Billy Hallowell - Playing with Fire: A Modern Investigation into Demons, Exorcism, and Ghosts

PRAISE FOR PLAYING WITH FIRE

Heres a sober, scriptural, and altogether fascinating exploration of demonic forces in which journalist Billy Hallowell answers the questions so many people harbor. Its provocative, insightful, and enlighteninga foray into an often-neglected topic that merits more attention than it typically receives. If you want a solid biblical perspective, this is a helpful resource for you.

LEE STROBEL, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE CASE FOR CHRIST

Curious about ghosts, demons, and other invisible enemies? Investigative journalist Billy Hallowell unearths a graveyard of information about spiritual warfare, scary stories, and biblical perspectives on what animates evil in the world and may change your mind about what makes things go bump in the night!

KIRK CAMERON, ACTOR AND DIRECTOR

Playing with Fire tackles an intensely difficult topic but does so in an understandable and relatable way. Journalist Billy Hallowell weaves together some of the most challenging biblical questionsand answerson the spiritual warfare front, leaving readers with quite a bit to ponder.

JASON ROMANO, AUTHOR OF THE UNIFORM OF LEADERSHIP, FORMER PRODUCER AT ESPN, AND HOST OF THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST

Riveting! Through fascinating real-life stories and provocative interviews with pastors and theologians, Billy unpacks the complex faith elements underpinning our essential biblical struggle against evil, and relates them to our culture and daily lives.

KEVIN AND SAM SORBO, ACTORS AND AUTHORS OF TRUE FAITH

Billy Hallowell has crafted a book that intelligently responds to an age-old question: Do demons exist, and if so, what or who are they? His intriguing mix of well-documented case studies of demonic activity, interviews with experts, and solid biblical scholarship removes the Hollywood mystique and caricatures to present a thoughtful, well-documented assessment of the reality of good and evil. If you have yearned for something to help you understand this topic, pick up Billys book and find some answers.

JOE BATTAGLIA, BROADCASTER, PRODUCER, AND AUTHOR OF THE POLITICALLY INCORRECT JESUS AND UNFRIENDED

Understanding evil is essential, yet much of our culture ignores or misrepresents spiritual struggles. In Playing with Fire, Billy Hallowell dives deep into an arena that is often overlooked, offering people compelling evidence, witness accounts, heart-stirring claims, and biblical reflections that hold the power to wake readers, inspire their faith, and guide them on a path toward healing. Playing with Fire is a must-read.

SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ, PASTOR AND AUTHOR OF YOU ARE NEXT

Investigative journalist Billy Hallowell is not your average guy. He doesnt play it safe or stick to lightweight topics. Hes a reporter who isnt afraid to dive into nightmares to see what hidden treasures he may find in the shadows. His dreams are of a different sort. Today the American Dream is the 40/40/40: work 40 hours a week for 40 years to retire on 40 percent of your income, get your 401k, get a timeshare in Palm Springs, tool around in a golf cart, then claim your spot in the cemetery. But my friend Billy isnt afraid to lead his life in a different direction. He wants to explore the angelic world, both light and dark. Hes the kind of guy who delves into demonology, the theological underpinnings of psychospiritual and transrational warfare, and share his insights with a world waiting to hear his fascinating take on all things ethereal. Get ready for your brain to reel at Billys penetrating insights in Playing with Fire.

BEN COURSON, TV HOST AND AUTHOR OF OPTIMISFITS

Billy Hallowell is a lightning rod. He is the proverbial metal rod mounted on the structure of our modern society intended to protect it from a strike. Hallowell is standing in the middle of a cultural divide shouting Truth at the top of his lungs. To some this makes Hallowell a trouble-maker, to others he is the lone sane voice in the chaotic echo chamber that is our social media and political landscape. In his latest book, Billy Hallowell does it again, explaining a side of Christianity that Hollywood loves to explore and that most of us choose to ignore, either because its too scary or too weird. We have the record of at least thirty miracles that Jesus performed, including healing the sick, raising the dead, feeding the masses, altering nature itself, and on several occasions Jesus cast out demons. If the Son of Man takes demonic possession seriously, perhaps we should too.

KRISTOFFER POLAHA, ACTOR, JURASSIC WORLD 3, WONDER WOMAN, 1984

2020 Billy Hallowell

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-0-7852-3451-7 (eBook)

ISBN 978-0-7852-3450-0 (TP)

Epub Edition July 2020 9780785234517

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020939128

Printed in the United States of America

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CONTENTS

S pinning heads. Levitating bodies. Otherworldly strength. Unrestrained behavior. Gratuitous violence. Eerie voices spouting off vicious claims and threats. These are just some of the themes surrounding demonic possession that Hollywood simply cannot get enough of.

Year after year, Tinseltown churns out an array of films and TV shows that explore evil and the occult, showing how dark forces can upend the lives of unsuspecting characters.

Hollywoods fascination with this topic is understandable considering the age-old struggle against evil that has persisted throughout the millenniaa phenomenon that humans have almost universally grappled with since the beginning of time.

As psychiatrist Richard Gallagher has noted, Anthropologists agree that nearly all cultures have believed in spirits, and the vast majority of societies (including our own) have recorded dramatic stories of spirit possession.

Thats what makes the many plotlines surrounding possession, infestation, and evil so intriguing to audiences. At a base level, theres a timelessness to these phenomenaa relatability that has permeated both culture and history. And when you mix that reality with some peoples penchant for being entertained through thrilling and terrifying story lines, you can see why Hollywood wont stop churning out this content, even as culture continues to secularize and seemingly move away from God.