Pokémon Go, a Lack of Knowledge, and Unbroken Curses

Ever since Pokémon Go was released and I became aware of it, a heaviness developed in my spirit. Please understand, I write this not in condemnation, but as a warning that the Holy Spirit has placed upon my heart.

{What is Pokémon? Read this article.}

“According to Sensor Tower’s data, Pokémon Go has now been downloaded over 30 million times (a few days later it is 75 million) worldwide across iOS and Android. In doing so, it’s earned more than $35 million in net revenue. The game also sees ‘more daily average usage than the world’s most established apps in the process.’ ”

When something becomes extremely popular and addicting in a very short time, my  spiritual “antennas” go up. As a Christian, I am responsible to be vigilant; to watch and pray. This doesn’t mean “looking for a demon behind every bush.”  But it does mean asking the Holy Spirit if any game, music, movie, TV show, book, toy, or object is a doorway for the demonic realm.  Some people may call me legalistic, or flat-out ridiculous for taking this attitude in life. I call it being accountable for what influences I allow into my life– especially into my child’s life. And then there is the command in 1 Thessalonians 5:21: but test everything; hold fast to what is good.”

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

I reiterate Erica Dawson’s words: We don’t need to be afraid; we need to be aware.

Her blog post tells the true story of an ex-witchdoctor who recognized the different Pokémon characters as demons.

“Opening the book {Pokémon comics} at random, showing him a picture I asked. “What do you think of this?” He looked at it, and said, “Oh, I know this one.” He suddenly had my attention!

He went on, “Oh, this is a nasty little demon. It is always underfoot, bites, scratches, screeches and what not.” I looked at the page, and on the list of attributes, the book said, “bites, scratches, screeches, claws…” and I forget what else, but it was as if Bautista was reading the page, and he does not read or speak one word of English. He made a believer out of me.

I figured that the first one could have been just a lucky guess, so I flipped the page to another picture and asked him about that one. Again, he told me exactly what it’s attributes were. He did that over and over.

There were some he did not recognize, and he said, “There are so many demons, it is impossible for any one person to know them all.

{Read the full story here.}

Here is an excerpt from occult expert William J. Schnoebelen’s article about Pokémon before it became a mobile game:

“Remember, anytime you are dealing with serious addictive behavior…, you can assume a spirit of bondage (Rom. 8:15) is at work. The spirit of bondage is a powerful strongman that needs to be dealt with quickly and preemptively in the authority of Jesus. Its best “antidote” is the “Spirit of Adoption” (same verse) which speaks deep to our hearts and cries out “Abba Father.”

“I used to work with addictions every day in a secular counseling job, and I believe that part of the reason we are seeing so much addictive behavior in both kids and adults is that many of us have never tasted of that spiritual adoption. We feel like spiritual orphans!  In our children, this situation is not helped by single-parent families and by two-parent families who throw their children into daycare as quickly as they can. Many of these kids (just like their parents) have never known the Love of Abba Father. Because of their thirst for it, they are drinking out of hell’s cisterns with these demonic, addictive games.

Remember, just because your kids think they are innocently playing does not prevent the evil spirits from being deadly in earnest in exploiting their neediness and bringing bondage. If the devil (or his minions) can appear as an angel of light (2Cor. 11:14), he can certainly appear as a cute, warm fuzzy little cuddle-toy of a character. If you or your child are in involved in addictive and/or occult behavior you need to go before the Throne of YHWH and formally renounce it in the name of Yah’shua (Jesus) the Messiah and ask Him to forgive you for it. Then you need to destroy, ideally by fire, all the stuff that goes with the game. I realize that this might represent a considerable investment going “up in smoke,” but believe me – it is better to do that than to allow yourself or your child to become further ensnared by occult bondage. I know. I was stuck in it for 16 years!”

{Read the full post here.}

Watch this pastor share his warning. In short, he speaks about how he had to cast out demons from children who had become possessed when watching the Pokémon television show. This is not something to mess around with, dear people!!

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, (1 Tim. 4:1).

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 4:12

It grieves me to know there are many who are deceived; who freak out at the way the world is filled with shootings and bombings and wars and outright wickedness, but fail to notice the sly way evil comes into their homes through doorways they unknowingly open to the enemy. 

Ok, that last paragraph really made me feel like a doomsday prophet. I don’t know if many of you readers will get the message I am trying to get across here.  No one wants to hear or read depressing and fearful messages.  But here’s the thing, this message may sound negative, but it’s not–it has brought me and my family incredible FREEDOM and HOPE!!

Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Mark 4:12

People, Satan doesn’t want us to know how to defeat him!!! He wants us to deny the spiritual realm and that fact that there is demonic influence all around us. He is the god of this world (for now) and God has allowed him to wreak havoc and destruction because sin came into the world; because He allowed and still allows mankind to make choices.

Satan uses countless strategies to get into our homes, leading us into bondage so we can’t serve the Lord effectively. But I thought Satan can’t touch Christians?? Wrong. If we give Satan room, he will move in. Christians cannot be demon-possessed, but they can allow spirits to come into their lives and control them.

 

What Are Some of Satan’s Strategies and Doorways??  

{Most of the following information comes from Unbroken Curses by Daniel Yoder and Rebecca Brown –a book every Christian should read! I will be sharing several passages from their book.}

Do you come from a family history plagued by mental illness, suicides, alcoholism, physical illness, divorce, incest, or poverty? Do you deal with strongholds in your life such as uncontrolled anger, unbelief, lust, pornography, or homosexuality? Do you constantly struggle in your Christian walk but never prosper or grow spiritually?

“These discouraging situations may result from a number of factors, but a frequently overlooked reason is a curse on the person’s life or family that has never been broken…this is a much neglected area in Christian teaching today. (pg. 8)

 Three Types of Curses  

 A. Curses from God.

For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me. Exodus 20:5

B. Curses from Satan and or/his servants with the legal right to curse.

When we disobey God, not only do we sin, but we also give Satan the legal right to assault us. We often don’t realize that we serve a God who is completely just. Not only is He just with us, He is just with Satan and his servants. If we give Satan the right to assail us, God won’t interfere. (p.23)

C. Curses from Satan and/or his servants without the legal right to curse. (p.17)

Purposes of Curses

 A. Curses sent by Satan and/or his servants are always for the purpose of causing injury, loss, destruction, and (often) death. Curses from Satan and or/his servants always involve demon spirits.  When a curse is placed, demon spirits are sent to a specific person or family for a specific purpose. The curse is the sending mechanism, and the demon spirits bring about the fulfillment of the curse.

B. Curses sent by God are for the purposes of gaining the person’s attention and causing him to turn from his evil ways, turn toward God, and purify his life. If the person does not respond to this, he will be destroyed and eventually put to death. (p. 17)

 

The Scriptures of the Old Testament are full of references to curses. The New Testament tells us that Jesus Christ came and died on the cross, conquering Satan, so that we can be set free from curses. (See Galatians 3:13) Jesus gave His servants the power in His name to break curses. Why then are Christians still so defeated and afflicted by curses? The answer is IGNORANCE. You can’t fight a battle you don’t see or don’t know exists. You cannot defeat an enemy when you don’t even know he is attacking you. God’s word says the following:  (pg.10) 

My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 

Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself and opened its mouth beyond measure. Isaiah 5:13-14

For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it. Ecclesiastes 7:12

Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11

Ignorance Isn’t Bliss

The Scriptures clearly state that God’s people will suffer and eventually be taken into captivity if they continue in ignorance and sin. This applies in the case of curses. Far too often, Christians do not realize curses have been placed on their lives. Thus, they cannot deal with them, but they wonder why they continually suffer afflictions as they do.

The most common argument we hear from people is: ‘I don’t believe God would hold me responsible for something I don’t know about. I don’t believe He would allow a curse to come into my life when I did not know I was doing something wrong.’

Dear brothers and sisters, we must warn you that God does hold you accountable for everything that is in His Word. He has given us ample information throughout the Bible. Everyone one of us has access to a Bible. Therefore, we are without excuse. (See these Scriptures: Leviticus 5:17, Isaiah 27:11, Jeremiah 6:19, Hosea 4:6). (p.11-12)

If you do not read and study God’s Word, then you are rejecting knowledge. The consequences of this sin are grave indeed. However, we serve a merciful God who is quick to forgive us when we repent, and we have the Holy Spirit who dwells in us to help us.

If we ask, the Holy Spirit will show us truth and bring to our minds those sins that we have forgotten so we can confess them and be cleansed from them. He will reveal to us any curses that are active in our lives–all we have to do is ask. (John 16:7-13) (p. 12-13)

Moses taught the children of Israel the difference between the holy and unholy. This knowledge enabled them to know what things would bring blessing and cursing into their lives.

See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil…I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19)

Clearly, whether our lives are successful and blessed, unsuccessful and cursed, depends upon our knowledge of the teachings of the Lord.

Do Not Touch

Several Scriptures warn all believers to avoid things that are unclean and to remain separate from them. (p.47)

“Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord. “Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17

And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and clean. Ezekiel 44:23

Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing. Deuteronomy 7:26

Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Do you own toys, books, objects, listen to music, or watch shows or movies that involve some form of magic or occultic symbolism? God says witchcraft is an abomination to Him. We don’t practice magic or approve of it, but by having it in our homes we give Satan a legal doorway into our lives. (See above: Deuteronomy 7:26.)

…those who practice magic arts …their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur… the second death. Revelation 21:8

Those who practice witchcraft (sorcery) will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:20-21). These practices are anti-God and are in rebellion against Him.

 

Let me tell you a personal story:

I have long wondered about the movie Frozen because of the “good magic” that is a big part of the story. Little girls (and big ones too!) are rabidly addicted to all things Frozen, including my own little girl. Like I mentioned earlier, whenever there is a spirit of addiction/bondage present, our spiritual antennas should go up.  Not only is there magic used in the movie, but the lyrics to the hit song “Let It Go”, sung by Elsa, the one who has magical powers, are very disturbing:

It’s time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me I’m free! (paganism)
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky (naturalism)
Let it go, let it go
You’ll never see me cry!
Here I stand
And here I’ll stay
Let the storm rage on!
My power flurries through the air into the ground (power and magnificence of self)                   My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I’m never going back,
The past is in the past!

For a number of weeks, sometimes almost every night, I heard footsteps running down the hall from Kerra’s bedroom. Whenever I jumped up to see if it was Kerra, she was fast asleep in her bed. I soon realized this was an evil spirit problem but didn’t know how to pray against it.

During this time, there were different strongholds (spirits) in my life that God was cleansing me of, and I was actively involved in breaking curses as He showed them to me. (A whole other story, but for now I will tell you that I cried out to God for YEARS for freedom from bondages in my life, but never found it until curses on my life were broken.) I was finding amazing deliverance (Praise the Lord!!) but was baffled as to why this spirit continued to plague me.

It wasn’t until I was talking with a good friend about Disney  {much of which is full of occultism and witchcraft} that it dawned on me: Kerra had the Frozen dolls, Elsa and Anna, in her room. I felt like the Holy Spirit was revealing the answer to the evil spirit problem. How should I approach my daughter and tell her she needed to give them up?  A few days later, the neighbor girl came over, bringing her Frozen dolls. Kerra went out to play, and I began to pray out loud, rebuking the spirit of addiction/bondage behind those dolls. A short time later, the girls came in, showing me that Elsa’s head had broken off. (!) I told them it wasn’t fixable and immediately Kerra piped up: “She can have my Elsa doll. I don’t need it!” I was flabbergasted. “Are you sure?” I asked. She was so sure she went to her room immediately, brought out her Elsa doll, and gave it to her friend. She hasn’t regreted her decision once. (I realize this was just passing the doll to another little girl. Believe me, we are praying for her and her family that they would come to know the Lord! The big thing to me was that Kerra was willing to give up something that was very important to her at one time.)

I rejoiced that day at how God worked immediately when that spirit was rebuked, and I realized something: it’s so freeing to just call out Satan through the power of the Lord and then step back and let Him work!! I couldn’t have done that without knowledge on Satan’s tactics. Oh and the footsteps in the hall? GONE!! Thank You Jesus.

 

We don’t need to be afraid of the enemy, but we do need to clothe ourselves with the Armor of God, (Ephesians 6:11-12) arm ourselves with knowledge and wisdom from Scripture, listen to the Holy Spirit, and test everything!!

Deliverance From Curses

Rebecca Brown, author and MD who has helped many, many people find freedom, talks about the steps to deliverance in her book Becoming a Vessel of Honor: I do not believe that demons can come into a person THROUGH JUST ANY SIN. I believe that happens with what I call “temple-defiling sins”. They fall into three categories: 

1. Inheritance

2. Any involvement in the occult

3. Sexual sins

Step 1: Define the doorways or temple-defiling sins.

Step 2: Repent and confess those sins asking God for forgiveness and cleansing.

Step 3: Command the demons that came in through “temple-defiling sins” to get out of you forever.

Step 4: Stop sinning! Saturate your life with God’s Word. (p.189-195)

 

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  James 4:7

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ is all-powerful, and He is in control. He overcame Satan and sin when He died on the cross and rose from the dead; because of Him we can have victory over evil!!  Someday Jesus will wage war on Satan and will win the battle forever!!

 

Let’s use our authority in Christ to kick Satan and his evil minions out, seal those doorways, and give evil NO place in our lives!!! God doesn’t want us to live a life of defeat and discouragement, but one of HOPE and redemption; with courage to possess the land as effective spiritual warriors in His kingdom!!

*And now if you have made it to the bottom of this rather lengthy blog post, (bless you!) I would love to hear from you! What are some things God has delivered you from or told you to remove from your home and your lives? Have you experienced the freedom that comes from obeying God? I’d love to hear your stories!!