Reading: Reviewing "Seeing the Divine"

In Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating Angels, Demons, Mystical Dreams, Near-Death Encounters, and Other Mysteries of the Unseen World (2025), Lee Strobel delves into the contemporary relevance of spiritual realities—particularly the presence and influence of Satan—within a modern, often skeptical world. Building on his reputation as a journalist who once debunked religious claims before coming to faith, Strobel brings his trademark investigative approach to this subject. He compiles firsthand accounts, interviews with pastors, psychologists, theologians, and deliverance ministers, and cross-references these narratives with Scripture and church tradition.

Strobel's investigation is marked by his desire to bridge the gap between empirical scrutiny and spiritual openness. He neither sensationalizes the demonic nor dismisses it as pre-modern myth. Instead, he probes whether credible evidence exists to affirm Satan's real, personal agency in human affairs. His method reflects the tension that many modern Christians face: how to reconcile ancient claims of spiritual warfare with contemporary understandings of psychology, trauma, and sociocultural complexity.

Through the personal stories he records—ranging from haunting experiences to sudden deliverances—Strobel explores patterns of behavior, language, and spiritual transformation that appear to go beyond naturalistic explanations. At the same time, he highlights the importance of discernment, cautioning against attributing every suffering or sin to demonic causes. His balanced tone invites readers to re-examine their assumptions about evil and the unseen realm.

By framing these experiences within a biblical worldview—citing passages like 1 Peter 5:8 (“Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”) and Ephesians 6:12 (“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood...”)—Strobel reinforces the theological coherence of spiritual warfare without descending into superstition. In the end, he suggests that belief in Satan and demonic influence is not only biblically warranted but also pastorally necessary in confronting the depth of evil that often eludes psychological categories.

Overall, Seeing the Supernatural is a compelling contribution to Christian apologetics and pastoral theology. It documents how ancient truths about spiritual conflict remain critically relevant in the 21st century and challenges believers to be vigilant, discerning, and hopeful in the face of spiritual adversity.

Documenting the Presence of Satan

In Seeing the Supernatural, Lee Strobel argues that one of the most effective tactics employed by Satan is to obscure his own existence. Strobel draws on the famous quote often attributed to French poet Charles Baudelaire—“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn’t exist”—to frame his discussion. He observes that in a secular, rationalist age, belief in a personal devil is frequently regarded as an outdated superstition or a relic of medieval fearmongering. This cultural posture, Strobel suggests, has created a fertile environment for satanic influence to persist undetected and unchallenged.

According to Strobel, this societal skepticism is not limited to the irreligious. Many Christians, especially in the West, are functionally naturalistic in their worldview, hesitating to speak openly about spiritual warfare for fear of appearing intellectually unserious or spiritually extreme. Strobel notes that this hesitancy is especially pronounced among leaders trained in theological settings that prioritize historical criticism, psychology, or sociological analysis over supernatural causality. As a result, behaviors or experiences that might have once been interpreted as demonic are now often categorized under medical or psychological disorders.

Despite this, Strobel presents documented case studies and firsthand interviews that, in his view, resist purely natural explanations. These include accounts of individuals experiencing unexplainable physical manifestations, utterances in unknown languages, superhuman strength, and sudden freedom after prayers of deliverance. In each case, Strobel takes care to weigh medical and psychiatric input, reinforcing his commitment to credible inquiry. However, he insists that certain phenomena defy reductionist explanations and align more closely with biblical descriptions of demonic oppression or possession.

In interviewing contemporary exorcists, deliverance ministers, and theologians, Strobel highlights a recurring theme: Satan’s preference for working in shadows, often targeting individuals through deception, isolation, addiction, trauma, or spiritual confusion. He argues that by sowing doubt about his existence, Satan avoids detection, enabling him to erode faith, distort truth, and undermine human dignity more effectively.

Strobel also points out that in many non-Western contexts—particularly in parts of Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia—belief in spiritual warfare and the presence of evil spirits is not only widespread but integrated into the daily lives of believers. He suggests that the Western tendency to downplay demonic activity may reflect not intellectual superiority but cultural blind spots that have muted the Church’s spiritual discernment.

Ultimately, Strobel’s documentation is not meant to sensationalize but to awaken. By restoring awareness of Satan’s presence—not as a cartoonish villain, but as a real and personal adversary—he challenges the Church to recover its vigilance and authority in Christ. The goal, according to Strobel, is not to live in fear but to live alertly and faithfully, grounded in the truth that while Satan is real, he is also defeated through the power of Jesus (cf. Colossians 2:15; Revelation 12:11).

Case Studies and Interviews

In Seeing the Supernatural, Lee Strobel offers a series of case studies and interviews that build a cumulative case for the presence and influence of demonic forces. These accounts are drawn from a diverse range of individuals, including ordinary people, pastors, psychologists, and exorcists. While Strobel maintains a journalistic skepticism and consistently weighs alternative explanations, he concludes that some experiences resist purely naturalistic interpretation and point toward a spiritual dimension often dismissed in modern discourse.

Among the personal testimonies Strobel includes are cases of individuals who report dramatic personality changes that occur suddenly and without an identifiable psychological trigger. In one instance, an individual who had no history of mental illness began to display an intense aversion to Christian symbols, including crosses and Scripture readings, accompanied by episodes of violent behavior and knowledge of personal information about others that they could not have obtained through natural means. Strobel juxtaposes these cases with the biblical accounts of demonic possession—such as the Gerasene demoniac in Mark 5:1–20—highlighting the eerie parallels.

These stories are not offered uncritically. Strobel interviews licensed mental health professionals who stress the importance of differential diagnosis. He engages with psychiatrists and psychologists who confirm that certain behaviors may be symptomatic of dissociative identity disorder, schizophrenia, or trauma-induced psychosis. However, some of these same professionals also admit to encountering rare cases in which symptoms do not align with known clinical categories and where conventional treatments prove ineffective, but where spiritual intervention brings notable relief.

Strobel also interviews contemporary clergy and exorcists who have undergone formal training in both theology and mental health discernment. One such figure is Fr. Vincent Lampert, a Catholic priest and trained exorcist, who recounts his experience with exorcisms authorized by his bishop. Lampert describes instances in which physical manifestations—levitation, foreign languages spoken by the afflicted, and violent reactions to prayer—occurred without plausible natural explanation. Similarly, Strobel interviews evangelical deliverance ministers who share more informal yet consistent accounts of spiritual oppression being broken through prayer, fasting, and the name of Jesus.

A recurring theme in these interviews is the critical role of discernment. Strobel and his interviewees emphasize that spiritual warfare should not be conflated with mental illness or emotional distress. They advocate for an interdisciplinary approach in which spiritual advisors, counselors, and medical professionals work collaboratively. The 1999 revision of the Catholic Rite of Exorcism, which Strobel references, explicitly mandates psychological evaluation before an exorcism is authorized, reflecting a broader ecclesial commitment to careful discernment and ethical responsibility.

What emerges from these case studies is not a sensationalized picture of spiritual warfare, but rather a serious and cautious recognition of its possibility. Strobel’s investigation does not offer definitive proof in the scientific sense but presents compelling experiential and testimonial evidence that suggests something beyond the psychological or symbolic. As such, he encourages the Church—and his readers—not to ignore the spiritual dimension of reality, even in a scientific age.

Theological and Scriptural Context

In Seeing the Supernatural, Lee Strobel grounds his exploration of Satan and demonic activity firmly within the framework of biblical theology. He argues that Scripture does not treat Satan as a mythological construct or literary symbol, but as a real spiritual being whose opposition to God is central to the biblical narrative of creation, fall, and redemption. Strobel's use of Scripture is not incidental but structural; it serves as both the starting point and the interpretive lens for understanding the supernatural phenomena he investigates.

One of the foundational texts Strobel highlights is Ephesians 6:12 (WEB):

“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Strobel sees this passage as a clear articulation of the cosmic scope of spiritual warfare, affirming that Christians are engaged in a conflict that transcends physical or human adversaries. He connects this struggle to Jesus' ministry in the Gospels, which frequently involves direct confrontations with demonic powers. Passages such as Mark 1:23–26, where Jesus casts out an unclean spirit in a synagogue, and Luke 10:18, where Jesus declares, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven,” are presented as theological touchpoints that shape a New Testament worldview permeated by awareness of spiritual opposition.

Strobel also revisits 1 Peter 5:8, which warns believers to “be sober and vigilant” because “your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” He interprets this not as hyperbole but as a pastoral exhortation to take seriously the reality of evil forces that seek to disrupt faith, distort truth, and destroy human lives.

Drawing on systematic theology, Strobel engages with the writings of theologians such as Wayne Grudem, who affirms that belief in demons and spiritual warfare is consistent with orthodox Christian doctrine, and C.S. Lewis, who famously warned in The Screwtape Letters of two equal and opposite errors: to disbelieve in devils or to believe and feel an excessive interest in them. Strobel positions himself between these extremes, calling for “biblical realism”—a theological posture that acknowledges Satan’s reality without giving him undue attention.

Importantly, Strobel also draws on Colossians 2:15, where Paul writes that Christ “disarmed the principalities and powers, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross].” This verse functions as a theological anchor, reinforcing that while Satan is a real adversary, he is also a defeated one. The cross, in Strobel’s view, is not only the center of redemption but the turning point in the cosmic war against evil.

Through this scriptural and theological scaffolding, Strobel argues that a Christian worldview cannot be theologically whole if it omits or downplays the reality of Satan. Spiritual warfare is not peripheral—it is integral to the biblical story and the Christian life. This view challenges modern naturalistic assumptions and calls the Church to renewed spiritual vigilance rooted in Scripture, grounded in Christ's victory, and expressed through prayer, discernment, and pastoral care.

Conclusion

Lee Strobel’s Seeing the Supernatural (2025) serves as a multifaceted investigation into the presence and influence of Satan, blending journalistic inquiry with theological reflection. The book’s conclusion reinforces Strobel’s central claim: that spiritual warfare is not a peripheral concern for Christians but a vital aspect of biblical faith and personal discipleship.

By weaving together documented personal accounts, expert interviews with theologians, psychologists, and exorcists, and a careful exposition of Scripture, Strobel invites readers to reexamine their assumptions about the supernatural realm. His approach balances openness to the reality of demonic activity with a call for discernment and pastoral responsibility. He emphasizes that while not every troubling experience is necessarily demonic, Christians must not ignore the possibility of genuine spiritual oppression—particularly when it aligns with biblical descriptions and resists naturalistic explanation.

One of Strobel’s lasting contributions is his insistence that belief in Satan is not rooted in sensationalism but in the sober realism of the Bible. He cautions against both extremes: dismissing demonic reality as superstition or becoming fixated on it to the neglect of Christ’s victory. Strobel instead advocates for a spiritually vigilant life grounded in prayer, Scripture, community, and the power of the gospel.

In an age marked by skepticism, psychological reductionism, and spiritual confusion, Seeing the Supernatural offers a compelling apologetic for the unseen realm. It is a call to recognize that the battle “is not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12), and that ignoring or trivializing the reality of evil may leave individuals spiritually vulnerable. Strobel concludes with a pastoral appeal: to take seriously the biblical vision of spiritual warfare, to live in the freedom won by Christ, and to resist the devil not with fear, but with faith.