Watching The Serpent Of The Magician

This week, we are looking at the message entitled, “Watching the serpent of the magician."

This message is for those who are tired of frustration and those who are tired of watching unbelievers collecting what they are supposed to get. It is also for those who are determined that a transaction must happen in the heavens that would turn things around for good in their lives.

Exodus 7:9-10 says, “When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying Shew a miracle for you: then, thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.” Pharaoh was not afraid; he was not perturbed by the actions of Moses and Aaron, meaning that the conversion of things was not new to Pharaoh.

Exodus 7:11-12 says, “Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. (That is they duplicated what Moses did but that was not the end) for they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods,”

This is one of the most interesting passages in the Old Testament. It opens our eyes to many deep spiritual truths. It exposes certain things to us that may not be very clear to the modern man. My prayer is that God will deliver Christians from ignorance.

In Nigeria, one regular feature of street magic in the past was the public display of serpents. Many people gather and watch this magic. But most of the spectators do not know that this kind of activity is a satanic strategy to collect virtues. However, there are some intercessors and prayer warriors who pray these people out of business. All the places where these magicians normally operate lack development.

I had a friend, a young brother who took up a ministry, which was a ministry to frustrate magicians. So anytime he was passing by and saw any magician performing, he would join the spectators. As the magicians made their incantations, he would say, “I frustrate it, in Jesus' name. I trample upon it and it would not come to pass, in Jesus’ name." They would try and nothing would work for them that day. So, when they saw that they were having problems, they would stop the magic and look around the spectators, point out all the grey-headed people and chase them away. They believed it was old people who had sufficient power to stop what they were doing whereas the fellow causing the confusion was just 22 years old. It was the operation of people like that young brother that reduced the number of magicians in our streets.

Thousands of people are initiated into occultism just by watching magic. Unfortunately, many Christians do not know that the display of magic that took place in the parlour of Pharaoh is the same as what goes on in our streets, and many do not know how to counter them.

LESSONS FROM THE SCRIPTURES (Exodus 7:9-12)

1. There are three kinds of power: Positive power, negative power and neutral power. The rod of Moses was the positive power. The rod of the magicians was the negative power. And the human beings who were there represent the neutral power, meaning that it is to whom you yield yourself to obey that controls you. So, a man can be negatively or positively powered.

2. There are only two major sources of spiritual power: The power of God and the power of darkness.

3. There is something known as the power of darkness: Whether you believe it or not, it is not relevant. It is wrong to teach people that the enemy has no power. A lot of people are jumping up and proclaiming that some powers are under their feet. But the enemy can only be under your feet if your own head is under the feet of Jesus. If not, you are just wasting your time.

4. There is something known as the hour of darkness: The hour may expire but before that, the magic would have worked. By the time Moses got to a certain level, the hour of darkness expired and their magic could no longer work.

5. There are satanic intermediaries: In that scripture, we see three categories of people; the wise men, the sorcerers, and the magicians. These are human beings and not spirits. There are many of them around us.

6. The power of God can be counterfeited: A person can work signs and wonders that do not originate from God. The devil can cause healing to take place when he is the one responsible for the sickness. So, he can take it from somebody and give it to another person. Moses threw down his rod and Pharaoh’s magicians did the same thing.