Ex-Witch Exposes Witchcraft and Finds Jesus with Ashley Jones

Summary

Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt

Episode: "Ex-Witch Exposes Witchcraft and Finds Jesus with Ashley Jones"

Release Date: September 8, 2025
Host: Madison Prewett Troutt
Guest: Ashley Jones

---

Episode Overview

This episode of Stay True features a deeply personal and candid conversation between host Madison Prewett Troutt and Ashley Jones, a former witch who found freedom in faith. Ashley shares her journey from church disillusionment into New Age and witchcraft practices—spanning astrology, crystals, and spells—before experiencing a radical encounter with Jesus. Together, Madison and Ashley examine the allure and the dangers of New Age spirituality, discuss how demonic deception mimics light, and emphasize the importance of anchoring identity and discernment in biblical truth. The episode aims to encourage listeners to recognize and break free from spiritual bondage, offering practical steps for walking in truth and spiritual freedom.

---

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ashley’s Story: How Innocence Becomes Entrapment (03:19–06:06; 17:15–28:23)

• Ashley’s entry into witchcraft started with curiosity about zodiac signs and astrology, a practice she notes was normalized both within and outside the church.
  • “When people are in witchcraft … they wouldn’t call themselves that.” – Ashley (03:30)
• Her drift from church came after feeling ostracized due to early adolescent rebellion and trauma (including an abusive relationship).
• New Age practices initially seemed “innocent” and “trendy,” appealing to the desire for belonging, meaning, and identity.
• Ashley's grandmother, self-identified as a "good witch," introduced her to a "spell book" at age 15, promising access to "light and love," which rapidly led to deeper spiritual rituals and manifestations.
  • “There is a good side of being a witch. And that convinced me wholeheartedly … if you're saying it's good, if you're saying it's light and love … I'll trust you.” – Ashley (25:35)
• Real supernatural results (e.g., manifesting money) caused Ashley to plunge further into the occult.

---

2. Deception, Counterfeit “Light,” and Spiritual Bondage (29:14–42:56)

• Madison and Ashley discuss how New Age spirituality and occult practices offer enticing but false promises (instant gratification, control, self-deification).
  • “The reason that people love the New Age is because it requires no patience. … You can get whatever you want, whenever you want.” – Ashley (29:48)
  • “The devil doesn’t give anything for free. Jesus does.” – Ashley (40:56)
• New Age is shown to be a counterfeit for the fruit of the Spirit and the freedom found in Christ, imitating fulfillment but resulting in anxiety, depression, and spiritual darkness.
• Ashley details the personal cost: intense spiritual torment, sleep paralysis, paralyzing anxiety, unsuccessful attempts to “push through” as advised by occult mentors.
  • “You will kill yourself trying to find it. … It's by the grace of God that I'm still here.” – Ashley (42:32)

---

3. The Breaking Point: Encountering Jesus (46:21–57:44)

• Turning point: Amid suicidal despair, Ashley had a supernatural experience after a simple, desperate prayer ("If you’re real, prove it"), immediately followed by a truck carrying a giant cross appearing in front of her.
  • “God, there’s no way you’re real … I’m going to give you one chance. If you’re real, prove it.” – Ashley (47:48)
• A Christian friend, Alexa, lovingly pursued Ashley, praying prophetically over private struggles Ashley had never confessed, which powerfully demonstrated God’s personal knowledge and presence.
  • “She starts praying over the secrets of my heart…” – Ashley (51:37)
• Ashley’s personal surrender—just whispering "Jesus"—led to an immediate sense of deliverance and peace, physical sensations of being held, and a rapid, total rejection of her former lifestyle (alcohol, drugs, pornography, witchcraft).

---

4. Deliverance & Walking in New Identity (57:44–62:22)

• Friends gathered to pray and remove all occult items from Ashley’s home. Spiritual attacks (sleep paralysis, demonic encounters) ended immediately.
  • “I never saw another thing. I never heard another thing. I never had another bit of sleep paralysis, like, broke off me.” – Ashley (57:50)
• The freedom was holistic: not just outward behaviors, but freedom from shame, addiction, spiritual torment, and false identity.
• Ashley stresses true freedom is found in surrender: “Everything that I had searched for was in surrender, but I didn’t know.”

---

5. Discernment: Recognizing and Resisting the Enemy’s Lies (66:03–77:34)

• Guarding against deception: The enemy’s primary strategy is to distort truth and offer counterfeits that appeal to self—"self-care," "self-love," "manifesting," etc.
  • “Everything that is satanic and worldly and demonic is all about you… such a twist of what is true.” – Madison (61:24)
• Submission to God is the only way to resist the enemy; spiritual discernment comes from deep knowledge of God's Word:
  • “You’ve got to have spiritual discernment. And the only way that you can discern evil is to know the truth.” – Ashley (67:23)
• Not all spiritual struggles are “demons”—sometimes it’s unrepentant sin, bitterness, or the flesh. Discernment is needed to not attribute all problems to demons, but also not ignore the existence of real spiritual warfare.

---

6. Practical Steps for Walking in Freedom (62:22–70:00; 74:40–77:34)

• For those struggling: Ashley advises honest self-reflection (“Why do I need this?”), inviting God to reveal brokenness, and surrendering control.
  • “Have the confidence to go deeply inward and ask the Lord, show me the truth. What’s the truth? Show me the truth.” – Ashley (63:46)
• Spiritual victory: Comes not through formulas or striving, but through the authority of Jesus, partnership with the Holy Spirit, and deep community with other believers.
  • “You can’t fight a spiritual battle with worldly weapons … you have to fight a spiritual battle with spiritual weapons, with the word of God, with the people of God, with the spirit of God.” – Madison (68:11)
• Balance is key: Avoid both unhealthy obsession with the demonic and naïve ignorance of spiritual realities.
  • “Neither of those extremes give you a sound mind.” – Ashley (74:41)
  • “You can’t cast out your flesh and you can’t disciple out a demon. So know the difference.” – Ashley (75:57)

---

Notable Quotes & Key Moments

• On the cost of evil:
  • “The devil doesn’t give anything for free. Jesus does. … The devil will always take more than you’re bargaining to give.” – Ashley (40:56)
• On false spiritual identities:
  • “We have to be so careful anytime we say the words ‘I am’ and then attach something to it. ... Everything we attach to our ‘I am’ statement is coming from the Bible.” – Madison (21:17)
• On discernment:
  • “If you are void of this Word, if you’re void of the knowledge and wisdom that comes from this Word, you will be void in discernment.” – Ashley (67:23)
• On spiritual authority:
  • “We’re not fighting for victory, we’re fighting from victory.” – Madison (78:26)
  • “A born again believer cannot be owned by a demon. ... They can be oppressed and they can be influenced heavily, even physically... but possessed? No.” – Ashley (79:16)
• On the power of Jesus’ name:
  • “All these things that you did in this demonic, spiritual realm ... you had never even felt close to what you felt when you just spoke the name of Jesus.” – Madison (57:50)
• On overcoming:
  • “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” – Madison (66:03)
• Encouragement for the hopeless:
  • “He who can live in you is greater than he who does live in the world in which you are living right now.” – Ashley (63:45)
• On finding balance:
  • “Believing that everything is a demon does not give you a sound mind. And believing that nothing is a demon while being actively infiltrated by them does not give you a sound mind either.” – Ashley (74:41)

---

Timeline of Key Segments

• [03:19–06:06] – Ashley describes her journey from church rebellion to New Age practices.
• [17:15–28:23] – The allure of zodiac signs, astrology, and the “good witch” narrative.
• [29:14–42:56] – How New Age deceives and how the bondage manifests (anxiety, panic, sleep paralysis).
• [46:21–57:44] – Radical deliverance: Ashley’s breaking point, prayer, divine confirmation, spiritual rescue.
• [66:03–77:34] – Discernment, resisting evil, and how to develop spiritual defense through submission and the Word.
• [74:40–77:34] – Balance between spiritual vigilance and peace; prioritizing sound doctrine and the authority of Christ.
• [81:45–87:39] – Ashley’s prayer for freedom and salvation over listeners.

---

Final Takeaways

• New Age and witchcraft practices are often normalized, presented as “innocent” or “enlightening,” but ultimately counterfeit the true love, joy, and peace that comes from God.
• Spiritual bondage often masquerades as freedom; real freedom is only found in surrendering to Christ.
• Identity should be rooted in God’s truth—not personality tests, astrology, or other spiritual systems.
• Deliverance and healing are possible, no matter how deep one is in spiritual bondage.
• The devil is cunning but not creative—his strategies always twist truth and deliver fleeting “gains” with hidden costs.
• Followers of Christ should guard every area of life, submit fully to God, rely on His Word, know the difference between spiritual warfare and personal responsibility, and walk in confidence of Christ’s victory.

---

Closing Prayer (81:50–87:39)

Ashley ends with a powerful, Spirit-filled prayer for deliverance, freedom from fear, and salvation—inviting listeners to surrender to Jesus in their own words and receive the Holy Spirit, emphasizing that all victory has already been won by Christ.

---

If you’re wrestling with spiritual confusion, bondage, or simply longing for deeper truth, this episode offers an honest, compassionate, and hope-filled path forward—rooted in wisdom, biblical truth, and the testimony of radical transformation.

Transcript

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Stay True podcast is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

[Commercial Announcer]

Back to school is better With Family Freedom from T Mobile we'll pay off four phones up to $3200 and give you four free phones or all on America's largest 5G network. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com familyfreedom. Up to $800 per line via virtual prepaid card. Typically takes 15 days. Free phones via 24 monthly bill credits with finance agreement eg Apple iPhone 16128 gigabyte 8, 2999 eligible trade in eg iPhone 11 Pro for well qualified credits end and balance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel contact T Mobile.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

You were once a witch.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah. I remember driving home and I said, God, there's no way you're real. I'm gonna give you one chance. If you're real, prove it.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Why is New Age spirituality dangerous and a counterfeit of true freedom and real truth?

[Ashley Jones]

She was like, all of this is the reason that you've been feeling this way. All this witchcraft. She's pointing at my altar, my crystals, my tarot cards, all of that. And she's like, this is why.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

How did you break free from witchcraft? How did you break free from that satanic oppression?

[Ashley Jones]

If you're void of the knowledge and wisdom that comes from this word, you will be void in discernment. You gotta have self spiritual discernment. And the only way that you can discern evil is to know the truth.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

The enemy runs the same play he's playing on this lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Do you think that the Enneagram is demonic?

[Ashley Jones]

Yes. Okay, here's where my brain's going. I think you tried to really emphasize the third story to make it sound like a lie, but it was actually true. Am I right? Correct. Well, when you start talking about a deranged person, I'm like, you've either told this a billion times or you just made that up.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

What's up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of Stay True podcast. I'm your host, Madison Pruitt Trout, and I am here with the very lovely Ashley Jones.

[Ashley Jones]

Hi friends.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I'm so excited, you guys. Honestly, I have not been this excited about a podcast in A while. No offense to everyone else that I've been around.

[Ashley Jones]

Oh my God.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And I just am so pumped because what we're going to be talking about today fires me up. But also, this is our first time meeting.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Which is crazy cuz I definitely feel like I've seen you from afar with a lot of. I mean, you hung out with Janine.

[Ashley Jones]

Right? You went on her podcast, Friends. I know of you very, very strongly. I mean, you have spoken at Liberty. I live right there. So know of you. Excited. This is going to be really good.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Here we are. I'm so, so excited. But Ashley is going to get into her testimony in a second. But you have a pretty, pretty unbelievable story. Like, honestly, one like I've never heard. And so I'm really excited for you guys to hear about it. But you are a wife, a mom.

[Ashley Jones]

I'm not a mom yet.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Not a mom yet. Oh, I'm prophesying.

[Ashley Jones]

She might be.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

She might be. I'm prophesying. Well, this is exciting. Okay, so part of your story is that you were once a witch, which sounds so cool, crazy and intense. But I think a lot of people, like, don't even realize that it's actually pretty common.

[Ashley Jones]

Oh, it's so common.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So I would love to just know, how does someone become a witch? And when they are a witch, is it like a known thing? Do people around you know that you're a witch?

[Ashley Jones]

Well, I like that you said that. It's really common. And one reason for that is because when people are in witchcraft and actively practicing as a witch, they wouldn't call themselves that. It's something that I walked in pretty pridefully. But a lot of people don't actually even know that that's what they're doing. And so, yeah, I think it's so easy to get bought into the whole New age culture and witchcraft because all of it looks so air quotes innocent. It looks trendy, it looks attractive. It's all a counterfeit. And so when our soul is seeking the one who created it, we're seeking the fruit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithless, jealous self control. The new age has a counterfeit for every single one of those things. And so it looks really enticing. So it starts off with things that you would think are no big deal.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow. And how did you get involved? Like, what was your story leading up to that decision?

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah, so I grew up in the church. I grew up in a pretty legalistic type of denomination. I did not feel at home with the church. I felt like the rebel of the building. And I wasn't doing anything crazy. I was 12 and 13, but. But just not living this, like, super black and white lifestyle. I just didn't feel like I fit in at all. And looking back on it now, I can see why. But I was about 12 to 13, and I got into a relationship, which sounds bizarre because it's like, girl, you were 12. 12. But I got into a relationship really, really early, and it very quickly started to become very secular. The. He was way more mature in his brain than he was in his age. And so we were doing things at a very young age that people wouldn't be practically doing until they're like, 17, 18. But I was intertwined with, like, drinking and smoking and, you know, lost my virginity when I was 14, almost 15. And so I was like, well, the church cannot be a place for me anymore because I am now way out there, and they would never accept that, the things that I'm doing. And so I left the church. It was like, two years after that that our relationships. Relationship started to be really abusive in, like, every way. It Physically, sexually, emotionally, mentally, verbally, in every single way. And I really just felt like I had lost my identity in multiple things. Like, I. I grew up in the church. I was like, oh, I'm a church girl. I'm a Christian. And then I was like, wait, I don't fit in there anymore. And then I put my identity in this boy. And. And then I'm like, wait, this doesn't feel safe. Like, I can't put my identity in this anymore. So, like, who am I? So it was about 15, around 15, that I started searching, like, what else can I put my identity in? Who else can I be? And that's kind of when I started to dive into all of that stuff.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow, that is so interesting how it starts with, like, little sins, and then it just keeps snowballing.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And I've. I mean, I've seen that in my own life. It never led to, you know, becoming a witch, but there were things that I gave the Enemy a foothold in my life. And it's just like sin keeps growing until you cut it off.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So it's so. That's so interesting, and I'm really excited to dive in. And in this episode, I want to address, like, satanic lies that so many of us believe, the strongholds, the oppression, demonic oppression that so many of us are faced with. I mean, I even have believer friends that have told me, you know, that they feel like the Enemy has, you know, a grip around their neck and that they are pressed against the wall and that they feel just so oppressed and attacked. And this is something that so many people are struggling with, whether it be they are strong believers and they just feel attacked and oppressed by the enemy and, you know, just like the demonic sphere and spiritual realm. And then I feel like there's a whole nother sector of people that are playing with these things and don't even realize that they're demonic and that they're earthly and that they are keeping themselves from being able to be intimate with God, but also like giving Satan access to everything in their life. And so I am just pumped to dive in. For those of you who are listening, we are in the middle of the Dare to Be True series, which is super exciting. Dare to Be True is my new book coming out. And honestly, the concept of. And the topic we're gonna be talking about today is kind of what made me want to write this book, which is all about how to defeat the lies that are binding you and how to find the truth that frees you. So many of us are bound by lies and we don't even know it. And we have given Satan access to things in our life that we're not even aware of. And it's just slowly killing us and it's robbing us of the life that God wants to give us. And so I am so pumped to dive in. But we have been starting all of the Dare to Be True series episodes. I'm looking at Ashley's face because I gave her. I gave her a little. I gave her a little bit. Like right before I was like, we're gonna do truth or dare. And I'm like, but choose dare.

[Ashley Jones]

And she's like.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And then I'm like, nevermind, choose what you wanna choose.

[Ashley Jones]

And she goes, well, now I feel like I'm like, now I'm gonna be cotton candy. If I don't choose dare, I'm gonna obviously have to choose it.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

You can totally choose whatever you want. Because I couldn't even explain. I have to read to you what the game is. Cause I don't. My team prepares these. So I had. I don't even know what this is going to say, but we do Truth or Dare at the beginning of all these episodes. And the heart behind it is my book is divided into two parts, truth and dare. Because I believe that as scripture talks, it takes both faith and action. It takes both believing the truth, but then following the truth and living out.

[Ashley Jones]

The truth emoji Moment from Mark, who writes, I just want to thank you for making GLP1s affordable. What would have been over $1,000 a month is just $99 a month with Mochi. Money shouldn't be a barrier to healthy weight. Three months in and I have smaller jeans and a bigger wallet.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

You're the best.

[Ashley Jones]

Thanks, Mark. Hi, I'm Mayra Amit, founder of Mochi Health. To find your mochi moment, visit joinmochi.com.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Mark is a Mochi member, compensated for his story. I actually am, like, memorizing scripture right now. In the book of James, and it talks about in James, chapter two, it's like, oh, you believe there's one God. Good. Even the demons believe that and shudder. And I'm like, oh, my gosh. But the whole thing that I take away from that verse is like, it's one thing to believe it, but it's another thing to follow it. And so that's why it takes truth and error. So this is the sanctified version of truth or dare. Because I don't know about you, but when I was in high school, truth or dare was like, not holy.

[Ashley Jones]

It's a scary place.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

It's a scary place to go. So this is a good truth or dare. So, Ashley, I'm asking you, truth or dare?

[Ashley Jones]

This is me pulling my big girl pants up and I'm saying dare.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Okay. I really didn't know what she was going to choose. Okay, so this is the dare game. Share three stories based on your two truths and a lie prompt. So you have been given prompts on your card for those of you who aren't watching. We have cards in front of us and the other person has to guess which story is a lie.

[Ashley Jones]

Okay, so we gotta, like, really think.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Cause I don't know what my prompts are. I'm about to look. So I'm gonna give you, like, let's have. Let's take 30 seconds to read our prompts, and then I can go first so I share the things and then you guess.

[Ashley Jones]

Okay.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And then we'll flip flop.

[Ashley Jones]

Got it.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I was like, let me make sure I understand how to play this game.

[Ashley Jones]

This is gonna take some brain power.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So one time when I was playing basketball, I dove for a loose ball and I dove into the scores table. I don't know if you know what the scores table is. And as I dove in, I broke my nose. And I went up to my dad and I was like, dad, I broke my nose. My nose is, like, crooked. It's bleeding. And he was like, suck it up. Keep playing. And so I had to keep playing the rest of the game with a broken nose.

[Ashley Jones]

Okay.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And then one time when I was playing volleyball, and we ended up. This is a lot about sports. My goodness. One time when I was playing volleyball, we ended up going all the way to the finals, and we won the championship game, and then I got voted mvp. Love that for me.

[Ashley Jones]

Love.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And another time. Okay, no, this isn't about sports. So this one time, I was on a date. This is not with my husband. This is a previous boy went on a date. And we were at the mall, and we heard what sounded like gunshots. And everybody started screaming, there's a gun. And everyone started sprinting. And I was curious, so I turned around, and I'm like, what's going on? But then I felt like I had to run out because clearly there was gunshots. But then later, we found out that it was just a deranged person hitting their skateboard against the wall.

[Ashley Jones]

Great. Okay. All right. Okay.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Now you have to guess which one's a lie.

[Ashley Jones]

Okay. The first one's true.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yes.

[Ashley Jones]

Okay, here's where my brain's going. I think you tried to really emphasize the third story to make it sound like a lie, but it was actually true. Am I right?

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Correct.

[Ashley Jones]

Nice.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

This is my problem was the lie. Like, I couldn't. I couldn't keep going with the lie. I was like, yeah, I played volleyball. I won a championship. I got mvp. I'm like. I didn't know what else to say.

[Ashley Jones]

So that when you start talking about a deranged person, I'm like, you've either told this a billion times or you just made that up.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Exactly. Wow. That's good. You got that.

[Ashley Jones]

Okay. I'm impressed. So one time before my pre. My. Before my first boyfriend, I was in middle school, I went to my grandmother's house for lunch. She had baked an entire, like, souffle. Souffle. She had baked an entire spread of all these goodies, whatever. Had invited my friends over. I get to the event where all of my friends are. I'm so excited, because this had been planned for weeks. I get in there, and there's a boy there. The only boy that was in the whole room. I didn't invite this man, and I had known him from my school. Well, I had told my mom previously that he had been freaking me out a little bit, and she knew his mother. I show up to this thing. He's there, and I'm really nervous because he's kind of strange. You Know, a little strange. And he didn't talk to me the entire time. I didn't speak to him the entire time. No one spoke to him. It was kind of like he wasn't really there. He definitely wasn't supposed to be there. And I left and never saw him again. He never came back to school again. And I felt like I maybe ruined this kid's life and still don't know what happened.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

What I'm really invested in the story. If that was made up, that was incredible.

[Ashley Jones]

Okay, so then there was this one time where I. My husband loves sushi. Loves.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Same loves.

[Ashley Jones]

We actually just talked about this on the way over here. Loves it. And I'm a texture person. I can't. Certain things, they just really drive me. I can't. And sushi is one of them. So we sat down at an Asian restaurant. He orders this big thing of sushi, all kinds of different varieties. And he's like, just try this one. Just the salmon one. Like, you'll love it. I'm thinking, salmon's like the McDonald's chicken nuggets of sushi. And I'm like, all right. I try it. I literally spit it out on the plate. It's like our first date. Well, not our first date. That's a lie. That's a lie. I spit it out in front of him, and I'm like, he's gonna hate me for life.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

He's gonna never ask me again, and.

[Ashley Jones]

I never will eat sushi now. And I literally do not like it. I knew I wasn't gonna like it. Okay, so one time, I was on the mountain in where we live, we have this thing called the Parkway. Does the Parkway run through here in Tennessee? I don't know anything about the Parkway. Okay, so we have this thing called the Parkway where I live. And they. It's just this beautiful scenic road, goes all up through the mountains. I love to spend time with Jesus there. And I got up to the top of a mountain, and I felt the Lord tell me, like, just go hike. Like, come talk to me. Go hiking. And I was like, oh, beautiful. I hate to hike. I'm not into this, but I will. So I start walking. I've just got my Bible. I've got my phone. However, it's on a time where I am consecrating from my phone. So I have it, but it's off. I'm trying my hardest not to turn it on, but for safety reasons, I have it. I'm walking. It's been, like, an hour, and I start. I'M just talking to the Lord. I'm praising, I'm worshiping, and I realize I don't know where I am. I have no idea where I am. And I've been up here for a minute, and it starts to get dark. I'm freaking out. I'm panicking. Turn my phone on because I don't know where I am, and I don't have service because I'm in the middle of nowhere by myself. It's starting to get dark, and it takes me, like, three hours to find my way back to the car.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Okay, these were amazing. I need to go back and redo mine. I don't even know. I don't even know. Okay, I feel like the middle one is true sushi. That was a true story. Okay. That was the only one I was pretty confident in. First one about the boy that you haven't talked to or seen since that moment. I feel like that one. Was the lie true?

[Ashley Jones]

It was true. No, it was. No, it was a lie. That was bad wording. That was a lie.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Okay. The only reason was because.

[Ashley Jones]

Because I said flu. Souffle. Souffle.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Souffle.

[Ashley Jones]

And then I was gonna say, like, never mind. Let me start over. Let me pick a different one. But then you knew it was a lie. Had to go with it.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That was the only reason, because that was pretty good.

[Ashley Jones]

I mean, imagine that.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I think you're actually a pretty good. A pretty good liar.

[Ashley Jones]

Pretty good liar.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I'm a pretty good liar.

[Ashley Jones]

Great.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

No, I. I feel like I'm a good actress sometimes, which, you know, feel like. I feel like that's where I can really embrace the.

[Ashley Jones]

Like, I'm not.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I used to want to be an actress, but, you know, that's a pretty good story. You know, hold another story.

[Ashley Jones]

Pretty good.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That was a fun little game because we're talking about lies, obviously, we're talking about the enemy's lies. So we're. We're done with our truth. I'm impressed.

[Ashley Jones]

You win.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I want to get into more of. Okay. You were talking about right before we played the game, that it started around 15 for you. You were searching for happiness, and just like you wanted to go deeper into something meaningful, you felt cut off by the church. You didn't feel like that was your place anymore. So what did it start? What was it for you? That was kind of like the doorway into witchcraft.

[Ashley Jones]

Zodiac signs was the first one because it was so widely accepted by everyone. People in the church, people in my friend group, people at school, adults. Like, everyone. I mean, everyone Knows their zodiac sign. I grew up in the 90s with, like, Capricorn shirts, and, like, you know, that's just so widely accepted. So I was like, okay, great. What does that actually mean? Like, my mom's been buying me Capricorn stuff since I was six. Like, what is that? And so once I started to look into it, I'm like, whoa, this is so accurate. Like, blowing my mind how accurate it was. And I was bought in. I was like, oh, there's, like, something real behind this stuff. Like, that is too accurate it to be made up, which it's not made up. It is accurate. There's a reason. But that was definitely the. The opening door for me.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow. So are you saying and believe that zodiac astrology is demonic?

[Ashley Jones]

100.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah. Do you think that the Enneagram is demonic?

[Ashley Jones]

Yes.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Okay. I want to know more, because I used to. Okay, so I used to love the Enneagram, and I feel like, honestly. Honestly, a lot of, like, churches, even a lot big into the Enneagram.

[Ashley Jones]

There's. You can find a Bible study at the Dollar General with the Enneagram in it.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah, exactly. I was for sure one of the. Because it was like, for the first time, I was like, oh, enfj. That doesn't describe me, but the Enneagram describes me.

[Ashley Jones]

I'm an eight.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And I was like, fully.

[Ashley Jones]

Oh, no way. We were both the same. Any of you. You're an eight. I was an eight.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I was an eight. Yeah. What are we saying? We are not claiming our identity.

[Ashley Jones]

I'm a child.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Amen. I am a child of God. Okay, but tell me, why is the Enneagram demonic? And because. Yeah, I just feel like people have different point of views.

[Ashley Jones]

Sure. I think if you look at anything at its origin, you can quickly find out what it is. And so the origin of the Enneagram is where we as Christians need to. And I say this, like, humbly, because I was also deceived by it. But I don't think it takes a lot of discernment at all to know about the origin and be like, oh, that's not good.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Right.

[Ashley Jones]

So basically, the origin of the Enneagram was this father who was a very spiritual man. His name was Oscar. He went on a mystic high. Kind of like, you hear people talking about, like, ayahuasca and that kind of stuff. It was something similar. He went on a mystic high and wanted to embrace a personality trait kind of quiz like Myers Briggs, whatever, but make it spiritual. And so he started to speak to what are called Spirit gods. I'm sure we'll get into that at some point. Um, but he would talk to these spirit guides, and they would tell him what to write down. This was called automatic writing. Still is automatic writing, which means the spirit is literally writing for you. Your hand is a vessel for the demonic. This is never from, like, the Holy Spirit. If you look up automatic writing, it is. It is so demonic. It is so demonic. And so that's how he did it. He wrote down all these different personality traits because a demon was telling him how to transcribe what this demon had been witnessing and following in humanity for thousands of years. And of course, it's so accurate because these demons have been watching us for thousands of years. So that's where it came from.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That is wild. Surprise. I have really exciting news. Stay True Podcast is going live. Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 8, at Rocket Town in Nashville, Tennessee. It is going to be an incredible night filled with worship, special guests, and, yes, a live recording of the Stay True Podcast right in the room with.

[Ashley Jones]

With you.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I have been wanting to do this for so long, and I'm truly so excited to see how the Lord is going to move. This is more than just a podcast event. It is a night to gather, talk about God's truth, worship, be a part of something bigger than yourself, and dive deep into conversations that matter. I cannot wait to see so many of your faces, meet you in person, and experience this night together. So grab your friends, get your tickets with the link in my bio, and join me in Nashville on November 8th for Stay True Podcast Live. I'll see you guys there. And I've heard it, too. Just that we always have to be so careful anytime we say the words I am and then attach something to it.

[Ashley Jones]

Yes, we do.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And just make sure that as believers, everything we attach to our I am statement is coming from the Bible, because that is what we believe to be truth. That is truth. And so being so careful, because I. I used to say, and I even just like, took it back to when I used to say it of I am an enneagram8. And I would attach that to my identity and take on that, I mean, demonic identity, and be like, this is who I am. And that's exactly what the why. Why it exists, why the enemy, why Satan is behind, like, crafting all of these things so that people take on these identities of. You know, I don't even know all the astrology, zodiac, but, like, I am this sign or this is my whatever. And, like, here's my Birth this. And I don't even know all the things. I never got into that, but I definitely got into the Enneagram. So that is just so interesting. And I think just a reminder for people that the spiritual realm, like, we don't understand how important it is for us to have an awareness of what is happening in the spiritual realm. Like, we. We're so caught up in, like this physical world of what we can see in the temporary right here, right now, that we don't realize that the spiritual realm is realer and weightier than the physical realm of what we see and what we do in the day to day. Because there is a literal war being waged over our soul. And there's so much happening in the spiritual realm.

[Ashley Jones]

And.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And that's why we have to be so aware of it and make sure that we have the Holy Spirit that is guiding us and directing us into the truth. And so for you, you started getting involved with the zodiac signs, you started getting involved in astrology, and then where did it go from there? And what was kind of like the big moment where you were like, I am a witch.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah, well, I think I love what you said. Just, it's so important. And I started to take on the identities with the I am statements, and it's. It turned into just a slew of horrible, deep, dark things really quickly. So, like, and I know that's not everyone's story, but it's a lot of people's story. And so I think it's like, it's the same concept of like, oh, just have one drink. And it's like, well, yeah, and a lot of people's story is that one drink can just be one drink. But a lot of people's story is that one drink led them into alcoholism really fast. And that was my story with witchcraft. So I started with these I am statements, but my zodiac signs, birth charts, I would go deep into like the moon phases and different kinds of things, of just finding out more of who I was. So I thought. And that led into kind of just like the. More in my brain, and this isn't real life, but in my brain, how I understood it was like there was just like these more innocent things that weren't going to hurt me. And then there was like the really dark, scary things that I didn't. I don't want to touch that stuff. And so I'm still like, venturing into the innocent, quote unquote things like crystals and manifestation and the law of attraction and those types of things that I thought okay, If I stay in the realm of this, like, it's not dark. It's not bad. Like, I'm not hurting anyone. And so that just. It so quickly started to enthrall me in a way where I was like, why does no one talk about how real this is? Like, I literally. I mean, the manifestation thing that went on for so long up until I got saved was manifesting my dream, life dream. And it was all spoken statements. I love that you talked about that. It's. The word says that the power of life and death is in the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. That's. It is so spiritual. So anyway, I was getting so enthralled and so just, like, enamored with the power that was in this stuff that it quickly became not enough. Because I was like, if I can make this man love me, this. This boyfriend who was abusing me, which I did through manifestation, the law of attraction, that kind of stuff. If I can protect myself from any kind of bad karma or anything with crystals, which I did, if I can X, Y, and Z, I know there's more out there because I. I don't do it. I don't know everything. I was at least humble enough to say I didn't know everything, but naive enough to want to go no more. And so I started to ask my grandmother, who. She had been really spiritual my whole life. I had only ever talked to her about certain things in my life, certain things that would happen to me that didn't seem like they were normal for other people, or at least they didn't talk about them. Like, I would walk into a room and be able to, like, feel things, and I'd be like, do y' all feel weird in here? My friends are like, what are you talking about? I'm like, okay, this doesn't happen to anyone else. Like, I'm seeing stuff. Y' all don't see this stuff. Like. And so my grandmother, she would talk about having these experiences, too. And so I came to her one day, and I was like, hey, Nana. Like, what do you do? Like, what are you. And she's like, what are you asking? It's. It's almost like she had been waiting for me to, like, come to her with this. And she had been. And I was like, well, you know, the church isn't working for me. My relationship is so here nor there. Half the time. I'm not happy in it. It's not good. I don't know who I am or what my identity is. And she Was like, oh, I've been waiting for you to ask me. I'm like, okay, great. Well, what is it? She's like, well, I'm a good witch. And I immediately, I was like, well, no, no, no, Nana. I don't, you know, witch. Like, I don't know. You know, it sounded like a lot for me, but then she was like, no, no, let me explain. I don't do anything that would harm anybody. I do it all for light and love. There's Everything that I do is from a place of radiant love. I'm like, okay, okay, tell me more. Like, I was just, like. Was starting to understand. What she was saying was that there is a good side of being a witch. And that convinced me wholeheartedly because she told me, if you want more power, if you want more access, more spiritual territory, you're gonna have to step into deeper things. And I was like, okay, if you're saying it's good, if you're saying it's light and love, if you're saying that, you know, Satan masquerades as an angel of light, if you're telling me that it's good, okay, I'll trust you. And so she gave me my first spell book when I was 15, and it said good spells and fortunes on it. So even the book said good light. All of it is so just covered in deceit. But I took it home, and I was like, great. The first spell I remember ever doing was a money spell on a full moon where you would go put money under your front door mat, you would say a spell, and during the full moon, you would say the spell, put the money out there. And the longer that you waited, the more money would show up underneath your doormat.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

What?

[Ashley Jones]

And I went in skeptical. I was like, there's literally no way on God's green earth that that is real. And I was like, nana, this is a little crazy. So I'm like, okay, well, I'm doing it. And she was like, I'm gonna be manifesting for you. I remember texting her, clear as day, 15 years old. I'm like, I'm doing it tonight. A month went by. I had almost forgotten about it, and when I went to go check under the mat, there was, like, a hundred more dollars there than what I had put there. And I immediately was like, this is real, and I have the power to do whatever I want. And I went so far deep after that.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow. Oh, I'm learning so much. Wow. Okay, so that is so interesting. So, okay, so you're. Are you saying that there are some people that also are in it, but don't know that they're in it. Like they, they wouldn't say I'm a witch, but they're doing all of the practices that people who say that they're witches do.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah. And I mean, there's a million names for a witch. If you're just. We're just being black and white. I mean, scripture is very clear that there is true love and light and then there is deceptive light and a counterfeit love. There's no in between. But I mean, they give a million labels like faith healer and not in the way of like believing that we can lay hands in Jesus name. Not in that way. But there's, there's a million light worker, but it's all witchcraft. So call it what you want, but it is what it is.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Like New age spirituality. For example, when I was recently at a restaurant and I was like sharing the gospel with, with my waiter, he was like, oh, I'm spiritual. Like, I don't. I already. I'm good. I'm spiritual. And I was like, tell me more. Like, what, what are you spiritual for? Where is the spirituality coming from? And I'm asking him about this and it was just, it was so interesting hearing what he had to say. But tell me, like, why. Why is New Age spirituality dangerous and a counterfeit of true freedom and real truth?

[Ashley Jones]

So I think, and I often say this, I think one of the fruit of the spirit that they get, they have a really hard time counterfeiting is patience. The reason that people love the New Age is because it requires no patience.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

You can get whatever you want, whenever you want right now, if you want it. And that, I think is the most enticing thing for people that. I think it was Haiti that had this huge revival recently. That Haiti is a very heavily, heavily witchcraft influenced country. They always have been. They have witch doctors. And it's, it's really, really, really heavy down there. And I remember hearing or reading maybe an article that they had just gone through one of the biggest revivals, people coming to Christ left and right. And what basically what had happened was somebody had gotten interviewed that lived there and that loved the Lord and had repented and turned from this life of witchcraft. And they asked them, why? Why were you doing that? Like, what is the appeal? Why is your country so overrun with witchcraft?

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Stay true. Podcast is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to See if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

[Ashley Jones]

And they say because voodoo works quickly.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

It works faster than God does. And that is so enticing for so many people. Because the Lord, like we can, we can plan our way, but the Lord establishes our steps. It is his timing. It is completely in his will and his sovereignty that he gives good gifts to us, to those who love him. Witchcraft. Whatever you want now, if you want it. So I think that's the most enticing thing for people.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Totally. Hey guys, can we just chat for a second? You all know how important it is to me to live with intention. From the content I consume to the people I surround myself with. I always want to make choices that align with my faith and my values. But honestly, it can be really hard to do that when it comes to the products we buy. It feels like to get high quality products, we're forced to compromise our values and support companies that don't support us. That's why I was so incredibly excited when I found out about Neeme Skin Care. Let's be real. The beauty industry can be overwhelming. It's full of questionable ingredients and frankly, it's often run by companies that promote a culture that goes against everything I stand for. Nimi is such a breath of fresh air. They're a company that is proudly conservative, owned and operated. And they've made it so simple, taken all the guesswork out of having clean, healthy skincare that truly delivers. NEEME offers simple, effective skincare routines that combat the effects of aging. Here's the real reason I'm so proud to tell you guys about them. Neeme is proudly American, Christian owned and built on the timeless values of faith, family and freedom. It feels so good to finally support a company that is unapologetic about what they believe. This is Skincare. For those of us who want our choices to honor our values, this is skincare without compromise. So here's what I want you to do. Go to nimi skincare.com that's nimi skincare.com stop compromising on your skin care. With Nimi, you're not just getting incredible, glowing skin. You're partnering with a company you can truly feel good about supporting. It's so interesting too, because. And I talk about this, my book, but how the enemy runs the same play like he's. He's cunning, but he's not creative. He runs the same play again and again. And again. And so you go all the way back to the garden and you see this exchange between the serpent and Eve. And he's, he's playing on this in First John 2 talks about it too. That our greatest battles that we have to fight are inward of this lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. And you see Satan come against them in the form of it says that she saw that the tree was good and it was pleasing to the eye and it was good for food. And so it's, it's, you know, he's tempting in those ways. It looks good, it will feel good, it'll stay, satisfy this craving. And then he goes on to like, eventually be like. And you'll be like God. Like, you'll have the wisdom of God. You don't need God. You can be like God. You can just play God. You can just be God. And it's so interesting because you see those same three lies, deceiving temptations come against us today of, you know, did God really say that? That's not really true. Like, that's not true. Oh, you won't die. It's not that big of a sin's not that big of a deal. It won't really hurt you that bad. It's just not, you know, and then it even, and then even speaking to the advantages of it, like you gain power and you can get, you can become whoever you want to be if you take this fruit, if you just take the bite. Which is so interesting because here you are today, an ex witch, and you have been delivered from that lifestyle. And now you get to stand on saying, I bought the lie, I took the bait and it didn't give me what. Or it gave me parts of what it promised, but then it left me enslaved. And I want to hear more of that testimony. But isn't it so interesting that he comes at all of us with the same. And he, he does it, he forms it in different packages. Like all of us are tempted in different ways, but it's appealing to the same desires. And we have to remember that he's. He's cunning, but he's not creative.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah, I want to read this scripture really quick. It's in Matthew chapter four. And it's where Jesus in the wilderness, he's being tempted by the devil. And it's literally like the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh. I'll just read a couple verses. But it says, and the tempter came and said to him, if you're the son of God command these stones to become loaves of bread. But he answered, it is written, men shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, if you're the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, he will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against the stone. I think this is interesting because the enemy is taking scripture and making it. He's twisting it, like exactly what he did in Genesis 3. He's like, oh, well, maybe this, but really this. Are you sure that that's really what it said, what he said? And so then he continues on. It says, jesus said to him, again it is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test again. The devil took him up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to them, all of these I will give to you if you will just fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, be gone, Satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve. And then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him. It's interesting because the devil wasn't offering him things he couldn't give. He is called the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of this world.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

We can inquire things with him and receive them because he does own them. He does have dominion over this world. And so where the Lord had the wisdom to combat this with scripture and to say, here is the truth, you may be able to offer this to me in real truth, but the ultimate truth is that I am the truth. There's nothing that you don't own that I don't give you permission to own. And I know what is written. I know the end. And so he had the wisdom. But do we have the wisdom to say, yeah, you can give that to me. You can give that to me. A counterfeit of all the things that my spirit is longing for. But do I have the patience to wait on God? Do I have the endurance to suffer through a trial? Or do I just want it right now, how I want it? That's the new age.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Gosh. Because you see it even in Hollywood. You see it in, like, some of, like, the biggest celebrities and in some of, like, even in thinking about how Satan himself was had built in musical instruments. And you think about our music industry today. And I think that's one of the biggest ways that the Enemy gets a foothold into so many of our lives is through the music that we're listening to, the movies and the shows and the books and the things that we're consuming and digesting and taking in, which is so interesting. That's so. It's so good because it. It is so true. And I talk about on this podcast a lot of the only way, like, when you believe the lie, you empower the liar, but when you believe the truth, you defeat the liar. And so you have to know the truth and you have to speak the truth to the lie. And the only way you can speak the truth to the lies, if you're in the truth, if you know, if you have a relationship with Jesus and if you're in the word of God, that's the only way we're going to be able to combat those lies which are going to come again. They may come in different ways, but they're going to come like, you know, like, he's. He's prowling around. He's constantly looking for ways to devour and to steal, kill, and destroy. And he hates us.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Because he. He was made by God, which I think is just so funny. I'm like, you're such a loser. Like, you. You were literally made by God and then you wanted to be God. Like, come on. The created can't become the Creator. Like, you. You created. Were created. You're never going to be as powerful as the Creator. But it's so funny that because he. He was damned to hell, like, now he wants to bring as many people as he can.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And it's. It's interesting. It talks about in Revelation, like, he. He's mad because he knows his time is short. And so he is. He has. He has a mission.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And we have to be aware. And what I want everyone to take away from this episode, too, is I don't want this to create an unhealthy fear. I want this to promote a healthy fear of the Lord. Like, I want. I want those who listen to be aware of the Enemy schemes, but also to be aware that we serve a God who's so much greater. Like you alluded to this. But Satan has to literally ask for permission. Like, he. He has no authority and power on his own, only what is given to him. And he was created by God. And literally every single encounter that a demon has with Jesus in the New Testament, they literally fall to the ground. They're tailored Terrified. They're literally terrified. And then they do what is commanded of them. If Jesus says go, they go. If Jesus says leave, they leave. And so I just, I. I do want to just pause really quick. If anybody's listening to this and is, like, shaking in their boots, like, afraid, I want to say, like, that fear has to go in Jesus name. Like, this is not to strike fear, but we do have to be aware because this stuff is real. And we can be deceived. Even not, like, so unknowingly we can be deceived. And so that's why it's really important to have these conversations. Okay, so now I want to get into your story and how, like, you're talking about. These things are real, and these things can give you a lot of what you want. Like, you can literally create a world in which you're loving for yourself. But then it's like, where does it go wrong? You know, it's like, okay, you're creating this stuff that you want, and then why for you, did you decide to turn away from that? Like, what was the turning point moment for you that you were like, this isn't enough. Even though I'm getting everything that I've manifested and everything that I want, there's still, like, not. I'm not being satisfied. What was that for you?

[Ashley Jones]

Well, I would say, just as a piece of advice to anybody, is that the devil doesn't give things for free. Jesus does. And so if you're getting anything from the devil, there's a cost. You're giving something. So there is. There is no. There is no fair trade with the devil.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's good. We say it one more time. Say it one more time, because that's really good. I'm like, it took me even a second.

[Ashley Jones]

The devil doesn't give anything for free. Jesus does. The gospel is free. You don't have to do anything to earn that. But the devil will always take more than you're bargaining to give. And so that was what was happening to me. I, you know, I was. At this point, I'm so deep. Like, I'm doing rituals, seances. I've got an altar in my living room to the demonic. I've got spirit guides. I'm having all of this, like, crazy, deep spiritual experience, and nobody could ever tell me it wasn't real. And no one can still tell me it's not real. I know that it's more real now than when I was actively in it.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

But I will say, you know, I started to experience all this spiritual Depth. And with that came the cost. And the cost was paralyzing anxiety, sleep paralysis every night, panic attacks every single night. I was depressed, I wouldn't eat for days. And, and the lie and the deception. Another one of the new age is they say, and I was being mentored by like highly ranked warlocks, witches and like these spiritual apostles they call themselves. Everything is counterfeit. But they would tell me like, you're just in a phase of resistance and if you push through this, you will become your most powerful self. You will reach your Christ consciousness. Another counterfeit, so blasphemous, so demonic. And that was, that was the goal, to open your third eye, align all your chakras and reach your Christ consciousness, which is the most powerful that you could be. And they were just telling me like, oh yeah, of course you have anxiety, of course you have depression, of course you can't eat, of course you can't sleep, of course you have panic attacks. Sleep process, yeah, for sure. You just gotta keep going, like, go deeper, do more.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

It's never what you bargain for.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

But you think there's no way out. And so you think that is the answer is to do more, Go harder, go deeper, search more. And the thing is like, you'll always come up empty. You're always going to come up empty. And everything they promise you is an empty promise because they are taking more than they are giving. You're not going to find the things you're looking for, but you will kill yourself trying to find it. And I really, I mean, it is by the grace of God that I'm still here.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow. Let's talk about a subject that it seems like our world wants us to ignore. Our hormones, hormone health impacts, everything. Our energy, mood, metabolism, sleep, even our skin. And when they're out of balance, you feel it. Fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, breakouts. So what if one scoop could fill in the gaps and keep you feeling your best? Would you give it a shot? That's why I started using Glow by Beam. It's a once daily hormone balancing blend for women that has made a huge improvement in my life. And you need to try it too. It contains 18 comprehensive active ingredients plus vitamins, minerals and natural antioxidants and added electrolytes for a hydration boost. It supports metabolism, immune function, collagen production and so much more. I found Glo to be the simplest way to keep up with my hormones, hydration and everything in between. Simply mix one scoop with 8 ounces of water, shake it, stir or froth and you're good to go. I've noticed a difference in my energy. Clearer skin and even better sleep. And the best part, it actually tastes so good. My favorite is the raspberry flavor. Over 40,000 women have trusted Glow by Beam to support their hormone health. And now it's your turn. GLOW is here to help bring you back to balance. Because balance isn't a luxury, it's essential for a limited time. Beam is offering my listeners up to 35% off Glow. Just visit shop beam.com stay true and use code stay true at checkout. That's shop b a m.com stay true and don't forget to use code Stay True for your exclusive discount. You said so many powerful things and so many things that I, I want to touch on. Because it is true that sin will always cost you so much more than you're willing to pay. It always over promises and under delivers. It never satisfies. It will feel good in a moment and it will give you what you want in a moment. But like you said, you will always come up empty and there will always be a cost. And going back to Genesis of what we were talking about a second ago is what's so funny is, is like this was literally first book in the Bible. I mean, this is like this is beginning, beginning, beginning. And it's this same play today. And you go back to the garden and it's like the enemy promises pleasure and power, and then when it's when they fall for it, what follows is not pleasure and power. What follows is shame. What follows is separation from each other and God. And that's what happens is it starts with a satanic lie and then it leads to sin, and then it leads to shame, and then it leads to separation from God and godly people. It's never, you never get what is dangled in front of you. Like, it's, there's always a. And that's what's so interesting is that Satan starts out as the tempter, but then he quickly turns accuser. It's like, hey, hey, hey, come on. This is really, really good. Like, it's what you're saying, hey, you'll get, you'll get, just push through. You'll get more powerful, you'll get more this, you'll get more that. And it's like you keep going, you keep getting deeper, you keep staying longer. And then what you find is the opposite. You feel shame, you feel depressed, you feel alone, you feel all of these things, which is just, it's so interesting and yet for so Many of us, we stay in it for so many of us, whether it's because, like, we keep. We just like, sin and we don't know, like, can I actually ever break free from this sin? Because part of me really likes having this relationship with sin, or the other part of it is we genuinely feel helpless and we don't know how to break free from it.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So what was that moment for you? How did you break free from witchcraft? How did you break free from that satanic oppression?

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah. So we'll fast forward many years. I'm 23, and I am, like I said, manifest in my dream life. Driving a luxury car, flying every other week, going to these crazy locations, have so much money, more than I know what to do with. I have a different boyfriend at this time. We're living together, have a nice house. Anything and everything that the world would think, think leads to happiness, I had it. And I was so depressed and so anxious, and I was at the lowest point of my life with the most qualification to be happy at a worldly standard. And so I had this girl who inquired to work with me in the business that I was doing, and I had no idea who she was. She was really chippy and cheery and happy, and I was not. And I was very angry, and I was depressed and just. Just dark. Like, I was dark. And so when I met her, I was like, I do not like you. I do not want to be around you. Everything about you annoys me. And it was the spirit in her annoying the spirits in me.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

But I, like, quickly was like, I don't know. I was really skeptical, but I was like, you know what? If you're gonna make me some more money, fine, whatever. You can work with me. So I started bringing her into the business. She's, like, wanting to be near me, and I cannot comprehend why, because we are like water and oil. We are not the same at all in any way. And she's just, like, pressing into me, and I'm like, I don't. What are you doing? Like, do you have an agenda? Like, what? We don't get along? And so it was like every time I was around her, I would remember feeling, like, so curious about her, but at the same time, like, I should not be near you. I do not want to be around you. And it was like my soul knew that the spirit that lived in her was what I actually needed. But the spirits that were truly occupying me were like, get away from that. It was an internal battle to be around her. And so I just Remember, like, she just pressed in and she loved me. Like, she loved me, and not in the way of, like. You know, a lot of people ask me all the time, they're like, well, how do you convert a witch? And I'm like, well, do you love her? Because if you don't, then there's no way you're gonna convert her. She loved me without trying to, like, be a salesperson of the Holy Spirit to me. Like, she just loved me. And I could never understand that because I hadn't felt that. Like I had been from abusive relationship to abandonment in relationship and just all this terrible things that I'm experiencing. But being around her convicted me because I had never seen that before. She didn't need anything from me. She didn't care. She just wanted to love me and be there for me. And it was so new to me. And so I just remember, I mean, I was at my lowest of my low. I had, like, had so much suicidal ideation. I was like, I don't want to be here anymore. I don't know how to get out of this. Everything they're telling me to do, I'm doing it. It's not working. I don't know how to escape this. And I just felt like I was gonna try and pray one time. I remember driving down the road and at this point in my life, and I have to be honest about this, this part, this is the most important part of my story. But I had been living in such a fog between the spiritual and the physical that sometimes I didn't know what was real and what wasn't. I mean, I was seeing stuff and hearing stuff every single day, seeing demons, hearing them every day. So I didn't know sometimes what was real and what wasn't. I remember driving home and I said, God, there's no way you're real. Because if you were real and if you actually loved me like the church told me you did, my life would not look this way. And I just remember being like, I'm going to give you one chance. I said, if you're real, prove it. And this truck pulled out in front of me. I was driving home, pulled right out in front of me. I had to slam on my brakes. And there was a trailer behind this truck with like probably a 15, 20 foot wooden cross on it. Pulled right out in front of me. As soon as I said that, I have chills. I was like, I will literally never ask that again. I don't care. Don't show me. I don't want to know. I'm done. I'm good. I drove home. I don't even remember what I was going to do, but I said, no, I'm done for the day. I'm going home. I drove home. I'm shook up. Like, I'm like, what is happening? I am just. There is so much war internally. Because here's the thing. The Lord knows when you're coming home. None of us can come to him without his spirit first drawing us in. So the Lord knows that the devil can also see that we kind of like understand that their need for discernment is. Is non existent because they are the force that we have to discern. And so they know when they're about to lose someone. They know. So I'm having this internal battle, like, heavy. I'm going home. I am panicked. I don't know why. I mean, I know why now, but I pick up the phone, I call her. Alexa is her name.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

I'm like, hey, I gotta talk to you about something. And she goes, okay, cool, what is it? And by the way, I never called her. I don't want to talk to her. So she was acting so chill. Props to her because I would have been jumping up and down. She's like, hey, what's up? And I'm like, I need to talk to you about something. She goes, what is it? I'm like, just Jesus. And that was the first time I had seen said his name out loud in probably since I was 12. Like, because when you're in the new age, for the most part, no one cares about Jesus. It's just God. It's the universe. Everybody believes in God to some capacity. I mean, even atheists. You have to have faith to be an atheist. So I just. I never said his name. Like, in saying his name out loud, I just started sobbing.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

I couldn't explain it to you. And it had been years since I had cried. Like, every bit of emotion was so locked up in me. Like, it felt unsafe. I felt unsafe all the time. And so I said, Jesus. And I just started sobbing. And I muted the phone because I'm too embarrassed. Like, there's no way I can show emotion to myself, much less anybody else. And she goes, hey, can I pray for you? And I'm like, okay, sure. I thought she was. You know, I dealt with a lot of religious people who are like, oh, I'll pray for you. And then they leave. And, you know, maybe they do, maybe they don't. And she was like, no, right now. And I'm like, this Is so weird. I said, okay, sure. I mute the phone. I'm sobbing. She starts praying. And she. To this day, it's the most prophetic thing I've ever heard in my life. She starts praying about the thoughts I'm hearing in my head, calling them out word by word. She starts praying over a pornography addiction that I had had for over seven years. She starts praying over the secrets of my heart. I want to read a scripture. Actually, we are in First Corinthians, chapter 14. I'm gonna read just really quickly, verses 24 and 25. And it says in, but if all prophesy and an unbeliever outsider enters, he is convicted by all and called to account by all. The secrets of his heart are disclosed. And so falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. And the scripture is talking about prophecy. I had never heard of prophecy. I had only heard of mediums and sidekicks. And I just thought, like, if you have that kind of power, it's from what I'm doing, not from whatever she's doing. And so she starts praying, man, and I am just undone. Like, she is undoing the knits and stitches in my heart, like, word by word, like, breaking me down. And I just remember being like, she knows something that I don't know. There is some kind of information that she's got that I do not have because I didn't even know the things that she's saying about me, but now that she's saying it, they're true. And I. I'm just sobbing. Kim K. Emoji Ugly. Crying, snotting. And she's like, are you there? I had to unmute the phone. I'm like, hi. I don't know what's happening. And she's like, I just want you to do me a favor. I want you to go in your room, and I want you to pray. And I'm like, alexa, the last time I tried to pray, he almost killed me. What do you mean, go pray? And she's like, but yeah, but pray out loud. And I'm like, that's so weird to ask me to do that. Like, but okay, obviously you know more than me, so I guess I'll just trust you and do it. So I went into my house, and I went into my room. I'm pacing. Like, I've never felt a panic like this in my life. Like, I am sweating. I'm shaking. I'm pacing. I don't even know what to say. I don't know how to pray. I don't know what to do. And so I just remember all I said was, Jesus. Like, that's all I could say. That's all I knew to say. I just said, Jesus. And every muscle in my body just, like, went. I hit the floor. Like, hit the floor hard. My muscles just gave out. And I was on the floor sobbing. And all I could say was, please help me. Please help me. Please help me. And I just was saying. I was begging over and over. Like, the only thing I could say was, please help me. I'll cry every time I tell it. It was the most desperate I'd ever been in my life. And I just remember it was probably like 20 minutes of that. And all of a sudden it just felt like I physically. I mean, physically, it was the most supernatural moment of my life. Felt a hug around me, like I had been waiting for it my whole life. And it was just so tangible. And I felt it. And I remember having a vision of Jesus holding me as I'm feeling this, like, holding me and looking, like, into my. Like, his head was right here into me like this. And I heard, like. And I'm careful to say I audibly heard the voice of the Lord. But, I mean, it felt like I audibly heard it. And I just heard him say, get behind me. She is mine. And I, like, I just sat there and cried for, like, probably an hour because I. All I could say was, thank you, thank you, thank you. And I was just praising God that everything that I had searched for was in surrender, but I didn't know. And he didn't require anything of me. I didn't do anything for him for that, you know, I came to him at the most dirty and ugly, undeserving, filthy place I'd ever been in my life. And he didn't ask anything of me. And he came to the depths of hell and pulled me out personally. And he does that for everyone. He does that for every single person. And every person's depths of hell looks different than mine. But it's a personal journey that he. His spirit comes, draws you in, and gets you out of wherever that you are. But I didn't deserve it. That's the point. I did nothing to deserve, to even be at his feet. But he met me there, and I just, for the next hour, just said thank you, crying on the floor. And I. I have one of those testimonies. And this is not to boast on myself. This is to boast in the Lord, because I was such. I was. I was filthy Rags, like I was nothing. And he, in the matter of a week, took my life. I broke up with my boyfriend, who this man I had been with for seven years. We lived together. He moved out the next day. In three hours. Stopped drinking. I was drinking a bottle of wine every single day, every night. Stopped drinking. I stopped smoking weed. My pornography addiction broke off of me like I. I was in a week. If you knew me the week before, you had no idea who I was. And I was so overwhelmed by who he was that I was so disgusted with who I had been. And so I renounced everything. Like, in that. In that week, I remember my best friend, Alexa. She's. She's still my best friend. I mean, glory to God for her. She is the reason I'm still here, because the Holy Spirit, through her, she came over to my house, one of my roommates, and she was like, all of this is the reason that you've been feeling this way. All this witchcraft. She's pointing at my altar, my crystals, my tarot cards, all of that. And she's like, this is why you've been feeling this way, and it needs to go. And I said, okay, whatever you say. Take it. We put it in trash bags. We got it out. And they laid hands on me. And I remember them just praying. Anything that has been bothering her, tormenting her, you will leave her and you will never come back.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

And I never saw another thing. I never heard another thing. I never had another bit of sleep paralysis, like, broke off me.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Oh, my goodness, the chills that I have right now. I mean, praise Jesus. Praise Jesus. Praise Jesus. And I pray that even this testimony right now would be the Alexa for someone else listening of man. There is so much power in the name of Jesus, and there is so much more for your life than a life of misery and bondage and depression and sleep paralysis and anxiety and constantly feeling not enough and having to stay stuck. And there's so much more. And praise Jesus that you found him and that you crossed paths with. I mean, and what's so cool is just like the. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. And you felt that when a righteous person filled with the Holy Spirit prayed over, you felt. You felt the presence of God. And I. It's just. It's so cool because what you're saying is, like, all these things that you did in this demonic, spiritual realm, and you were in deep. It was like you had never even felt close to what you felt when you just spoke the name of Jesus. I mean, how crazy Is that. That's not even like you having a relationship with Jesus. That's just you literally speaking, speaking the name of Jesus. Nothing compared to that. And I just think that's so powerful and profound because, man, there's just so. There's so many lies from the enemy that we chase. All of these things that just leave us so empty. And it's like when you just speak the name of Jesus and you plead the blood of Jesus and you have a relationship with Jesus, I mean, this is not like prosperity gospel, like, health, wealth, all these things are going to follow. It's like, no, I can't guarantee that. Like, so many of the disciples were literally, I mean, persecuted for their faith. So many across the world are being literally persecuted for their faith. But what you get are the things that you were made for. Because it says in Ecclesiastes 3:11, God has written eternity on every man's heart. We were made for eternity. Therefore, only the things that are eternal, only. Only our creator can satisfy what we were created for.

[Ashley Jones]

So true.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And it's so cool that you had that moment and that you were so. For you, when you had that moment and you were like, okay, I've just. I've encountered it. Like, this is it. Like, this is what I was made for. And then you said the next week, you started just like everything shed people are. I mean, they were praying over you. You felt literally the demons go.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And you. You gave it all up. Was there a moment after that that you ever were tempted to go back, thought about going back, or had a moment that triggered something from the past?

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah, I mean, I think any season of waiting and not now. I mean, I've been saved for over five years at this point. Praise God, that He. He keeps you so close and he's so faithful. But I would say at the beginning, like, in the first, like, year, maybe even two years of my walk with the Lord, anytime that I would be in a season of waiting or just trial, I would not be tempted to go back. But I would be like, dang, God, it was easy when I could, just.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Because it was instant, do whatever I wanted. Yeah.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah. And I think it just. It taught me endurance, steadfastness, long suffering. It taught me the character and fruit that the Lord wanted to produce in me that the new age was trying to steal away from me. And so it was really hard. I wouldn't say that I was necessarily tempted to go back, but I just realized, like, wow, this walk with the Lord, it is hard sometimes. It is hard Sometimes. Because it's not all about me.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Amen.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah, which.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And everything that is satanic and worldly and demonic is all about you. Which is so funny that it's such a twist. You've alluded to this so many times. Such a twist of what is true. He takes these half truths and he distorts it and makes it all about self. And so it's like self love, self care, becoming the best version of yourself. And these self affirmations that you're manifesting and speaking and you're wanting to create for yourself, and you are the main character of your story, and yet you're depressed and yet you're in so much bondage and yet you hate yourself self. You hate your life. And it's like, it's so interesting, just. But yet we have such a hard time breaking free from it. I'd love for you to just like, speak to the person that maybe feels hopeless. Like, what, what are some encouragement, some truth, some steps that they can take to break free from what feels like is breaking them.

[Ashley Jones]

I would just first. So I'm a Christian life coach. Psychology is my jam. So that's where I go first and foremost. And also Jesus was the best psychologist ever. He asked incredible questions. And so my first thing would be ask yourself, why do I feel like I need this? And what would happen if I didn't have it? Whatever that is, whatever the new age is filling for you, whatever. Is it control? Is it just gratification of the flesh? Like, and why, why do you need that? What is in you that's broken, that is left feeling void? And was there something that happened to you that this is making it feel less painful? Like, what are you actually looking for? Like, be honest with yourself. What are you actually seeking? And this is scripture. What are you seeking? I think when we actually are honest with ourselves, which the new age is really all about, putting blinders on and a filter over everything, never looking at the truth, which is, you know, quite contrary to what they, they say is, this is the truth. But it's, it's all about just fading out the truth. Don't, don't look too deep inward. Don't. Don't go too far. And they'll warn you of that all the time. Like, don't go too deep inward. Don't go too far, because then you can't come back. And when I hear that in the new age, I'm like, oh, something bad's gonna happen. But when I hear that as a born again believer, I'm saying, The demons know his name.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

And so I would say venture far inward, like, really ask the hard questions. What do you need? What are you seeking? Because he can give you everything that you are looking for and more. And I know that a lot of it is comfortability, a lot of it for me. I mean, I had been a witch for over 10 years by the time I got saved. And so for me, it's like I was so comfortable with the idea that if I kept control, everything was going to be okay. And that's what witchcraft is. It's manipulation. It's control at the basis and foundation of what it is. That's what it is. And I just felt like if I let go of control, then everything's going to implode. And that came from things that happened when I was a child, the way that I grew up in my household with dysfunction, like, that's where it came from. And I didn't know that. I was looking for peace and love, and I was looking for all these things because of a brokenness in me. Because we're. We're broken, we're falling. We live in a sinful, fallen, really unfair world. Now, I will say with that to say, I will say, if life were fair, we would all be on a cross. But that's how it feels. It feels like, why is all this happening to me and how can I fix it? Just ask yourself the hard questions. Have the confidence to go deeply inward and ask the Lord, show me the truth. What's the truth? Show me the truth. Because if you claim to be the way, the truth, the life, show me it. Help me to see it. If you don't see it, if you struggle with seeing it, if you're like, I want to believe, but I just cannot get there. Open this word. This is just as much of a historical manuscript as anything else, if not more than every other thing we've got. This is so reliable, the evidence in here, don't even look at it. My husband just said something so wise today. He was talking to someone discipling who doesn't have faith. And he said, hey, if you struggle with faith, then don't start with faith. Start. Start with evidence. Open this word and just ask for understanding. And I would just say, like, if you think that the way to get rid of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, all of that is to go deeper into the new age and to run further away from what you feel, the devil is lying to you. It's not that. And so I would just say you can overcome because he who can live in you is greater than he who does live in the world in which you are living right now.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow. Amen. Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world than he, he who comes against you. And that is so true and so good. And I'd love to. To just speak to maybe the person that's like, okay, maybe I'm not in, like, New Age. Like, maybe I'm not, like, in deep with those things, but maybe they are partnering with some things that are demonic that they don't know are demonic that they don't know that are, you know, instruments that Satan uses to lure us in. And so I'd love to speak into that too. Like, what are. What are some things that we should be aware of that Satan uses as tools to get to us? And, like, how do we keep ourselves guarded to where we're not giving the enemy a foothold in any area of our life?

[Ashley Jones]

Well, the Word says, submit yourselves there, therefore unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. I think people really like to emphasize the whole resist the devil thing as if it's something that we are going to do on our own strength. But if it's me against a demon, I'm going to lose every single day. I'm gonna lose. I have no power against a demon. We see this in Acts, I think it's 19, where the sons of Sceva try to cast out a demon without any faith, and the demon overpowers them, and they're even using the name of Jesus, but they have no faith, they have no relationship. And so we just miss the beginning part of the verse where it says, submit yourselves, therefore, unto God. Yes, that is the resistance.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Amen.

[Ashley Jones]

There is no resistance against the devil unless you are submitting yourself to the Lord. And what does that look like? Get in the Word. Know the word. The discernment comes from knowledge that's written in here. If you want to know how to get away from these things, that maybe they don't look outwardly evil, maybe they don't look outwardly demonic, but they are, and the enemy's using them. You got to have spiritual discernment. And the only way that you can discern evil is to know the truth. That's the only way. And so if you are void of this Word, if you're void of the knowledge and wisdom that comes from this Word, you will be void in discernment. And so I would say, number one tip, get in the Bible, know your word. This is the sword of the Spirit, it is the only offensive weapon we have. Our weapons are not carnal, you know, and we gotta understand that fighting spiritually is the only way to win spiritually. So submit to God. That's the. That's the whole thing.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's so good. I just. I was reminded of the story of David and Goliath. And I love this moment where David is coming against Goliath and he's like, you come against me with spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord. And I'm like, man, we are trying so hard to fight like the world. And we're wondering why losing. And it's like, you can't fight a physical. You can't fight a spiritual battle with the, with the worldly weapons. You have to fight a spiritual battle with spiritual weapons, with the word of God, with the people of God, with the spirit of God. Like, you've got to have the things of God in order to win this battle, this war that's being waged over your. Over your soul. And man, that is so good. I'm memorizing James 4 right now, ironically, which is so funny that you spoke to that. And I've been sitting on that verse so much and I've been praying it every day. And I think that's even a really powerful prayer for everyone listening to just pray every single day. Lord, I submit myself to you. I give you all of me, body, soul and spirit. Like James 12:1 talks about, here is my body as a living sacrifice. I am giving myself to you. I am submitting myself to you. I'm making you lord of my life. You are God, I am not. I submit myself to you. And I'm resisting the enemy. I'm resisting temptation, I'm resisting sin. And I'm saying, in Jesus name, you have to flee, you have to go. And it says in Romans 8 that the mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the spirit is one of life and peace. And so when we are led by the spirit, we're gonna get the. The life of peace that we're all longing for. But when we give into the flesh, it leads to a life of death. It leads to suicidal ideation. It leads to feeling demonic oppression in your sleep. Like you can't get rest. And even when you, like, are up during the day, you constantly feel down and dark and all of these things. And it's just like, man. I love that the first words that God spoke in the very, very beginning was, let there be light.

[Ashley Jones]

Amen.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

He is the God of light. He is the God of hope, and all good comes from him. It says in James 1 that every good and perfect gift comes from above. And so you're not going to be able to get good outside of God, which is one of the biggest lies of the enemy. That you can get good outside of God and that God is withholding good from you. No, no, no, no, no. Only good can come from the creator of all things good. And the enemy likes to distort truth, and he likes to plant all these little lies. And we have to resist him by submitting to God, by knowing the Word, by being in the Word, by having people around you. Because there's going to be moments where we partner with things. Like, I even think about how dangerous it is you were talking about. Like, sometimes there's things that we don't even realize, like, are demonic. And James 3 talks about, like, wisdom that doesn't come from heaven. And it talks about unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy. All of these things that we take on, that we hold on to, that we live in. And it says it's earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. I'm like, who?

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah, it is.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Because we don't think about that a lot. Oh, like, they did me wrong. So, like, I'm bitter. Like, I'm. I'm not gonna forgive them. That's on them. That's their fault. That's their problem. And we don't realize that we're literally giving Satan a foothold into our life.

[Ashley Jones]

Life. Exactly.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Which is. It's wild. And anyways, that's a whole nother. That's a whole nother message.

[Ashley Jones]

So true.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

But I just think that's such a powerful thing to touch on. Like, where is there any area of your life that's not submitted to God?

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Is there any area of your life that you're. You're giving the enemy a foothold because you haven't made him lord of your life in that area, which I just think is. Is so powerful. I. I'm so excited about this conversation because I just believe that this is. It's so important to talk about these things. And I just believe that some of you listening, like, you've been partnering with things that are not godly, and you've been living with things that are not godly. And the Lord wants you to experience freedom. It is for freedom that Christ has set you free. And only by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony can we overcome what's coming against us. And I love that you said, like, we can't do it on our own. For those who feel afraid and intimidated by all of this, I just want you to know that it. You can't on your own, but the spirit of God inside of you is so much greater, is so much stronger than anything that could ever come against you. Like Romans 8. Oh, I just want to read it because I. It's so powerful, the ending of Romans 8. And I want to speak this over someone. And I just think this is for those of you who are like, oh, I'm afraid. Like, what if, you know, demons are coming after me? Or what if some, you know, what if I'm in the. This is what. This is what Romans 8 says. Okay? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns?

[Ashley Jones]

No one.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Christ Jesus, who died more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Thank you, Jesus. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword. And then it goes on to say another verse, but I'm going to start in verse 37. No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors. We're overcomers through him, not through yourself. Not the armor of Ashley, not the armor of Maddie, the armor of God through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any power, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord, that.

[Ashley Jones]

Amen. It says it all.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

It covers it all. It covers it all. And so it's not by our. My. Our power, our strength. It's. It's by His Spirit. And that's when we get to just feel like a breath of fresh air. And we get to feel free and light and not. Not heavy or burdened or scared or intimidated.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And so I would love to just end, like, really practically. And then I'd love to end in a prayer, but really practically, like, for those who maybe feel really intimidated by this, what I don't want is for anyone to become obsessed with, you know, the demonic spirit realm. But I also don't Want us to live ignorant or like we're just going about la dee da da da. And there, there are demons coming after us. And so there, there is a middle ground. And I'd love for you to just in courage and speak into that middle ground of how we are to live, knowing that we're, you know, there's a spiritual realm, like, how do we, how do we live in that day to day.

[Ashley Jones]

Yeah, well, I think exactly like you said, there's two extremes, and I don't think either extreme is healthy. I think that the word says in 2 Timothy 1:7, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but power, love, and a sound mind. And neither of those extremes give you a sound mind. Believing that everything is a demon does not give you a sound mind. And believing that nothing is a demon while being actively infiltrated by them does not give you a sound mind either.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Amen.

[Ashley Jones]

And so to walk in the middle ground looks like to know biblical truth, it's to know that Jesus did actively preach against the powers of hell. He actively did cast out demons, he actively did deal with the demonic and warn us against it. You know, Ephesians 5, 11, it talks about this to expose the works of darkness, but it doesn't say be obsessed with the works of darkness. I think that we go and get into a bit of error when we start to obsess over the demonic. We start calling everything a demon, we stop taking accountability for our sinful nature, and we just say we need deliverance.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yes.

[Ashley Jones]

No, like we walk in the flesh actively every day. And so just to categorize everything as a demon is theologically unimpressive because it's not truth to the scripture. And so just, I would, I would say on that extreme, you can't cast out your flesh and you can't disciple out a demon. So know the difference.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wow.

[Ashley Jones]

And then just also know that like the blood. Like the blood, that's all you gotta know, that's all you gotta have is the blood. You don't have to live in fear that everything is going to infiltrate your life and every demonic principality is coming against you and everything you struggle with is a demon. It's just not. But at the other hand, they are there.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Ashley Jones]

I mean, it says that Satan took these angels with him down to earth and they roam until the day of Judgment. They have an assignment. They're not here bored. They have things to do. And so if we think that we're not subject matter to the offenses and the attacks of the enemy, we're either naive or we're probably not doing a lot for the Lord. And if you don't face demonic attack, if you're not experiencing spiritual warfare, you're either just not discerning or you're not doing a lot for the Lord. And maybe you're too complacent.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Just be aware, like, go there. She's going there. And I'm really loving it.

[Ashley Jones]

Just must be aware that both of these extremes are demonic deception. That you can just completely deny the fact that you have a sinful nature that you need to crucify at the foot of the cross, and then completely deny the fact that there is spiritual warfare and that our weapons are not carnal. Both of these are the devil's deception. And both of these are rooted in a. Probably in most cases, a lack of theological understanding on the subject of demonology, which is. Can be very controversial, but it shouldn't be. The Bible is so clear on this, and we're not left defenseless. Like the Bible says, I've given you all authority to trample on serpents and scorpions over all of the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. It's not because I have the right formula to cast out a demon. It's because I have the Holy Spirit.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Amen.

[Ashley Jones]

You know what I mean?

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

It's not about reciting these perfect words and following this perfect plan and pattern. It's like, do you believe that God is greater? Do you have the Holy Spirit in you? It is just simple partnering. It's so simple. And it's just partnering with the Holy Spirit. And like, there are moments where I. I'm just. Like, I feel. I feel something. Like, I'll feel an attack or I'll feel a lie, and. And like, I'm just like, nope. Like, I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind, and then I go about my day, and I don't. And I don't think about anything. I don't think about it again. And I just. I. I want everyone listening. Like, it's so important for us to understand and know that God is so much greater. And I love what you said. It's not us against the demons. It's not. It's also not like God and Satan are on the same playing.

[Ashley Jones]

No.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Like this.

[Ashley Jones]

Such bad theology.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Such bad theology. Like, they're in this, like, battle and. No, no, no, no.

[Ashley Jones]

There's no battle.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

No, no, no. Like, maybe it's like some angels of light and some angels of darkness are against each other, but, like, in the end, God has one And God will win. And we have to, we, we gotta know that and we gotta start with that. And so we're not, we're not fighting for victory, we're fighting from victory. We've. It's already been won, it's already finished. Jesus says it is finished. He has disarmed the powers. And it says in the word of God that Jesus has all authority, all power, all dominion. And everything is submitted under the name of Jesus, into the name of Jesus. And so I do wanna make sure everybody understands that. Anyways, we could go on and on and on. It's just, it's so good. I feel like I have a couple other questions and then we gotta wrap up. Can a Christian be possessed by a demon?

[Ashley Jones]

No. A born again believer cannot be owned by a demon. If you just define the word possession, it's impossible. They can be oppressed and they can be influenced heavily, even physically.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Ashley Jones]

Like it? Yes. But possessed? No.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I love that you said that because it's, that's, this is the difference is a born again believer cannot be possessed by a demon, but can be oppressed by a demon. And I also agree with what we were saying earlier is sometimes it's our own sin nature, it's our own unrepentant heart that we're in agreement with, with bitterness, unforgiveness, sexual sin, whatever it may be. And we don't realize we're giving the enemy a foothold. And then sometimes it's just spiritual warfare and there is an attack against us. But I love that you spoke to that a believer cannot be possessed by a demon. I hope that also just brought some relief to some people because I've like, I mean I've seen so many videos on social media that like witches and, and, and like satanic churches and people in the satanic church, like they're constantly attacking Christians. Yeah. And it's so important that we understand, like we cannot be possessed, but that's why we have to be in the word of God and we have to be constantly praying. I also think it's interesting, like do, do demons and witches like come after any other religion or is it only Christianity?

[Ashley Jones]

I mean, there's no other threat.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Ashley Jones]

So I think if that answers the question. But I will say that demons hate every person. They don't discriminate, you know, so they hate every single person, but not every person is a threat.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Interesting. Wow. Yeah, I mean, I'm learning a lot. I'm with you guys. Learning a lot over here. Taking notes. Not really, but in My heart, in my mind. I'm so grateful for this conversation. I'm so thankful for your vulnerability, for your testimony, for the way that you stand on truth, for the way you know truth. Like you. You. I can tell one. When you open your Bible, it was like you've been in the word of God. There's so many highlights and sticky notes, but it also just like, flows out of your heart and flows freely from your mouth and. And it just lives in your heart. And I. That's so important because as she reminded us earlier, when the enemy came and tempted Jesus in the wilderness, like, his response was one of truth. And so we defeat the lies that come against us by speaking the truth to it, by knowing the truth, by believing the truth, and by living out the truth. So thank you so much for how you do that so beautifully. Thank you for coming on. Stay true. I would love to end this podcast with you just praying and praying over those listening who maybe do need healing and deliverance. Yeah. Or maybe just need to be reminded of the spirit that lives in them is greater than the spirits that come against them.

[Ashley Jones]

Amen. Amen. Let's do it. Thank you for having me.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah. Thanks for coming on.

[Ashley Jones]

Dear Jesus, Father, we just thank you, God, that you're all powerful. You're all knowing, you're sovereign. You're not anxious about a single person who's listening, what their life will be like, where they're at right now. You don't feel out of control, you don't feel worried. And what a beautiful reminder that we can trust in the one who knows it all, that we don't have to come up with a solution to our lives on our own. God, we just pray. I pray specifically over the listener who struggles with a spirit of fear. Not a fear of the Lord, but a demonic spirit of fear that tells them that if they renounce these practices, they will lose full control, their life will turn into shambles, that they will experience. Experience demonic affliction. God, I just come against every single lie of the enemy that would be holding these people captive right now. I come against the spirit of fear, and I speak the spirit of revelation over that person. God, that you would show them who you are, that you would expose your Holy Spirit to their heart. God, that you would soften the heart of stone and turn it to flesh so that they wouldn't walk in fear, that they would walk in abundant confidence in who you are and what you're able to do. God, what you've already done, Jesus, that you've overcome all darkness. When you were on the cross, you nailed it all, it was done, it is finished. So God, I just pray that you would give divine strategy to the person listening who feels like, I don't know what to do, I don't know where to go, I don't know who to talk to. God, I just pray that you would open up a strategy that would be so supernatural that only you could have told them to give them a step by step instruction on how to walk them this out, how to renounce this God, just to come against the lies of the enemy with the truth of your scripture, which is that you are the way, you are the way. And that they're walking in a counterfeit. God expose it to them that you are the truth, that they are being lied to, God, that they are being actively deceived, God, that you are the life. And that the life they're living right now is only going to bring them into the pit. Father, I just pray right now for every single person who is wanting to walk away from this lifestyle of witchcraft, of necromancy, of divination, anything involving the occult, the new age God, I just pray right now that you would take hold of their heart, Jesus, that Holy Spirit, you would just inhabit their being. God. And I just pray, Lord, that you know, you know who is, who is susceptible, who is ready, who is prepared, who has a heart willing to receive. So God, I pray that you would speak to them right now, directly. Lord, your word says in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There would be no condemnation for there now. There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So Lord, we just dismantle shame, we dismantle condemnation, we dismantle the lies of the enemy to keep them in bondage. Lord, we know that we can come to you imperfect just how we are right where we are. So God, I just, I pray that you would soften a heart to give their life to you right now. Jesus, I pray that this would be the moment that they would walk into new life, that they would let the old be gone and that the new has come, Jesus, that your Holy Spirit would indwell within them. So if you're listening to this and you want to give your life to Jesus, just pray with me in whatever way, in whatever words. May it be, help me. May it be the same words I'm saying. You make it your own. Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross for my sins. Jesus, I believe that you are who you say you are that you are fully man. That you went through a death so horrible, that you went through a death that was so gruesome that you would take my sin and bear it onto the perfect man. That you were fully God, fully man. That you would nail my sin, that you would take my shame, that you would take my condemnation, that you would take my anxiety, my panic, my depression and that you would nail it to that cross and that it would be finished in that moment. God, I believe you did that for me specifically. Jesus, I ask that you would forgive me of my sin against you. I ask that you would forgive me for the things that nailed you there. God, I ask that you would become Lord of my life. I ask that you would save my soul, Jesus. And I ask Holy Spirit, that you would come into my heart right now as Lord and Savior. I give my life to you. I ask you to help me walk in the fruit of the Spirit. That you would renew my mind day by day to unlearn the deception of the enemy and learn the truth of your word. In Jesus name and God, I thank you so much for the people who just gave their life to you. God, we rejoice with the angels in heaven that all of heaven is rejoicing right now that even one sinner would come home. Thank you, Jesus. And now, God, we just pray for deliverance for all of those people who just accepted you, for the ones who know you but are struggling. God, I just pray right now that any single spirit of witchcraft, any single spirit of divination, of necromancy, of manipulation, of control, of deceit would be bound. I bind it in the name of Jesus and I loose it from that person's mind. I loose it from their body, from their spirit, from their soul. Wherever this has been infiltrating and taking and stealing and getting more than what was bargained for, I loose you off and I command you to leave them. In Jesus name, I command you to go in Jesus name. You have no more territory. We break every legal right. We come against you with the word of God. We come against you with the blood of the Lamb. With the word of my testimony that through Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, you have already been overcome. And I'm living proof. And Jesus, I thank you for it. God, set these people free. You come to give liberty to the captives. You are the same yesterday, today and forever. And you still do it now. Jesus, help them walk in freedom and peace. God, I just speak peace over them. I speak your truth over them. Jesus, we love you. We thank you. And we surrender our lives to you. We ask that you would replace every single deception and counterfeit with the truth of the fruit and who you are. We love you Lord. We thank you, Jesus. It's in your name we pray.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Amen. Amen. You just took me to church. That was.

[Ashley Jones]

Girls are probably so good.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I can always tell someone who is deep in it with the Lord by the way they pray with such faith and boldness. And I'm just so grateful for you. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. This was amazing. And as always guys, be sure to stay you stay true. We love you.

[Commercial Announcer]

Marketing is hard, but I'll tell you a little secret. It doesn't have to be. Let me point something out. You're listening to a podcast right now and it's great. You love the host. You seek it out and download it. You listen to it while driving, working out, cooking, even going to the bathroom. Podcasts are a pretty close companion. And this is a podcast ad. Did I get your attention? You can reach great listeners like yourself with podcast advertising from Libsyn Ads. Choose from hundreds of top podcasts offering host endorsements or run a pre produced ad like this one across thousands of shows. To reach your target audience in their favorite podcasts with Libsyn Ads, go to Libsyn ads.com that's L I B S Y N ads.com today.