As the late broadcaster Paul Harvey once said, "If I were the prince of darkness, I'd want to engulf the whole world in darkness."

This exact plan by the devil has been in motion since the Garden of Eden, and he has an entire army of demons at his command to accomplish this goal.

These torturous spirits have free rein in the lives of those who reject Jesus Christ as Savior, the One who claimed victory over sin and death.

For many Christians, the question of "Can I become possessed as a follower of Jesus?" fills their mind with fear and uncertainty.

One of the leading voices in deliverance ministry, Apostle Alexander Pagani, sat down with Charisma News to discuss the topic of deliverance from demonic spirits.

"We know that the devil's number one form of deception is to make the world believe that he doesn't exist," explained Pagani. And when it comes to minimizing who and what the devil is in American culture, he is doing a great job of it.

The caricature of who the devil really is in society, and the line of thought that he is just some red, little man in hell, has opened the floodgates for demonic possession, oppression and influence in people's lives.

Deflecting away from the tormenter that he really is, Pagani helps shed light on a trick the devil is playing over members of the Christian church to this day.

"The devil's number two form of deception is to make the church believe that we blame the devil too much. So, we never blame him. And I believe that's what's happening. This false narrative of over-blaming the devil, I have yet to see someone over-blaming the devil," says Pagani.

Pagani is referencing the old trope that previous generations of Pentecostals and charismatics over-spiritualized life and accused any bad thing in life to a demonic attack.

Believing that Christians became hyper-spiritualized, many simply abandoned the spiritual warfare that had offered protection against assault from the devil for generations.

If people want evidence to the effect this has had on America, simply look at society today.

Golden pagan statues are being erected in American cities, television is filled with satanic programming and the biblical order that God created is being dismantled in every facet of society.

With the unsaved offering countless examples of what demonic possession looks like in culture today, Pagani has a passion to educate Christians on the protection that being filled with the Holy Spirit offers them in the spiritual battles taking place today.

"A Christian is not possessed, as in owned by, a demon. No, number one, we are bought with a price. Number two, we have the precious Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest expectation of our blessed hope living on the inside. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, it is impossible for [a] Christian to be owned by the devil," says Pagani.

"But can a Christian possess a devil, not demon possession...as in having a demon? Obviously, yes. Paul said, 'Neither give place to the devil.' ...When the work of the flesh is not contained and crucified through the work of the Holy Spirit within us, then a stronghold becomes a strong man," he added.

Coming off the smashing success of the deliverance movie, "Come Out in Jesus Name," people are witnessing just how powerful and necessary deliverance ministry is. It removes the demonic influence, oppression or possession in their lives that they were not even aware of.

That is how powerful the deception is that Satan has instituted in the world.

Learn more about the power of deliverance ministry in Alexander Pagani's book "The Secrets to Deliverance: Defeat the Toughest Cases of Demonic Bondage."

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

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