Month: March 2015

“For God’s sake, open the door!” Captain Patrick Sodenheimer screamed at the co-pilot Andreas Lubitz. But there was no response. Thirteen minutes later the Germanwings Flight 9525 slammed into the French Alps at 400 mph killing all 150 passengers aboard, including Lubitz. We’ve all witnessed the speculation about Lubitz’s state of mind and the revelation that he was being treated for an unspecified illness. A doctor had apparently declared the co-pilot unfit for work and issued a medical leave notice. Lubitz ignored the instructions and ripped them up. The newspaper Die Welt claims access to information that Lubitz suffered from “severe subjective burnout syndrome.” Like me, you may be wondering, “Did demons do it?’

Would depression or anxiety alone drive Lubitz to do this deed? Not likely. Psychiatrists mostly agree that depression might make Lubitz kill himself, but not necessarily take another 149 innocent lives with him. Psychosis? Again, delusions do drive people to kill but generally not the methodical way this mass murder was planned and calmly executed. DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder (multiple personalities)? That’s possible in my opinion. The co-pilot might have suffered from some unknown trauma that induced disconnected states of consciousness, and it was an alter-ego state who flew the plane into the mountains, not the core, sentient mental state of the “real” Lubitz.

Demons? Certainly the deed was demonic. Is there any other way to explain the callous insensitivity to this human tragedy? Demons alone couldn’t have done this. Lubitz must have consented in some way. We’ll never know. “The devil made him do it” isn’t a sufficient explanation. But demons could have influenced an alter-ego to do it, or taken advantage of some de facto consent with evil in the soul of Lubitz. If someone had ministered healing and deliverance to Lubitz this horror could have been averted. As for me, I will continue with all my energy to reach those who, like Lubitz, have believed the lies of Satan and may be on their way to cause great harm of all kinds.

An encouraging word: IT IS GOD

“It is God who arms me with strength,” David said (Psalm 18:32). David goes on in verses 33-36 to explain all that the Lord does on His behalf to provide, protect, and care for him. But it’s the first three words of this expression of confidence that caught my eye: IT IS GOD! I Bookstores are filed with countless volumes of how to look out for #1, to think one’s way to great achievements, or to climb to the top with herculean effort. But the true measure of success is when a Christian can look at all that has been accomplished and say, “It is God.” Of course, we must apply ourselves with diligence, perseverance, and faith, but when the victories have been tallied our final conclusion must be that without the Lord we could do nothing.

Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did® (Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.

She looks sweet and innocent enough. But don’t let her looks fool you. She lies. I’m not saying that all she says is a lie. But in the article in question she certainly distorts the truth. Who is she? Her name is Amanda Marcotte, a prominent liberal writer. She writes for a far-left web site, “Slate,” but Ms. Marcotte also writes for “The Daily Beast,” “Alternet,” and “USA Today.” What riled me was her article entitled, “WHY THE FRINGE FUNDAMENTALIST BELIEF IN DEMONIC POSSESSION HAS REAL-LIFE DANGERS.” Her intent was to attack the idea that “bad or sinful behavior is caused by demons literally possessing or oppressing people and therefore calls for an exorcism.” Imagine that? “Fringe belief?” I guess if you call the Pope and 1.6 billion Catholics “fringe.”

I’ll admit I took it personally when Ms. Marcotte wrote, “The biggest proponent of it [The idea of demonic possession and exorcism.] in evangelical circles is a man named Bob Larson, who can be seen, with his daughter and her “teen exorcist” friends . . . It [exorcism] works because a lot of people really want to believe that destructive behavior is supernatural and can be done away with by praying.” Well fancy that, the very idea that prayer can help to solve the problem of evil. Take that, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Paul, Augustine, and an assortment of saints.

For the record, this reporter never contacted me for a statement. Why call her something as strong as a liar? Because she misrepresents and deliberately distorts 2,000 years of Christian history and the sincere faith of millions of Bible-believing Christians. There are legitimate concerns raised in Marcotte’s article about other issues, including the horrific raping of a six-year-old girl, which may be valid reporting. But dragging me and the issue of demonic possession into this mess is lying to the public as a smear tactic. I invite Ms. Marcotte to sit down with me for a legitimate interview in an appropriate setting. I encourage her to attend one of my seminars and speak with those who have been delivered. On our web site, on our YouTube channel, and in this blog we’ve featured hundreds of real stories of those who’ve been set free from demons. To dismiss that evidence with a keyboard stroke is severe misrepresentation — A LIE!

An encouraging word: GOD ENLIGHTENS DARKNESS

If today is one of those days when darkness, both emotional and spiritual, seem to surround you, take heart from Psalm 18:28: The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. He lightens the darkness to show you the way out of your struggle. He will restore you to where you were before being beset by trials. God does more than point you to the light. He doesn’t just give you a road map leading out of the darkness. The Lord himself becomes your light where there has been obscurity because HE IS THE WAY. HE IS THE LIGHT! And when the Lord does lead you out of your dismal circumstances, you will leave behind your fears and failures, exchanging them for brighter tomorrow.

Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and
Do What Jesus Did® (Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.

When a newspaper headline blares The Demonic Wellspring, of course it gets my attention. More so if it’s the Wall Street Journal. The article in reference was about the release of several new secular books on the movement we’ve come to know as ISIS/ISIL/IS (Islamic State), the terrorist Muslim militants declaring an Islamic caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq. Like some kind of metastasizing spiritual cancer it seems to grow no matter how many air sorties the U.S. and its allies may fly. IS has already conquered an area the size of Britain and is gaining footholds in far-away Libya, Yemen, and Afghanistan. As the WSJ article observed, “ISIS seems to be nourished from a demonic wellspring.” No kidding. Just in January our President called them the “jay-vee.” Well, now they are the “first-string” of our worst nightmares. The appeal of IS to bloodlust, attracting educated and well-off aspirants from western nations, is growing. But here’s what those on the liberal left don’t get: The deeds of IS are consistent with the hadith teachings of their prophet Muhammad. Even if the majority of Muslims don’t see it that way, there are enough Islamic adherents who do. Beheadings, the killing of apostates, slavery and subjection of women does have religious sanction in some corners of Islam. In short, IS may not be Islam, but it is definitely Islamic. In my thinking, it boils down to this. If Christians espoused the same beliefs as IS they would be immediately, severely condemned by their co-religionists, their companions in faith. But faint is the outcry of the Islamic nations who are willing to join the war against this perversion of their own religious consciences. On the contrary, every pornographic, demonic beheading brings more recruits. The persistent savagery of IS is indeed demonic. Its own gore may cause it to collapse in the end, from the sheer disgust of decent humans. But how many more innocents will die before that happens? IS needs to be bombed, but because it is a “demonic wellspring” it also needs to be bound — in the name of Jesus!

An encouraging word: BRINGING DOWN STRONGHOLDS

We are encouraged in 2 Corinthians 10:4 to pull down spiritual “strongholds” that oppose the power of God. I could speak many words about his, but in short a stronghold is the bulwark of the enemy designed to destroy us or at least slow us down. It becomes stronger and stronger until it enslaves us in every way possible, physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. At that point we need a real breakthrough from the Lord to pull it down. If the devil has built such strongholds around your life, nothing short of true deliverance will get you free. Noble intentions and good works aren’t enough. Promises and resolutions will likely fail. It takes intervention from the Lord, and He is ready to do that today.

Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did(Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.

As a minister, counselor, and exorcist, I often minister to the victims of our self-focused society that seeks personal/sexual pleasure without considering the costs. The unwanted consequences of such hedonism, children, often illegitimate or discarded, are usually the victims who suffer most. Now there is real economic evidence of this tragedy.  The offspring of unmarried, even cohabiting couples, now represent 25% of all births — 59% of all births outside of marriage. The problem? According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, such “families” suffer financially. Data shows that married households are far better-off financially. They are more likely to own homes and provide a college education for their children. Cohabiting couples are more likely to split up. The result is a patchwork of half-sibling, step-parents, child-support issues and a revolving door of “family” visits. All this leads to complexity and instability. Says Sara McLanahan, sociology professor at Princeton University, “There’s just a lot of complexity and instability in these households. There are enormous transaction costs involved in running a household like this, compared to just being a married-parent family and staying married.”

And there are a lot more demons from these situations that are also an invitation to all kinds of illicit behavior including incest, molestation, and physical abuse. Before they decide to move in with a significant other, couples should ask themselves what the real cost may be to the children conceived from such unions. The sin issues aside, there may be some cohabitants that do make it all seem to work out. But spending one day with me trying to spiritually pick up the demonized pieces of this puzzle will convince an objective observer that the price of living together is too costly in every way.

An encouraging word: FACING STRONG ENEMIES

What does it mean to have God deliver us? If our adversaries were not stronger than us, than what need we have for the Lord’s intervention? We could do it ourselves. David said in Psalm 18:17, “He delivered me from my strong enemy . . . for they were too strong for me.” When evil attacks come, don’t complain that your enemy seems overwhelming. That’s when you need God, when you aren’t able to escape by yourself. Having to face strong opposing forces from hell is part of being a Christian. Today, don’t despair that the opposition seems powerful. Know that this is the time when God can step in to deliver.

Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did  (Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online

A center of divination dating back 3,300 years has been discovered in Armenia. Archeologists have concluded that ancient occultists used clay idols and censers to burn animal bones as a way of determining the future. Modern psychics and spiritualists are Johnny-come-latelies to the business of trying to determine the future by linking it to a present ritual. The Armenian site is believed to be a major cult center that serviced the ruling class who sought such information to make momentous decisions. This historical sites gives evidence of osteomancy, predicting the future with the knucklebones of cows, sheep, and goats. After burning them they were rolled like dice. Lithomancy, using stones for divination, was done with small pebbles. Aleuromancy was also used by baking bread in ovens and then using stamp seals to form divinatory shapes with the dough.

If this all seems a little silly, hang around me for a while and witness the stories of people who have been to various kinds of current-day witch doctors and mediums. I’ve heard it all. Individuals have described being asked to burn pieces of paper for 21 days and each day dip the paper into water which they drink. Others were told to bathe in water filled with various kinds of flowers or chemicals. Some were instructed to go the sea and dunk themselves a specific number of times on an exact number of days. Some tales told me are even crazier. All this to get rid of the demons tormenting them. Such kinds of silly superstitions were also around at the time of Christ. That’s why those who saw Jesus exorcise evil spirits were astounded that the demons obeyed with just a word from Jesus (Mark 1:27). Evil spirts still do the same today for those who dare to confront them in His name. No bones, no dice, no ovens. Just Jesus and the power of His Name causes evil spirits to flee those whom they have bound.

An encouraging word: DRIVE OUT DEMONS

When Jesus sent the 12 to teach from village to village (Mark 6:7), preaching the gospel isn’t mentioned in His directive. The Bible does says that He “gave them authority over evil spirits” and that “they drove out many demons . . . (Mark 6:13). Of course, they did preach the gospel (Mark 6:12). Why is it that so much evangelical emphasis is on the Good News and almost nothing is said about the remainder of Christ’s command? If Satan is attacking you today, remember you have authority over all evil because you are saved. And with salvation also comes the power to send Satan packing. 

Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did (Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.

Monday I published Part 1 of this series on the Islamic terrorist group ISIL. It’s important that you read that first before proceeding here, if you missed it. (To read ISIL Explained, Part 1 CLICK HERE.)

I believe that any military plan alone will fail, though it’s clear we have to hit these people hard and quickly and do whatever is necessary, in the air and on the ground; however, from an ideological and theological viewpoint, we can’t succeed without understanding some basic facts:

• ISIL may not represent the majority of Muslims worldwide, but they have cowed into silence many Islamic moderates. More reasonable voices of Islam are scared to speak out against ISIL atrocities. Even when they do, these Muslims almost always couch their condemnation in language that adds rejoinders excusing some violence as a legitimate response against alleged oppression of Arabs.
• Just as Hitler sent in storm troopers to soften resistance to The Third Reich army’s main attack, so it is that ISIL’s shock treatment may lead the way to a wider acceptance of Islam. Some might be inclined to believe that after ISIL’s evil, by comparison, Islam isn’t so bad is after all. This obscures mainstream Islamic oppression of woman and minorities and the lack of democratic freedom in places like Saudi Arabia.
• That some in the West don’t see the beheadings as utterly reprehensible might be expected. Why? A younger generation brainwashed on violent video games, slasher films, and demonic movies designed to instill fear and terror are less likely to see the barbarianism of ISIL in such stark terms. It’s not all that different from what they are accustomed to seeing on-screen every weekend.
• Why are so many western youth willing to flee to Syria, many of them young girls off to find a ISIL husband? Having been desensitized and pampered by western ways, the appeal of ISIL is a bit romantic, adventurous, an extreme departure from their lives of texting and mall crawling.
• Islam is waiting for their final Madhi to establish a Muslim kingdom on earth. ISIL believes it is ushering in that age by retaking what was lost to the “crusaders.” In biblical eschatology the Mahdi is clearly an Anti-Christ type being. Any assessment of ISILS practices and purposes must take this into account. ISIL is out to establish a worldwide Islamic empire, enforced by whatever cruelty is necessary.

ISIL as a scourge of the Middle East and a terrorist threat to the West must be countered both militarily and theologically. Their warped, apocalyptic view runs counter to the peaceful reign of Christ where the wolf will lay down with the lamb (Isaiah 65) and there shall be no more war.

An encouraging word: ARE YOU FED UP?

Do you ever get tired or fed up with your job or your daily tasks? I think we all do from time to time. Here is a Word of encouragement from Galatians 6:9. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” The definition for “weary” in the original Greek means to “fail in heart” or want to quit or give up. “Well doing” means anything you do that has value. That could be from sweeping floors to working as a doctor. Everything we do for someone else’s good has value. “Due season” means that there is an appointed time for you personally to reap a harvest, guaranteed! There is only one way to miss out on your own personal harvest and that’s to “faint” or literally to “relax” or ease up on your well doing. Don’t quit. Press even harder for that goal. You will be so happy that you did! You have His Word on it!

Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did (Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.

ISIS, IS, ISIL (Islamic State in Levant [eastern shores of the Mediterranean]) – take your pick of acronyms. Most everyone knows we’re talking about the radicalized Muslims who are terrorizing the Middle East, and part of Europe. We’ve all seen, or heard about, their mass genocide, beheadings, killing of cartoonists and journalist, burning-alive of hostages, and slaughtering of Christians from Libya to Iraq and Syria. You’re probably also aware of President Obama’s disingenuous avoidance of referring to them as “Islamic” and their intentions to establish a “caliphate.” For a moment, let’s step back for a broad look at what this demonic army of murderous militants is really all about.

First, ISIL adherents are Muslims and are supported by many Muslim nations from Iran to Yemen. Not all Muslims are as barbaric. I’ve met many wonderful Muslim people in Jordan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Islamic nations who are equally horrified by what is going on. But let’s not kid ourselves, the fighters of ISIL are Muslims. As explained in my book LARSON’S BOOK OF WORLD RELIGIONS (To order CLICK HERE.) It was the religion’s founder Muhammad who advocated holy wars (jihad) to convert non-Muslims by violent force. He established the “eye for an eye” system of Sharia law which justifies amputations and beheadings.

Second, were it not for the Battle of Tours in 732, all of Europe would have fallen to Islam and we’d be speaking Arabic today. The caliphate promoted by ISIL desires to be a theocracy where being a non-Muslim is punishable by death. Iran is a milder form of that government and ISIL the more extreme version. Contrary to what our President erroneously alleged at the National Prayer Breakfast, the crusades were mostly a legitimate effort to stop the Islamic invasion of Europe and the subsequent annihilation of Christianity in Europe. Whatever immoral acts were committed by Crusaders were done in antipathy to Christ’s teachings. What terrorist Muslims are doing is consistent with the original barbarism of Muhammed as he slaughtered all who opposed him on the Arabian Peninsula.

Some additional things to consider:

• ISIL tortures non-Muslims and Christians who are then murdered if they don’t recant their faith.
• Muslim radicals enter into a demonic bargain of religious motivation, trading death for an Islamic “heaven” with 70 virgins awaiting. They did this in in the 7th Century and continue to this day.
• During the time of the Crusades, conquered nations where given two choices: 1)Oppose Islam and be tortured and slaughtered, or 2) convert and still pay a zakat, religious tax.
• Every Muslim on earth is ultimately committed under religious obligation to convert others by persuasion or violent force. Thankfully there are decent Muslim who aren’t quite so literal about their religion.
• Crusaders who killed in the name of God, and there were some, contradicted the teachings of their religion’s founder. ISIL Muslims pillage as did their founder, who started 70 full scale wars during his 10 years in Medina from 622-632 A.D.
• There is a distinction between jihad, which can mean conversion by persuasion and qital, which is the conversion-or-die practice of killing and torture demonstrated by ISIL.
• ISIL today plunders oil profits, markets stolen priceless antiquities, and sells young girls into slavery to finance their war. Mohammed sanctioned plundering expeditions that raided caravans, murdering innocent civilians, to establish his precursor to a “caliphate.” Sound familiar?

Be watching for Part 2 of ISIL EXPLAINED later this week.

An encouraging word: GOD HEARS

Sometimes we may read a scripture and miss the most important words. That is how I feel about Psalm 18:6. You may choose to read the whole verse, as David cries out to the Lord in distress, but these four words touched me the most: He heard my voice. David felt defeated. No one seemed to care. He actually thought he was going to die. But God heard his voice. God cared. God listened. And God answered because he heard David’s voice. As I wrote this, I thought about a very important need in my own life. I paused to pray. I don’t have the answer yet, but I know it’s coming, because I asked and the Lord heard.

Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did  (Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.