Recently my friend Lorenzo, a Native American
who grew up on a reservation and has seen much suffering in the lives of his family members from alcohol and other drugs,
told me about the gang activity in his area. He's now living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Lorenzo is a devout Christian. Like me he sees the
world from a spiritual vantage point. And he grieves over all the gang-related madness and crime that's going on,
even on his reservation.
One particular group in the neighborhood is
called the "Triple six Gang". In the Bible 666 is considered to be the number for the name of the antichrist who is
yet to come. Thus the three sixes represent evil.
As with virtually all gang, the Triple six uses graffiti
to mark their territories so as to warn other gangs to keep out, as well as to instill fear in the local community.
Many such gangs--and I am referring to the genuine ones
and not the juvenile wannabes--are run like a cult. There are oaths and blood pacts, and one is threatened with harm if he should decide to leave the gang.
Furthermore, and probably without fully understanding the
real meanings behind the satanic markings and symbols each gang uses, they ultimately
attract dark spirits to themselves. Such satanic graffiti is exceedingly potent, and it invites and draws demons from
the underworld. This, I believe, is probably the most dangerous aspect of being in a gang.
My belief is, that many gang members, more because
of each one's choice to do bad things rather than actually participating in any kind of occultic ritual, end up getting deeply
oppressed or even possessd by demons.
This dark spiritual element may be one reason why gang members
often commit extremely brutal and vicious crimes that defy the imaginations of criminal investigators.
And if I am correct that in many cases there is a demonic
element, (though certainly not always), then the solution is a spiritual one.
While most gang members are not practitioners of the
occult, nor are they outright satan worshippers (but no doubt some are), because of the very nature of the gang with their
evildoing and the ignorant use of satanic symbols, any Christian seeking to minister to members of these gangs should be bathed
in prayer both for himself and for those whom he wants to reach with the love of God.
Churches should be making purposeful prayers concerning
the gangs and their respective communities. This is part of the spiritual warfare we have all been called to do.
As the Bible says, we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against demonic powers and spiritual wickedness at high levels. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
Such talk is of course foolishness to those who do not know
Jesus Christ. But those who know the Lord realize that prayer is a powerful weapon against these gangs and the villianous
spirits that are behind them.
These wicked spirits work to encourage and energize men
to do evil. They compel gang members to go forth and hurt others as well as to steal and destroy. This has always
been the devil's agenda, and gang members are but mere pawns in Satan's cruel game.
God, however, is still able to deliver even the most oppressed
of individuals. In His eyes there are no hopeless cases.
Yet more gangs are in operation today that ever before.
They are swallowing up multitudes of young persons and placing them in terrible states of bondage. Eventually, and unless
each one repents, these precious souls will be lost to a flaming hell.
Who but the church has the message of salvation and hope?
How could we sit on the sidelines at such a time as this?
David Berkowitz
June 15, 2005
(c) 2005 David Berkowitz
