Fun & Games, until the demons showed up | PD w/ Jakkie Brennan (Almond House)

And it was almost like a portal and it was a vision of the future. And I looked through and I was there. I was on a stage and I had a cup and we was winning. We won the best championship, earning millions of pounds.

The success of the world that's being offered to you?

Yes. It was offering me to sell my soul.

You know, you need to tell me what kind of demonic encounter does. You know, what does that look like? Because he's so scared that he doesn't want to live in his own house, sleep in his own house anymore. Welcome to this exclusive interview with Jackie Brennan from the Almond House fellowship in the UK. Years ago, Jackie was on his way to become a professional gamer, with tournaments lined up for his team's rise to success. However, his teammates started receiving demonic attacks. And Jackie, he was next. This started Jackie's incredible journey from gamer to preacher. In this interview, we'll be discussing the relationship between believers in Yeshua and video games, the dangers of technology, demonic influence and attacks, addictions. I hope that you find this to be a balanced discussion. Jackie, I think let's just start off with you sharing a little bit about your testimony so people can get to know you.

Yeah, it's been a beautiful walk. I've been on this seeking ancient paths now for about ten years, or coming up to ten years. So, yeah, I wasn't. I didn't grow up in the church. I didn't grow up as a Christian. I come from a city called Liverpool and I think similar age to me PD. We had the best of both worlds. Right. We grew up in the nineties where when we was younger, it was sticks and mud, and then we sort of grew up and then we had this. The Internet come out and all this.

Technology, and we were really the first generation.

Yeah.

To experience that transformation of what the Internet brought and phones and everything.

Yeah. So I guess there's a unique perspective that we have is that I guess we've experienced life before that. Before Google. I mean, we lived before there was Google. We lived before you could type in a recipe online and find that. But then also, we're young enough to have been brought up in technology and not be a technophobe.

Right.

So we have a really fascinating generation to see that, both hearts.

And with that, I do find that I have seen the consequences of technology in a great way because of that. Witnessing that transformation in my own life, first of all, of course, and in people around us, and as the world was shifting.

Yeah, that's a great point. And I guess what I wanted to share today, in a nutshell, is that I had a life of where I delved into video games. I was a competitive video game player. I also have a bachelor's degree in video games development. So yeah, I guess. How do we approach that as a believer? It's, it's rampant in people's homes. Some statistics I was checking before I came here. Well, I'll start with the music industry first. The music industry last year was, I think it was about 9 billion it generated in the US, the Hollywood, the films and movies that generated around 18, 1718 video games on the other hand generated 110 billion and revenue dollars.

So people don't think about that?

No, not at all. I mean, that's a lot, it's a lot of money. And you know, we often speak, especially as christians and believers who are following Yeshua, following Yehovah, seeking the ancient paths. We, we try and warn our kids or we try and be mindful of what we let into our temple. Whether that's music or films we watch, horror films we try and avoid, or certain soundtracks, we can label them very easily as demonic. But then when you put them statistics next to each of the revenue, I guess I wanted to share that to show the relevance in society of, okay, this entertainment industry, video games are swamping this area. So.

Right, so tell me a little bit about what, what happened to you. Because you said, I mean, you, you, your passion was this industry, right? Because you were, you went to study game development.

Growing up I was super competitive. I mean, I remember, I can't even describe how competitive I was, whether it was video games, football, chess, for good and bad reasons. And then suddenly I was introduced into video games, particularly Internet online gaming competitions. And that just sucked everything. I no longer wanted to play soccer, no longer wanted to spend any time. It just fit all, ticked all the boxes for me in terms of being able to fulfill that desire that I had. So growing up, all through my teenage years, I was playing various competitive games. And then there came a time where I wanted to pursue this as a career and try and become a professional video game player, as you may have heard. And for those listening online who may think a professional video game player, is that possible?

Oh yeah.

These days this is serious, right? As we just mentioned there, the revenue, what the US is bringing, and there's video games out there that have five on five and they have their own sports kit and sell out stadiums and they can earn more than a lot of other professional athletes. It's a whole other category. What a lot of people are unaware of unless you're in that field. So. And this captures a lot of young minds and, you know, they want to, they want to become the next twitch streamer or the next. When I was around 18 to 19, we started competing, me and a friend of mine, and we traveled to various tournaments. It was a five on five game. I won't mention what game it is, just, I just want to say, sure, yeah, I just want to leave that part out. But we was, yeah, we was traveling, we was competing in these tournaments, and we was pretty good. You know, we didn't quite hit the professional level, but we was getting scouted. Our eyes was on us. We was the up and coming team. We was the young, young freshen blood on the scene. And we had this big gaming tournament coming up. So we was playing. I mean, to put it into perspective, if you train for, I don't know, professional football, you need rest days, right, because your body's gonna wear out. Video games, that doesn't exist. I mean, it's all mental. You can play and play and play 12 hours a day. You couldn't have practice for 12 hours a day in football. So we was playing this game a ridiculous amount. I remember checking my playtime, and quite shamefully now looking back, my playtime on, on this particular game was over 10,000 hours. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I heard a quote once saying that to master something, you need at least 10,000 hours. And we was there. My friend Shawn, who I grew up with since the age of three, he was on this journey with me. He was over 13 hours, you know, 13,000, should I say? Yeah, 13,000 hours. So we, that's, I guess, to put it into perspective. And then if you was to calculate basic life, you know, eating, sleeping, work, if you was to calculate that, I think I worked out one time, it was like I've lived in this other reality for like two years, you know, two years. In this virtual reality, once you factor in sleep and work and looking back, it's really scary. And this is not uncommon, of course. We was the more extreme end, you should say. However, there was, I knew hundreds, you know, thousands of people who was aiming towards the same goal.

So just the other day, I met a guy, and he said to me, his kid is, you know, his vision right now, the child. He wants to become a gamer. Like people should understand. You know, your case is not really that extreme because this is where many kids are looking to. This is their, many of their role models are invested in that world.

Yeah. Yeah, most definitely. And I guess every age has had its new technology, new culture introduced. You know, maybe the Baptist, they had rock and roll come on the scene and, oh, what's this new? And I guess the parents are unprepared for it. And then maybe the next generation, it was films. And then now, you know, my mom growing up, she didn't know that the Internet was gonna go big and all this was gonna happen and the consequences. And so now I was just a 1718 year old lad that was playing video games all day. Little confused come from a broken home, a lot of anger there. And then my mum started dating this other guy who was a believer. So they started going to church together and actually started exploring the Torah and the Sabbath and these things, me being a rebellious 18 year old and with other things going on in my life at the time, I was asked to leave the home. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I could sound like, sound harsh on my parents, but I think in hindsight it was, it was probably the right, the right decision. You know, I had to go for a prodigal son moment and I'm trying to keep this discreet as well.

Sure.

And during that time I moved out and that was my opportunity then to go full time on this, on a video game, a career, you could say.

So you had this tournament that was coming up.

Yeah.

All these guys involved, they're really excited to make it happen. What starts happening then spiritually?

We was coming up to a gaming tournament and my friend who, he played a strong position in the team, he had a spiritual experience that changed our trajectory and life entirely. So I was playing with my friend Shawn, and we know each other like brothers. I mean, we're spending 10 hours a day with each other playing this game. And I trusted him. I knew him since he was three years old and he was at his home and he had a demonic encounter. So he had a spirit that came and basically aggravated him and put fear inside of him. This come from nowhere. He told me he felt he couldn't. He said, look, Jack, I want to tell you something now, which I don't even know is. Well, he knew it was true himself, but he didn't know he could share it with anyone else. And he had this encounter with a demonic spirit and that basically forced the grown man to come and live in my home for a short period of time.

So this is not just, I had a nightmare. This is not just, you know, like he is so scared with, you know, you need to tell me like, what kind of demonic encounter does you know, what does that look like? Because he's so scared that he doesn't want to live in his own house, sleep in his own house anymore.

Yeah. So there was, you know, there was, there was a movement around the house. You could say things going, flying off the walls. And he had, when he was in like a dreamlike state as he was going to sleep, he seen something and it was speaking to him. But then he woke up and it was still there. I could see the fear in his eyes. And I knew this. He was like my brother. I knew that this was serious and he wasn't messing around. And not on top of that as well. We had the gaming tournament coming up.

Right? And your friend is not a. He's not a religious, I'm guessing, person, really.

So funny enough, growing up, I was always. I couldn't handle horror films. You know, there was just something that always weirded me out. But this, this guy Sean, he used to just watch them, laugh at them because he was an atheist. He just knew.

It's not real.

Yeah, it's not real.

It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter. And he just got a little kick out of it.

But actually, it does matter.

It does matter. Of course it does. So he come round to my home and he was staying there, and he was petrified. And now, in hindsight, what I believe was happening was God was. God wanted to pull us from something. And I believe that, you know, we read in scripture, the sun shines on the righteous and the wicked. And even though we was in a sinful state and wanted nothing to do with God, for whatever reason, God removed this protection and revealed to my friend just the spiritual war that we was actually in around us to change our hearts and to look towards him.

Yeah, that. What you just say is profound. Because God, like you said, he reigns on the righteous and the unrighteous. Like he's, he's blessing people even who do not believe in him. He's even protecting people who do not believe in him. And so. But then the mercy of God comes in sometimes where he allows us to. Because if you're an atheist, your worldview is that there's nothing but the materialistic world around me. And yet God allowing these evil spirits some ground. Right? Like God allows something sometimes to get our attention. You know, I remember when I was a kid as well, I started having these night terrors. But they weren't just nightmares. They were like. I would just call them demonic. Like they were. They were. I felt I was being strangled. I felt like weird things happening in my dreams to me that put so much fear on me. I was too scared to go to bed. Same kind of thing to me, with me as well. And that actually was one of the triggers to look, to cause my family to investigate. We were Christians, but I would say we were more lukewarm in our understanding, at least, of the spiritual realm, the reality of those things, and the holy spirit and so on. And so I remember suddenly there's an investigation. Suddenly we start taking action, and then, you know, those things ceased as a result of it. So you're your friend, you guys, you're not believers at this point. He's coming into your home. He's to stay with you now because he's too scared. What's happening? How are you guys dealing with this?

Yeah, I. I guess just to touch on what you shared as well. If you want a biblical reference for this, it's the exodus, the angel of death, the darkness, the three day darkness. We see where Egypt was covered in darkness for three days, a darkness that could be felt. The scripture describes us. Then we also see the angel of death. So there's forms there that's being released. And we know that a mixed multitude came out of Egypt. So that makes me question.

Right, that's a good point.

Yeah. Is this what God's doing here? Is it. Is it, you know, with the living darkness that's felt each. Each one of the ten plagues they was going to, it was trying to draw the Egyptians, as well as his people to him and to form. To form a nation. So in hindsight now, we can see that, you know, that he was literally saying, sending an angel of death to turn towards him, to run towards him. At the time, though, it was something else. So he was living in our home or my house, so to say. And then he was there for like a week. And, you know, a couple of days pass and it's light outside and you're like, hey, look, Sean, it's probably just a dream. You know, we're feeling okay now. Maybe it was just. There was something going on. I don't know. You'll be fine. Going back. And he had a couple of other encounters of movements in his house and other things. And this was serious. This was a grown man coming to me, and he was incapacitated. Now what do I do? You know, I've trusted him all my life. And not only that, in a selfish way, I was. I was a captain for this team, and we needed him at the tournament.

We needed, like. Put yourself together.

Yeah. The other teammates was messaging me and they were saying, hey, Jack, where's Sean? He hasn't been online for x amount of days. We need to practice. What's going on? And I'm like, okay, guys, we're just going to try and sort this out. We're going to try and figure this out. So God sort of put me into a. Into a point where I had nothing to do but to call out. And so at that time, the only person who I. Who I knew, who could deal with this spiritually was. Was going back to my mum, you know, and my stepdad. And they was. Because I knew prior before leaving home that they was the only christians I knew in their life. So I only had a rudimentary, rudimental understanding how this would work. I thought it maybe bringing around some holy water across, maybe purging the home. It was none of that, to put it short. So I got back in touch with my mum, Sammy, and, you know, I just said, hey, look, we haven't spoken a long time, but, you know, she knew Shawn from growing up as well. I was like, look, Sean's in a bad way. There's something evil that's attacking him and we don't know what to do. And so they came round, they came around with Ray, the stepdad, and they was very straightforward with us. They said, if you want this to go away, you need to give your life to Yeshua. You need to profess the name of Jesus Christ and you need to hand over your life to him, because we can go and we can pray over this home as much as we want. We can pray over you guys, but you just have no authority in the spiritual realm and that's only going to aggravate, let's say that's true. Yeah. Yeah. So, half heartedly from myself, Shaun was with me. We said a prayer together. We confessed to Yeshua that we want to invite into his life, invite him into our life. I mean, part of me looking back now, it was. It was just to get Shaun back in the team. I know as selfish as this will sound, but I'm being real. This is, this is, I guess, how. How God knew he would get me on this path. So through my friends. So from there, everything seized, you know, and looking back now, this really showed me that this wasn't just a religion, this was something more. This was the faith, because it had authority over the spiritual realm, because as soon as we professed that name, all of the poltergeist activity, if you want to call it that, I mean, that's not technically a biblical term, but, you know, all that movements and what was happening home, it seized. We was back on. We was going to the tournament, you know. Okay, I've got my team, me, star player back. Let's go.

So now there's some form of a miracle that happened.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Precisely. So he was feeling good and, you know, we didn't know. We didn't think we had to take it any further than that. And, you know, you sort of convince yourself out of it as well that.

But there's a seed planted.

There's a seed planted. Precisely. There's a seed planted. So we go to this tournament and we're seeded to come second place, and we do disastrously. I mean, we was trying, but there was something different. We went there this time and it felt like our eyes would open. We could just sense something there. There was a darkness there. We was picking up spiritually different things. And we'd never spoken this way before, but it was almost like there was a veil that was lifted. And I remember being in the bathroom praying, giving up a half prayer, you know, I didn't really know how to pray, saying, you know, God, please, can you, you know, your will be done, but can you make us win this game in tournaments? You know, but your will be done. Not knowing that. Not knowing really what I was asking for and his will was done. You know, we lost. We came home and we had some. Just a lot of things spiritually that was happening at that time. And when we came home, I guess, yeah. Every time I started to play this game, I felt like there was an elephant in the room now. It was bizarre. It was almost like I was having an out of body experience.

Yeah. You can suddenly now see things more for the way they actually are.

Yes. And I felt like there was something in the room over watching me, and I couldn't play as good. And there was just something different that was going on now. When we was coming back from the tournaments, we got a lift off, one of the guys dads with all our equipment and everything, all the PC gear we had to take. And he was actually a believer. And he was telling us, he convinced me on the way back that I need to be baptized. I've confessed my life to God, but if you want to advance in your walk, you need to be baptized. And at the time, I didn't really know what this meant. So we come home, and that was something we wanted to do. We wanted to be baptized in the name of Yeshua. You know, at this time we was attending a local congregation, and part of it, we was intrigued, but part of it was, I guess, we still had. Our heart wasn't set on following yah all the way. And I remember this is, you know, this is sort of where we was at once. I was baptized, I went to a friend's house, and, you know, we wanted to smoke a spliff in celebration. You know, we wanted to smoke weed, marijuana for celebration. And that's just how rudimentary, rudimentary we was. But then on the way back from that, from being baptized and going with my friends to celebrate, I had an encounter with a demonic spirit. So I was walking back home, and it was bizarre. Suddenly it was like I was walking, but I was in a different place. It was almost like a vision. And I was sat in a chair, and it was almost like an interrogation room. So there was a light spotlight pinning down on top of me, and there was this figure that was jumping around the room, and it was coming in and out of the light. And I couldn't speak, but I knew what it was saying. It was almost like, telepathically it was speaking to me. And I had, like, this african mask on. And ultimately, what it was, what it was asking me, it was jumping around in and out of the shadows, and then it pointed to something, and I looked over, and it was almost like a portal, and it was a vision of the future. And I looked through, and I was there. I was on a stage, and I had a cup, and we was winning. We won the best championship. And I was there with, you know, earning millions of pounds. And it was offered.

It was saying, it's the success of the world that's being offered to you.

Yes. It was offering me to sell my soul of a, you know, a lack of a better term, so. And I remember at the time, I just looked away. And as I looked away from this vision, it was trying to show me, like I refused it. I looked away. I looked up to the sky, and I seen how. I seen God's creation, of how everything was connected. So everything had a purpose. And even down to a leaf that was falling from a tree, it was like I seen dots, all these little dots, and he was all connected. And I realized at that moment that God has a purpose for our lives, and he has a plan, and we're getting offered something here which is. Which is of the world, which is futile, but really, there's a greater pan. So I was spooked that I remember running home and, you know, I've shared this story in the past and people have said, well, was she just high? Was you just paranoid? And was you having a whitey, we call it back home. But look, you know, I was baptized and I'd opened the portal, I'd smoked something and I'd opened a gateway and this entity had come to me and tried to. I was in the kingdom, you know, I was baptized. I was.

But you still had open doors.

I had open doors. And not only that, he wanted to then distract me and take me another route.

That's typical after baptism because that's what happened to Yeshua, right? He got baptized and then he was led by the holy spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. So the temptation comes often according to the biblical pattern, right after the baptism.

Wow. I've never made that connection. That's just blew my mind. Yeah. Yeshua got baptized, then he was taken up to view all the kingdoms of the earth. Do you want the kingdoms? Yeah. Wow, that's just made. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I'm no Yeshua, but yeah, that's. That's. That's. That's fascinating. It makes sense now, I guess so if anyone's out there who's been baptized.

Actually, it's kind of funny because I actually. Well, when we baptize people, I've actually warned and said, hey, just know that the enemy isn't like, oh, no, it's over. No. According to the biblical pattern, this is when the enemy came to Yeshua and most. Yeah, so, yeah, absolutely.

And that makes sense because you're threat now. You become God's army.

Exactly.

Now you're worth enough to be assigned to something.

Exactly. No, no, you're now really, you've got the enemy's camp really scared. Baptism is the death with Christ, resurrection with Christ. So now you are a resurrected person, you're now born anew and now you're against the enemy's kingdom. You're no longer in that part, you're in a new part. So, yeah, awesome.

Yeah, we're on the same page, but I'm glad you pointed that out. We've always prior warned people prior to the baptism because Pharaoh is chasing you and you might be pulled back to Egypt, but that's. That's another element. Yeah, I appreciate that. Thank you.

So tell me a little bit about. So you went through this, like, video games and that whole world and the most as deep as you can get. Now you've come kind of full circle. Of course you've come to the Lord. You've now grown into a strong believer. You're part of ministry. You know, you guys are reaching many people, all this. So what is your perspective now, looking back on video games, on entertainment, things like that?

Yeah, thanks for asking. I guess there may be some people listening to this podcast and were saying, well, you know, I've played that game and I didn't have that encounter. And that's right. You know, what's. We read that in the commandments that we shall not make an idol of something, you know, not make it. And I think this is where I trespassed here. I trespassed our father. So where someone could play that game for ten minutes and have no. No experience, no spiritual, and things happen for us. We had elevated this so far in our lives that it was almost piercing.

This has become a master.

Yeah, it's become a master. And it was almost Pearson, you know, breaking the reality of what God truly has for us, his true will and his identity that he wants for us. Instead of having identity in this world, we was building identity in a false reality, in an alternative reality, where you make your own character and you could never fulfill God's will to its fullest in that reality. It's. It's meant to be in this one. So I guess where I'm up to now with entertainment, it's. It's like everything else. Look, I'm not saying all entered, all video games are satanic. The game we played, it had its symbolism, for sure. A lot of symbolism, a lot of demonic names.

And.

And the end, the listener to this has to be the serena of that now, right?

Exactly.

Like, like music. We can have music that worships Yehovah, or we can have music that is blatant satanism. And same for. For films and same for video games. Although one thing I will say is that the idea, let's take it right back. The idea of video games, it's. It's pleasant, right? It's. It's just a game. It's, you know, let's take it back to one of the first video games, pong. Okay? It's a 2d game. It's like tennis. You've got two white lines. There's little balls bouncing back and forth on the screen. The idea of it is innocence and it's playful and it's joyful. But the reality of it is, we're up to today, video games don't look that any like, look like that anymore. They're vastly different. And what we've got to understand is that there's teams of people that are making these games like, you know, that was what I studied in university. There's teams of people to captivate you, to captivate your child, to captivate your family more than their other team who's trying to make a video game as well. Right.

The whole industry is about capturing the attention of the person. And because the longer that it's not just about playing it and buying it, it's about now since it's online, you know, a lot of games, it's about staying on it because the longer you're playing this game, the more money they're making, ultimately. So, and to be fair, this is for anyone who's got Facebook, same thing. Who's got Twitter, same thing.

Yes.

Those developers, they're incentivized to create a platform to keep you on it no matter what. To give you that dopamine rush to keep you scrolling. Right? That's why when you get locked in and you just keep scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, you can't stop. You're like, whoa, 4 hours just went by. So it's both video games. They're following the same pattern. And what you just said is key, I think is, hey, think about Pong or the first Pac man, whatever every video game has today, it's developed into a place where the concepts have been taken so far. And now we have sorceries oftentimes introduced witchcraft introduced as part of just the game. But, you know, and I think, like you said, people have to make their own decisions. However, I will say that when it comes to themes that are exceptionally dark or have witchcraft and sorcery in it, you know, that is something that in my heart, you know, I feel convicted that I don't think that's something that gives glory to the father for me to participate in. And then idol it, becoming an idol, becoming your master no matter what, if it's pong or if it's, if it's whatever it is, if it's something that consumes you and, and this is something that's a common issue with how many wives have I heard? And it can go both ways. But, you know, one example is the wife comes and says, you know, my husband, he's playing video games all day long. So he's not there for the kids, he's not there for the family. He's not helping the wife around the house. He's, he's working and he's playing video games. So how do you build a household and a family and how do you build God's kingdom when you're consumed by those things?

Yeah, well, I'd just like to share a couple of scriptures on that because I thought that was excellent. One here that rings very true to me is first corinthians 13. And again, like you said, this doesn't just apply to video games. In fact, in fact, since ten years ago, I think it's developed more into social media. It's easier to be locked into social media because you don't have to do anything. You can just scroll. It's more. You're more of a drone, where, you know, video games, there was an element, and that's still a massive, massive, as we see, share the market. But this applies to many forms of technology. And first corinthians really drive this home for me. It's in chapter 13 and it says, when I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reason like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. Now, we know in scripture we're to be childlike, you know, but there's a difference between being childlike and being childish. And here we see Paul give advice that when he became a man, he set aside these childish ways. Now, this doesn't mean that we can't have fun, we can't have joy, but we need to have discernment on when to draw the line. And we're facing this walk.

If you think about a child, if you let a child do what a child wants to do, a child is just going to play and just going to. Can I play some more video games? Can I do a bit more of this? No. You have homework to do. A child needs training to be focused and training to have self control and striking a balance between playtime and work.

Yes.

And so when you become a man, you are now expected to have had that sorted out in your life whereby. And that's, I think what Paul is also getting at is, yes, it is childish to fail to be able to strike a balance between playing and working. There's nothing wrong with play in of itself. We, as humans, we love play. You know, people love their hobbies, people love to play golf, they love to sport, whatever that. There's nothing wrong with that. So I think, yeah, we have to strike that. Like, people need to understand, we're not saying that, but when we. When those things start consuming us, when those things start taking priority over God and family and things that are very important to us, that's when this. And this is one instance where this can become a big problem.

Yeah, I agree. And look, you won't find in scripture, thou shalt not play video games. You're not gonna find it. However, in arguments of silence. We can't always use that because we know the way that God's timeless, okay? We know that Yahuwah is relevant as yesterday, today, and in the coming future. So where is it in the commandments? It's idolatry. And for us, when we read that, I think it's the second commandment. We read about those making idols, and they're not only making idols, worshipping them. So I think the key term here is worshiping. Where are we putting our time? What is receiving the most of our time? Because I've got a few scriptures here that might shed a little bit more light on what I'm trying to get her so, right. Throughout the Bible, we see from Isaiah to psalms to revelation, for instance, Isaiah, chapter two. It says, their land is also full of idols. They worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. And then we get all the way down to revelation. It says, now, the rest of mankind, who was not killed by these plagues, still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshipping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. So right throughout the scripture, we're warned about idolatry. Now, I don't know about you, but I haven't seen anyone, at least in America, who walks around with a golden idol and is worshiping it and is bowing down to it. You're not seeing that in America. So where are they? These are hidden, right? Where do these idols. Now, curiously, mobile phones are actually made up. The chipset is made up of a percentage of gold. The computers are, you know, and I can't help but think the devices that we're using, they can be turned into idolatry. You know, sure. The tools, you know, we're using this technology here today to preach the word of God. However, when it becomes an idol, is this what the word's speaking about here? You can't make these microchips, these computer microchips without these precious metals because they're a high conductor of electricity. So it makes me think, well, gosh, is that the idol? What revelation speaking about? Is it the technology? Is it the reality that we've created within ourselves? You know, we make characters in these video games. We complete that. We create a whole different identity to what God wants us to be. And that's a. I think that's something to grasp as well, that God has a. Has a great plan for you. And he wants you to step into your identity, not into the identities, these characters or who you've made online or even your social media accounts. That's an alternative reality that's going to be burnt up. We can live inside of that. And I think that's so key to.

Understand, and that's what. What, where the world is heading to more and more.

Yes.

You know, I think that, you know, we are sitting here today. This is not as bad as it's gonna get, unfortunately, if you look at where technology is going now, right, we have, we've heard a virtual reality which is basically taking what you're talking about.

To the next level.

Yeah. On the next level, it's not just a 2d screen now. It's an environment that you are living in. And there are kids already, like, who are absolutely spending 20, almost 24 hours a day in VR environments, you know, socializing with friends and so on, but yet that becomes their reality. We also have artificial intelligence. You know, I just. I saw some keynotes just recently how. I mean, and I knew this was coming, that, you know, Siri is going to be AI now in the next few. This is in the next few months. You know, this year, every AI is just going to be everywhere. So our reliance on technology isn't going to get less or it's not plateauing. Yes, we are. It is going to accelerate in our lifetimes probably just as much.

Yeah, I agree. I mean, where do we begin? I think everything that's been said has been said about AI. It's so vast. And there's a scripture, though, what I'd like to just share, and then we can come back to that, because I think this is so relevant now. Okay. God has a massive plan for your life, and there's an alternative reality that we can live in, or we can live in God's and perfect plan for us. And in Romans chapter twelve, verse two, it says, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you'll be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. So let me just break that down a little bit, because ultimately, when we strip this all back, it's just a battle of the mind. This is what it is. Now, when someone hears that I used to play in video games for that much, they'd be like, jack, how's that the case? You know, and I was like, well, look, I was addicted. I was addicted to video games. And people, people may critique it and say, well, there was no substance addiction there. You know, it's not like all the drugs that people take, I'm sorry to break it to people, but you can be addicted to video games. We see something very similar in gambling. You know, there's no, there's no substance, substance addiction, but there's a psychological element to it. There's a psychological addiction that takes place and a rewiring. You mentioned dopamine earlier. And when we're scrolling through TikTok or when we're scrolling through Facebook or whatever it may be, or playing these video games, they're designed so well. And our dopamine, we're getting fed so much. I mean, we're frying our dopamine circuits, you know, a way to put it. And then especially say as a child myself growing up, oh, Jack, you know, you've played enough time on the video games. Go outside and play in the woods with sticks and mud. I mean, come on, mom, I'm just about to go and fight a dragon with five of me friends. And we're all connected around the world and I'm actually pretending to be like a 20 year old. And, you know, so it's like, come on. Right? So, yeah, this is, this, this, we need to really understand this now. And what this scripture is saying. Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Why? Why do we need to not conform to the world? Well, how are we going to be able to test and approve what is good and pleasing and the perfect will of God within these other realities? Right. It's, it's going to be corrupt because our mind is only on, on this, this false reality. So I think that's something. Something to really, really point out. And look, again, every case is going to be individual. I know there's going to be parents listening to this and they're going to be like, right, the PlayStation's gone. Put it in the bin, set it on fire, it's gone. I mean, I can't give that advice because there's different stages of where people are up to. And it really takes as a parent to identify that if your child is spending too much time on it, if you as an adult are spending too much time over it, a great test that me and the guys like to say back home is that are you over it or are you under it? And, and then also, that's good. If you was to do without it, how long until you start to crave it?

Right, right.

And with this, we can then determine if there's. If there's a hole, if there's a stronghold set up there. So, just another scripture I'd like to. Like to share. And it's from one Peter, chapter one, verse 13. It says, therefore, prepare your minds for action. Be sober minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Yeshua Hamashiach, as obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written, be holy, because I am holy.

That's good. You know, I think that's the key. What you just said earlier is that when you are going throughout your day, if you're an adult, that is, you know, ask yourself, am I thinking about this? Am I thinking about. Am I finding myself just yearning for the moment that I get off work to get, like, if that's starting to consume you, and if that's something that you can't just put on the shelf for two months and not even worry about it too much, you know, where are you at with that is a key, I think, question. And then with parents and kids, you know, that's. That's now difficult. And. And I think, like you said, it's going to depend on the age of the child. But I do think when we're. When we're coming to small kids, you know, we. I see a lot of people give really small children access to a lot of tech really early.

Yes.

And I do think that there's something to be said about putting the brakes on with that.

I believe so.

You know, I'm not gonna tell parents what to do. This is. We are. But we are talking about what we have seen. Yeah, have a chat. Have it. Talk with your husband about this, talk with your wife. But what we have seen and what I have seen, you know, in my own life is, you know, the. Because we grew up with dial up Internet, you know, I saw adslk come, I saw fiber intranet come. You know, so we. We kind of had a gradual introduction because the Internet kind of matured with us. Yes, but a lot of people aren't like that. Right? I mean, today it's not like that, because the Internet is mature and kids aren't. And so now you're introducing all of this stimuli to a small child, and you're getting them hooked on that dopamine rush. Their receptors are. Are so overloaded from such young age. So then depression, anxieties, all the things, all of these symptoms, a lot of them that we are now seeing in this generation that is now coming right after our generation, they are struggling with so many suicidal tendencies and things like that. And you can't help but wonder what role technology has played, because we know that they cause lone, it causes loneliness, it causes us to feel more isolated, not more connected as they promised us it would. And, you know, we're jumping. We're dancing for likes, literally, on TikTok these days. We're dancing for acceptance by people instead of the. What does the scriptures call us to. To die to ourselves. Not to dance for the approval of men, but to rather to work unto the Lord. And from there on, we can live a life like you touched on this earlier, where we are now living after the calling that God has for us, not just ourselves and pleasing men. Because now, the moment you start trying to please men, you are distracted from God's calling, which by nature calls you to do things that aren't going to be pleasing to this world.

Yes. Yeah, I agree. There's, I mean, there's so much on this subject, and we're just having a chat, I guess, today, and there's so many branch off and categories and how you can approach it. It's so vast. And, you know, I really like what you said there with coming back to the calling. You know, the calling is just. It's just massive.

That's what it's all about. It's the kingdom of God.

Yeah.

Is my child growing up to be, to become a kingdom warrior or a Twitch streamer? You're a Twitch streamer. There you go.

Yeah. And I would agree with putting the brakes on technology. I mean, again, if you introduce that too young, they're not gonna find playing outside with friends and family or playing in the woods with sticks and stones and mud, they're not gonna find that entertaining. So it's given them and it's protecting them. Like you said, another brilliant thing you said there about we matured with the Internet, you know, because the Internet was in a rudimentary stage where now it's, it's, it's got everything under the sun on the Internet. And we, you know, especially parents have a duty to protect in that, in that way. So I guess to bring back to the description I said with in Peter is be holy, because I am holy. So what it, what's Peter saying there that he's quoting. He's quoting the Torah and he's saying, look, be set apart. And now when we study holiness, we realize observing a Sabbath day, given time, set apart for God, observing the feast days. These take priority here in your life kingdom. Work takes priority. And seek first the kingdom of God, then everything else will be added onto it. If people out there want to play video games, I don't particularly play them anymore just because I know, know I know where I've been. And same way maybe an alcoholic would offer without a drink, maybe they may go too far with it. You know, I played. If I do play them, it's very few and far between. Maybe in a social setting, but on a personal endeavor or doing, you know.

I really appreciate your awareness because I think so what you said is so key is, is that. And we would should say that to anyone who's listened, who's had a past similar to yours, perhaps, where there was an extreme addiction. And this is whether it's video games with. Yeah, whether it's movies.

Yeah.

Whether it's whatever it is. You know, if there's been an extreme addiction or an addiction in your life, be wary of, you know, some people, they just. They just shouldn't really even touch it anymore. But that person, that is up to each person to really do introspection and decide in their hearts.

Once I had that encounter, I started attending a local church, a messianic church with my mum, Sammy and Ray. And yeah, I was brought into the truth of his ancient paths. And I guess the spiritual encounters that I was facing, because we had a sincere heart and I think that's what's key. We had faced enough at that point to know that the spiritual realm was real, that Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach is the name above all names, has authority, has all power. He saved us, you know, from these experiences. He saved us from the darkness that was engulfed around us. It all diminished. And that's something I would say is, when we're reading here, be holy, because I am holy. This isn't some faraway thing and unobtainable position to reach. We was attending church, and we were seeking sincerely. Okay, Goddess, we're coming to church. We're on of the Sabbath and speak to us. You know, let us learn about the scriptures, let us learn about your character. Let us learn how we can apply what you tell us in our lives in spirit and truth. And then slowly, there was a self deliverance that took place. There was no. Then the sleep paralysis stops. Then the encounters stop, in fact. Then you start being a light in the darkness. And it starts once you get to a point where you have been, been healed and covered and had time to process what's happened, then you can be in a position to then help others.

Exactly. Exactly. So what would you say to someone who's struggling with an addiction to something like that, who wants to have a more healthy relationship with it?

Yeah. Again, I'd say, see Yehovah. Psalm 19 says, the law of the Lord is perfect. It converts the soul. So, for me, the more you interact with God, through reading the word of God, through attending a fellowship close by, you won't want to be in these alternative realities as much. You won't want to spend as much time as that, because life is going to open up for you. It's going to. You're going to see God has a greater plan in your life. And if it's an addiction and you're playing too much, we see Joshua. He went down and he tore down the pillars of Baal and these gods. That's one. One method that you can use, but I will say that you need to replace it with something. You know, you need to be active. You need to keep yourself busy, whether that's in the word or just with other activities, because if that's gone, it's going to be even more so difficult to stay away from it. So I would say be sincere in seeking God. Yehovah, he will guide. Guide your steps.

That's awesome. Graham, any concluding thoughts, words that you'd like to share?

Yeah, I guess. I guess if we look. Coming back to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, and I mean, this has come up a few times in this. In this talk, but if we see the. The process of it, the angel of death, the three days of darkness, the. The applying the blood of the lamb, accepting Yeshua into life, the crossing through the waters of baptism, you know, the Red Sea. We notice here how the Israelites, they was just about to receive the commandments of God. Now, I guess with this talk, something I didn't want it to come across as, and I hope it hasn't, is that discipline is a beautiful thing. You know, if we have liberty without the law, it's anarchy, it's chaos. So I don't want anyone out there to be thinking online, oh, gosh, this is just too strict. It's too. It's too much. I have another scripture I'd like to share, to end with. But what we see with the Israelites is that they was freed. They was freed from bondage. That was me and Shawn. We passed through the waters of baptism, but we didn't yet receive the commandments. And what happened? The Israelites fell into worshiping the golden, golden calf. It only took Moses. He was away 40 days. What was it? Up the mountain to get the commandments. So with liberty, without his commandments, we're beings of worship. We will naturally fall into worshiping something. Let that not be our phone. Let that not be video games. Let it not be soccer, football, whatever it may be, let it be the commandments of yah. Because when Moses comes back down, you know, Yeshua is like a prophet unto Moses. He is going to see who has been faithful and want to honor his commandments. So a scripture I have to end here is in Hebrews 1211, and it states, no discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful later on. However, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it. Who doesn't want that? A harvest of righteousness and peace. We're all seeking shalom. A lot of people go to these video games and to these places to have an escapism. I get it. You know, if you want to class me as an introvert, go ahead. People have called me that in the past. Whatever you think of all them labels, I like my own space. I like my own little peace, right? But this is true peace right here, you know, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it. But we must seek him. We must be a disciple of him. A disciple is related to the word discipline. We are to be disciplined ones. That doesn't mean we can't have fun and all the rest of it, but in that we can seek his will.

Awesome. Thank you, Jackie. Brother, that's so good. I think, I really hope that when people listen to this, they, they hear a balanced perspective. Guys. So we, we just as my concluding thoughts here, I want us all to understand that, you know, video games comes, they come in all shapes and sizes. Entertainment comes in all shapes and sizes. We are not against entertainment. We're not against video games. We're not against movies. All these things can bring glory to God. Some of these things can just be a time to pass, a way to pass time. And there's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with having a hobby. But we're just saying, let's look at whether these things are actually pulling us away from the father. Recognize that we have to always be auditing our lives or in our hearts with everything that's around us to see what is our relationship with those things. And is anything trying to take precedence over our relationship with our father, with Yeshua? And so carve out time for him, spend time with him. Let him be the one who guides your life and gives you life in your life. Don't try and get life from all these other things, because you'll be dissatisfied and you'll start going into a place and into a relationship with those things that aren't healthy. All right. So, Jackie, brother, thank you so much for being with me. I really appreciate you, brother. Please share with everyone. How can they find out more about the almond house as I wanted to connect with you guys or follow up on your teachings?

Yeah, sure. So at the almond house, it's a messianic Torah observant fellowship. It's based in Liverpool. I'm just one of three other, one of three speakers in total. We follow the Torah portion on a yearly cycle, and I guess our goal is to find Yeshua in each of the Torah portions and really see how it's applicable to our lives today as we've opened up the scriptures today, and we try and worship him in spirit and truth. So we, our goal is to strip away the traditions of men that are in contrary to the word of God or elevated above. And I guess, you know, you guys, if you do know us already, the almond house, it's only a tip of the iceberg that you see that goes online. So if you are local in the area, please reach out. You know, our main focus is a physical ministry. So all praise be to God. You know, before I came away here to the states, we've seen baptisms in Yeshua's name and deliverance in Yeshua's name and worship, keeping the holy days. It's. There's something happening in Merseyside, and the spirit's really moving. So if you're in the area or if you just want to check us out online and you can go to Almond House, you can search on YouTube, almond House fellowship, or almondhousefellowship.com, and you can check out some of our resources there.

Awesome. Jakey. End off in a prayer for us all. I would really appreciate you praying for anyone who may be listening to this.

Okay. Okay. Thank you, Father God. Abba yah, we come before you now as mere men, we was not worthy to be saved, but you shifted this cogs of the universe to allow us to seek you and to call out your name. I thank you, Abiyah, that you have saved me from darkness. You have saved me from the clutches of Hasatan of Satan. I give you all the glory, Abba yah. And I just pray now for anyone out there who's online, who may be struggling in these areas, that they turn towards you, that they wait and look upon the prophet likened to Moses, Yeshua, who will be returning to this earth to see who have been faithful to him. I just pray that the holy spirit will empower the listener now. Empower the listener to seek your kingdom, to have discernment, to put aside the childish ways, to serve as a priest of the home, a king of the home, as a prophet of the home. We thank you, Abba. Yah, we thank you. We love you. You didn't have to call any of us out of darkness. You sent your only begotten son for our sake. And he died and rose again so that we may enter eternal life with you. And at the enemy of death, the angel of death, the demonic, has no power. By the name of Yeshua, we declare your name, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Yeshua Hamashiach. If there's anyone listening out there online now, anyone who is suffering with sleep paralysis, suffering with depression or entities, or don't even know what quite it is, but they feel uneasy. I just pray that you call out now to Jesus Christ's name and allow him to enter into your life. Call his name out, proclaim his name. There's no other, no other name can save but Yeshua Hamashiach. We thank you Abiyyah. Keep us on your narrow path, keep us enduring to the end and let us hear well done. Good and faithful servants we long for that day. In Yeshua's name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Thank you so much, Jackie, guys, thank you so much for tuning in. Subscribe to this channel like this video. Share with your friends comment below what do you think about video games, AI, VR and everything else we talked about and we can't wait to see you in the next one. Blessings to you guys and shalom.