This week in Charismatic craziness brings us two sordid tales...

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Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.- Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)

Sometimes "smaller" stories within Charismania pile up and require to be glommed together into a devotional so at least they are discussed. Today we will be addressing two such whackadoodle stories we have seen recently. The two are dealing with fringe lunatics who continue to gain popularity. The first is Greg Locke and the second is Alexander Pagani. Now, Pagani is one of the up and coming "demon slayers" who has carved out his niche to fleece the flock primarily through a YouTube ministry. Locke was one of the kingmakers in this crowd but recently it appears he has fallen into favor with the more advanced sectors of Charismania and there has been a palpable and obvious attempt through Charisma News to rehabilitate Locke's image of this crazed political loon who likes to accuse his own congregants of being witches and demons. Unfortunately for the Charismatic Industrial Complex you might be able to take the demon slayer out of the bizarre, but you can't always get the bizarre out of the demon slayer.

To quantify this, our first story is pretty straight forward. On Halloween, Greg Locke's church will hold another book burning at his church. I say another, because this is a schtick he has been doing for awhile now because it generates the press he seeks. The secular media reports on this properly, as a crazy-man burning books like it is 1933 Germany. I do not care if you think it is righteous to burn Harry Potter books. I do not like them nor watch the movies, but it is lazy and stupid to gather at a place designed to worship God and throw them into a bonfire. Besides the obvious similarity to the Nazis, which is not missed by the lost, Greg Locke has zero moral authority to do this. The advertisement he created for the event states the following:

On Halloween night we will be doing two important things"

1. We will be conducting a mass deliverance service for children. Parents, don't miss this opportunity to pray for the freedom and healing of your children. 95% of the adults we deal with in deliverance ministry have been under attack since they were kids. This will be a powerful move of the Lord.

2. We will once again be burning all things related to the occult. Ask the Lord to show you what's in your home that needs to be removed. I can assure you, there are some items that must go.

The advertisement says, "Occult Burning" and features a picture of Locke and his new wife, Tai. For the unaware, Tai was the church secretary who Locke had an affair with behind his wife's back and divorced and left her for. The unmitigated gall to pose for a picture for an event lecturing people about items of questionable morality they may have in their homes when yours lies in the same bed with you is despicable. Greg Locke is disqualified from ministry, although his teaching alone should do that. The occult? Read the key verses carefully today. Paul outlines the works of the flesh and clearly indicates that adultery is akin to witchcraft. Before the forgiveness police start abusing scripture, realize this is not about forgiveness. That is between Locke and God. This is about if we believe in the word of God at all and if we do, then Locke has disqualified himself from ministry over and over again.

Perhaps even more disturbing is the open admitting of planned child abuse. Yes, you heard that right. I believe it is nothing short of abuse to do a mass deliverance from fake demons from children just to further your ministry. Now look, CAN a child be demon possessed? According to Mark 9 the answer is yes but remember that this is the ONLY example of such in scripture. Greg Locke is not Jesus. He is not even as reputable as the seven sons of Sceva. He plays to the fears and poor teaching given to the parents in his church. So now they will drag their kids who misbehave to have this charlatan mutter biblical sentence fragments over them and pretend to cast demons out of them. It is simply vile beloved. This does not even scratch the surface of the damage this does for the witness of Christ as unbelievers will view this sham as an act of the "church." Book burning is not Christian. Mass demon possession deliverance for kids is child abuse.

The second story is from Locke's old buddy, Alexander Pagani. As noted, Pagani is one of the YouTuber demon slayer guys. His horrific false teaching has been chronicled online and a simple You Tube search will reveal that he is just as bad a fraud as Locke. Pagani falsely teaches that demons can live inside, or possess Christians. This horrible doctrine states that the Holy Spirit can share the space inside a believe with a demonic spirit. This is of course biblically absurd. I watched a Pagani video where he asserted, "don't mess with Apostle Pagani. Huh? Well, as it turns out, this huckster was ordained as an apostle earlier this year by some other obscure false teacher. I am quickly reminded of this verse:

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. - 2Corinthians 11:13 (ESV)

Beloved, Alexander Pagani is now the false apostle spoken of in this verse. Realize that he has carved out this false niche in churchianity about demon possession and casting out devils. Thus, he has to custom fit everything, including scripture, to his false niche. It is no different than Osteen selling word faith by butchering the verses about God calling things that are not as though they are to pretend that we have the same power. Or prosperity pimps pretending that because Solomon was rich, God wants you rich too. Consider these verses, some of the most sobering for Christians:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' - Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)

Who are these people? Churched people. They are people who think they have been serving God because they were in an apostate church all their lives. Some of them will think they were doing mighty works. Some of them will think they were prophesying in His name, or speaking babble tongues in His name, or being slain in the spirit in His name, or CASTING OUT DEMONS, in His name. Performative Christianity is false Christianity. Alexander Pagani is just another in a long line of hucksters peddling God's word for profit, desiring to sit at the most esteemed seats at the table. The table is filled however with the very demons he clearly does not understand and thinks he can command. Like the seven sons of Sceva before him however, he will soon learn that they do not know him, just like Jesus does not. Mark and avoid this false apostle.

Oh, and don't burn books or abuse children by telling them they have demons inside of them.

Reverend Anthony Wade - October 20, 2023

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.