When you read the headline of my column you probably had one of two thoughts:
“Christians are practicing witchcraft?” or “I’m not practicing witchcraft! I don’t read tarot cards, mix potions or cast spells!”
The answer to the first thought is, yes, Christians are practicing witchcraft. As for your insistence that you are not practicing witchcraft, well, you may not be moving in divination, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t engaging in witchcraft.
Consider what the Bible says about witchcraft. It may surprise you to learn that what the world—or even what the Wiccans—call witchcraft is not always one in the same as what the Bible calls witchcraft. For example, when you think of witchcraft, you probably think of black magic or conjuring the dead. Those abominations are covered in the Bible.
ut witchcraft is not always so mysterious. Indeed, rebellion, word curses and works of the flesh also fall into the realm of witchcraft. However you define it, though, practicing witchcraft is a serious sin, and far more Christians are experts at sorcery than you may realize.
Rebellion Compared to Witchcraft
Remember when King Saul was ordered to utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they had: man, woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass? Saul found victory in battle against Israel’s enemy by the grace of God, but failed to obey the voice of God when the dust settled. He spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and kept the best of the livestock (see 1 Sam. 15:1-9).
Saul proposed that his intention was to sacrifice the animals to the Lord, but there’s no excuse for disobedience. Saul was so stubborn that he at first refused to admit his disobedience. He actually justified his actions. Only after Samuel rebuked Saul did he catch the revelation that obedience is better than sacrifice (see 1 Sam. 15:22). In that rebuke—and in Saul’s response—we find one way Christians are practicing a sin that's in the realm of witchcraft: through rebellion that arises when the fear of man is greater than the fear of the Lord. Let’s listen in on the exchange:
“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. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice” (1 Sam. 15:23-24, KJV). Unfortunately, Saul didn’t learn his lesson. He continued disobeying God and eventually lost his kingdom. Fear of man was at the root of his rebellion, but rebellion grows from many roots. If you see rebellion operating in your life, find the root and rip it out!
Jezebel’s Word Curses
Then there’s Jezebel’s witchcraft. In 2 Kings 9:22, right before the wicked queen’s demise, Jehu offered insight into an open door for the Jezebel spirit when he told her son, “What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” The spirit of Jezebel is essentially a spirit of seduction that works to escort believers into immorality and idolatry (see Rev. 2:20). And this spirit uses witchcraft against its enemies.
Jezebel’s witchcraft was rooted in rebellion, but the type of witchcraft in this verse refers to incantations and spells. In the modern church world, we call them word curses. Jezebel released a word curse against Elijah that carried a spirit of fear when she sent him this message: “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time” (1 Kin. 19:2, KJV).
In modern times, word curses aren’t always so dramatic. When we speak negatively over someone’s life—“They will never hold down a job acting like that,” “Their marriage is bound to fail the way he treats her,” “The doctors said he’s going to die in 30 days. Isn’t that sad?”—we are agreeing with the enemy’s plan and giving power to it with our anointed mouths. The power of death and life are in the tongue (see Prov. 18:21). If you are inadvertently—or purposely—releasing witchcraft over people with the words of your mouth, repent and get your mouth back in line with the Spirit of God.
Works of Your Flesh
Make no mistake. The Spirit of God is against witchcraft in whatever form it takes, from divination to magic to rebellion to word curses—to works of the flesh. Paul explained that the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. What are the works of the flesh? Galatians 5:19-21 lists them: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.
Notice that witchcraft is listed right alongside adultery and fornication. Witchcraft is a serious offense in any manifestation. As a work of the flesh, witchcraft violates the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” The flesh opposes the move of the Spirit and resists all things spiritual. This is a serious struggle because Paul assures us that those who practice witchcraft will not inherit the kingdom of God (see Galatians 5:21).
But there is yet good news. If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (see Galatians 5:16). How do you know if you are walking in the Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When you walk in the Spirit, this fruit manifests.
If you know you are disobeying God in an area, repent of this sin, which God views in the same way as witchcraft, and get back in line with the Spirit. If you are cursing people with your negative words of gossip and death, stop practicing this witchcraft and begin blessing. If you are flowing in fleshly witchcraft, crucify your flesh with its passions and desires. If you live in the spirit, walk in the Spirit—and walk free from the practice of witchcraft. Amen.
HI Jennifer I am a christian… I have been and still am being attacked by the christians who do witchcraft on me.. the occult is in the christian church big big time here in my area .. almost all preachers do witchcraft on me Years ago I was working around the occult I got very depressed …I was in hospital for manic depression… That opened me up to the occult world…Now A year ago I was befriend with a person in my church who is a christian SHE USED ME BIG TIME…..at the time I was being a christian helping her out buying her stuff she was a needy needy person…Here I came to find out she was a witch… she sang in the chori is a sunday school teacher teaches clubs is in the day care school… she does all the right things …yet when I had a need she would tell me you aren’t trusting GOD I just trust God to meet my needs she also got 2 cars from the church.. she hurt me so so so bad… SHE AND OTHER PEOPLE IN LEADSHIP PUT A CURSE ON ME … I went to church on a wed, night service.. As I walked under 2 doorways to the church I felt the demonic fall on me .. I was Cursed …I went to class ..I was in only 5 or 10 minutes when I had to leave class I went to the altar to cry out to GOD what came out was a curse of death out of my mouth… I was stopped by a person in the church who gives alot of money to the church .. as this was all happening to me the pastor comes down the ilsel walks right by me and never ask’s or stop to talk with me …the one person was a pastor as well into witch craft…. I never went back to the church I went there 20 years no pastor or no one in leadership ever callled me… I now don’t have a church because the occult is all the churches they know me and I know them… every church I went to the pastors are into the occult to the devil signs they use in their preahing time always point to me and demons on the wall where the songs are placed yes I do need deliverence I did see aso called christian consular who I found out he was a witch or something in the occult.. I did confort him.. because I found out that even christian consulars are witches to and his answer was yes we are in the occult.. and he goes to a well known church… so Jennifer how do I find a TRUE DELIVERANCE MINISRY… I need HELP….MY neighborhood is all into the occult…the prechers are not like it use to be… I am not me I know dealing with the occult I need HELP.. I am praying and staying in the word…the world is in the church today…to many puffed up preachers… sin is sin …prech the cross and theblood of Jesus. so we have convition in our hearts to repent… every thing is tickle my ears sugar candy is what we get…. so Jenifer any true church you might have for me to go to . true believers ….there is a lot more that has happen to me by christians to ware I feel rejection….Please respond hurting deep soroow Darlene
Wow sister. I am truly sorry that you have been and are going through all of this. This is no joke and I know all too well the oppression this can cause. My experiences differ from yours but there are enough similarities that enable me to empathize with you and want to help. I went through deliverance myself through Above and Beyond Christian Counseling. They are in Florida but they meet through Skype too. The Lord Himself led me to them in 2016 and I’ve never looked back. I am glad you are seeking truth through Jennifer. She is a true anointed woman of God. The Lord Himself will head you through this mine field darling girl. And you will come out of it ready and strong enough to help others through it too. Please look me up on Facebook under Toni Camuso Booth and send me a friend request. Along with a message telling me that you saw my message here. I am willing to take your hand in this. You don’t have to fight alone. The Bible says one man can chase a thousand but two can put ten thousand to flight. Praying for you right now! T xo
Your living in response towards the devil! You can’t accuse someone of being a witch when they couldn’t help you the way you expected. You can’t accuse your brothers and sisters or people who have been placed in Authority, that is just going to open a whole bunch of warfare.
I understand you been hurt. But the reality is is that you took offence, it’s not given its taken.
But bless you friend, may God strenghten and hide you under neath His wings
This answered a lot of my questions of what is actually considered witchcraft. Often times we view that as spells, or hex bags or voodoo but this is such an interesting description of how something a simple as a word could be a curse. We even call cuss words curse words so how interesting that it’s such an afterthought. Thanks for taking the time to research and write this! This is valuable information
There are many churches so called spirit filled who have fallen away from the traditions we are extorted to hold fast to First and foremaost tongues have truly ceased had it not been so it would be a practice that was continued throughout church history yet it is seen as a gnostic practice a seer is not a prophet of God they prophecy lies in the name of the most high in the last days there has come a great falling away men and women alike who profess the name of Jesus have made a mockery of his holy name by teaching that a prophetic gift must be honed that they can see into the future may as well consult a psychic they are one in the same the new age church is called in the bible mystery Babylon I wonder could this be because they babble in incomprehensible tongues I implore you to get into a traditional church idc which denomination that’s just words on a building but get out from her elect ones whom were called from the grave by name to life eternal denounce that false spirit and receive the true holy spirit of God ask for the Lord to open your eyes and see what is really happening in these churches world wide and how the healings and deliverances are not legit only Jesus Christ can heal and this is by prayer and fasting alone I had witnessed it first hand where tumors vanish and don’t return where financial problems are solved by Faith alone and it’s not in abundance but exactly what you need A Church where love reigns over all else and none judge you
Why do you say there are no physical healings? That it’s only by prayer and fasting?
That’s not true! It’s not us healing… it’s the Holy Spirit in us healing!
I’m confused that you would say that!?
Sounds like Andrew Wommack’s new Book about David killing Giants. Good writing. Thanks for this. I shared it.
Thanks for a powerful, accurate, timely Word of truth & exhortation. Could you consider a clarification about passing judgment on unclean spirits using people in their ignorance?
Acts 8.9-26, Matt. 10.14, Mk 6.11, Luke 10.10-10.12, Acts 13.48-52,… L would like to add more but overtime calls (demands.).