Witchcraft and the Church

Part 6 – The Confrontation and the Casting Down

               In the first five installments of this series, we have discussed how witchcraft operates, who it operates through, and how it entered into mankind. We have also discussed some specific spirits of witchcraft and detailed their operations. Now we get to the good stuff: how to confront and cast down witchcraft when it is operating in our lives or in our churches.

               One thing that we need to understand about witchcraft is that it is never just going to go away on its own. Once it obtains power in a person’s life or ministry, it will continue to take ground and work on the heart and mind of that person until they are so bound up that they are of no use to man or the kingdom. Once witchcraft roots itself into a ministry, such as a church, it will continue its operations until the assembly splits or shuts down completely. Both of these results are a manifestation of broken covenant, and this is one place where witchcraft thrives.

               The only solution to this problem is to confront and cast down witchcraft before it can attain its goals. In the life of an individual, this may require intercessory prayer, casting the spirit down, retraining of the flesh, and some intense Christian Counseling to fully bring healing and restoration. In a ministry, the head of the ministry may have to step aside for awhile so that healing and restoration can be sought out. It may also require intense prayer on the part of those involved in the ministry, asking the Lord to send in someone anointed for the job. One thing that is always required to root out witchcraft is a man or woman of God who is anointed for the task; and they must have the will and the intestinal fortitude to see it through to the end.

               The Bible contains some pretty in-depth information on witchcraft. It tells us how witchcraft is introduced into a body, what can be expected of the operations of witchcraft, who it considers its primary enemy among men, and how to root it up and cast it down. 

               Gen. 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made”. Through craftiness, deception, deceit, and promises of illegal power, witchcraft will enter into the life of a person and begin to operate. We see this played out in Genesis chapter 3 between the serpent and Eve. Once we allow ourselves to be deceived, it is only a matter of time before we become a tool used to destroy the lives of others, as well. We see this in every manifestation of witchcraft presented in the Bible.

It should be noted here that witchcraft cannot enter into a ministry unless it first enters into the life of someone in authority in the headship of the ministry. This person may be the pastor, the pastor’s wife, a board member, the worship leader, etc. Once it has entered the life of an individual in authority in a ministry, it will seek to form sin covenant bonds with other spirits of witchcraft operating in the same ministry. The two, working together, will then form other alliances and open doorways for other spirits of witchcraft to operate.

               1 Kings 16:31-33 tells us how this takes place. It says, “And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jereboam, the son of Nebat, that he (Ahab) took as wife Jezebel        the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonaians (Phoenicians); and he went and served Ba’al and worshipped him. 32 Then he set up an altar for Ba’al in the temple of Ba’al, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a wooden image. And Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.”

               So here we have it all laid out. Ahab is living a life of walking in his father’s sins. In other words, he has inherited a generational curse, just like many of us. Instead of seeking the Lord and walking righteously before God to have that generational curse removed, he chooses to allow the sin lifestyle to take more of his life than did anyone that came before him. Unfortunately, the same could also be said of many of us.

               The biggest mistake Ahab makes is to then form a sin covenant with Jezebel. Many of us probably do the same thing. Jezebel was not a Hebrew girl; and being a king’s daughter and a worshipper of Ba’al, she was most likely a priestess of Ba’al; meaning that she was most likely a high dollar prostitute. So Ahab’s lust for her gets him into this situation, and she takes full advantage of him. This is very typical of the Jezebel and Ahab sin covenant. It is also very typical of the Ahab spirit to use lust to entice a person into some places where they really shouldn’t go.

               The next thing we see is that Ahab goes and begins to serve Ba’al. This is typical behavior when a person is oppressed by a spirit of witchcraft. It will work tirelessly to open doorways for other spirits of witchcraft to enter into a person’s life.

               So what does Ahab do next? He builds a temple and an altar for Ba’al, effectively introducing witchcraft into his ministry. Because of the operation of Jezebel and Ahab, the entire nation of Israel was led astray into Ba’al worship.

               We see the same things happening in ministries all over the nation. A pastor, board member, or other authority figure in a ministry will make some bad decisions and allow spirits of witchcraft into their own lives. As a result, doorways are then opened for witchcraft to begin its operations in their ministry. From this position, witchcraft is then released to attempt to open doorways in the lives of their congregation because they are then used as a tool without even realizing it.

               For instance, a minister under the influence of witchcraft will get up behind the pulpit and preach about prosperity. He will indicate that God blesses those that give. He will then extol his congregation to increase their level of giving, promising anything from monetary return to actual signs and wonders if they will give. This is manipulation and it is witchcraft. Every person that then gives has become complicit in his witchcraft by trying to manipulate the hand of God with money. As a result, everyone that gives has opened up doorways for witchcraft to operate in their own lives. Even though giving is a kingdom principle, giving in order to influence God to give you a miracle is witchcraft. It is the motivation that is in sin.

               We see the same principle displayed in Genesis Chapter 3 between the serpent and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent deceives her into believing that if she eats the forbidden fruit, she will be like God. Seeking the power that comes with that type of knowledge, she takes a bite and then gives it to Adam, also.

               Now, there is nothing wrong with seeking knowledge. In fact, Proverbs 1:7 says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”. And Proverbs 10:14 says “Wise people store up knowledge”. In 2 Chron. 1:10, Solomon asks God, “Now give me wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of yours?” In 2 Chron. 1:11-12, God grants his request, and then promises long life and wealth in addition.

               God does not mind us seeking knowledge. He objects to us seeking knowledge for the sake of the power we presume it will bring. That is the difference between knowledge alone and knowledge with wisdom: Knowledge tries to figure out how to do something, where wisdom stops first to ask if it should be done. When we seek knowledge to bring us power, we are practicing witchcraft, just like Eve. When we seek knowledge and wisdom to better serve God, we are pleasing to Him.

               In the story of Jezebel and Ahab (1 Kings chap. 16), the very first thing Jezebel does is to convince Ahab to serve Ba’al. This is a very typical way of doing things in the world of witchcraft. One spirit enters a life because of a bad choice, then proceeds to make sure other doors are opened for other spirits. Notice, however, she has also succeeded in leading another person into witchcraft.

               In effect, Ahab was the head of the Church of his day. Being king over all Israel was his ministry to the chosen people of God. As such, he was bound by covenant with both God and the children of Israel. Once Jezebel entered the picture, both covenants were easily laid aside in favor of the worship of Ba’al. Thus, she had convinced him to allow witchcraft to enter into and destroy his ministry to Israel.

               We see the same thing in Gen. Chap. 3. Eve eats the fruit and then gives it to Adam. Witchcraft never operates alone, and when it is alone, it will find another person to entice into sin. Adam’s ministry was to tend God’s Garden. When he allowed sin to enter into the Garden, he broke his covenant with God and forfeited his ministry. He also damned all of humanity to be born into sin.

               And notice from the story recorded about Jezebel and Ahab, their primary enemy among men is always the prophet (1 Kings 18:13; 19:2; 21:20). This is because the prophet is the polar opposite to the witch. Witches use false prophecy to manipulate others into doing their will. Prophets speak prophecy to edify, exhort and comfort the children of God to keep them on track with the Father. Witches crave power and authority which is not theirs; prophets give all the glory to God. Witches believe that they are more powerful in numbers; a prophet knows all power in heaven and earth belongs to Christ Jesus. Witches lift up themselves; prophets lift up Jesus. A witch’s ministry produces false signs and lying wonders; a prophet’s ministry is followed by true signs and wonders from heaven.

               It is also the prophet that has the gifting necessary to expose the witch for what he/she truly is

(1 Kings 18:18). Prophets can discern through the Holy Spirit when a spirit of witchcraft is in operation, what spirit is operating, what its operations are, and whose life it has infected (although not all prophets will have all this information, they will have enough to do their job). While other ministers may possess discernment, the prophet’s sense of discernment is usually sharper, especially where witchcraft is concerned.

               As a result, witches will usually place a prophet very high on their list to destroy (1 Kings 19:2). They will be discredited, have their reputations soiled, directly challenged, called false prophets,  forbidden to minister within a body, and even get thrown out of churches. Each and every one of these avenues is a normal, expected avenue of attack. And all of the reasons for such actions will sound so reasonable. It is only the Spirit of the Lord that can truly identify witchcraft in operation.

               One of the main reasons that prophets are so disliked is because they carry the anointing for destroying witchcraft. A prophet walks in the anointing to destroy witchcraft as part of their calling and gifting. So getting rid of a prophet is just playing it safe if you are a witch.

               Casting down witchcraft is always done through direct confrontation. If Jezebel is operating in an assembly, someone with the anointing and the will and the authority to challenge her must step up to the plate and carry through. When the infestation is serious, God usually sends a prophet anointed for the job (1 Kings chap. 18), to either cast down witchcraft or to anoint the man who will (2 Kings chap. 9).

               Confronting witchcraft is never easy. Ba’al and Jezebel can root themselves very firmly in a body with very little time to do so. There are so many of us that are susceptible to promises of illegal power; or that struggle against lust or pride, that it makes the job of a spirit of witchcraft that much easier. The first thing to remember when confronting a spirit of witchcraft operating in a life is to never negotiate. It goes, the person stays.

               Spirits of witchcraft will generally seek the highest position in a ministry as possible, and will always work in teams. The couple that writes the biggest tithe checks, serving on the board, and calling all the shots in a church is a near guarantee, and must be confronted if the ministry and they themselves are to be saved. Otherwise, the ministry will split or close completely, and Jezebel and Ahab will take a good many of the congregation with them to another assembly to do it all over again.

               The elder who just recently divorced and remarried two months later, amid rumors of marital infidelity is another nearly sure bet. The older woman who always sits in the front pew, scowling at anything she doesn’t like, who writes tithe checks that pay the pastor’s salary is another place to check. Any church member in authority that has issues with covenant relationship, or seeks to control the ministry should be approached prayerfully.

               Jezebel and Ba’al will resist being cast down. They will split the church, get the pastor fired, have the visiting prophet thrown out, and have the worship leader replaced with a close friend that is not anointed for the job (thus placing a spirit of witchcraft in the driver’s seat for worship). In short, they will pull every dirty trick in the book to retain or grab hold of more illegal authority. And they will always reproduce themselves in disciples. Two spirits of witchcraft will always work together as a team, but will train disciples to do the same thing they are doing.

               The pastor who won’t allow anyone else except family to flow in their giftings is one good example. The busy-body that brings a troop of ten women with her to complain about the new Sunday School teacher is another one. Or the new couple in the church that brought five other couples with them. All of the above situations should be carefully monitored, so that a spirit of witchcraft can be shut down before it gains any real power in the Body.

               Once a spirit of witchcraft is found out and cornered, it generally is rather cowardly, preferring to run instead of facing a direct confrontation with a true man or woman of God. The person that has been oppressed should be removed from power, and then deliverance and post-deliverance counseling (for retraining of the flesh) should be sought out. If the person will not be convinced to be prayed for and counseled, then the only choice left is to ask them to leave. That should always be the last resort, and even then only when the Lord endorses it. People are not disposable just because they are oppressed, but if they are unrepentant and unwilling to submit to church authority, then the rest of the Body must be protected.

               Ministers that exhibit signs of witchcraft in their ministries need to be prayed for through serious intercession. Only when the voice of the Lord says to do so, should they be asked to step down for a long enough period to seek healing and restoration. Then they should be gradually reintroduced to their authority in the Body. Close monitoring needs to be used for awhile, until it can be reasonably guaranteed that they are not falling back into the same trap again. Again, this should only be done under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and should be confirmed numerous times through several individuals before it is acted upon. One of the first things a witch will try to do is to upset the power structure in a ministry through false prophecy. We need to be sure that it is definitely the Lord speaking.

               Confrontation needs to be direct and to the point, but done in a loving manner. Remember, these people are not demons, they are oppressed by demons. There is a huge difference. Guilt and shame should NEVER be used as leverage to make someone submit to prayer or to stepping down temporarily. Confronting witchcraft with witchcraft is not going to do any good.

               The most important part of deliverance counseling with those oppressed by spirits of witchcraft is the counseling. Pre-counseling needs to be used to be sure that it is indeed witchcraft that they are struggling with. Post-deliverance counseling needs to be employed to help them retrain their flesh. Otherwise, it is almost a guarantee that they will fall right back into the same trap. If a minister senses the presence of a spirit of witchcraft and does not have the time or the experience to counsel the individual involved, then the minister should intercede that the Lord will send a deliverance counselor to set them free.

               Most importantly of all, love those that are oppressed. We all have open doorways in our lives. To treat someone like a leper because they are struggling against something is not Christ-like. It is not good for them or for other members of the Body. And it is not the heart of God. The heart of God is that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. In other words, the Golden Rule definitely applies here. Treat those that are struggling with the same love and respect that you would want to receive. If you cannot, let another minister pray for them.

For more articles by this author, please be sure to check out www.thelighthousespeaks.blogsot.com

              

Witchcraft and the Church

Part 2 – Jezebel and Ahab

Jezebel – The Queen of Witchcraft and her Pawn

“And he answered, ‘What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?’ “ (2 Kings 9:22)

               Historically, Jezebel was an actual person, the daughter of a Zidonian king, the queen of Israel, and an avid worshipper of Ba’al (1 Kings 16:31). It is not the historical aspect that I am interested in so much as the spiritual aspect. Jezebel, spirit of witchcraft, is so common in the Church in this day and age, that we must learn how it operates, who it is operating through, and how to stop its’ operations.

               God knew that Jezebel would be a problem in the Church. In Rev. 2:20, He tells us: “Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.”

                God was so adamant that Jezebel should not be allowed to operate in the Church that He even goes so far as to promise a special reward to those who use their authority in Him to overcome her. Rev. 2:26-28 says, “and he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father. And I will give him the Morning Star.”

               But what are the works of Jezebel? How do we spot her in operation? How do we overcome her? What happens if we just sit idly by instead of confronting her?

               The works of Jezebel, and her partner Ahab, are outlined in 1 Kings 16-22, and in 2 Kings chap. 9. There is more Biblical material about this particular pair than any other adversary of God and man. God gave us an incredible amount of information about her so that we would be able to spot and to stop her in her tracks.

               When it comes to stopping Jezebel, the only option is confrontation. An anointed man or woman of God who is in authority in the Church must confront her. That is the only way. Why? Because one of her main operations is the illegal assumption of power within the Body. How does she pull that off? Let’s take a look at the Biblical evidence, shall we?

               The book of 1 Kings details the lives of Jezebel and Ahab, king and queen of the nation of Israel. The spirits of Jezebel and Ahab have taken the names of these two evil individuals because their operations are the same. We also need to remember that the nation of Israel WAS the Church of their day. Anything which happened to them can also happen to us. She assumed illegal authority in Israel, and has also assumed illegal authority in many churches. How does she do that?

               First, she finds a man in authority. Through manipulation, she bends that man to her will, and begins to assume power that is not hers. We must remember that if there is a Jezebel, there will always be an Ahab. The two work together. Always. No exceptions.

               1 Kings 16:31-33 tells of the coupling of Jezebel and Ahab: And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethba’al (meaning “with Ba’al”) king of the Zidonians (Phoenicians), and went and served Ba’al, and worshipped him. 32 And he reared up an altar for Ba’al in the house of Ba’al which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

               So first off, we notice that Ahab’s first mistake was looking outside the Body (the nation of Israel) for a partner. Why was this such a massive mistake? 2 Cor. 6:14-15 tells us:  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial (satan)? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Rule number one in avoiding Jezebel: seek a mate from among the people of God.

How many Christians do the same thing today? How many of us are willing to accept spouses that are not part of the Body? Or better yet, how many of us yoke ourselves to partners who may come to church but are not serious about God? What happens when we do that? Well, let’s take a look at what happened to Ahab.

               Notice from reading 1 Kings 16:31, that it is only after Ahab couples himself to this wicked woman that he builds a temple and plants a grove for the worship of Ba’al. Now, to be truthful, the worship of Ba’al was common all throughout Canaan during this time. In fact, it was common all throughout the known world, and still is. When we get to the article on Ba’al and Ashteroth, we’ll discuss this more in depth.

               So Ahab makes the mistake of taking a wife from among the heathen. Then he makes the biggest blunder a man can make: he allows her to convince him to worship a false god. Like most new husbands, he was probably willing to do whatever it took to please his new bride, and she took full advantage of it.

               Even as the king of Israel, Ahab did not have the fortitude to stand up to her and say “no, I only worship Jehovah, the one true God.” We see this a lot in this pairing. Ahab never has the strength to stand up to Jezebel. She always gets what she desires from him through manipulation.

               Manipulation can take many forms. It may be sexual favors, as Ahab always struggles with some kind of lust (see the text in 1 Kings 21, where Ahab lusts for the vineyard), and sexual lust is nearly always present. It could have been bouts of tears or displays of temper, or even just persistent nagging. Whatever the type(s) of manipulation used, he will never stand up to her, at least not for long.

               This is one reason why Jezebel is so adept at running the church from behind the scenes. She manipulates her husband to carry out her will, or gets on the board herself and manipulates the pastor or other board members. However she chooses to work, she will always be running things from behind the scenes while it appears to most of those in the area that Ahab is actually in charge.

               I want to stop right here to make a point. The reason that church boards are so vulnerable to Jezebel and Ahab is because they are not a Biblical form of Church government. I know, I just made many of you so angry that you are now red in the face, hurriedly searching for any key that will make this article go away.

               Those of you that have a more even temper, or just a sense of curiosity are saying, “wait a minute! Didn’t the church in Jerusalem have a board of 11 apostles, plus James as the Pastor?” The answer is definitely “yes”, however that particular council of 12 anointed apostles of God does not even come close to resembling most church boards. The council in Jerusalem contained 12 anointed men of God who had all proven their allegiance to Christ, and were called to minister to the nations.

               What do most modern church boards look like? Let’s just think about a few examples. Many church boards are popularity contests. The people with the most friends get elected by the congregation.

My favorite example is the guy who puts the most in the offering plate gets placed on the board by the Pastor. Got to keep those tithe checks coming!

               Or how about this one? The Pastor’s best friend is reserved a seat, regardless of whether he has a call on his life, or not. Or the woman who won’t quit hounding the pastor for a seat is given one just to shut her up.

Every example from above, regardless of how ridiculous it sounds, is taking place in churches all over the nation. And every example from above is an example of Jezebel and Ahab at work. Let’s examine the evidence.

Nowhere in the Word does it give an indication that church board members should be elected by general election of the congregation. Even the 11 apostles in Jerusalem asked for the voice of the Lord before numbering Matthias as one of the 12 (see Acts 1:15-26). The board should be agreed upon by those presently in leadership because of the voice of the Lord on the issue. The Council in Jerusalem was appointed by Jesus Himself, and that is the way it should be today. Jezebel is likely to always be very popular, especially with the women. Women whom do not know what to look for will see her as strong and confident; a woman who runs her household well and gets the desired results. Popularity contests need to be avoided at all costs.

Jezebel and Ahab are likely to be very prosperous, and will almost nearly always be good givers when the offering plate is passed. Although Ahab is a very passive personality type (which he will try to hide with false bravado, see 1 Kings 20:11), Jezebel is driven to have the good life, and will drive him to provide her with the very best. As a result, they will most likely have plenty of money, and giving in large amounts gets her noticed, feeding her vanity (2 Kings 9:31). And giving in large amounts also gives her negotiating room to enforce her will on the pastor (Ouch! Just lost a few more of my readers!)

Board membership because of friendship with those in charge is an invitation for disaster! It has been estimated that 9 out of 10 Pastors deal with the Jezebel and Ahab syndrome in their own homes. As a result, a Pastor with an Ahab issue will always surround himself with Jezebels and Ahabs, and a board of “yes-men”. I can just about guarantee that the guy who is always the pastor’s right hand man (in the instance of a pastor with an Ahab issue) is probably either a Jezebel or Ahab. Satan excels at manipulation, and will try his best to place a Jezebel or Ahab next to any pastor. For safety’s sake, close friends of other board members should not be given any special considerations. And if you are asked to join a board full of “yes-men”, run as hard and as fast as you can!

The person who won’t quit hounding the pastor for a seat on the board, whether for her or her husband, is nearly always a Jezebel. She has a drive for power, and will acquire it at any cost. Conversely, the man that keeps humbly approaching the pastor offering to serve in a position of leadership should be carefully considered in prayer, as Ahab may well be pulling the strings.

Church governmental leaders need to be chosen by the Holy Spirit. The pastor should seek members of the five fold ministry from within his church. If an apostle is not within his own assembly, then the Pastor needs to bring his church under the umbrella of an apostle nearby. Regardless, an apostle should always be present on any board because it is the apostles which are given the responsibility for governing the church (I cite the entire New Testament as a reference). It is also the apostles which build the Church as a body.

A Prophet/prophetess should always be present on any board. It is the prophets which build foundations in people. It is also the prophet that has the necessary gifting to determine whether others are truly hearing from God or just speaking out of their flesh. And the prophet also has the gifting to determine if a false prophecy has been spoken.  Jezebel flows in false prophecy and will endorse, promote and elevate false prophets at every turn (Rev. 2:20; 1 Kings 18:19). 

It is also the prophet/prophetess that is the number one enemy of Jezebel and Ahab because it is the prophet that has the gifting to reveal the unholy operations of this pair in action. Notice the wording of 1 Kings 21:20: “And Ahab said to Elijah, ‘Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?’ And he answered ‘I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord’ “. Nowhere else in the text does Ahab call anyone else an enemy. Even when he goes to war against neighboring kingdoms, he never calls them HIS enemy. And notice his question: “Hast thou found me?” It doesn’t seem like it would be difficult to find a king! What Ahab was asking, is if the man of God had found him out. It is the prophets of God that are equipped to find and root out Jezebel and Ahab, and to not have a prophet on any church board is just like sending them an invitation to have their way and destroy the assembly.

Evangelists are always an important part of any church government. The evangelist is equipped to minister forgiveness, restoration, and healing to anyone oppressed by this pair and should always be included.

The importance of Teachers in church government is largely under-rated in most assemblies. It is the teacher that builds godly foundations in our people so that they will have the inner strength and wisdom not to become a victim of witchcraft in the first place.

One of the primary goals of any spirit of witchcraft is the breaking of covenant relationship. We see this twice displayed in the story of Jezebel and Ahab. First, she convinces him to break covenant with God by  building a temple and an altar to Ba’al, then she convinces him to break his covenant with the children of Israel by allowing her to assume his rightful authority in order to satisfy his lust (1 Kings 21).

And then there is the inevitable lust for power, which is ALWAYS present in Jezebel, even though it may not be so easily seen. In the text of 1 Kings 21 she assumes Ahab’s rightful authority and has one of his subjects killed. In Rev. chap 2, she assumes the teacher’s position, and teaches the Church unrighteousness and prophesies falsely. Either way, it is always her goal to acquire a position of authority in the Body. It is of paramount importance that any Pastor or member of church leadership only delegate their authority after prayerful consideration. Any authority delegated to Jezebel will cause no end of problems within the Body.  

So how do we deal with Jezebel and Ahab once they have taken power in a Body? They must be dethroned by a man or woman of God with the anointing and the authority and the will to do so. If you are a pastor of a body that is struggling against Jezebel and Ahab in the ranks, I would suggest that the first thing you do is to prayerfully check your own household. Sorry, no offence meant. Then I would suggest that you sincerely ask the Lord to send in the anointed man or woman of God that He has chosen to use to orchestrate deliverance in your assembly. This must be someone that is not afraid to deal with deliverance on a large scale. He or she should also have the anointing, experience, and will to do so!  And you must be willing to step down from the Pastor’s position for long enough to receive deliverance and restoration counseling. It is a big commitment, but the health of the entire Body is at stake!  

              

              

              

Witchcraft and the Church

Part 1 – Introduction and Overview

What is Witchcraft?

               This is not a question easily answered in a concise format. Witchcraft is a very broad category, and holds sway over many parts of our lives. Most of us battle witchcraft in our daily lives, but very few of us are able to recognize the symptoms as anything out of the ordinary. This is because Witchcraft is satan’s second favorite form of attack against humanity (fear is always his first form of attack), and it is generational. Almost all of us were introduced into witchcraft by our parents before we were old enough to speak a full sentence.

               What witchcraft is NOT is a bunch of old women in black hats dancing around a fire and chanting in some weird language. That is sorcery. It is a bed-fellow with witchcraft, but the two are very different.

               Witchcraft is a type of trespass which satisfies a desire for power. In accordance with this goal, it uses control and manipulation, breaks up covenant relationships, indulges in sin-covenants, is self abusive, and looks to sources of power and wisdom which are not from God. Witchcraft makes us believe that we can be God. The first recorded time that satan used witchcraft against the people of God occurred in the Garden of Eden, and it has been with us ever since. Since it is generational, it was handed down to Cain. As a result, he broke covenant with God and his brother, and slew his brother in a jealous rage. By the way, lust, selfishness and jealousy are also manifestations of witchcraft, because witchcraft teaches us to worship self above all else.

               Spirits of witchcraft are both male and female in orientation, although a man can be plagued with a feminine manifestation, and a woman with a male manifestation. We see this occurring in homosexual sin covenants.

Spirits of witchcraft always operate in pairs. If there is a Jezebel, there must be an Ahab. If there is a Ba’al, there must be an Ashteroth (pronounced A-SHE-rah), etc. If Jezebel is present in someone’s life, Ahab will always be found in a spouse, close friend, ministry partner, etc. Whoever it is will be in a covenant arrangement. The same is true of all spirits of witchcraft. Generally, the first place to look is in the spouse. However, the fact is that ALL of an individual’s covenant relationships could be infected, and deliverance would be required on a large scale.

How does Witchcraft Enter Someone’s Life?

               The answer to this question is just as difficult to answer in a concise manner. Because there are so many different spirits of witchcraft, there are many doorways by which they enter our lives. Let’s take a quick look at just a few examples, shall we?

               Jezebel, for example, is extremely manipulative. When we use manipulative techniques on those around us, we open the doorway for her. Ahab, on the other hand, is easily manipulated and willing to do most anything to satisfy his lust, especially if Jezebel approves. When we willingly allow others to manipulate us, especially with gifts which satisfy a lust, we open the door for Ahab. Jezebel is also very astute at attaining power which does not belong to her. We see this manifestation in homes all across the country when a strong-willed woman runs rough-shod over her husband, appeasing him by supplying  whatever he lusts for (lust may be, but is not necessarily sexual in nature). God set up divine order in families to operate a specific way, and when we design to implement our own way of thinking, we open the door to the enemy. We also see this manifestation when a man refuses to take his place as head of household, forcing his wife to take on authority which is not hers by divine order.

               Python will enter someone’s life through serious illness (diabetes seems to be a favorite), or through fringe occult practices. Horoscopes, Ouija boards, and tarot cards are favorite doorways. Leviathon will gladly accept doorways offered through gambling. Yes, even state Lotto games qualify. Python will choke the life out of its victim, while Leviathon will slowly drag a person down.

               The spirit of abominations, a witchcraft spirit which I have seldom encountered, will access a person’s life through the commission of abominable sins. Acts such as abortions, homosexuality, murder, etc. all qualify.

What Does the Word say about this?

               Biblical references for spirits of witchcraft abound to a greater degree than for any other type of spirit. God knew we would need these examples to safeguard ourselves against these malicious destroyers of lives.

               In upcoming installments of this series, I will go into depth detailing Spirits of witchcraft, both in the Word, and from a historical perspective.  We will explore the Biblical warnings against witchcraft, the penalties God assigned to those that practice witchcraft, and the behavior exhibited by the individual spirits. When we are done with this series, enough information will be presented so as to empower Believers to spot the operation of witchcraft and stop it in its tracks.

The next article in this series will detail the operation of Jezebel and Ahab, two of the most common spirits of witchcraft assigned against the body. We will learn the details of how they operate, how to spot them in action, and how to stop their operation.