W hen we speak or think of witchcraft. We often think of an old woman wearing black with a cone shaped hat riding on a broom casting spells. But the truth of the matter is that witchcraft is an evil work of the flesh that operates from a heart of rebellion. The root of all witchcraft is rebellion. Any one who is in rebellion against God is a rebel. A rebel is a person controlled by satan. I Sam 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. In other words rebellion is a twin of witchcraft. Whenever you find rebellion there is witchcraft. Rebellion is a sin that rejects Gods authority. And if you don't obey Gods legal authority it is going to be replaced by illegitimate power. The illegitimate power that supports rebellion is witchcraft. King Saul disobeyed God and held back and not destroyed all that God commanded. But when he lost the kingdom, he could no longer hear from God. He sought after a witch. Almost everyone that is in rebellion is headed down the road of seeking power by another means, weather it be the satanic supernatural or the occult. The root is rebellion. Witchcraft is a means of power. Witchcraft is a religious practice that is expressed by mans to rebellion against God. Witchcraft is the natural religion of fallen man. Witchcraft -has many forms, spells, worships, prayers and ceremonies to contact evil spirits.
Witchcraft - is the attempt to control people and make then do what you want by the use of any spirit which is not the Holy Spirit. There are 3 forms of witchcraft
� A working of the flesh.
� Evil spiritual power.
� The working of witchcraft within the church.
The working of the flesh - Witchcraft. Gal 5:19-20 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft.
We in our fallen nature have a desire to control people. And we use illegitimate means to control. The 3 key words of witchcraft are intimidate, manipulate and dominate. The Ultimate is to dominate to control people. And most people never realize that they are under one of these forms of witchcraft. In the natural witchcraft as a work of the flesh operates in every area of society. Lets look at the family life. God has ordained a certain order in the family structure the husband is the head of the wife. Under the husband the wife, and wife the children who are subject unto their parents. What witchcraft will do is change the divine order of what God has set up. Children are master manipulators they know how to get things out of the parent through manipulation.
This is sexual idolatry! God hates falsehood - especially worshipping a false god! This is why God hates impurity in all its forms. Those who willfully, and habitually indulge in these acts of impurity, without repentance, will incur eternal damnation. (Rev. 21:8) The hearts and minds of Christian people must not be defiled by gratifying themselves by indulging in impure sexual fantasies, or by abusing their own physical sexual powers. One's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit! One can no more masturbate in private without the defiling the temple of the Holy Spirit, than one could masturbate inside a Church without defiling it! If one believes that his own body is less holy than a physical building, then he does not at all understand the meaning of the holy gospel, or the awesome holiness of Christian grace. Masturbating in public is a criminal act! Why is this so? Because it is a disgusting and grotesque display of lust which is morally offensive to all! Masturbation is no less morally offensive to almighty God when it is done in private. On the contrary, the marital act of sexual intimacy is holy, which means: "set apart". It is reserved for privacy precisely because it is holy, intimately personal, and sacred. But, how would YOU feel if you knew that your spouse was masturbating while fantasizing about being with someone else?
If you are a Christian you would be offended! You would be jealous! You would be angry! God regards the idolatry of consummating lusts in much the same way. Masturbation, whether it be done while watching a pornographic movie, or while fixating upon obscene pictures, or by using one's own imagination as a tool to focus upon a fantasy of forbidden sex offends and the practice makes God Jealous. "I, the Lord, am a jealous God!" "Thou shalt not commit adultery!" "Thou shalt NOT COVET thy neighbors wife!" Jesus said: "If a man looks at a woman with lust in his eye, he has committed adultery with her in his heart." In another place he says: "If your right hand offends you ... cut it off! It is better to enter into heaven with only one hand, than to sin with your hand ... and go to hell." If you could shoot heroin just once it wouldn't be so bad. But it does not work out that way. Likewise, masturbation is not something people just do "occasionally." If the urge is not resisted, it quickly becomes a habit. It's a nasty habit of continually consenting mentally and spiritually to acts of sexual impurity. Men must be strengthened by divine grace. Masturbation is just a very common sin! Like all sin it must be conquered! But it can only be conquered with the help of the grace of God. If someone has contracted the habit of masturbation, sometimes the sudden physical impulse is unavoidable! God's grace will prevail ... if a person will fight the fight! As one grows in his dependence upon God, one will learn that he can only be victorious when God himself delivers him. This applies to all temptations, anxieties, or addictions! Vigilance must remain the work of a lifetime! People must never stop seeking the forgiveness and grace of God, asking for his help, getting up and trying again. God forgives a million times a million times! He anticipates men with his grace. He continually gives new strength. He perfects men one step at a time! Not in a month, or a year, but in a lifetime! Confess this sin first to God, then go to a committed Christian you trust, such as your pastor. Ask God to lead you to someone that you can be accountable with, who will be faithful to pray with you and for you. This will take humility on your part, but it will lead to life. James 5:16 says: "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (You may not feel "righteous" but if you have admitted your sin to God and received His forgiveness, you are! That means your prayers are powerful and effective!) |
