The internet is abuzz about NewsNation’s recent interview with UFO whistleblower Jacob Barber. The analysis video below highlights a concerning part of the interview where Barber claims he was “possessed by the most beautiful spirit” while engaged in a military operation to retrieve an egg-shaped alien object.

I don’t necessarily agree with 100% of the conclusions held by the YouTube channel End Times Production. For example, in the video above he claims that people can stop alien abduction/possession simply by calling on the name of Jesus. If we were dealing with actual demons, then this might be the case, however we are most likely dealing with physical flesh-and-blood entities who have sided with Lucifer in his rebellion against the Kingdom of God. Unlike the demons we read about in the Bible, these fallen creatures are no more repelled by the name of Jesus than a wild animal would be if you were to shout Jesus’ name while it was attacking you. Although God may answer your prayer to intervene and stop the attacking animal, the name of Jesus isn’t a mystical incantation that can be wielded against anything and anyone that intends to do you harm.

I add this disclaimer because I am concerned that genuine Christians who are subjected to alien experiences may have their faith undermined if they are led to believe that if they call out in the name of Jesus they can stop the experience, only to discover that the beings proceed unhindered. The reason the experiences continue is not because their faith isn’t strong enough or because Jesus doesn’t exist – the reason is because we’re not dealing with disembodied, ethereal demons. We are dealing with physical, flesh-and-blood creatures that possess advanced abilities such as telepathy and similar mind-altering characteristics. These abilities may make it feel like you are being possessed by another entity, but more than likely it’s just a mild-altering experience induced by beings more biologically advanced than we are.

Any anecdotal evidence suggesting that alien experiences stop when someone calls on the name of Jesus are almost certainly cases where the victim has had their memory of the experience altered in such a way that they are unable to recall the full experience itself, leading them to believe they stopped it by uttering Jesus’ name.

So, just be cautious about the whole “aliens are just demons and can be repelled simply by calling on the name of Jesus” claim. By all means, if you are being subjected to alien experiences you absolutely should be praying in earnest to God that He would stop the experiences. If God answers your prayers, great. However, if he doesn’t answer your prayers right away do not be discouraged. These experiences may be part of a larger plan to bring salvation to others in ways you can’t imagine. Or God may be allowing these experiences to happen to you because there’s a sin in your life that is opening the door to these kinds of experiences (dabbling in the occult, New Age, meditation are obvious examples, but just about any deep-rooted sin for which you are not repenting could be the cause).

If we lean on our own understanding we’ll always miss the mark and fail to understand why bad things are happening to us. However, when we surrender our pride and genuinely seek God in troubled times He will guide us and give us the strength to endure. He may reveal the lessons we need to learn, the changes we need to make, or the ways we can grow closer to Him through the trial. Sometimes, the purpose of these experiences is not immediately clear, but faith calls us to trust that God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Remember, God’s timing and methods are perfect, even if they don’t align with our expectations. Stay persistent in prayer, immerse yourself in Scripture, and seek the support of fellow believers to help you discern God’s will in the situation.