Aaron Gish
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic has caused quite a panic in our country over the past month. But is our panic healthy? Are we giving way to illogical thinking? Are we really overreacting like never before?
Yes, this virus is a real one. The CDC, as well as the media, have done an exceptional job at trying to prepare us so much to an extent that many Americans have even lost control of their own mind, will, and emotions to this current historic pandemonium.
So, who is to blame for the catastrophe? Is this virus in our land an act of the Lord’s doing? Or has a thief come to steal, kill and destroy? (John 10:10). I believe the answer to this question is one we must know.
The Bible is clear that “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naïve go on, and are punished for it.” (Proverbs 22:3) It’s wrong to completely ignore what is now happening in our land, but must we continue in panic? I believe that there truly is a spirit behind this pandemic. And I believe the Bible is repeatedly and abundantly clear that there is, indeed, a spiritual war taking place with which we are all involved whether we are aware of it or not, which brings me to my next point – what the Lord has recently revealed to me during this Coronavirus phenomenon.
Recently we’ve all been hearing repeatedly the words “panic”, “pandemic”, and “pandemonium”. These words all have a common theme. The root word “Pan”. This word actually comes from a demigod out of ancient Greek mythology: Pan, the god of fear.
Pan was a half-man-half-goat that lived near woods and rivers. He was known for his terrifying looks. He would often scream, causing paralyzing fear to those nearby. This is where we get the word “panic”.
I began to do more research on this ancient spirit of Pan. As I researched more and more, I found shocking paradigms and revelations to what we are currently experiencing in this pandemic. The animal meat from a pangolin (scaled anteater) was thought to be the host of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China. And yes, Pangolin has the root word “pan” in it. Coincidence? I think not.
The name Pangolin also comes from a word meaning “one who rolls up”. When they feel threatened, like those little, gray “roly-poly” pill bugs, they roll up into a ball. Hmm… one who rolls up in fear? This is exactly how this spirit of Pan causes his victims to operate.
Even in the region of Wuhan where the Coronavirus originated, the religion is mainly that of Chinese folk and ancient 
mythology, just like the Greeks who worshipped Pan. In China, they believe in a deity that created the world. His name is Pangu. Pangu is hairy, horned giant, just like that of the description of Pan in Greek mythology!
Pan was also a hunter who carried a lagobolon, a stick that was meant to strike hares. In Greek culture, hares represent fertility and productivity. If the Pan spirit is known for striking hares, a mammal representing fertility, could he be the spirit driving abortion or population control?
In the other hand, Pan carried a flute. This is where we get the instrument named the “pan flute,” bringing to mind the folklore story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
According to Wikipedia.com, the “Pied Piper… also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat Catcher of Hamelin is the titular character of a legend from the town of Hamelin, Lower Saxony, German. The legend dates back to the Middle Ages, the earliest references describing a piper, dressed in multicolored (“pied”) clothing, who was a rat catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with his magic pipe. When the citizens refuse to pay for this service, he retaliates by using his 
instrument’s magical power on their children, leading them away as he had the rats.”
If the spirit of Pan is behind the coronavirus fear and panic, I find it no coincidence that this spirit, again according to Greek mythology, is said to carry a flute. It seems to me he is playing us all “like a flute” in this time. After all, the coronavirus fatality rate is already minuscule compared to other viruses, and decreasing more and more each day even though the virus seems to be spreading rapidly. It seems that the pandemic of fear is far worse than the actual virus.
The news media plays us like a pan flute that is fueled by our fear and panic. While we operate out of fear, we lose sight of our logic. The fear of contracting the virus, the contagiousness of the virus, it’s replication process, the social-distancing coaching, the public reactions to the fears, the hoarding of toilet paper, panic buying, heightened sales of guns and ammo… could not all of these be feeding the spirit of Pan? And if we feed a demonic spirit, don’t we give it authority over us and permission to return to us? Isn’t that exactly how the most basic of spiritual warfare principles work? — agree with a demonic spirit and lose the battle? — or adamantly refuse to agree with that demonic spirit and begin to win that same battle?
During the Hellenistic Period, Pan became extremely popular. Pan was being associated with the panic which could spread in the company of soldiers in the heat of battle. We are in the heat of a spiritual battle as we speak. And people are panicking. But we must vigilantly and diligently partner with
Gates of Hell and Pan’s Grotto
God and interpret this current onslaught as a special time to humble ourselves, repent, and reclaim the earth from this spirit of Pan.
Whether you knew it before or came to know it during this pandemic, God still desires for His Kingdom to be on Earth as it is in Heaven. Jesus took the disciples to Caesarea Phillipi near a shrine of Pan, called “Pan’s Grotto,” also named “The Gates of Hell (Death, or Hades)”. And it was here that while all the other disciples were distracted with the evil shrines, Jesus asked Peter “Who do you say I am?” and in the midst of all the spiritual warfare taking place in and around them, Peter answered “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (ESV)
Another version, The Passion Translation (TPT), which I think explains the mystery of the previous verse better is “I give you the name Peter, a stone. And this truth of who I am will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it!”
Jesus goes on to say, “I will give you the keys of heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid (bind) on earth that which is forbidden (bound) in heaven, and to release (loose) on earth that which is released (loosed) in heaven.” (TPT)
During this strange season of social quarantine, I truly believe that Jesus is symbolically and prophetically taking us to the gates of Hell, wherein is the shrine of Pan, and asking us “Who do you say I am?” And when we answer correctly, with divine revelation, we have the keys to the Kingdom just as He says.
So, in the midst of all of this spiritual warfare, we must believe in Christ just like Peter did. (Matt 6:10) We must possess our mind, will, and emotions (Luke 21:19). It almost seems like the only way to cast down thoughts that aren’t God’s will for our lives during this pandemonium is to shut off Television, Facebook, and Media. It feels like the whole world is on pause. What is the church doing with this time of pause?
The underground church in Wuhan has come out and supported their region. They said, “We must suffer and heal with our city.” They have acted as the Lord has prompted them and even the authorities in China have said that they are astonished by their compassion in such time of panic.
As the outbreak continues in our land, can we, the American church, humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways and see our regions healed by the Lord? (2 Chron 14:7) We must be transformed and know His will (Rom 12:1-2) during this historic time of pause.
If the government is saying that we must be alone or in small gatherings, let’s remove the idols from our lives and build an altar of His presence. (1 Chron 21:22) Let’s repent for coming in agreement with Pan, the spirit of fear. For 
God has not given us a spirit of fear (fearfulness, timidity, cowardice), but of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7) We need to put on the spirit of the “fear (awe, reverence, respect) of the Lord,” which is the one spirit God delights in most! (Isaiah 11:3)
Since this year is 2020, remember what Moses spoke in Exodus 20:20, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you may fear him in order that you don’t sin.” And that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10)
So, let’s shake off fear! Be fearless! But even though this is the enemy trying to get us in agreement with calamity, let’s not be proud, forget to repent, and face the consequences like during Jacob’s trouble (Isaiah 9:13-14) Let’s instead seek the Father who could destroy us in an instant, yet who loves us with an unwavering love that cost him His only son, Jesus.
Let’s cry out in humility with prayer and fasting. Like that of Jonah 3:8-10, and the famous verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Corona means crown. I do not cast my crown before the spirit of Pan. I cast it before the Lamb, Jesus, the Lord of Heavenly Armies!
