Recent events around the world may be pointing to the truth of our civilization entering into a new phase along the path of her disastrous history on this beautiful planet earth. With the horizon getting darker daily all over the earth, and the day filled with anxiety and shadows of fear in what may be next on the agenda.
However, it may be, we can count our blessings or misfortune among other things as witnesses to these strange events happening worldwide. It is more than a mixed bag of a blessing having all the unpredictable events unfolding at a breakneck speed beyond any human control. What a day we are living in?
In fact, I would call these days as the new and evolving age of massive deception, misinformation, and disinformation coupled with the conspiracies theories of all things known and unknown. Hence, I would not dare to rock the boat, even to write anything different from the mainstream religious teachings promoted in society and the church. Where everyone needs encouragement with comforting words after suffering the onslaught of the deadly coronavirus.
But even at that, what you are about to read may rock your boat and disrupt your comfort zone. If the truth must be told since the truth has the power to set the captives free from ignorance. For this reason, the word of our God is both personalized and emphasized as the uncompromising truth that offers liberty to whosoever embrace her.
As the church of today has grown very large as a century's old tree with many branches that reach everywhere. With the book of revelation mentioning some of those branches as pre-figured in the church of Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea. Where our Lord exposes the presence of the seducing and deceitful spirit that is involved in the daily working life of those churches. He not only exposed but condemned the teachings and practices of those churches.
Some of those teachings and practices have condensed to what we can identify today as the practice of witchcraft. Even to this day, writing about the modern practice of witchcraft in the church would have been a taboo, or more or less considered heretical and offensive. Forgetting that in the Old Testament our God prohibited the practices of occultism among the children of Israel. Deuteronomy 18:10-12. But I was inspired to write in a few lines my understanding after reading the letter of Apostle Paul to the Church of the Galatians. Galatians 3:1-2.
In that epistle, Paul castigated the believers of that church of being bewitched by the legalist. The believers of that church have been deceived into keeping the law instead of outright submission to the grace of God. Specifically legalistic teachers had taught them that keeping the Law of Moses is a condition for the reception of the Holy Spirit.
But in modern times, the art of witchcraft in the church has gone further with new sophistication and methodologies hard to be detected by naive and unsuspecting believers. It is often hidden in the deep things contained in the unscriptural practices and teachings of many churches. Sometimes, it may happen with the active or passive participation of the leaders and the followers. With the undiscerning and unsuspecting involvement of other believers in the dark waters of the occulted world.
In light of that, it is of weighty importance to the church with all responsibility to expose some of the dark arts so that believers can be warned and stay alert. Since it is necessary that the children of God have the capacity and knowledge to detect and discern the atmosphere of the evil one
For years, we have been taught that witchcraft is the practice of using black or white magic to influence, control either a certain person or situation for an advantage or an evil purpose. Besides that, many believers have grown up confused, not knowing nothing about what witchcraft is all about. Materialism and the new age has made things worse.
Some believe that art is non-existent in the church because of the presence of the Holy Spirit that empowers her. Without understanding that due to the disobedience of the church leaders, the Holy Spirit may have stepped aside leading the way for the other spirit to take control. And the evil one may have gained entrance in their churches without anyone noticing. Others believe that witchcraft has been destroyed by the age of the renaissance, so cannot be practiced in the western world. That it is the common religious practice in the pagan world of the African continent.
However, to understand the full meaning of witchcraft one must have a proper definition that covers the subject. The Bible defines witchcraft as similar in nature and gravity to the sin of rebellion. It means the sin of rebellion or rejecting the commandment of God is as the sin of witchcraft. Therefore, whosever rejects the will of God is like a witch. It is the sinful act of rebellion. Rebellion places a person on the same scale as a witch.
Also, the Webster dictionary defines witchcraft as the use of sorcery or magic. It also includes anyone who indulges in the practice of the art of communicating with the devil or with a familiar spirit, channeling, or medium. With those that have mastered the art of exerting an irresistible influence over others. And those who have a fascination with the invisible world. Witchcraft is the art or practices of a witch, sorcerer, and a magician. In short, a witch practices witchcraft.
However, when Christianity is practiced without the power of the Holy Spirit, she loses her protection and falls in the danger of practicing the art of witchcraft to stay useful to society. If witchcraft is real in our society then what stops it from infiltrating our churches when our practices falls below the new testament standard. It is covertly practiced not only in our society but also in the church. Believers need to watch out for unconscious indirect involvement by unmasking witchcraft in every form and exposing the spiritual forces that lie behind it.
Witchcraft is of the devil. It the art of using the power of the devil to manipulate, control, influence, intimidate and subject others to a personal will other than God. It is the devil imposing his will on a person directing or indirectly.
How to detect the acts of demonic, witchcraft, and cultic control in your church:
If your pastor seeks to control the believers in the church by opposing any form of independent or critical thinking on the doctrine and practice among believers.
If the leaders of the church are in conflict with anyone who opposes his narrow interpretation of scripture.
If the church practices the isolation of members who disagree with the leadership style.
If the church emphasizes special church creed and doctrines above the scripture
If the pastor and leaders seek unalloyed loyalty to themselves instead of Christ. Obedience without question and dissension.
If the pastor imposes his political leanings to control the members as to influence their choices in fulfilling their civic duty.
If your church uses the manipulative skill in seeking donations, offerings, and tithe from the members.
If your churches seek to control and intimidate the members through the teaching of the doctrine of "We only have the truth, all others are false churches". "We are the chosen church".
When the church lacks transparency in dealing with the members.
If the church teaches that it is humanly possible to manipulate the supernatural powers and get any result needed.
Those who teach twisted faith of "Say it, claim it and get it" without subjection to the lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Witchcraft is alive in churches that refuse to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty and darkness, instead choosing to walk in craftiness. 2 Corinthians 4:2. Then the church is open to the possibility of practicing covert and parallel witchcraft using control mechanisms. This works in some churches with off-limits or some form of superior knowledge and control. In that case, it is discernible through the exclusivities and excesses of the leaders. Who even disrespect other people’s rights and privacy?
There are other powerful weapons of witchcraft used to put believers in line by using information obtained about their weaknesses. Some pastors can resort to a form of perverted relationship in obtaining that knowledge about members and using the information to subject members. That is getting things done in the church in a hidden, subversive, and manipulative ways. Those churches refuse to respect the humanness of believers.
