Though the name almost sounds Christian, Christiania is anything but. The quaint, strange village with over 1,000 residents exists only minutes away from downtown Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark.

Started in 1971 at the height of the hippie movement, it is almost a country within a country. It has its own flag and currency and minimalist rules. Basically it started as hippie squatters took over an abandoned Danish army base and despite several skirmishes with the government, it has grown to become a self-governing village.

Today the town’s inhabitants, who refer to themselves as Christianites, are made up of hippie pensioners, left-wing extremists and anarchists, environmental activists, many new age and occultist practitioners, alternative rock bands and kids just passing through.

The village is inundated with eastern religious influences including a Buddhist temple and meditation center. It also has an occult center and even a New Age pyramid.

Cars are not allowed in Christiania and for a time it was even illegal for community members to own one as members frowned on private property. Though ownership is now allowed, they are required to park the vehicles outside the village which encompasses an area of 85 acres.

Many of the buildings in the village are self-styled hippie creations such as one house made completely of old window frames. Others are wildly painted and there are colorful, sometimes bizarre looking murals everywhere.

On the main thoroughfare, Pusher Street, you will see numerous stalls where you can buy Marijuana in every form. Though the sale of this drug is illegal in the rest of Denmark, the Danish government has turned a blind eye.

In 2012, the Danish government, who still owned the base, wanted to officially cede the land to the community at a very nominal price, and though the village eventually relented many opposed the idea because it would mean they would own property which theoretically as hippie squatters they opposed.

Today the village runs on consensus democracy where all residents attend common meetings to vote on everything from the village budget to who they will allow to live in the village. Space is limited and there is a long waiting list of people wanting to move in.

If you want to move into Christiania you need to apply and it can be a long arduous process. Your application will be discussed in many village assemblies before final acceptance or rejection.

As you leave the village, a road sign proclaims Christiania’s distinctiveness and says simply, “You are now entering the European Union.”

God at work in Christiania

Charisma Magazine recently did a story on John Anderson, 33, who God called to bring the gospel to Christiania — one of the darkest areas in Denmark.

In his interview with Charisma, John talked about a Swedish intercessor, Kjell Sjoberg, now deceased who believes that Christiania marks the Satanic stronghold that controls Denmark and in order for revival to come to Denmark this demonic strongman must be brought down.

Anderson agrees and speaking of Christiania said:

“It is such a small place, but it exerts an enormous influence. People don’t know it, but many of the values and attitudes that make up the lifestyle of ordinary, middle class people today, are the result of what the hippies fought for 30 years ago — and Christiania still does.”

Anderson believed in order for the Gospel to succeed in this village, he had to set up inside Christiania but to do that he needed to get permission from the communal government to live there.

He said it was a miracle that he was accepted and perhaps just as miraculously was his location on the main street in an old opera building. In 1998, before receiving permission to live in the village, Andersen regularly visited Christiania and became friends with several people. When a friend was leaving for a few months, Andersen asked if he could stay in his place in the opera building while he was gone.

When the man decided not to return, Andersen then asked for permission to continue living there and received it almost immediately.

He has gathered a small group of 16 people who are praying and believing God to move on this village.

Binding the strongman

Andersen believes for the Gospel to have an impact in Denmark the demonic strongman controlling the country needs to be weakened through prayer and worship.

Bible tells us that because of man’s decisions Satan now rules the world.

“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; ⁹ and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and ^[a]worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9 NASV)

The Book of Daniel further shows a bit of the demonic, governmental structure behind Satan’s dominion when it talks about the Archangel Gabriel having to battle the Prince of Persia who most believe refers to the satanic angel over Persia at that time (Daniel 10:12-14).

In the spiritual realm there are demonic angels put in charge of nations and these must be dealt with for God to move effectively in that country.

Jesus talked about the need to bind the strongman to plunder his house (Mark 3:27). Andersen is convinced for the Gospel to break free in Denmark, the spiritual strongman that controls Christiania must be bound.

Is Andersen making an impact?

When he first set up a church inside Christiania in 1999, God placed on Anderson’s heart to pray for an old hippie called Ole (not his real name) who some believe controlled the spiritual climate of the area. Many considered him a “spiritual healer” and some suggested he controlled the spiritual “vibration” of the village.

Andersen and his group started praying for Ole in November 1999 and Ole showed up in their church unannounced in January 2000.

During meetings with US pastor/prophet Rick Joyner at their church, they prophesied over Ole that the blood of Christ was “all over him, cleansing him”and that God would use Ole to advance the Kingdom of God. The next week Ole accepted Christ during the service.

After the meeting Andersen asked Ole why he started coming to church, Ole said it was because “healings” he used to perform had stopped working in November, the same time that Andersen and his group started praying.

Andersen also shared an interesting story of the time he wanted to distribute a Reinhard Bonke pamphlet to every one in the village but was “violently opposed” by a woman working at the commune post office. A short time later, God spoke to Andersen that his small group should attend an “energy workshop,” with occultist overtones, taking place at Christiania’s meditation center.

They got the dates mixed up and showed up the day after the event. However, they were allowed into the center by the boyfriend of the woman who stopped the tract distribution.

Once inside they worshiped God and that may have had an impact as Andersen said a few weeks later when they wanted to distribute a New Testament to people in the village, it was allowed with no questions asked.

Sources:

• A Glimmer of hope in Denmark: Charisma Magazine
• Inside Denmark’s anarchist Paradise, where almost anything goes: Mic.com