Modern Satanism - Part 3: How the Enemy Destroys Identity, Innocence, and Hope
(But Christ Brings Freedom)
May 4, 2025
Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Genesis 1:27; John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 1:24-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Today, we step into a sensitive, yet vitally important topic. Some sermons are heavy because the truth demands it. We are living in days when evil no longer hides in the shadows but parades proudly in the streets — literally. Yet as we address these issues today, I want to be crystal clear: our mission is not hatred or condemnation. It is truth, spoken in love. The highest form of love is not silent tolerance, but bold truth that leads to repentance and redemption. With that I want to be clear that we are going to talk about very sensitive and graphic topics. If these topics bother you or if there are young children here I want to warn you of the content of this message.
From the very beginning, God established what is right and what is wrong, not to oppress humanity, but to bless it. His commands are not arbitrary rules; they are loving boundaries meant to protect life, dignity, and flourishing. These establish a culture of human existence in a manner that is within Divine intention and under Divine Blessing. The enemy of God and you is actively tearing down these boundaries to destroy God’s creation. When we violate these boundaries — whether personally or culturally — the consequences are not liberation but devastation.
In today’s world, licentiousness is paraded as freedom, when in reality, it is bondage. We have come to a point where almost nothing is considered off-limits. Movements that once lurked on society’s fringes now demand celebration — LGBTQ ideologies, the normalization of pedophilia under the guise of “minor-attracted persons,” the rise of “furry” identities, and more. These are not merely cultural phenomena. They are spiritual battles that are ancient in origin, demonic in nature, and rooted in a rebellion that stretches all the way back to Eden.
At the core of this rebellion is an assault on the imago Dei — the image of God stamped upon humanity. From the Garden of Eden, Satan’s goal has been the same: to distort, to defile, and to destroy the image of God in mankind. What we are seeing today is not simply a culture war but it goes much deeper into a spiritual war championed by our culture as the ultimate victory. And if we fail to recognize the spiritual roots of these movements, we will never engage the battle in the power and truth of Christ.
Sadly, the American Church today is largely Laodicean — lukewarm, self-satisfied, and blind to its spiritual poverty. In some places, it has even crossed the line into overt demonic deception, welcoming doctrines of demons under the banner of love and inclusivity. Here are a few examples of the results of Laodicean Christianity in the US:
In 2023, multiple churches across the United States—including the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas—held a ‘Blessing of the Abortion Providers’ service. Ministers stood behind the pulpit, hands lifted high, praying for abortion doctors and clinic workers, asking for ‘God’s anointing’ over the work of ending unborn lives. Some churches even posted banners reading ‘Abortion is Sacred.’
In a survey conducted in 2022 by Probe Ministries, 60% of professing ‘born-again’ Christians between the ages of 18–39 said they believe Buddha, Muhammad, and Jesus all offer valid paths to God. Even more staggering, some pastors today openly teach from the pulpit that Christ is ‘one of many ways’ to heaven. At one well-known mainline Protestant church, a pastor recently said, ‘Jesus is our way, but not the way.’
In early 2024, a major church in North Carolina made headlines for offering classes on ‘Christian Tarot’ and ‘Meditative Witchcraft,’ promoting them as ‘spiritual exploration pathways.’ Promotional material invited people to ‘deepen their faith’ by exploring occult practices historically condemned by Scripture (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).
But hear this clearly: No matter how dark the days may become, the cross still stands. The blood of Jesus is still sufficient to redeem, restore, and rescue. Every captive heart can still be set free. Today, we expose the darkness not to gloat over it, but to extend the light of Christ into it. The message of the Cross is this: “Come out of the darkness. There is hope, there is forgiveness, there is a new beginning in Jesus Christ.”
Jesus came "to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10) and that includes all of us. Every one of us has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Every one of us needs grace. And every one of us is loved beyond measure. But as shepherds and as believers, we cannot remain silent when the enemy wages war against the souls of this generation. We must expose the darkness, offer the hope of the Gospel, and fight for truth with compassion.
We must understand where the enemy is attacking most fiercely today. One of Satan’s primary strategies in modern culture is to confuse and distort the very foundation of who we are — our God-given identity. If the enemy can erode what it means to be made in the image of God, he can dismantle everything else: our purpose, our relationships, even our understanding of salvation itself.
I. The Attack on Identity (LGBTQ)
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
From the beginning, God designed humanity with purpose, dignity, and order. Satan’s first strategy in Eden was to question God's Word: "Did God really say?" (Genesis 3:1). That same tactic is alive and well today.
Modern confusion about gender, sexuality, and identity is not just a social movement — it is spiritual warfare. According to Gallup 2023, one in four Gen Z adults (25%) now identifies somewhere on the LGBTQ spectrum. This is not coincidence; it is coordinated deception.
• According to The Trevor Project’s 2023 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 41% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.
• Among transgender and nonbinary youth, that number was even higher — over 50% considered it. (Source: The Trevor Project, 2023)
• Studies show that even in areas with high cultural affirmation of LGBTQ identities (e.g., California, New York), suicide rates and depression among LGBTQ individuals remain statistically unchanged. This shows affirmation without transformation does not heal the heart.
• A Gallup poll in 2022 found that nearly 21% of Gen Z adults now identify as LGBTQ — nearly five times higher than previous generations (Boomers = 2%).
• Researchers (including Dr. Lisa Littman) have studied Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) — a phenomenon where peer pressure and social media trends suddenly cause teenagers to identify as transgender despite no prior signs. This isn’t organic discovery — it’s a cultural trend manipulated by media, entertainment, and education systems.
A young woman in Ohio, raised in a Christian home, struggled with her identity during high school. Influenced by constant online exposure and school ideology, she transitioned. Years later, broken and disillusioned, she found healing in Christ’s love. Today, she shares her testimony: "No hormone could heal the void in my heart. Only Jesus could."
In the face of all this confusion, we must return to a simple, profound truth: God does not make mistakes. You were wonderfully and intentionally created by Him. Psalm 139:13-14 declares, ‘For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.’ You are not an accident. Your identity as male or female is a divine gift — a reflection of His wisdom and love.” “The world says you can recreate yourself. God says, ‘I created you perfectly in My image.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Christ redeems identity! You are not who the world says you are; you are who God says you are.
2. The Attack on Innocence (Pedophilia)
Human trafficking is not just a crime; it is the modern slave trade — a monstrous, global industry fueled by greed, lust, and a satanic rebellion against the sanctity of life.
• In 2023, United Nations documents quietly suggested "re-examining" age of consent standards.
• Activist movements today attempt to rebrand child predation as "minor-attracted persons".
• This is not progress. This is depravity repackaged.
• Globally, an estimated 27.6 million people are currently trafficked (International Labour Organization, 2022).
• In the United States alone, over 100,000 minors are trafficked each year.
• One-third of all victims worldwide are children (United Nations).
• The average age of entry into sex trafficking in the U.S. is between 12 and 14 years old (National Human Trafficking Hotline).
And while politicians argue about budgets and policies, and mainstream media distracts the public with celebrity gossip, children suffer in silence. Grooming. Abduction. Online exploitation. These organized, systematized, and spiritual assaults on innocence that is not only endorsed but empowered by the highest people in our government and society
Jeffrey Epstein’s Island — The infamous private island that catered to billionaires, politicians, and celebrities, exploiting minors for unspeakable acts. Today, only one person sits in prison (Ghislaine Maxwell). The long and extensive client list remains hidden. As of April 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice has released a portion of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s case. In February 2025, Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced the release of the “first phase” of declassified files, which included flight logs, contact books, and an evidence list detailing items seized from Epstein’s properties. However, these documents were heavily redacted and largely consisted of information previously leaked but not formally released by the government.Justice is incomplete. Evil operates not in luxury, under the cover of wealth and privilege.
The United Kingdom Grooming Scandal - In England today, more than 20,000 young girls, many as young as 12, have been systematically groomed, raped, and trafficked by organized Muslim grooming gangs across cities like Rotherham and Telford — for decades. Parents who dare to speak out against the crimes are imprisoned for “hate speech,” while the perpetrators walk free. British police have confessed they were ordered to stand down for fear of appearing “racist.” This is not merely injustice — it is systemic evil shielded by political cowardice.
The Super Bowl Stings - “Each year, as the Super Bowl captures the nation’s attention, law enforcement agencies seize the opportunity to combat the dark underbelly of human trafficking. In 2023, 47 traffickers were arrested, and 22 victims were rescued in Arizona. All while the masses cheer to touchdowns and half-time shows.
These operations, while commendable, serve as a stark reminder that trafficking is not confined to these events—it is a daily atrocity occurring in our communities. As followers of Christ, we are called to shine a light in the darkest places and advocate for the voiceless every day.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:3–4)
As horrific as human trafficking is, there is a darker agenda still—an agenda that seeks not only to exploit innocence but to normalize its destruction: pedophilia.
3. The Attack on Holiness (Human Trafficking)
While human trafficking is the grotesque underbelly, the third major front of this war is the assault on innocence through the normalization and sexualization of children within our broader culture.
What was once unthinkable is now marketed as “progress.” Television shows, music, school curriculums, and even children’s programming increasingly push themes of adult sexuality onto children. It’s no accident. It’s not random. It’s strategic — a satanic agenda that seeks to rob innocence, distort identity, and ultimately destroy souls.
• In 2024, a Gallup poll found that over 27% of Gen Z now identify as LGBTQ — the highest in recorded history, a trend fueled not simply by personal discovery but cultural saturation and confusion.
• According to a Barna Group study, 40% of teenagers surveyed in 2023 said they had been exposed to “adult” content before age 13, often through platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
• UNICEF’s 2023 global study estimated that 1 in 3 internet users worldwide are children, yet online safety measures for minors remain alarmingly low, creating a digital “playground” where predators have unprecedented access.
This is not simply a human problem — this is a spiritual assault on the imago Dei.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (Romans 1:24–25)
The normalization of early sexual exposure leads to confusion, addiction, shame, and rebellion against God’s design. It’s not liberation — it’s slavery masquerading as freedom.
In 2023, parents in California fought a school district that introduced a “Gender and Sexuality Curriculum” for children as young as kindergarten, teaching them about “nonbinary identities” and “choosing pronouns.” When parents protested, labeling it age-inappropriate, they were branded as extremists and even faced legal threats.
But friends, this isn’t new. Satan has always targeted the vulnerable — children — because they are the image bearers closest to innocence and the future stewards of God’s Kingdom. Jesus made His heart for children unmistakably clear:
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6)
This is how seriously God views the protection of innocence and so must we. The darkness of our age can feel overwhelming. The enemy is bold. But our God is not silent.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. (Isaiah 60:2)
Even as evil advances, the Gospel shines brighter.
• Every trafficked child.
• Every confused teenager.
• Every lost soul on the internet’s dark corners.
• Every activist, every trafficker, every victim — Christ’s blood is enough for them all.
• The Cross stands as the ultimate rescue mission.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13–14)
Our mission, Church, is twofold:
1. To expose the darkness boldly, without apology.
2. To proclaim the light of Christ compassionately, without compromise.
Conclusion: Our Battle, Our Hope
Church, this is not about hating anyone. This is about exposing lies, rescuing the deceived, and proclaiming the only hope that saves: the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We cannot win this war with hatred or violence. We must win it with truth, love, and courage. Pray for those caught in deception. Protect the innocent. Stand firm in the Word. Offer the hope of Christ to everyone.
Imagine a man caught in a burning building, disoriented and unable to find the exit. Would we argue politics outside the building? Would we berate him for getting trapped? No! We would run into the smoke, reach for him, and cry out, "This way! This way!" That’s the Christian’s call today. Cry out the way of salvation. Show them the Cross. Lead them to life.
save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. (Jude 23)
