what the word of God teaches. God's word teaches us to be slow to anger. God's word teaches us to have self-control. God's word tells us to be full of love and peace. But when demons enter, they have but one objective. And that objective is to wreak havoc.
³ Now, the third sign you should be aware of to recognize demonic influence is when someone claims to have hidden secret spiritual knowledge or teachings.
To explain it another way, be careful of people who claim to have some type of knowledge inspired by a spiritual
entity. When you listen to people like this, you're in dangerous territory because
this is the realm of false teachings and false doctrines. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 4: 1,
"Now the spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the
faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons."
People often make the mistake thinking that demon possession means violence and strange noises. But let me tell you demonic possession can be subtle. It can be undercover. Just like the devil masquerades as an angel of light, a person under the influence of evil can be disguised as an angel of light. Or they can come to you under a false pretense, but yet be a wolf in sheep's clothing. You need to be prayerful and filled with the Holy Spirit so that you can be discerning. People who are possessed by demons will teach false doctrines. They will never speak of the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. They will never speak, preach, or teach about the gospel of repentance. The Bible explicitly tells us not to believe every spirit, but test the spirits.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
As Christian men and women of God, we are to be discerning hearers, discerning observers, and discerning readers of all messages. You can only test the spirits when you know the word of God, when you know the Holy Spirit. That way, you'll be able to discern that which is true and that which is false. So l encourage you to be diligent and seek to know the Lord and his ways so that you will never be deceived. Let the word of God be a lamp and a light to your path. As you grow and mature as a Christian, there will come a time when you have to increase in your knowledge. The Bible says, "My people perish because of what?" A lack of knowledge. A lack of knowledge is a dangerous thing. And here's why it's so dangerous. It's dangerous because it means you are in a fight with no weapons, with no vision. The Christian life, to be put plainly, is a fight. That's just what it is. That's why we're told to fight the good fight. That's why we are told that we wrestle against principalities.
That's why the Bible says, "He who endures to the end, he who perseveres or stands firm to the end shall be saved." Reading between the lines, this all tells me that when I choose to follow Christ, I am enlisting in his army. I'm
signing up to fight. So, how can you be in a fight with a lack of knowledge
about your enemy? How can you be in a battle with a lack of knowledge about your tools and the resources you have to
defend yourself? A lack of knowledge is what unfortunately destroys too many
Christians. And so on that topic, I would like to expose a few things about
the enemy, your enemy. I want you to know who you're fighting. But more
importantly, I pray that this message will stir up your spirit and rile you up
for battle. And as I begin, keep this thought in the back
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