Hijacked Culture
Demonic influence on our culture can be a silent killer. In Mark 9, Jesus rebuked a generation when casting out a demon from a deaf and mute boy.
Demons turn people dumb. They use seduction and once they possess a man, they use that vessel to seduce or influence others, in order to captivate many.
God lavishes His divine wisdom on people. He draws men unto Him and uses them to reach others, in order to set all captives free.
What's the difference? If you can't tell the difference between wisdom and foolishness, there's not much difference between the two processes. That is why there are so many people claiming they are believers and claiming that God told them this and that, but are really seduced by evil spirits. If you can tell the difference, you will despise the world.
The world we live in is tapped. There are traps all around. Even for believers walking in the power of God, there are so many traps all around, set to make us stumble and fall. That is why we need spiritual insight and power. We need the Holy Spirit to reveal, tame, rebuke, cast out and restore, all for the advancement of the Kingdom. The key is relationship with God.
The world we live in is God's. We need to claim it back. The entire creation is eagerly expecting the sons of God to be revealed so that it can be set free from the curse it is under. That can only happen by the power of the Holy Spirit, and us kings following His guidance.
This generation is deaf to the things of God and dumb to accept God's wisdom because it is either possessed or under the influence of the same spirit that Jesus rebuked in the Gospel of Mark in verse 9:25.
This demon is also called deaf and mute, because it doesn't allow the person to neither hear, nor speak. So many are captives to this spirit or influenced by it. They think they know everything and do not or even cannot hear what the Spirit of God is saying. It is a form of rebellion or pride when you refuse to hear what God is saying. It is mainly caused by fear; the fear to be exposed, the fear to be defenseless. The spirit doesn't allow you to speak your mind. Instead, you mumble what it says and speak out gibberish instead. The spirit makes you speak foolishness and make it seem deep.
The devil always tries to imitate God, but he fails so miserably.
Many people wonder why the present culture has witnessed a major decline in quality. I believe this spirit has played a major role. It started with seducing real talent and seducing others through real talent until it robbed everything it had. Now, you have a generation with no inheritance. Sure, they have the great musicians, scientists, architects, rulers, etc of the past, but their present culture is void of all the great things those men inherited at birth.
Many wonder what the younger generation sees in a pop culture void of all creativity and genuine matter. It has been the same for a few generations now, declining further and further as we go down the line. Each generation is blaming the next for being shallower. Although bridging generational gaps is important, but I believe there is another force at work here. I believe there really is a decline and not just a change.
For us, in the Kingdom, it is an opportunity that we should not miss. In the midst of this mental, cultural, spiritual and physical poverty, the Church needs to step into the modern-day culture with all the riches of our heavenly Father.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)
I do acknowledge that a man possessed by this spirit can be literally physically deaf and mute. However, I believe its implications and influence on people goes beyond the physical. Jesus called that generation, an unbelieving generation, before casting out this demon (Mark 9:19). Even after casting the demon out and being asked by his disciples what the reason for their failure was, Jesus answered that it was through prayer and fasting that this kind of spirit can be cast out.
We need power. We need to be desperately reliant on God. We need to thirst for and hunger after Him. Only He can save our generation from the shallowness and muteness it is under.
When I was a child, we had many of my dad's colleagues, professors and school instructors visiting us at home. I can't tell you how many times I have heard them complain about the decline they were witnessing in the students, generation after generation. No, I don't believe they were all demon-possessed, but I do believe that a demonic influence on the culture played a major role. Many blame it on the rise of technology, TV, media, video games, etc..., but that's not the root cause.
When Jesus arrived at the scene, he found them arguing. Arguing about it won't help. Only faith, prayer, and fasting, i.e. real relationship and reliance on God can bring a revival to unlock the ears and tongues of this generation, to hear from God and speak His Word in complete freedom.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor 4:4)
It is sad to see Christians giving in to this culture instead of using their authority over it. It is sad to see worship leaders, preachers, businessmen giving in to the ways of the present worldly culture, instead of pioneering. I hope that we can hear God's call and return to prayer. We will find a treasure there. We will find hope there. We will find Jesus. We will walk out of there in power and authority. We will walk out of that closet with riches that cannot be measured. We will come out in a manner worthy of our master, in splendor and victory. God bless you!
