"We know that we are in God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one."
(1 John 5:20)

"... sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others" (Ephesians 2:2,3)

"For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it."
(1 John 2:16,17)

We want a "Kingdom of God" culture in our world - one based on rightness, truth, love and peace. This can only be when the true God is given His rightful place among free men and women. Because of God's respect for our freedom He does not impose His direct rule to usher us into some kind of "Brave New World" for our own good. Instead, He has chosen to wait upon us to pray fervently and to collaborate with Him under His leadership to invite Him to work in this world. I've had a taste of God's goodness and its left me wanting Him more.

The above Scriptures indicate that in the present age satanic influence is very strong. Human cultures differ, but they are all presently seriously affected by demonic influence. This is the underlying reason for the misery that predominates in so many hearts and lives today.

Demonic Influence in Western Culture

While demonic influence is more overt in nations which openly practice witchcraft and idolatry on every street corner, until recently the influence of demons in western culture was more covert, yet hardly less binding.

This is a vast subject of course. I am going to make some sweeping statements which should indicate something of the extent of demonic influence in our culture in western nations. The good news is that in the gospel of Jesus Christ we have relevant solutions and strategies for pushing back the darkness and opening the door to God. Nevertheless, while we fail to discern the strongholds of evil, we will surely end up compromising with them. Here are some of the strongholds. Be sure that all of these are actively promoted by demons which reinforce these thoughts and bind people's minds so that real faith in God is squeezed out.

Strongholds in the West:

Pluralism - the idea that everyone has the right to choose their own religious beliefs and lifestyles, that God has no authority on this point - because either He doesn't exist, or what He says can't be known with any sense of certainty.

Humanism - (the spirit of Greece). Tied in with this is the worship of the body, intellectualism, and the idea that "man is the measure of all things". Therefore good looks, sporting prowess and to a lesser extent, natural intelligence are highly prized characteristics and those who possess them in great measure are the objects of adoration in our culture. This is clear when you consider the attention given to these things in the entertainment and media industries, which greatly influence the minds of western people. Truly, people today worship and serve the creature instead of the Creator, who is blessed forever.

Scientific Materialism - the idea of naturalism, that only the physical world truly exists, there is no spiritual realm (except perhaps as an intellectual abstraction). Includes the philosophy of naturalism which is the support for the theory of evolution which denies God as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. This philosophy still has powerful influence in education.

Economic Materialism (Greed) - the love of money. People will give most of their life to the pursuit of wealth and the television constantly pumps people full of desires for more and more products which only money can buy. People sacrifice many things including family and friends in the pursuit of this idol.

Sexual Lust -

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