From Lent until Resurrection Day every year—then again in May, the month of Mary—we see believers around the world suffering from the wicked effects of spiritual witchcraft.

That’s because many sincere people around the world—and probably in your city—are exalting Mary in this season. Many are lighting candles, worshipping Mary or hailing Mary—and what we exalt we empower. Just as God inhabits the praises of His people (see Psalm 22:3), idol worship impacts a spiritual climate. If you’ve ever been to idolatrous nations you’ve immediately noticed the oppressive atmosphere.

Mary worship seems to empower the Queen of Heaven, also known as Jezebel. When Mary is lifted up to a place where only Jesus belongs, it unleashes demonic activity in that territory. As demonic activity increases, people report feelings of oppression, fatigue, strong warfare against the mind that makes you feel like quitting, and even physical manifestations for which doctors can’t find a reason.

Mary Doesn’t Want Your Worship

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, does not want our worship. Jezebel, also known as the Queen of Heaven, does. There is no queen in heaven. Jesus, our King, does not have a wife. But there is an ancient principality called Jezebel, who seduces people into idolatry (see Revelation 2:20).

Again, Mary, the mother of Jesus, does not want our worship. She wants us to worship God, just like she does. Consider the scene with the Three Wise Men searching for the baby Jesus in Matthew 2:8-11 (AMPC):

“Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search for the Child carefully and diligently, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him. When they had listened to the king, they went their way, and behold, the star which had been seen in the east in its rising went before them until it came and stood over the place where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they were thrilled with ecstatic joy. And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they presented to Him gifts—gold and frankincense and myrrh.”

Notice the Magi did not worship Mary. They saw Mary but they fell down and worshipped Jesus. They did not present their gifts to Mary. They presented their gifts to Jesus.

Mary Can’t Answer Your Prayers

Some well-meaning people pray to Mary. They use “Hail Mary.” Although we find the phrase “Hail Mary” in the Bible when the angel Gabriel greeted her in Luke 1:28, the Holy Spirit did not intend for this to become a prayer for the ages. It wasn’t a prayer in the Bible and it should not be our prayer as believers in Jesus Christ today.

The so-called Hail Mary prayer—”Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen—flies in the face of Scripture. Nowhere in the Bible to we see any instruction to ask Mary to pray for anyone.

In fact, 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (AMPC) is clear: “For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all [people, a fact that was] attested to at the right and proper time.”

Jesus Did Not Exalt Mary

Jesus did not exalt Mary. Twice in Scripture we see Jesus making it clear that Mary is no greater than anyone else willing to do the will of His Father in heaven.

In Luke 11:27-28 we read, “Now it occurred that as He was saying these things, a certain woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, Blessed (happy and to be envied) is the womb that bore You and the breasts that You sucked! But He said, Blessed (happy and to be envied) rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey and practice it!

And in Matthew 12:46-50 we read, “Jesus was still speaking to the people when behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to Him. Someone said to Him, Listen! Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You. But He replied to the man who told Him, Who is My mother, and who are My brothers? And stretching out His hand toward [not only the twelve disciples but all] His adherents, He said, Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother!”

A Warning About Idolatry

God does not want us to pray to Mary, exalt Mary or worship Mary. We honor her as the mother of Jesus, which is giving honor to whom honor is due (see Romans 13:7). But that is where it ends. Going further is idolatry.

Exodus 20:4-5 (AMPC) tells us, “You shall not make yourself any graven image [to worship it] or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down yourself to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me.”

Click here to read an article on overcoming witchcraft attacks.