I Can’t Breathe: How Witchcraft Is Suffocating This Nation

Only two things can eradicate the powerful and strategic spirit of witchcraft that’s kneeling on the neck of our nation: deliverance or judgment.

“One purpose common to all forms of witchcraft is control.” —Derek Prince, The Seeking of Control

It shouldn’t be surprising that Derek Prince also reveals that the fuel to the power of witchcraft is, in part, sacrifice. Animal sacrifice. Human sacrifice.

With that in mind, we should not be at all shocked with the events of today. Human sacrifice in the form of abortion has given power to mighty demonic schemes in our nation. The sacrificial blood of innocents is flowing from sea to shining sea.

The church has been given a chance to lead our nation in repentance in this time of testing. Instead, Christians are clamoring for church and life to return to normal. It doesn’t seem mass repentance is going to happen in our nation. At least not yet.

As people who are expected to understand the spiritual realm, Christians should be clearly discerning what’s happening with the upheaval. We should be living, walking and praying in the Spirit, cued in to what wars invisible entities are initiating and what their end game is.

Instead, a large percentage of blood-bought people are mostly seeking natural remedies just as those who have no advocate in Jesus. They would probably admit to “trusting God’s will” while having no idea what His will is. Their relief doesn’t come from knowing the Word of God or standing in their authority. It comes from closely adhering to the advice of media, medicine and magistrates.

The obvious retort, especially in secularized, humanistic America, is to accuse me and others like me of overspiritualizing the crisis. After all, natural solutions will work just fine, right? Ridiculous.

Don’t overspiritualize? I’m dismayed at how underspiritualized COVID-19 and the rest of the 2020 crisis has been. All too often, Christians are mirror images of the world in terms of their response.

The truth is that this leviathan will only be defeated in the spirit realm.

Witchcraft Is Driving the Assault on Our Nation

“There are three ways the desire to control expresses itself: manipulation, intimidation and domination. The goal is domination.” —Derek Prince, The Seeking of Control

In his excellent article, Derek Prince says, “A main tool of manipulation is guilt.” The enemy will speak into our souls, convincing us that guilt will overwhelm us if we don’t respond to his specific directives. The only obvious solution for those who haven’t correctly discerned the source of the command is to obey the voice.

We are watching manipulation, intimidation and the end goal of domination play out before our eyes every day during the pandemic and social uprising. Groups are intimidating through protests and riots. Politicians and reporters are manipulating their audiences.

As believers, we cannot allow ourselves to be seduced into seeking natural resolutions instead of (or ahead of) spiritual ones. We can attempt to treat the symptoms, but the wicked evil that has been unleashed upon our nation will not be deterred.

In my decades of ministry I’ve had some intense encounters with witchcraft and one of the prime factors when under its influence is the feeling of suffocation. You can’t easily breathe. Additionally, fevers, confusion, fear, sickness, hopelessness and other manifestations are common.

George Floyd

We all know that George’s life tragically came to an end shortly after he uttered the infamous words, “I can’t breathe.” He was suffocated.

Masks

The enemy clearly desires to control the people of our nation. I do believe, spiritually speaking, that the masks are absolutely symbolic of his scheme. As I’ve shared, key indicators of witchcraft are control and suffocation, and masks are physical manifestations of both. (Keep reading for my opinion on whether we should wear masks or not.)

Ventilators

The virus attacks the respiratory system. Suffocation is the goal, and a last-gasp (almost literally) effort to save the patient from having the airflow stopped comes in the form of ventilators. They are simply another reminder that witchcraft is behind this deadly assault.

Church Closures/Singing Banned

If you know anything about the strategies of witches, you know they target churches. They infiltrate them, pray against them, curse them and do all they can to destroy them. I’ve had dramatic encounters with witches when leading churches. Threats of death and destruction were hurled at my family, my church and myself.

Further, in certain places, the government has mandated singing in church to cease. While people must be physically muzzled with masks, this ventures into the spiritual, muzzling voices of worship to God.

Protests

Witchcraft and rebellion to authority go hand-in-hand. While respectful peaceful protests can bring appropriate attention to a matter, riots and violence cross far over the line.

Interestingly the “I can’t breathe” story line continues as Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland confessed yesterday, “It’s hard to breathe, it’s a lot harder to breathe than I thought,” Wheeler told The Washington Post after he was teargassed. “This is abhorrent. This is beneath us.”

Some Protests Exempted

As outlandish as it sounds, mayors and governors have actually admitted to exempting certain protesters and rioters from mandated masks and social distancing. If the agenda matches theirs, they turn a blind eye. So hateful aggressors can spit and shout as a massive mob, but Christians can’t sing? Do you see the enemy winning the narrative as believers stand down? It’s happening. Witchcraft has intimidated, manipulated and controlled, and few are rising up in opposition.

Facebook/Twitter Speech

Again we see the suffocating muzzles, this time covering the mouths of people online. Shadow banning, deleted posts and cancelled accounts have become the norm as social media leaders are exerting control. The stranglehold on free speech is tight enough to threaten the very life of one of our nation’s most sacred rights.

Lockdowns

Suffocating people’s livelihoods and forcing people to shelter in place is further evidence of the restrictive, constrictive nature of this year’s crisis. This has been an easy sell to a fearful people.

Cancel Culture

Be sure to read my article on this topic. Manipulation is on display as people curse others who don’t measure up, or who have failed at some point in their past.

The Resolution

We must understand that our battle is mostly spiritual, not natural.

This is a very important point to consider as it will directly impact our response to the crisis.

For example, I don’t believe the answer is to refuse to wear a mask. Sure, make your voice heard and your arguments clear in whatever setting is most appropriate. Stand opposed to mandated mask laws if that’s what you desire. Communicate with your lawmakers. But, at the end of the day, a rejected mask isn’t a tool in your spiritual tool belt.

I wear masks when necessary. It’s not a sign of defeat or compromise to wear a mask. My strategy against the spirit of witchcraft in our nation isn’t natural. It’s spiritual.

Further, while it can be argued that lockdowns are or are not necessary in a pandemic. The answer isn’t to fight that fight in the natural.

Opposing the symptomatic laws and social pressures will not result in victory against a very powerful, intelligent, wicked and invisible enemy. We must fight in the spirit.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:3-4, ESV).

So, just what is the resolution?

I believe we have two choices: deliverance or judgment.

Deliverance of this suffocating, controlling, manipulating, intimidating, demonic force on a national level will require mass repentance. I’m talking about full-blown revival from California to New York. This principality must be cast out.

If revival and deliverance don’t come very quickly, judgment is the next viable option.

We can trust God’s loving judgment to make wrong things right. His deep love for His people demands He take action when wickedness overtakes the nation.

Remember, I firmly believe, at least in part, child sacrifice is to blame for the plague and protests. You can add to that the rampant, deviant sexual sin that has infected so many and blatant rebellion against God (which, as we know, is the sin of witchcraft).

I prefer deliverance over judgment, but if judgment comes, so be it. I trust God to take care of His people and to bring justice to a people who have been cursed, manipulated and muzzled. {eoa}

John Burton has been developing and leading ministries for over 25 years and is a sought-out teacher, prophetic messenger and revivalist. He ministers in churches and at camps and conferences throughout the nation. John has authored 10 books, is a regular contributor to Charisma magazine, has appeared on Christian television and radio and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. Additionally, he has planted two churches, has initiated two city prayer movements and a school of ministry.