A trip to the local bookstore a few years ago shocked Jacobs out of her complacency regarding the spread of the occult. Reading this book will likely do the same for you.
Part of the danger of the occult, according to Jacobs, is that it is often represented as a path to enlightenment and peace, particularly in the New Age movement. Our society has blindly accepted almost anything that promises peace or enlightenment, and the church must be aware of the dangers. From television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer to horror movies, the occult has a wide audience, even if many in that audience don't realize that what they are watching is a portrayal of the occult. Jacobs reminds us that the occult is real, and dangerous, but that Christians do not need to be afraid of the occult because we have God in us (greater is He that is in us...).
Magic, astrology, witchcraft, demon possession. There is little doubt in the church that these are dangerous forms of the occult. But Jacobs goes a step further and shows us how these types of behavior are evident in many television shows and movies, and in popular games like Dungeons and Dragons®. And, in what Jacobs sees as a greater danger, most public libraries and local bookstores contain books on the occult, particularly those forms of the occult which are most dangerous (magic, witchcraft, New Age).
But knowledge is power, and Jacobs wrote Deliver Us From Evil to increase the church's knowledge of the prevalence of the occult, and how to fight it. If the church is aware of the problem, it can fight it more effectively, especially through prayer. Jacobs offers advice for protecting your home and community from the occult and for praying against the power behind the occult. And she urges the church to step out boldly in the authority given to it by God to stand against the powers and principalities of the occult. Jacobs feels that some of the problems in our culture and society can be traced to the occult. Therefore, standing against the occult can have a tremendous cultural impact. Deliver Us From Evil is an eye-opening book that may even shock you. But if that shock causes you to take a stand, its a good thing.
