Have you ever had one of those moments when you’re talking about something with friends and, a few hours later, you receive an ad in your social media feed related to that exact thing? “My phone must be listening to me,” you think.
Creepy huh?
To some degree it is, but odds are when you selected “I Agree” to the Terms & Conditions for any new app, product, or service or click “Accept All Cookies” when prompted by a website pop-up, you somewhat announced an invitation to listen in. Because we voluntarily provide enough personal information, our phones don not really need to spy on us. You already agreed to the terms.
The same thing can happen spiritually. I recently made a reference in passing regarding “haunted houses” in a message which prompted some interesting dialogues. You see, it is also possible to invite some unwelcome guests into your soul and spirit. Dabbling in the occult, horoscopes, porn, new age, sometimes even spiritualized “all-in-one” Self Help type “gurus” will open a door or send an “I agree” message that the forces of darkness are welcome into your life.
Fallen angels and demons are not all knowing. But, like an algorithm, they are very adept at collecting info on us and, subsequently, able to hold your attention. They know how to specifically market their product, i.e. tempt you and demonize you.
So, what to do?
Much like a security system, close the windows and lock the doors to these types of intrusions into your soul and life. John tells us to test the spirits.—“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. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already” (1 John 4:1-3).
Simply put, this is the Jesus test:
1. Do they attest and affirm that Jesus is The (not “a”, but “The”) Way, The Truth, and the Life? If not, that should be your first red flag.
2. Confess and ask Jesus to forgive you for opening these doors.
3. Renounce it, i.e. repent. Get rid of any occultic, new age, pornographic paraphernalia etc.
4. Ask the Lord of Hosts to protect you with the helmet of salvation, to guard your mind.
