Pastor Colton Jackson

A recent study revealed that nearly 30% of U.S. adults have had at least one romantic relationship with an AI companion. Even more alarming, one in four high school students—our teenagers—have reported the same. Another 42% of them use AI for companionship.

Let that sink in.

Students at our own schools are turning to digital entities to hear things like “I’m proud of you.” As technology becomes more advanced, it will get even harder to distinguish what’s real from what’s fake. This isn’t just a futuristic concern. The train is already moving, and if we don’t wake up to it now, we’ll be left behind. The more time passes, the more embedded this becomes in culture, and the harder it will be to see the truth.

So what do we do? How do we discern what’s real and what’s fake? How do we raise our kids, lead our homes, and walk as followers of Jesus in this kind of world?

Discerning the Voice You’re Listening To

Tyler Staton, in his book The Familiar Stranger, speaks about learning to recognize the Holy Spirit’s voice. He says the key is paying attention to what the voice is doing to you as you listen to it.

Does it give you anxiety? Is it telling you to do things that aren’t biblical? Is it saying things like, “Leave your spouse”? If it’s the Holy Spirit, it might bring conviction—but it won’t lead you to doubt your identity in Christ. Conviction might sting, but it won’t dismantle who God says you are.

You have to learn to pay attention to how your body and your soul respond to the voice you're listening to.

The Danger of Blind Acceptance

Many of us live in one of two extremes. One group blindly receives everything new. We say yes to every update, every tool, every trend. We install new software without a second thought. We hand our kids devices without prayer or caution. We don’t pause to ask, “Is this wise?” or “Is this what God wants for me and my family?”

There’s an older generation who is especially vulnerable. Scams that use AI voice cloning are now fooling grandparents into sending thousands of dollars because the voice on the phone sounds exactly like their grandchild. These aren’t conspiracy theories—this is happening right now.

And if our approach to technology mirrors that of the world—if we just consume without discernment—we’ve missed it. We’re not called to be of the world. We’re called to live in it, yes, but to live differently. We can’t afford to blindly accept everything and call it progress.

The Danger of Blind Rejection

Then there’s the opposite camp—those who blindly reject it all. Some turn the Wi-Fi off at night out of fear. Some believe all of it is demonic. The problem with that approach is, not everything is the devil. Sometimes we’re just making poor choices.

You might feel like you’re being spiritually attacked, but maybe it’s just a budgeting issue. You might feel like the enemy is after you, but really, it’s just the consequences of a bad decision. It’s not always spiritual warfare—it’s often just life.

Still, that doesn’t mean there’s no enemy. There absolutely is.

Jesus said in John 10:7-10, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers... The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

1 Peter 5:8-9 reminds us, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.”

There is a real enemy. And the birthmark of a Christian is a bullseye.

But we can’t fight deception with fear. We need wisdom. Discernment. Faith.

There’s a Better Way

The danger isn’t just in blind acceptance or blind rejection. The real call is to something deeper—something more Spirit-led. Jesus didn’t invite us to disengage from the world. He called us to be filled with the Holy Spirit in the world so that we could walk in wisdom and truth.

AI isn’t going away. It’s going to get better. Smarter. More convincing. One day, it may know everything about you—your name, your face, your habits, your preferences. And yet, there is one thing no algorithm will ever have access to: your soul.

Only the Holy Spirit knows your heart. Only He can search your soul, bring conviction, reveal truth, and offer lasting transformation. The Holy Spirit doesn’t come with a disclaimer. He is the Spirit of truth.

In contrast, when you ask an AI chatbot questions about Jesus, the answers are filled with conflicting claims—and at the bottom of the screen is a reminder: “This may contain mistakes.”

Why would we place trust in a tool that comes with a disclaimer, yet hesitate to trust the voice of God who created us?

We Need Authentic Intimacy, Not Artificial Intelligence

In a world full of simulations, the deepest hunger of our youth—and honestly, many adults—is for something real. They are craving authentic intimacy, not another app. They’re not impressed by flashing lights or clever tech. They want an encounter with the living God.

Yes, technology can be useful. Smart algorithms may make life easier. But what we truly need isn’t smarter software. We need surrendered hearts.

God isn’t asking us to ask a chatbot how to follow Him. He’s calling us to open His Word. To lean on His Spirit. To trust that only the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can provide the communion our souls were created for.

From the beginning of creation, the Trinity existed in perfect love, pouring it out on each other. Then we entered the picture, and we broke it. One had to come down and make it right. Jesus came, lived perfectly, died for us, and rose again. Now He sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. And He sent us a Helper—the Holy Spirit.

That Helper is our source of wisdom, truth, conviction, and communion. No machine can imitate that.

So let’s be clear: AI might eventually know everything about you. But only the Holy Spirit knows you.

Only He can bring the kind of transformation that doesn’t come with bugs or disclaimers. And in this world saturated with artificial intelligence, may we be people who choose authentic intimacy with God instead.

“Be in the world, not of it.” That’s not just a Christian slogan—it’s a divine strategy. And through the Spirit of God, we can walk in it with courage, clarity, and conviction.