Witchcraft in the Modern Day Church
The Prophet Samuel said to King Saul,
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”
1 Samuel 15:23
Like any virus left in its undiagnosed state, spirits of witchcraft, rebellion and idolatry can spread from host to host – infecting families, church congregations, provinces and nations. Much of Israel, sadly, became such a nation, though this is continuing to change as the Spirit of God continues to move mightily in that nation.
Though God sent the Israelites into the Promised Land to possess it and set them apart to remove all that was not of Him, many times instead they rebelled. They embraced the idolatry of other nations, ignoring the warnings of God. As a result, cursing and bondage fell upon them, instead of the freedom and blessing that God had intended. Moses had warned them,
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”
Deuteronomy 30:19
Choose Life!
These words are life giving in their right context. At a place called Shechem, Joshua gave the people a similar ultimatum, whilst choosing life and blessing for himself.
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15
Like any illness, the spirit of Baal is diagnosed by the symptoms of deceit and false prophecies it produces. Jesus said,
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.”
Matthew 7:15 & 16
This Scripture is true of false prophets, and true of anyone operating through a counterfeit spirit instead of by the Spirit of God.
Become a True Follower of Christ
As Jesus came out of Jericho, he heard two blind men crying out. He asked them,
“What do you want Me to do for you?”
They said to Him, ‘Lord, that our eyes may be opened.’ So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.”
Matthew 20:32 – 34
There are many in the world today who believe they are followers of Jesus, but who have been deceived into believing another Jesus, having received another spirit and a different gospel to that of the Bible. In reality they are following after a false Christ. The Apostle Paul said,
“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or a different gospel which you have not accepted — you may well put up with it!”
2 Corinthians 11:3 & 4
In the same way that these blind men received their physical sight- the result of having the spiritual eyes of our understanding opened is that we become true followers of the one, true, Jesus Christ.
Are You Believing a Lie?
After Jesus had entered into Jerusalem, He went into the temple of God.
“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them,
“It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.'”
Matthew 21:12 & 13
Jesus’ use of the words ‘den of thieves’ when describing what His house had been made into was no coincidence. Jesus was making a direct reference to Jeremiah chapter seven and the worship of Baal and other gods. In the Old Testament, God told the prophet Jeremiah to confront the people of Judah saying,
“Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the Lord!” Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.” Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.'”
Jeremiah 7:2-4
Become a True Worshipper of God
The people of Judah, who God sent Jeremiah to confront, believed they were true worshippers of God. Yet Jeremiah describes them as those who were trusting in lying words.
Though they entered in at the gates to worship the Lord saying, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these,” God was warning them that these were lying words. He was warning them to amend their ways!
The people of Judah proclaimed to be entering into the temple of the Lord to worship God, when in reality they were living unholy lives, falsely burning incense to Baal and walking after other gods.
The Deception of Walking After Other gods
The prophet Jeremiah describes some of the life patterns of people who walk after other gods. He describes them as those who need to thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour. By this, Jeremiah means, we are to make right and accurate judgments of others and to treat other people in a right way. He said if we amend our ways from doing these wrong things, then God will cause us to dwell in the place of our inheritance. But this is a conditional promise. Meaning, that if we do not amend our ways – we will not inherit the promise.
“For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour, if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit.”
Jeremiah 7:5 – 8
- Who or what we worship determines how we treat other people.
- A true worshipper of Christ will treat others as Christ would.
Symptoms of Deceit in the House of the Lord
What does oppressing the stranger, the fatherless and widow represent in the house of the Lord? It could mean lacking to care for the needs of orphans, widows and strangers or taking advantage of those who are vulnerable. But could it also mean failing to meet the needs of those who feel like strangers in the Body of Christ, or those in need of a spiritual father and mother?
What does the shedding of innocent blood represent in the house of the Lord? Could it mean wrongly speaking or acting against the leadership that God has placed in His Church, or a brother or sister in Christ?
What does walking after other gods to your own hurt represent in the house of the Lord? Could it mean the seeking after money or material gain at the expense of others? Or pursuing a counterfeit power?
These are all things God declared should not happen in His place of worship.
Keep Your House as a House of Prayer
“Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations?'”
Jeremiah 7:9 — 10
What do stealing, murder, committing adultery and swearing falsely in the house of the Lord represent? Could stealing mean taking the glory that belongs to God; blocking the purposes of God; or trying to take the inheritance that belongs to another?
Could murder mean the misrepresentation of Christ or the assassination of another’s reputation or character?
Could adultery be an act of physical adultery, sinning in the mind, or exchanging the love of Christ for the love of something else?
Could swearing falsely mean making vows to God or to a husband or wife that you no longer keep, saying one thing but doing another; or telling lies and half- truths to others?
God asks the people if they think they can stand before Him and say that He has delivered them to do all these abominable things? For in doing these things they were robbing the very purposes of God!
“Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the LORD.”
Jeremiah 7:11
The Spirit of Elijah Confronts the Spirit of Baal
When the Lord God sent the prophet Elijah to confront King Ahab, there were four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of Asherah, who ate at his wife Jezebel’s table.
“Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, ‘Is that you, O troubler of Israel?’ And he answered, ‘I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals. Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’ So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.”
1 King 18:17-20
Elijah then challenged the Israelites,
“‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word.”
1 Kings 18:21
Perhaps the people of Israel were afraid to stand up to the spirit of Baal? Queen Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, had already massacred most of the prophets of the Lord. Apart from Elijah, Obadiah had hidden one hundred prophets secretly in caves. So Elijah instructed the people,
“Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”
1 Kings 18:23 & 24
The Enemy’s Kingdom is Torn Down
Despite all the performances and customs of the false prophets of Asherah and Baal – all their false prophecies and all their crying out, no response came to them. No fire from Baal came down on their altar.
“So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, ‘O Baal, hear us!’ But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, ‘Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied (falsely) until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered; no one paid attention.”
1 Kings 18:26-29
Elijah Rebuilds the Altar of the Lord
So Elijah drew the people near him and repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.
“And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, Israel shall be your name.”
1 Kings 18:31
He made a large trench around the altar and placed the bull on the wood of the altar. Twelve water pots were filled with water and poured on the altar until the water ran all around, filling the trench with water.
“And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to you again.’ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.”
1 Kings 18:36-38
The People’s Hearts are Now Turned to the Lord
Seeing that the prophets of Baal had received no answer, it gave courage to the people of God. When Elijah drew them near to him he reassured them that they were the Lord’s and that the Lord had given them the name of Israel. Elijah wanted the people to know that their God was the only God in Israel and that Elijah was His servant. Elijah obeyed God’s word so that the people’s hearts would be turned back to the lord.
“Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!'”
1 Kings 18:39
When the people saw what the Lord had done, they had courage to go up against the prophets of Baal.
“And Elijah said to them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!’ So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.”
1 Kings 18:40
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
Confronting the spirit of Baal, or any of witchcraft’s counterparts in their own spiritual territory, without dealing with its manifestations operating in your own life first, is neither a wise nor advisable thing to do. It is like stepping foot onto someone else’s property whilst holding a possession of theirs in your hands. The enemy has a legal right to take possession of what belongs to him. If you do not deal with it in your own life first, you will be vulnerable to spiritual attack.
There is a trustworthy principle of God found in the book of Matthew. Jesus said,
“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Matthew 7:3-5
First submit yourself to God. Allow Him to deal with the sin in your own heart first, even if the area is small. When you have exercised the authority of Christ given to you, expelling it from your own life first, you will then be able to confront it in others. Witchcraft is a powerful and destructive force that should not be left undealt with in the followers of Christ, or tolerated in the house of God. God has given every believer in Christ the authority to overthrow it.
“And He (Jesus) said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority (by using the name of Jesus) to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.’”
Luke 10: 18 & 19
Keep Focused on the Body of Christ
We should each think of ourselves as Christ thinks of us. Christ in us is always more powerful than anything we may face. Christ never thinks “I can’t do this” or “this is bigger than Me.” The Apostle Paul said,
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Ephesians 6:10 & 11
We do not battle against people, but against principalities and powers in the spiritual realm. Therefore we should not view other people as our enemies, but should love them. Other people are either in need of Salvation, or are co-labourers in the Kingdom of God and our brothers and sisters in Christ.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Ephesians 6:12 & 13 – Read also through verses 14 – 18
The Weapons of our Warfare are Mighty
God has given us the precious blood of Jesus Christ and the very name of Jesus to overcome the enemy, and powerful spiritual weapons that are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”
2 Corinthians 10:3 – 6
These weapons of obedience are always at our disposal, and this is where our testimony becomes very important.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
Revelation 12:11
Casting Down Strongholds in Our Imaginations is a Daily Necessity
Speaking out the word of God from the Bible is a powerful force against the enemy – See my previous article ‘Addressing the Issues of Your Heart.’ – King David said,
“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”
Psalm 19:7 – 11
We use the truth of God’s word to cast down every argument the enemy brings to our minds and make it obedient to the word of God. To be able to do that, we need to know God’s word.
Praying in the spirit (in other spiritual tongues) is also a vital key. When we have been baptized in the Holy Spirit we receive the powerful spiritual gift of speaking in other tongues. When we pray in other tongues in the spirit, the Holy Spirit prays through us with acts of spiritual warfare, praying exactly the right thing, for every situation, every time.
- Speak the word of God and pray in spiritual tongues often.
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication In the spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:18
Some highly recommended reading for help with spiritual warfare: “The walk of the spirit the walk of power — The vital role of praying in tongues” – by Dave Roberson, from Dave Roberson Ministries.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You today to ask for Your forgiveness for any way in which I have participated in turning Your house into a ‘den of thieves’ through my attitudes, thoughts, words or actions. Please show me any ways in which I have allowed a wrong spirit access into my life and teach me how to treat others according to the ways of Christ. Where there are strongholds of wrong things operating in or through my life, help me to find others experienced in the things of the Lord, who will help me to be set free. I ask these things in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”
Have you prayed for this ministry today?
