The Spiritual Significance of this Season

The sound of chanting is heard from the Native American land across the street from where we live. I hear it now even as I write from my back porch. It’s an annual Pow Wow event for anyone who wants to attend. It’s likely an innocently promoted and attended event for families and children; something to expose others to Native American culture and their practices. While we need to affirm and love those of any culture, we need to remain grounded in Scripture knowing our spiritual battle is not against people or the cultures they represent. We need to be aware, alert, and active against the potential effects of various spiritual and cultural practices.
 
The days preceding and succeeding the Fall Equinox is the time of year where every major religion and culture observes religious gatherings and practices for the harvest season. From mainline religions to a variety of pagan religions including Satanic worshippers, this is a season of high spiritual activity. As a result of these observations and their associated practices demonic forces are activated.
 
The Scriptures are clear that any religious or cultural activity honoring anything or anyone other than Yahweh (God) and the Lord Jesus Christ is demonic in nature. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are very clear about this (Psalm 106:36-38; I Corinthians 10:20).
 
Some of these practices may be considered “cultural” in nature and are often regarded as innocuous and are unintentionally harmful. They’re not done with malicious intent. Others however are more insidious and purposefully intended to harm Christian believers and the Body of Christ. For example, those who practice satanic, voodoo, or other forms of witchcraft often target churches, Christian leaders, ministries, and individual believers.
 
I say this not because I’ve read books about it or heard random podcasts about this subject. Rather, after 30 plus years of simply praying with numerous people, missionaries, and others has brought this and other matters to light. The Lord not only reveals to the people we pray for, He also resolves them. Most had no idea that participation in such things has affected them. Neither do those who’ve been affected by the participation of others on their behalf.
 
These things come to light by asking the Holy Spirit to reveal them and using the authority Jesus’ has given every believer to expose them. Most often this happens when an individual is prayed for by someone equipped to minister in this way. Until then they, or their family members, business, and other key relationships are often negatively affected.
 
The point is that this is a time that you and the believing church need to be intentionally active and properly equipped for an effective approach to prayer, ministry, and spiritual warfare. I cannot emphasize this point enough:
 
There is only ONE THING Jesus has provided to overcome any kind of demonic activity. It’s the power and authority of Christ utilized in faith to come against and defeat the works of darkness and the evil powers behind them.
 
It won’t happen on its own. Neither will it happen through more spiritual effort, discipline, or obedience. And it’s very rare it happens simply by praying, asking, or pleading with God, especially the way most of us have learned to pray growing up in church. One reason: It’s just not the model given us by Jesus or anyone else in the New Testament. In fact, every New Testament encounter with demonic activity whether obvious (a person having a demon) or suspected (Acts 13:4-12; 16:16-18); Matthew 16:22-23) reveals a direct first-person authoritative command to the satanic influence.
 
With these things in mind, will you please be in prayer for us during this season? We often discern through the Holy Spirit’s counsel and revelation that we are frequently targeted or affected by this kind of activity. In addition, please pray for yourselves and loved ones. Pray for your pastors, and other leaders in particular who often are unknowingly affected by this activity as well. Pray for covering and protection according to and with the promises of Psalm 91. Use Jesus’ authority as it’s modeled in the New Testament by Jesus, the disciples, and others. Why? It’s biblical and it makes a difference!
 
Click here to visit our website, where you’ll find practical examples to help you utilize God’s Word and Christ’s authority to effectively pray and come against darkness in this way. Also, I’m preparing a podcast video for you to watch or listen to specifically address some of these issues and the upcoming Halloween holiday. I hope you’ll listen.
 
You’re also welcome to join us on Saturday and Sunday evening November 4-5 for our Free2Free Workshop where you can become more equipped to pray and minister in this way. It’s why we see the fruit we see as we pray, minister to others in prayer and counsel those who come in for therapy.  You will learn not only how to expose things like this but help others resolve them in Christ. Click here to register or call 559-226-2750.
 
Please stay in touch for emails and online information about this important topic. In the meantime, may the peace of Christ the Lord be with you all. And thanks so much for your ongoing prayers and financial support as we continue to equip others for life in the Kingdom of God.