We are at war right now. There is a war in the spiritual realm being waged against families, and especially against young people. We can see the fruit of that war in the natural. We have much work to do, intercessors. Will you join me?

Sun Tzu’s The Art of War offers this principle: “If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.” That is a great rule for intercessors: Know your enemy!

Satan goes by many names, and we can learn much about his character from what the Bible calls him. In Matthew 4, he is the tempter. In John 8:44 he is the father of lies and a murderer from the outset. In Revelation 12:10 he is the accuser of the brethren. In Mark 3:22 he is called Beelzebub, the prince of demons. In Matthew 13:19 he is the evil one who comes to steal the seed that has been planted. In 1 Peter 5:8, the apostle calls him our adversary. He is the “god of this world” (see 2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (see Ephesians 2:2).

But two descriptions of Satan are particularly important just now:

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world — he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Revelation 12:9).

These two verses reveal his strategy and purpose: He masquerades as an angel of light to deceive. He is a great pretender, a counterfeit. He aims to get people to believe his lies so he can gain a stronghold in their souls, from which he can oppress them because he’s been given authority. His long-term goal is possession. He is not a creator or originator, and he hates those whom God loves.

The ‘Spirituality’/Darkness Connection

Satan perverts whatever is of the Lord, so perhaps the greatest counterfeit to Christianity is what many call “spirituality.” The truth is that such “spirituality” is demonic; it’s deceptive. Consider the following New Age buzzwords: “Manifesting” is a direct counterfeit to prayer; “astral projection” (out-of-body experience) is a demonic and dangerous counterfeit to what the Bible calls translation (transference from this world to the next); and burning sage to cleanse the air is not of God either. The Bible says the word of God, when studied and applied, cleanses us like water. Fortune-telling, tarot cards, horoscopes — all of these are divination, a demonic counterfeit to the gift of prophecy. Doing these things to attain “spirituality” only opens up your soul and your home to familiar spirits, and burning sage will not remove them — only repenting, renouncing, a physical house cleaning by removing those items, and inviting the Holy Spirit to fill the vacancy will do that.

All of the preceding are forms of Satan’s coming “as an angel of light.” Take that previously mentioned Holy Spirit Board: An unsuspecting child, possibly a Christian, may see it as a cute game. I mean, who doesn’t want to talk to Jesus, right? But it’s all a blatant lie of the devil: the ad, looks innocent enough — until you see the words talking board for seance. That is necromancy, and it is strictly forbidden for believers in the God of the Bible, along with divination and similar occult practices (see Deuteronomy 18:9–12). When I looked up information about this board to find out more, I found that ouija board is repackaged as spirit board or angel board — but Satan remains a phony “angel of light.” He is a liar!

Did you know that in New Age terms, “enlightenment” is the spiritual goal? This is a heightened sense of self-awareness and amounts to a sensitivity to the spiritual realm. That is iffy — people become more open to mystical experiences and false dreams and visions. This is falsely called a “spiritual awakening.” Do you see how the devil counterfeits everything God does? We desperately need a true awakening. Lord, our children and youth desperately need an awakening! Here’s how we can pray into what is going on.

Prayer Strategy for Our Children and Youth

There is a void in the human heart that was made for God, and many are seeking to fill that void, but they are looking in the wrong places. Satan is deceiving them.

1. Pray that young people would come to know that they are loved by God, that He sees them, and that He has a purpose for their lives. Their true identity is as sons or daughters of the Most High, and He invites them into an intimate relationship with Himself through the Savior, His Son Jesus Christ (see Jeremiah 29:11).

2. Pray for an opening of all eyes to see Satan for the liar he is (see Acts 26:18).
3. Pray for the Gospel to be preached widely. The true Gospel has always been demonstrated by signs, wonders, and miracles. So, pray that the gifts of the Spirit would be made manifest in the churches again — but only through the true preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! That true power of God will silence all demonic counterfeits (see Mark 16:17–20).

 We Need a True Awakening

Pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit for such a time as this. God has already been moving among our young people, so you can be sure the devil is at work attempting to cut off that movement to destroy them. But these young people are an end-time generation of Joshuas, and they are hungry for something that only God can give them (see Isaiah 44:3).

I have been grieved to hear about how many Christians burn sage and loosely practice “manifesting.” Remember that Satan’s key strategy is always to deceive. Sadly, many Christians have fallen victim to his wiles. He is the deceiver of the whole world. He is working overtime and on weekends and holidays to lead Christian believers astray. He is focused especially on the young — those whose minds are more open and impressionable. Look at those schoolgirls in Colombia who had been playing with ouija boards: Satan had no problem throwing them into fits of anxiety and psychosis and who knows what. His endgame is unchanged since the days of Eden. But Jesus exposed his plans: to steal, kill, and destroy.

Prayer Strategy for Believers

1. Confess and repent. If you are a Christian but have had any occult involvement, first things first: Begin with confession and repentance. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). After confession comes repentance: turning away from what is wrong and resolving to stay free. Get rid of the likes of cards, crystals, sage, certain candles, idols, books — anything the Holy Spirit leads you to turn from (see Acts 19:19).

2. Renounce anything that is not of God. This means that you call back any “rights” you have given to the devil through your participation in occultic activities. You are now rejecting what you once condoned (see 2 Timothy 2:19).
3. Fill the vacancy. Remember that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. If you have kicked him out of your life, he may attempt to return, seeking reentry. So, once you have confessed, repented, renounced, and removed, you must then fill the spaces that have been vacated (see Matthew 12:43–45). Ask the Holy Spirit to expose any lies you have believed and to fill your mind and heart with the truth of God’s word instead. Consume that word until it becomes a living force inside of you. When Jesus battled Satan’s temptations in the wilderness, he countered the lies by repeatedly citing Scripture, which he prefaced each time with the words, “It is written … ”

If you are determined to see this generation rise up, let’s pray:

Father, we are burdened by the war being waged against our children and youth. Thank You for giving us this burden as a prayer assignment, because You care about what is happening to them. This generation does have a gift: They truly care about the things happening in the world, though Satan has often perverted that gift and blinded many minds. Nevertheless, they are seeking truth. They long for an awakening, Father, so do awaken their souls. We pray that many who are engaged in occult practices will see the real Jesus calling them to turn from evil and come to Him. We pray that no ouija boards will find their way into the schools, the toy stores, or the hands of our children. We call forth this generation as the Joshuas and Esthers You’ve created them to be. We refuse to stay silent and let Satan assault them any longer.

And Father, we pray for Your Church. Forgive us for our part in this. Forgive us for treating the occult casually and for failing to warn our children. Forgive the Church for shutting down the gifts of Your Spirit in the churches, especially the gift of discerning of spirits. Forgive us for minimizing the gift of deliverance. Lord, what we need here and now is deliverance, so let it begin in Your house. Things do look dark, but we are convinced that You are still at work through our intercession. Come and have Your way, Lord. We need You. You are victorious, and in You so are we. We’re praying from a place of victory through the finished work of the cross. In Jesus’ name we pray all this. Amen.

How are you praying against the darkness? Share your prayers and thoughts below. 

IFA contributing writer Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor and listen to her podcast, Something To Share. Photo Credit: Canva.