The Eric Metaxas Show - Louie Giglio

Episode Date: May 27, 2021

Louie Giglio from Passion City Church shares practical ways of dealing with evil in our lives, providing targeted advice from "Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table."

to the Eric Mettaxas show with your host, Eric Mettaxas. Hey there, folks. Welcome to the show. I don't know if it's hour one or hour two. I don't care. I've got important things to share with the group. This is an encounter group, circa 1970. And I've got some things I'd like to share with the group to get off my chest.

Okay. I need a lot of help. No, I already knew that. I didn't want to share that. Here's what I want to share with the group. First of all, today's programs, In a couple seconds, we're talking to Louis Giglio, not to be confused with the Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez movie that bombed called Gigli. I think it was called Gigli. No, it's Giglio. Louis Giglio, big deal pastor in the Atlanta area, wonderful guy. We're talking to him in a couple of minutes. In hour one, folks, if you missed hour one, first of all, shame on you. You need to go back because finally, finally we got Voting back. Vody Baucom. I have to tell you, I was so confused about him. He's living, he's been in the States a lot, but he is in fact full time. I didn't get this in Africa, in Zambia. And he's a theologian, a writer. He's a black American who has such a story. I mean, I won't go into this, but he has had a couple of serious health scares recently. So he was going to be on this program twice.

and he was in the hospital. People were praying for him. We have the same publisher, so I was hearing from my publisher about what's going on. So anyway, he's finally on today's program. He seems totally healthy, but here's the key. Everybody wants to know,

what do I read on the issue of critical race theory and social justice? Well, I would say don't read anything because it's stupid. But here's the key. If you're not aware of precisely how it's stupid and evil, what you want to do,

is read Voddy Balcom's book. It's called Fault Lines. We talked about it in hour one today. You really don't want to miss it because everybody keeps talking about this issue like it's a thing. He tells you exactly why, you know, with the theological credentials to do so,

why it's, you know, not only terrible, but out and out. Right. wicked and why why churches shouldn't waste their time with it move on folks move on dot org okay move on it's time to move on all right so i got a couple things i have to share first of all yesterday uh i was picking up my daughter from college and while i'm and chris you must know this right like you're in the dorm you're sweating because you're carrying furniture and stuff yeah so i'm like gripping with sweat the phone rings it's mike lindel and uh

He was calling me because I had tried to call him. And he says, oh, I'm all over the news again. And he tells me, I didn't know this. Listen to this. He was scheduled. This is Mike Lindell, the founder of Mypillow.com, used the code Eric. He was scheduled to be at a governor's meeting. All the governors in the 50 states were gathering.

And he was going to be at a meeting. And he vowed to confront the corrupt governor of Georgia, Republican, Brian Kemp, and to confront the corrupt. governor in Arizona, I believe also Republican, Ducey, or at least he says they're corrupt. And I would trust Mike Lendell's opinion on this because he's looked into this a lot in terms of the voter fraud stuff. And he was banned from the meeting, even though he was a scheduled in and everything like that. He arrives at the meeting wherever it was. You can look this up online. And he's banned from the meeting because the corrupt governor's Kemp and Ducey were

afraid of being confronted by him and they banned him somehow. They said, you know, we're not going to do this. So I just thought, we need to have a way. And I, and I appeal to your creative minds, Chris and Albin. I said, if somebody were to throw a pillow, a my pillow at Governor Ducey or at Governor Brian Kemp and capture it on video, we need to reward them somehow. Like we need somebody, because obviously getting a pie in somebody's face is harder to do, and it's more disturbing

because it really, you know, you're hitting somebody physically. But a pillow, the softest thing in the world, a my pillow, the softest, most patriotic thing on this planet, thrown at them. Now, if you hit them, like you get some huge prize, but just to try. It will be the most comfortable pillow. It would not be harmful. What's that?

It's the most comfortable pillow you'll ever be hit with. Right. If you're a corrupt governor. So the thing is that I just want my listeners to know that if you can get near, this is where we're going full Howard Stern. It's time. Oh, I think it's time. If you can get near.

or Kemp, what they did to Mike Lundell recently, much less what they did to the nation, is so horrible. But I think that the Christian thing to do would not be to, you know, get a five smooth stones and try to kill them. No, that would not be good. That would be the pre-Christian. That's old testing. Unbiblical. Oh, no, it's biblical. David. No, no, but what I'm saying is that obviously you don't want to incite violence, but this would be a playful prank. and I just want to say, how could we reward somebody if they pull this off? In other words, if somebody is able to throw a pillow at Brian Kemp or at Governor Ducey, we need to reward them.

First of all, I think they should be allowed on this program. Yes, for sure. And they could get a T-shirt, a hat, some books, a whole nine. There's no doubt. That's easy. That's easy. You're getting T-shirts. You're getting books. I would say you will get $500 to my pillow if you use the code Eric. That we out of this program, out of our budget, we will give you $500 to spend at my pillow with the code Eric. And I'm not kidding, because I think that what they did in the election is horrific enough. But then to find out that Michael, was just going to confront them on the facts, which he happens to know.

He's not just looking for publicity. They banned him from the meeting. So I think that they need to be reminded that in America, your behavior is unacceptable and found wanting, meaning, mini, tinkle, ticle, ticle. And so if you throw a pillow at either of these governors and you capture this on video, if you if you do it successfully you come on this program you will get $500 to spend at my pillow

obviously there you could buy an awful lot of pillows and all kinds of stuff or my store whatever it is if you want to get my books we don't care $500 and we will have you on the program and we're going to give you so much swag you'll be gagging in swag because there has to be A playful way of dealing with this. Yeah, Eric. Yeah. I just wanted to mention one thing, you know, in Arizona where you have maybe a higher Latino listener demographic, you know, there's a whole cultural thing with abuelas and their slippers called the chancla.

And I know Mike Lindell has a new slippers. But that is a, you know, that's a thing that they do down south where the abuela will discipline the grandkids with the slipper or the chancla or some, I believe that's what is called. And it's a throwing. I mean, it's like a, you know, a bollo weapon. So we may not want to discount that, too. You know something?

The only problem is that my slippers are of such high quality that you could seriously injure a corrupt governor if you hit them with it. Because they are made, they have a fill with U.S. soybeans. Oh, those U.S. soybeans are just, they're heavy. And I know because we've got some of my slippers around here. So if you kill a governor with my slippers, We're out. We can't incite assassination of corrupt governors using slippers. It's just not right. But I think that if you do something playful with a slipper, like maybe you use not a my pillow

slipper because it's really heavy, it's hefty. But if you use like another slipper and you want to, you want to pull that abuela thing, that would be awesome. We're out of time. But I just thought this is so crazy. Mike Lindell is such a hero. He is trying to confront these folks. They ban him. from the governor's meeting. He already showed up. He flies there, you know, and they banned him. So I think if somebody throws a my pillow, we need to reward them handsomely. We've said it. We challenge you. We challenge you to do it. Pillow challenge. I think my patriotic good deed for the day has been done. Spending my money for the good of the country. Okay, folks, we'll be right back.

Hey there, folks. How many years have I been telling you about relief factor? like four. The truth is, I know there are millions of people. In fact, some say over a hundred million people struggling with some kind of pain, maybe from exercise, just getting older. That could do it, getting older, which is why I am so impressed with Pete and Seth Talbot. They are on a mission. You rarely see this kind of focus and commitment. Seriously, they recently shared with me that they are doubling down and want to literally double their total number of happy customers in the next year. And I believe they'll do it. So here's the deal. If you're struggling with back, neck, shoulder, hip, or knee pain, even general muscle,

aches and pains, then I'm suggesting you order their three-week quick start, still discounted to only 1995, about a dollar a day to see if we can get you out of pain too. And then after that, less than the cost of a cup of coffee, a day to stay at a pain. Go to relieffactor.com, relief factor.com or call 800, 500, 8384. Relieffactor.com. 800, 500, 8384. I use it. It works. Check it out. Hey, folks. Eric Metaxis here. Like you, I am sick. of hearing about big tech companies, spying on their customers, selling their data and not being able to keep their platforms safe and secure. Luckily, I've found SquadPod, a private platform that

helps businesses, organizations, churches, and nonprofits take back control of their communication. SquadPod has three things going for it that other companies do not. First, SquadPod puts you in control of who is a part of your team, what they see, and how they interact with the group. Second, squad pod is 100% owned and operated in the United States. Third, squad pod is simple to use. Just create an account, invite your team, and start communicating via their secure video and messaging features. Learn more at squadpod.com slash Eric.

That's squadpod.com slash Eric. Let me say it again. Squadpod.com slash Eric. Check it out. Hello there folks, is the Airquitaxis show. I'm talking to Pastor Louis Giglio in Atlanta. Welcome to the show. It's so good to be on.

I've wanted to be on your show for a while. And before we do anything, I want to tell you your message at the prayer breakfast. Don't remember the exact year. 2012. I was just a child. Possibly the best talk. Definitely top 10 talk in my lifetime. Amazing.

I still remember most of it. And especially your 1% joke was awesome. So great job. I don't even remember the 1% joke. I mean, I'm not even kidding. I did a 1%. Oh, I know. I remember.

Yes. Yeah. It was the zenith of the day. And you said, you know what? This breakfast is pretty expensive. You'd have to be in the 1% to actually attend this. Most of my jokes are very, you know, like if you basically were alive in 2020, that was part of the cultural conversation about the 1% because unfortunately the Democrats have

taken to kind of demonizing the people who have money as the, it's the 1%. And I just thought, I've got Obama right here. I get to bust his chops with a 1% joke. It was so much fun. That's my love language. If I bust your chops, I like you. So, Lewis, this far, I don't, thus far I don't like you because I haven't made fun of you. For those of us who can see you, who are not listening by radio, there's the moon is behind you. That is so beautiful. What is that? Why do you have a moon behind you? The moon? I have the moon behind me because I'm shooting this in one of the meeting rooms in our church location here in Atlanta, and we're very into the cosmos here. We love God and we love his creation. I've been fascinated by space for a long time. One of my dear friends is on the

space station, as we're speaking right now, was commanding the dragon when it docked a few days ago. And we just love it. God made a big world. to show off his glory. So if you look around our office, you're going to see little hints of that here and there. So me and the moon with you today. I love it. My next book, which is coming out in the fall, it's called Is Atheism Dead? And I get into the arguments for God. And the most astonishing argument is from science having to do with the fine-tuned universe. And when you realize things that science tells us, like if the moon were any smaller, 5% smaller, 5% bigger, there would be no life on Earth. You think that can't be. That's what science tells us. So every part of the great cosmos

is designed by the Lord. I mean, it's too much. But we're not here to talk about that. We're here to talk about you and your book. Do you happen to have any copies near you? I was looking around for one today and I was hoping to get one in the shot, but I'm not sure if it made it or not. Well, I like whoever designed it, I like it. It says don't give the enemy a seat at your table. and because you use the enemy, referring to Satan, the book has been a number one bestseller on Amazon in Christian Angelology and Demonology. I find that very funny. Tell us in a nutshell so people don't run away from their TV sets, what is the book about?

Okay, I'm going to tell you in a nutshell before that that Amazon wants to tell you your book is number one in something. So this book hasn't come out yet. It's still in pre-sale. comes out a few days from now. So they're looking for a way to tell me I've got a bestseller. And right now it's in angelology and demonology. That's not what the book's about. We're trying to get out of that category, actually.

This book is about changing the way you think. And the title simply came to me in a text. I was in a rough patch, a couple of months stretch where a lot of headwind was coming. This was six, eight years ago. And coming on the backside of it, something had happened that had vindicated me and a little bit of the truth had popped up. and we love that day, and I sent a long text to a friend to commiserate with, and the friend sent me back a phrase.

I was so frustrated because I formulated this super long text, and what I got back was nine words. No kidding. Don't give the enemy a seat at your table. And I stood at the top of my driveway, Eric, and I knew right in that moment, I have spent the last six months letting the enemy plant all these thoughts, all this negativity, all this fear, all this sense of trying to control everything. I've been in a conversation with my adversary all this time, and I decided right there,

by the power of God, I'm going to take back my table. And I think all of us are in that position right now. And it's time to take back our thinking, take back our own minds, take back our thoughts, and get the enemy away from our table. Well, I love it because this is actual Christianity, right? In other words, if you're not trying to glorify God even in your thought life, first of all, you're doing self-harm because he commands us to be anxious for nothing. He commands us to take our problems to him. And on and on and on.

It's all in scripture. But we kind of act, if I'm not committing any overt sins, not realizing that those are the ultimate sins, is when I don't believe God in my mind, I'm harming myself and I'm disobeying God. but many of us kind of act like, oh, that's extra credit Christianity. But you're saying, no, we all have to deal with this. Yeah, fear is the number one debilitating thing in humanity right now. We are so fearful of everything going on around us and a whole bunch of stuff that's going on inside of us. And the antidote to fear is not courage. It's not, hey, we need to get more courage so that we're not afraid.

The antidote to fear is faith. and faith is the confidence that God is in it with me. And yes, there's cancer going on or a circumstance or a global meltdown or we're in an endemic in America. Something is going on that's real, but God is in it with me. And so it's taking control of the thought. You know, we far too often just host these thoughts like, hey, I just dropped in. I'm going to tell you something that's not true. I'm going to lie to you about the circumstance or about you.

and we just host it. We give hospitality to the enemy and to that thought. We let it take root in our lives. And it's just as simple as taking the thought captive. So to say to somebody, hey, stop worrying. That's the worst advice you can give to somebody. Because as soon as you say, stop worrying, I'm worrying now if I can stop worrying or not.

What we need to say is, hey, let's focus on one thing that's true about God right here. One thing true that we know we can count on about God right now. Let's focus on that. Let's make that our narrative. And it's replacing that lie with truth. And God's given every one of us the ability to take control of our thinking. By the power of Christ and us, we can change the way we think. Isn't it a cultural issue?

In other words, there's some churches that stress this and other churches that don't. I mean, I've been in churches that maybe more on the Pentecostal side or whatever, where they just, they live in that faith. They say, God decides when I leave this world. The enemy doesn't decide. The doctors don't decide. God decides. They know that and they remind themselves and they say it. And there are other people that they're part of a church culture that says, well, who's to say, whatever is the Lord's will. And they're kind of timid about it. It's almost like they act like, I just need to be a good boy and who knows, you know, who am I to say. In other words, they're not really living out the authority of scripture. They're kind of, they're kind of timid.

And it creeps in almost as a, it's like a kind of a false humility. think that, you know, to speak with the authority of the name of Jesus, that would be a little bit, you know, too much. I want to be humble. I don't know that I could speak with his authority, but Scripture says, of course, we should. Well, both of those things live in a balance, and I can't solve it, and you can't solve it, and you're one of the smartest people I know, but you can't explain the sovereignty of God and the free choice of a man. It is a mystery in the kingdom of God, but I think both of us believe in the sovereignty of God. You're going to make a cosmos like this and they get surprised by anything. But God also has put us in motion and given us the ability

to activate his truth in our lives. And we have the choice to choose his word, to choose his truth, to choose to live in the finished work of Jesus, to choose to take control over the things that we think about. And so many of us cop out. You hear people say it all the time. Oh, my mom, she was a major warrior and my grandmother was a major warrior that that's why we're all warriors all of us gigglios we're just worriers we've always been warriors that's fatalistic right there right that's a cop out it's like we were all white beaders and that's why you know now and again i get to drinking it's like wait a minute what about you we have the opportunity in christ to have a new start and the way the bible talks about it is we're new creation in him and yes we're struggling with our old flesh and we're living in a broken

world, but we have a brand new identity, brand new resource in Christ, and it's beginning to understand that, receive it, accept it, agree with it, and then live out of it, and that's where the power is. Well, I mean, even that, what you said, for some people, that's kind of radical. Like, you said, I'm a new creation. You mean that, and I believe that. We are new creations, and we have to sort of assert that and remind ourselves, no, that's back there, that's in my gene pool.

I'm a new creation. but if you don't know what the scripture says and if you don't you're not in a faith community, a church that is reminding you, it is so easy to think, well, it's a continuum. I'm in, you know, I'm in process, whatever, and you forget that, but scripture says if you're in Christ, you're a new creation. Yeah, well, it is a process and I, you know, I've been, I've told my story over a decade ago. I fell in a hole of depression and anxiety that knocked me out for months. I was out of commission. And the fact that I'm back here in my right mind, Christ in my eyes, functioning in my gifts is a miracle to me. And I know how far down down is when it comes to mental health.

And so I take it seriously. But I want people listening to us or if they can see us today to know that it might not change overnight. And the stuff we're talking about right now isn't instantaneous. Hey, get the book. And you'll be a brand new thinker tomorrow. But if we commit to the process of renewing our minds, that process, that scientifically actually works. And when you stop thinking a lie and you start thinking what is pure, true, lovely, of good

report, praiseworthy, think about these things, Paul said. You're creating a new neuropathway in your mind. And if you think about it long enough, that neuro pathway turns into a highway. Amen. And you have got a whole new way of thinking. Forgive me. We'll be right back talking to Louis Giglio. Prescription dispensing Labs is a national licensed pharmacy specializing in personalized prescription

and natural medicine. The pharmacists at PD Labs are credited with formulating unique nasal sprays for the dreaded brain fog and a leader in uncovering new compounds to improve your health. PD Labs is one of the first pharmacies to now offer a telemedicine group trained in prevention medicine and how to restore your health. They have developed signature professional supplements that really work rather than just promotional advertising. PD Labs pharmacy prides itself on innovation and amazing customer service that show dedication to your health. Today, everyone needs a choice in their health care and they bring many refreshing options on how to maximize your body's amazing capabilities to bounce back. PD Labs has an extensive network of practitioners

nationwide dedicated to true health care, not sick care. Visit their website PD LabsRx.com for free health tips, podcasts, and their popular online store. Call 888-909-11010. Ask for Ray and tell them Eric sent you. That's 888-909-0110. Folks, welcome back. I'm talking to Louis Giglio with a New book, Don't Give the Enemy a seat at your table. It's time to win the battle of your mind. Ain't it the truth? Now, Louis Giglio, you're in Atlanta. What part of Atlanta is your church in?

We're in the heart of it. We're in Buckhead area, Limburg area, and also out near the New Brave Stadium. Two locations here. Oh, wow. Because I know I have not been to your church. Also have a location in Washington, D.C., of all things. Right on. Wow.

I know that I've not visited your church, but we have many friends. friends in common, and I'm just glad that you are where you are. And I'm glad you think the way you do, because as I was saying before, there are a lot of churches. They kind of forget about this stuff, and it's a pity because we are who we hang out with. And if you're hanging out with people that live in this stuff, you begin to get like, oh, this is normative Christianity. This is what God's will is for me. And it's for everybody. It's not just for, you know, extra credit Christians. This is basic Christianity, and it's because the Lord loves us, and he doesn't want us to be ruled by fear and anxiety and all those things. How were you raised? Were you raised

in this kind of a church, or were you raised as a believer? I was. I was born into faith, and actually, I was born into a great church called First Baptist Church Atlanta with a pastor named Dr. Charles Stanley, who, for my money, is one of the best expository preachers ever in America. And he came to my church when I was 12 years old. We were on Peach Street Street between 4th and 5th Street. That building doesn't exist there anymore right next to the historic, fabulous Fox Theater in our city. And so I grew up in an urban environment, but I grew up under the Word of God. And I actually interviewed him for a podcast yesterday. He's 88 years old. He just stepped down last year from being senior pastor at First Baptist Church. And when I grew up, he preached Sunday morning. He preached

a different message Sunday night. And he preached another message on Wednesday night. and all it was, there was no illustrations, there was no stories, it was, open your Bibles to 2nd Samuel Chapter 4. Today I'm preaching on confidence in God, and I had nine points, and they all start with L, and boom, there we go. I arrived at grad school a few years later to get a seminary degree, and about three months in, I'm like, I already have a seminary degree. I listen to someone rightly divide the word every Sunday, from the time I was 12 to the time I was 12 to the time I left college and went to grad school. And so I grew up in that church.

It wasn't a super expressive, like worship-filled environment, but it was a Bible-teaching environment, and I loved it. And now we're just a Jesus church. I meet people around town every day almost that say, you're a pastor. What kind of church is it? Everybody wants to know, what denomination are you in? What lane are you in? And the answer we give people at Passion City is we're a Jesus church.

And you're going to get Jesus if you come here. You're not going to get Louis Giglio. you're not going to get some crazy opinions. You're going to get scripture and Jesus. And that's what we want to rally people around. It's the gospel. It's still as powerful as it was the day Jesus was raised from the dead, and we want to proclaim it every way we can in this city.

Well, I love that. And, you know, it's amazing to me. It's good for somebody like me to hear that you were raised in that kind of a church. You got spectacular teaching over and over and over and over and over. And yet, even recently, you struggled. in your mind. I have struggled for, you know, decades with, you know, actual depression and meds and stuff. And it's an extraordinary thing because for me, I can't imagine how I would deal with it if I didn't have faith in Jesus. That's kind of the rock that you know what is true and false and you don't

trust your feelings. But it is a hard thing. And a lot of people almost act as though, well, but if you're serious about your faith, you shouldn't go through that. They don't really understand it's a medical thing. It's a chemical thing. It's a chemical thing. It's common. complicated. It's real. People need to hear that it is real, and they don't need band-aids. They don't need spiritual platitudes. They don't need people tell them if you just had more faith or memorized a verse of scripture. Listen, when I fell on that hole, of course my friends came and prayed for me. The leaders of the church came and anointed me with oil for crying out loud, as it says in the scripture, I prayed. I prayed every day that God would do something, change something.

but I was so far down in a hole, I didn't know which way it was up. And I reached out for help, all kinds of help. And I say to people, if you need help, get help. And here's what's happening. I did an event yesterday with Craig Rochelle, who got the biggest church in America and the leader of leaders, Jenny Allen, who did a gathering for women a few weeks ago, that there were millions of ladies linked together online from around the world. All three of us had a story of being in that hole.

leaders are not immune from the reality of living on a broken world. And the more we act like we have it all together and are different than the person sitting on row two, the bigger the divide and the more frustrating it is for people living real lives going, well, somehow these people don't deal with stuff. And I'm like, no, we all deal with stuff. We're all in this together. We're all leaning on the same God, same Savior, same shepherd, and fighting the same enemy. and I think when we're a little more open with each other

and we take mental health a lot more seriously than we have as a church, we're going to see a lot more people get help and a lot more people find freedom. Well, I'm just glad you're talking about it. I've been pretty public about it just because I think there are people out there who need to know all kinds of people go through not just difficulties but mental health issues,

and you shouldn't beat yourself up or think it's just me because there are just so many people that are dealing with that. They may not show it publicly because why would they? They're just going to hide. If I feel horrible, I'm not going to be out doing what I do. Or if I do, I'm going to be acting my way through it and then I'll go back to bed. But when we come back, I want to hear more about what you've been through. The book is don't give the enemy a seat at your table.

It's a choice, folks. Do not let the enemy rattle your cage. Jesus doesn't want you to let him rattle. your cage. You can read the scripture. There's plenty of stuff in there, and you can read, don't give the enemy a seat at your table.

We'll be right back with Louis Giglio. Just yesterday morning, they let me know you were gone. Suits and the plans they may put an end to you. I walked out this morning, and I rode down this song. Folks, I'm talking to Louis Giglio. Louie, you're the pastor of a pretty big church in Atlanta.

I've not visited, but I keep saying that I want to, just because I love to see what God is doing around the country. Before we get back to the book, I just want to ask you, how do you deal with kind of the woke madness that's taking over some churches, and they're acting as though I've kind of got to go along with this, when oftentimes what you're going along with is false or harmful or at least unhelpful, how do you navigate that?

Very carefully. And you want to keep your pulse really linked up with the Holy Spirit. You know, Jesus is preaching a gospel. He is a gospel, represents a gospel that brings people together, actually racially unites people. His audience was divided racially in his contemporary environment. And the gospel unites people. Jew and Gentile can come together.

And if Jew and Gentile can come together, anyone can come together. And so what I've tried to do as a person who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, I grew up in a culture here where there was not racial equality in our city in my lifetime. But I also live in a very diverse city. And our leadership, business leadership, government leadership, influencers. Atlanta is one of the most diverse cities in America, especially at the leadership level. And I love it. And I think that we have to understand each other. I have to be able to understand that my African-American neighbor does fear when his kids leave the house because he's not sure they're going to make it home.

I also have to understand I have another neighbor that fears when they live the house because our city's got a lot of crazy stuff going on right now. And I think it's understanding. It's mutual respect of humanity, yet holding truth. Jesus came full of grace and full of truth. Not one, not the other, filled with both. And so the thing I've tried to do is be understanding, listen to people's story, try to empathize with them, understand where they're coming from, but keep the message on Jesus. Keep preaching the gospel. Keep putting the spotlight on him. Let him draw people to him. And if one crazy thing has happened because of this last year we went through, and all the things we've gone through, more people have heard the gospel, I believe, in the last

12 months than probably the 10 years before that. And we've been able to virtually preach the gospel around the world. And I'm just trying to lead and keep the focus on Jesus. Well, it's, yeah, and as you say, it's sort of not easy because, I mean, we're inevitably political at some point. I mean, the life issue is a big deal. I know a prominent Christian came out for, I guess it was Senator Warnock, who is, you know, not just. politically liberal, but is openly pro-abortion and an openly, a Christian figure came out for him. And I thought, we really are living in crazy times. We're so divided. And even that issue is something you would expect Christians would say, well, on that, there's no discussion. So it is hard right now.

And I can imagine being a pastor, you're being torn in all these different directions. in your book, you know, you talk about when you're a believer, God gives us the authority to use his name, to use the authority of the name of Jesus. Talk about that because I think I said earlier. A lot of people kind of act like, well, that's, I wouldn't do that. That's like, you know, maybe you could do that. But that's kind of, this is basic Christianity.

We can walk through this crazy time with him. Yeah, Paul said it this. way, said, we're not fighting a normal war here. So our weapons are not earthly weapons. They're spiritual weapons and they're able to tear down strongholds. So I know both my parents are gone. They both had debilitating illnesses. They both died. My dad had a really, really tragic life story. And his dad had a tragic life story. So I know coming down the road on the Giglio side from my Louie number one to Louie number two to Louie number three, there's been a lot of messed up stuff.

And so those are strongholds. Those are generational neuropaths that get passed down consciously, subconsciously, and genetically to people. But this passage in scripture, it says, these weapons we have are able to demolish strongholds. That is a powerful phrase. and they're able to allow us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. In other words, that thought just came in my mind.

I don't have to provide it a meal. Give it shelter. Give it a blanket. Let it move in and stay. I ask it a question. And this is the question I asked. Where did you come from? And you can tell if you know God's word and its character right away if that thought came

from God. And if it didn't, it's going to have to go. You're going to have to bind it or it. It's going to bind you. And how do you bind it? You don't bind it in your authority. You don't go, I am big and strong and mighty and powerful, and I created the universe, and I command you to leave my table.

No, you go in the name that's power. You go in the name that makes the darkness tremble. You go in the name that the demons know, and you say, in the authority of Jesus. And a lot of people say, oh, that sounds wacky, Louis, that I'm going to be saying in the authority of Jesus. Well, why does that sound wacky? His name is the name that is above every name. He has the title that says in another place above every title.

Every knee is going to bow to this name in heaven and earth and under the earth. And so why wouldn't we use that name? Why wouldn't we stand on that authority? He's already taken the beachhead. Why wouldn't we come and stand in the victory that Jesus has provided for us? Well, it's interesting. You know, you're talking about living in the reality of a spiritual war. And I really do think there are a lot of Christians act like, well, I sort of believe that, but they don't really believe it.

We need to know that that is true, that our prayers and our words can tear down strongholds. And I find that when I've gone through real depression, thoughts will come to you that are true technically, but they're not truth. They're not pointing to the one who is truth. And so you need to recognize them as lies from the enemy, even though they might be facts. They're the kind of facts that are designed to depress you, to tear you down rather than to build you up. So even what we hear, even if it's true sometimes, people say, hey, did you know so-and-so? If I hear that now, it's not going to lead me closer to Jesus and closer to his peace. We've just got 30 seconds left.

Forgive me. What are some final thoughts? This is so important. Lisha the prophet woke up one day and his servant told him we're surrounded and the Arameans came during the night. It was true to your point. Great point. But there was something more true. And when the servant's eyes were open, the angels and the chariots were on the hillside. So look to God's truth. It's bigger than whatever you're facing today. God wants to set you free. And you can, in fact, change the way you think. Those things are true and they're also truth. Folks, Louis Giglio, the new book, Don't Give the Enemy a seat at your table. Thank you so much. Eric, it's a privilege to be on. Thank you so much.

Hey, folks. This is a crazy day. Albin, before I, I've got a couple of things that I want to suggest that I think are important for my audience. But before I do that, I want to say, today I'm flying to Houston. Tomorrow I'm speaking at a Houston homeschooling convention. I think your in-laws are going to be there. Other friends are going to be there. They are going to be there. And they can't wait to meet you and really tell you about who this guy is. I can't wait. I'm ready for that. And also, I guess this is going to be, I'm flying there today, but I'm speaking tomorrow at like 3 p.m. or 2 p.m. or something like that. But then there's this VIP dinner. I think Dennis Prager is going to be there. But then I'm flying to New Jersey, and I'm speaking in Ocean City Tabernacle at their services on Sunday. So kind of crazy time. I want to share a couple of things. But before I do that, Alvin, I'm starting to experience hair loss and thinning. So what I want to know, since we're friends, what have you done about that? Because, you know, as one ages, you see these different things happening. So, well, what's your solution?

Just so you know, because I was about mid-20s when I started to feel something in the back. And within three days, it was this. So you just get ready in a couple days. Wow. That's Q-Ball City, dude. That's Co-Jack town. Yeah. I know. I know. I I know for me what I'll do is I'll take some rubbing alcohol, make like a really strong, you know, liquid. And then I drink it quickly to accept the inevitable. That's what I do. That helps.

That's so beautiful. You know, what I was thinking is that neutrametics is probably the solution. I think on this program we can make all kinds of claims that are illegal, but neutromatics isn't making them. So we're just going to say that if you go to nutrimetics.com, use the code, Eric. you may experience significantly less hair loss if you just visit the website and use the code Eric. But they've got stuff on there, which probably addresses this. They have all kinds of vitamins and stuff, but they use all these.

I mean, if you did, people should watch the video I did. I know it's posted on YouTube and we send it out with the newsletter. We'll send it out with the newsletter tomorrow, actually, if you're not signed up for the newsletter. Go to Eric Mataxis.com. But Tim Eaton shares about all of these, like, Mr. serious herbs they found in the, you know, the Amazon, no kidding, and that they really looked into this and now 30 years later, it's a thing. And so they have all kinds of unguins and solutions that you can take. Anyway, you want to go to nutrometics.com, use the code Eric. And if you

haven't got a MyPillow.com to use the code, Eric, what are you thinking? Okay, Albin, you ready for this? Yes, I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. Chris, I think, I dare Chris not to laugh. Okay. Yeah, let's have it. Let's hear it. There was a guy, there was a guy, The Democratic mayoral candidate in Atlanta, I think it's the mayoral candidate, who was advocating defunding the police. Yeah. This car got stolen in broad daylight yesterday,

and he was dragged trying to stop it. Oh, my goodness. So thank goodness there were no police around to help him. So you try not to giggle. try. I'm not, is that illegal to steal a car and drag somebody along? You know, who's just say what's illegal or illegal in these crazy, topsy, turvy times? Laws, you know, that's kind of white man's patriarchal stuff. I'm not buying that anymore. I'm fully woke. And as far as I'm concerned, I want diversity on my non-police department.

I want to, I just want to defund everything. You know what I'm saying? And get a hungry to young people. I think what happened to that guy, it's called a woke jacking. I think that's a new term. It's a woke jacking. When your car gets car. jacked due to woke policies. It's like being mugged by reality in the 70s. I guess Norm Podoritz or somebody coined that, that a Republican is a Democrat who's been mugged by reality. But this is a woke jacking.

It's the new version. A woke jacking. Have you been woke jacked? woke jacked. Okay, but I got to share this. Milo posted this on Gab. If you want to follow Milo, he's been banned from Twitter, but on Gab he posted, this is kind of gross.

De Blasio's social distancing tip line has been flooded with photos of PPs and Hitler memes. I just wanted to say I think that's very important. Thanks for listening.