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You are here: Home / “Discerning of Spirits” Blog Posts

“Discerning of Spirits” Blog Posts

Discerning of spirits blog posts

The articles in the grid below (which is updated automatically) provide teaching and client success stories where the spiritual gift of “discerning of spirits” is prominently featured.

deliverance hornets nest

Preparing for Deliverance? You’ve Poked a Hornets Nest

“You won’t believe what happened to me since I was in here last!” Our counselors often hear that refrain from clients who come in again after the initial interview session. Many are amazed at how events have conspired to dissuade them from coming in for the help they need. There are no coincidences in the […]

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demons cancel culture

The Demons Raging Behind “Cancel Culture”

Cancel Culture is an epidemic running rampant today, trying to erase people and history. It is a movement where a person or group becomes the judge, jury, and prosecutor without a fair trial. What is the spiritual threat of Cancel Culture? Here is a clue: it has to do with one of God’s most excellent […]

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covid demonic

COVID-19’s Top Demonic Teammates

Hordes of demons are ravaging our country using the COVID-19 Quarantine as an official invitation. The stakes are high. As heaven gets closer, demons are frantically harassing souls to capture them quickly for the kingdom of darkness or disable them from their purpose. As believers, our souls cannot be possessed. However, demons can rent space through […]

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demons legalism

Demons of Legalism Call You a Failure

Do you feel like a failure even when things work out? Does the memory of your mother or father’s voice still demand perfection? Do you struggle with self-condemnation? Demons of legalism call you a failure to put you on trial and punish you.

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food demon

The Most Overlooked Food Source for Demons

What have you missed that is feeding spirits of anxiety, depression, misery, and anger? Do you allow people to control, manipulate, and wreak havoc in your life? Are there unresolved issues with people from your past? When you cry out, “Lord, why have you not delivered me?” Is it because you have allowed an ungodly […]

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demon god presence

Must Demons Flee in God’s Presence?

Pastors love to use an illustration to make their point about demons. They will talk about darkness (a spiritual allegory for demons), turn the lights off, and then light a match to illustrate that when the light comes, darkness disappears. Effective. But is it accurate to extend that to God’s presence (light) driving away demons […]

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spiritual person problem

Are You a Spiritual Person? Could That Be a Problem?

On the first counseling appointment, we try to assess a person’s spiritual condition… specifically, where are they in their relationship with Christ? One chilling response always concerns me, “I consider myself a spiritual person.” It sounds harmless but I’ve found that clients who voice that view are often very difficult to connect with. They voice […]

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demon problem

You or Demons – What’s Behind Your Problem?

“The devil just keeps coming against me, brother.” Every counselor has heard that lament many times, and many counselees have voiced the same complaint over my twenty years in ministry. I’ve had to help many try to sort out the root or roots of their problems. How can you determine if it’s Satan or you […]

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realm

7 Misconceptions About the Spirit Realm

Is spiritual warfare an Old Testament concept? Do Christians need to understand and engage the spirit realm today or did Jesus take care of that on the cross? These are important questions and what we believe has implications for how we live our daily lives. 

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gods view today

New Book – “God’s View Today: Adjusting the Lens on Healing and Deliverance”

God interrupted my commute home one day in 2004 with, “I want my own television show.”  His voice instantly transformed my otherwise boring drive. However, my response was not an exuberant “Send me Lord!” It sounded more like, “Have fun with that!” God faithfully continued, “I don’t want it to be like that show The […]

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demons empowered bible

Demons Know the Bible and Can Be Emboldened By It

God’s revealed truth in the Holy Bible presents a pathway to life for believers. However, the demonic realm has access to the same scriptures, and they know precisely where the boundary markers are for them. 

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temperament spiritual warfare

Knowing Your Temperament Helps You Wage Spiritual Warfare

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil. He is talking about demons in our earthly realm as well as those in the second heaven. At Above & Beyond, we equip our clients with findings from the Arno Profile System (APS). This […]

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podcast identity theft demonic

Identity Theft by the Demonic Realm

Identity theft – it is the latest bogeyman thrown around by marketers in a calculated effort to scare and drive fearful consumers towards their safeguard product. Conventional and social media bombard us daily about the dangers of it and the need to protect ourselves against this pervasive evil.

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demons steal identity

How Demons Conspire to Steal a Woman’s Identity

Have you lost that loving feeling? Do you feel abandoned, isolated, and distrustful? Consider this: the demonic realm may have snared you in a trap of rejection that is stealing your identity and purpose as a woman.

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video demons personal prophetic

How Demons Work to Derail Personal Prophetic Words

Have you been frustrated to hear accurate prophetic words spoken over your life that did not come to pass? Tom, a friend of mine (and a deliverance ministry client) had a vision and passion for going to South Africa to build a training center. He had visited there and set the wheels in motion to […]

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worshiping devil

Are You Worshiping the Devil Without Realizing It?

Where do you focus your attention? Are you distracted by trauma, living in the past, or consumed by the pain? The Bible tells us that the direction in which we focus our attention is the way in which we will go.

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christians halloween

What’s All the Fuss Over Christians Celebrating Halloween?

Are you a Christian who adamantly defends Halloween? Do you base your position on happy childhood memories of candy and dressing up? Let’s face it there’s a big debate this time of year among Christians over Halloween’s safety and whether you are opening a door of torment for your children by taking them out to […]

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podcast demonic attack

[Podcast] Demonic Attacks That Begin at Birth

*More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article View the Presentation Watch the Video

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divine appointment podcast

[Podcast] Are You Sure That Was a Divine Appointment?

*More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article View the Presentation Watch the Video

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divine appointment slideshare

[Slideshare] Are You Sure That Was a “Divine” Appointment?

Are You Sure That Was a “Divine” Appointment? from Above & Beyond Christian Counseling *More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article Listen to the Audio Watch the Video

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divine appointment youtube

Are You Sure That Was a Divine Appointment?

I hear it from clients all the time: “God answered my prayer, that was a divine appointment!”. They’ve met someone who showed up in their life at just the right time, or so it appears. A new relationship. A job offer. But all that glitters is not gold. How can you tell who orchestrated the […]

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powerpoint god told me

[Slideshare] How to Respond When Someone Says “God Told Me”

How to Respond When Someone Says “God Told Me” from Above & Beyond Christian Counseling *More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article Listen to the Audio Watch the Video

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god told me

How to Respond When Someone Says “God Told Me”

I often cringe when someone declares, “God told me.” I hear it frequently — in sermons, private conversations and from clients in my counseling office. I’m going to antagonize some folks with this article; please read it all the way through before firing off an angry phone call or email.

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podcast elements spiritual warfare

Episode #35: 5 Key Elements of Spiritual Warfare [Podcast]

This podcast is based upon an earlier article: “What is Spiritual Warfare?” and gives an overview of the five main elements important to believers. We also talk about three common activities that are commonly associated with battling demons but actually are not.

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[Podcast] 7 Misconceptions About the Spirit Realm

[Podcast] 7 Misconceptions About the Spirit Realm

*More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article View the Presentation Watch the Video

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slideshare spirit realm

[Slideshare] 7 Misconceptions About the Spirit Realm

7 Common Misconceptions About The Spirit Realm from Above & Beyond Christian Counseling *More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article Listen to the Audio Watch the Video

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gift discernment podcast

[Podcast] Top 3 Strongholds Sabotaging Your Gift of Leadership

*More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article View the Presentation Watch the Video

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podcast spirit realm

[Podcast] The Spirit Realm: 12 Things You Need to Know

*More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article View the Presentation Watch the Video

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The Spirit Realm: 12 Things You Need to Know

The Spirit Realm: 12 Things You Need to Know

When it comes to teachings on demons and spiritual warfare, there is often more smoke than fire. I don’t want to sound negative–I am looking for solid food but find many are long on generalities and short on personal, practical tools to apply. From my perspective as a deliverance minister, I find much to be biblically accurate, but the […]

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spiritual warfare podcast

[Podcast] What is Spiritual Warfare?

*More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article View the Presentation Watch the Video

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spiritual warfare

What is Spiritual Warfare?

The term “spiritual warfare” is never used in some churches, preached a little in others and emphasized heavily in a smaller segment. Much of what is taught is fuzzy, incomplete and lacking in principles to help the listener apply them personally. Do you have a clear understanding of what spiritual warfare is and how to […]

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podcast walking out deliverance

Episode #28: Keys to Walking Out Deliverance [Podcast]

Deliverance ministry is the driving out of demons. It is an “event”; getting set free but the objective is fresh fruit and there is an element we are very adamant about with our clients and attendees – deliverance must be “walked out”. In this podcast, Dr. Don and Dr. Phyl share A&B’s counsel on how to maximize […]

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change spiritual atmosphere podcast

Episode #23: How to Change the Spiritual Atmosphere Where You Work [Podcast]

Change the spiritual atmosphere where you work. Ephesians 6 reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil. Many spend hours a day in a workplace environment where the demonic realm is running amuck. You don’t have to be helpless and a victim; proactively do warfare over […]

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Episode #21: How Do You Know if Someone Needs Deliverance? [Podcast]

Episode #21: How Do You Know if Someone Needs Deliverance? [Podcast]

This is one of the more frequent questions we field from newcomers to our Center. Is it for everybody? Are there obvious signs? In this podcast, Drs. Don and Phyl give some insights based on over 25 years combined experience in deliverance ministry.

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hindering spirits slideshare

3 Steps to Conquer Hindering Spirits That Try to Delay and Disappoint [Slideshare]

3 Steps to Conquer Hindering Spirits That Try to Delay and Disappoint from Above & Beyond Christian Counseling *More Ways to Enjoy This Post* Read the Article Listen to the Audio Watch the Video

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spiritually cleanse your home

How to Spiritually Cleanse Your Home

The demonic realm’s mission is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). Do you understand enough of the enemy’s ways to resist him effectively, especially on the battlefield of your home? We have heard many stories over the years of how people are attacked not only by indwelling spirits but also those from the outside. […]

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Demons Manipulating Emotions

How to Know if Demons Are Manipulating Your Emotions

“I feel so overwhelmed!” “I am an emotional train wreck!” “My emotions are driving me crazy!” You cannot trust your emotions because demons can manipulate them! 

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discerning spirits

Discerning Spirits: A Deliverance Ministry Encounter

Discerning spirits is an important spiritual gift for every believer to be proficient in. God wants us to have it, we are to desire it eagerly and it is vital for all aspects of walking into the blessed and abundant life He has for it. It is also important in the realm of spiritual warfare, […]

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How to Develop the Gift of Discerning Spirits

How to Develop the Gift of Discerning Spirits

God is at work all around us and so is the demonic realm. Each person has a spirit man also and the dynamics of all three at work is truly “real life”. Wouldn’t you like to have a better understanding of how this unseen spirit world functions? Discerning of spirits is one of the spiritual […]

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Ungodly fear

3 Things The Bible Reveals About Ungodly Fear

While we don’t find the term “ungodly fear” in the Bible, there is a godly fear. There are at least three lessons we can learn about the other kind: the type that is unhealthy, damaging and not part of God’s will for our lives.

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Spirits of Fear bring sickness

How Spirits of Fear Damage Your Health

Medical experts tell us that excessive fear, worry or anxiety in a person’s life can trigger or worsen certain sicknesses of diseases. Are you aware that many sicknesses and diseases have a spiritual root, where the demonic spirits of fear (and others) enters to try to kill and destroy us?

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conquer anger

5 Keys to Conquer Anger and Take Your Marriage Off the Battlefield

Has your marriage turned into a battlefield full of hidden explosive devices? Do your conversations escalate into arguments rapidly? Has communication collapsed in fear of your spouse’s anger?

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Physical Demonic Torment: Determining the Source

Physical Demonic Torment: Determining the Source

Many people experience manifestations of demonic torment in their physical bodies. The nature of this torment varies greatly, but most are confident that the source is outside of them. It is our experience as deliverance ministers that most of the physical torment is from spirits inside the house.

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Discerning of spirits

Can We See Demons Like Jesus Did?

When it comes to spiritual warfare and discerning the demonic realm, many presume that Jesus somehow had an unfair advantage that is beyond our capability today.  That is not true; we can see and discern the demonic realm just like He did.

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resist the devil

Resisting the Devil: You Can’t Fight What You Can’t See

Christians are exhorted, in James  4:7, to submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee.  Great wisdom and direction for sure, but how exactly does one do that? Let’s begin with a clarification: the devil is not Satan!  We understand that Satan is a devil, a demonic spirit who rules over many other […]

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5 Misconceptions Christians Have About Demons

There is woefully little useful teaching about the demonic realm in the church today. God’s people are ignorant about the ways and means of the demonic realm and fall easy prey for destruction (Hosea 4:6). This article summarizes, from my perspective as a Christian counselor and deliverance minister, five common misconceptions Christians have about demons.

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anxiety in woman

Answered Prayer: How Can We Know It’s God?

We all have prayers and petitions before the Lord.  We are asking him to move in our life, family, work and church situations. We pray for direction and wisdom and then anticipate an answer. Have you made a life-changing decision based upon a perceived answer to prayer and then watched as the situation completely unraveled?

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Are Your Prayers Inviting A Spirit of Death?

Have you ever thought, “I would be better off dead?” Do your prayers include a “death wish” to go home to be with the Lord? Do you find yourself disconnecting from life and praying to wake up in heaven?

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scriptures about demon

2 Scriptures About Demons Christians Need to Know

We know that Satan and the demonic realm hate God, hate Christians and hate the Bible. Fortunately for them, much of the church of Jesus spends little time teaching about their plans, schemes and modes of operation. There are many scriptures about demons we need to know, but I want to highlight two that are […]

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The Victory Series: One Key To Victory Over Anger

The Victory Series: One Key To Victory Over Anger

Are people close to you calling you an angry man? Your wife, girlfriend or family says you need help, but you are not convinced? You contend that if others would quit pushing your buttons you would be fine. Coming to grips with the reality of an anger problem is difficult for many men. Some recognize […]

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Job And Demons: We Have It Better!

Passages about Satan, demon spirits and spiritual warfare are interspersed throughout the bible. Many clients have an old-testament understanding of the demonic realm (much of it from the book of Job), that is incomplete and flawed. The reality is that things changed significantly when Jesus came on the scene and we need to correct that viewpoint. 

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Five Factors That Limit Deliverance Ministry Effectiveness

Over a span of more than fourteen years in deliverance ministry, I have witnessed a broad spectrum of results from time spent with clients and seminar attendees.  There have been many wonderful testimonies, partial victories and (sadly) sometimes little or no good fruit that results. 

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Spiritual Warfare: Fighting Blind Can Be Fatal

The topic of spiritual warfare is ignored or minimally addressed in most churches. When it is mentioned, the context is typically muddy, the practical advice is minimal and people are left with little help on when, where and how to do this warfare. How can you fight an enemy you cannot see? Part of a […]

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“We Brought Baggage Into This Marriage” Means What?

  I have occasion to minister to couples who are into their second (or more) marriage and there is a typical common assessment of the difficulties they are encountering. The phrase, “we’ve each got baggage” or some facsimile thereof is a common refrain and here is what I hear when they say that: “We brought demons […]

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Ten Most Common Open Doors For Demonic Torment

Our counseling clients and seminar attendees often wonder why they have certain “issues” working in their lives that they cannot get the victory over. Counseling has had limited effectiveness and many have little understanding of the demonic realm which is working to kill, steal and destroy. 

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Spiritual Warfare Against A Kidney Stone

While I am immersed almost daily in the realm of Christian counseling and spiritual warfare (deliverance) with clients, I recently had the “opportunity” to stand up and engage first hand a direct physical attack from the demonic realm. I experienced my third kidney stone torment last Friday night and here’s the account of how that […]

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Deliverance or Counseling? How To Choose?

There are truisms that we adhere to our ministry: you cannot counsel demons out of people and there are not demons behind every problem! Many people spend years in counseling with minimal lasting growth because they need deliverance. Others see deliverance as a “quick fix” and refuse to walk it out afterwards. They have little […]

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narrow road to life

Five Warning Signs You Are Veering Off the Narrow Road to Life

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:13-14 that the gate to destruction is wide and the road is broad. However, the gate to life (Him!) is small and the road to life is narrow. A narrow road to life is not incompatible in any way with God’s grace and mercy any more than staying on a […]

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spiritual temperament

Know Your Spiritual Temperament And Win More Mind Battles

►Part 1 of a 6 part series A person’s spiritual temperament and associated thinking patterns are an important element of waging effective spiritual warfare. As Christians better understand themselves and how the demonic kingdom works on minds they can win more spiritual battles.

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4 Keys To Walking Out Deliverance

Did you know that deliverance needs to be walked out? As Paul said about working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12), in a similar manner we must recognize that deliverance is not a singular, isolated event. 

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You Should Talk to Demons Properly

The tongue is one of the post powerful weapons so why don’t more Christians use it more frequently to speak to the demonic realm? Spirits cannot read our mind or understand prayer languages (speaking in tongues) but they certainly can hear and we need to talk to demons properly. If the truth be known, the demonic […]

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superstition and spiritual warfare

Has Superstition Caused You to Fear Spiritual Warfare?

At the “Head of the Year” gathering last week, Chuck Pierce stated: “The superstitious spirit that comes into a family bloodline to keep a person bound from warfare has to go in order for us to prevail in this next season.” I found the timing of that statement interesting, as I had a client recently tell […]

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How To Not Fall Flat On Your Spiritual Face

Leaning on our own understanding can cause major stumbles in our lives! It hinders our growth with Christ, causes heartache and often leads us down unintended rabbit trails. Many years ago God showed me a picture of what it looks like to him when we lean on our own understanding. 

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Discerning of Spirits: A Crucial Gift for Spiritual Warfare

Discerning of spirits is one of the least understood spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ. We strongly believe that everyone can (and needs to!) operate powerfully and effectively in that gift to wage spiritual warfare effectively. It is less understood then most of the others because, as with deliverance and the demonic realm in general, […]

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Has Fear Corrupted Your Spiritual Hard Drive?

(Or do you have God’s Premium Security Software System of Faith Installed?) Fear is a virus that contaminates your thinking and shuts down Gods truth with a lie. Sin originated with satan’s lies. He contradicted Gods word and told Eve she would not die, but gain Gods wisdom if she ate the fruit from the […]

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Spiritual Training For Your Child: Jesus or Harry Potter?

Are your children getting educated on the spirit realm by Jesus or Harry Potter? Where are they getting their most effective spiritual training? I always find it interesting when parents bring their teenagers into our counseling office and those young people have an interest in learning about spiritual warfare and deliverance.  Their parents have typically brought […]

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Spiritual Warfare Nuts and Bolts

As a Christian counselor and as someone who is very active in deliverance ministry, I have read of a lot of materials and resources that speak about spiritual warfare.   I have learned a lot over the years from others who have gone before. Sometimes discussions and teachings can seem murky or unclear and we purpose […]

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