You have a vague, unsettled sense that something is off—in the culture, in the church, maybe even in your own spiritual life—but you cannot quite name it, and so you keep moving, hoping it will clarify on its own. It will not clarify on its own. What you are sensing is real, and there is a name for it: you are living in the middle of a war you have not been trained to see. Dr. Joel Muddamalle, theologian and Director of Theology and Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries, joins me for a conversation that is as theologically rigorous as it is pastorally urgent.
He makes the case that the church in the West has been slowly desensitized to the spiritual climate it is swimming in—not through a dramatic assault, but through the gradual repositioning of our dependence, our loves, and our identity. We cover the three rebellions embedded in Genesis and what they reveal about the enemy’s enduring strategy, why the surge of spirituality in our culture is not an opportunity but a crisis of discernment, and why the doctrine of Christ consciousness—popularized by figures like Richard Rohr—is not an enlightened reading of Scripture but a doctrine of demons that hijacks the name of Jesus while quietly displacing him from his own story. We also walk through what deliverance actually looks like for believers, practically and biblically, without sensationalism and without the misplaced authority of any human administrator.
The most important line in this conversation is not about cosmic powers or exorcisms. It is this: the enemy does not gain ground by overpowering you—he gains ground because you are withdrawing. Every time you step back, he steps forward. That truth will require something of you. Come ready to receive it.
Guest Bio
Dr. Joel Muddamalle serves as Director of Theology and Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries and holds a doctorate with a focus on biblical theology. He is the author of The Unseen Battle, a theologically grounded examination of spiritual warfare, the enemy’s strategy in the modern West, and what it means to engage the unseen realm with both humility and confidence. He also co-hosts Stranger Theology on Substack alongside Luke and Nate of the Blurry Creatures podcast.
Subscribe to the Podcast
Connect with Joel Muddamalle
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Resources Mentioned This Week
- The Unseen Battle: Spiritual Warfare, the Three Rebellions, and Christ’s Victory Over Dark Powers
- Healing What You Can’t Erase: Transform Your Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health from the Inside Out
Show Partner
SafeSleeve designs a phone case that blocks up to 99% of harmful EMF radiation—so I’m not carrying that kind of exposure next to my body all day. It’s sleek, durable, and most importantly, lab-tested by third parties. The results aren’t hidden—they’re published right on their site. And that matters because many so-called EMF blockers on the market either don’t work or can’t prove they do. We protect our hearts and minds—why wouldn’t we protect our bodies too? Head to safesleevecases.com and use the code WINTODAY10 for 10% off your order.
Review the Podcast
Click here to read the ratings, or even better, please leave me a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Your rating will help the podcast get noticed and positioned on Apple Podcasts.