The Christian Response to the Spirit of Witchcraft

Hello and welcome to Self Talk. I'm your host, Dr. Ray Self. This is a show that gives you real answers for tough issues, full of spirit and truth. It's been my heart for many years just to set captives free, to give people the answers but with love and compassion and the leading of the Holy Spirit to overcome obstacles in their life, things that keep them from their promised land, that is the purpose of this show. Thank you for listening. Be sure and check out our website, icmcollege.org/selftalk, that's where you can subscribe, you can follow us, you can also give us a great review. Thank you for listening to today's show.

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Hello and welcome to Self Talk. I'm your host, Dr. Ray Self. Very glad you're with me today. This show is brought to you by the International College of Ministry, www.icmcollege.org, now enrolling. Holy Spirit-filled seminary, take life experience credits, it's good, check it out.

I want to talk today about the spirit of witchcraft and how you deal with it. How do you know it's in operation and how does it affect you? Because it's a very common demonic spirit that has been around for eons. The Bible uh, warns us about witchcraft and practicing- well, there's a there's the practice of witchcraft and I believe very clearly there's a spirit of witchcraft, but concerning the practice of witchcraft, in Deuteronomy 18:10, the Lord says “there shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer,” okay? And then in Deuteronomy 18:14, he was talking about the nations they were getting ready to conquer, and the Lord said “for those nations which you shall dispose listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.” Okay Second Kings 21:6, talking about an evil uh, king of the Hebrews. “He made his son pass through fire, practiced witchcraft, used divination, dealt with mediums and spiritualists, he did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking God to anger.”

So it's evil, it's forbidden. We're not to, to fool with it but it is around. Now, there are those that actually practice, that uh, practice witchcraft. There actually is some power in, in witchcraft, it's demonic power, it's simply just using Satan and Satan's demons, but remember, we have the Holy Spirit, we have power over the demonic realm if you know how to exercise it. But what is the spirit of witchcraft? Well, in essence, it's a controlling spirit, a manipulating spirit. Witchcraft generally is concerned about casting spells in order to manipulate or control other people or a situation, primarily is attacks upon other people. So one thing you can talk about very clearly, or I could say clearly, is the spirit of witchcraft is a controlling, manipulating, demonic spirit which loves to attack Christians, families, churches. Etc. If you flow in the prophetic, you have probably dealt with the spirit multiple times. If you're a minister, you have dealt with a spirit, or a pastor or an evangelist. It really attacks the body of Christ and it is used sometimes inadvertently through other Christians who do not realize they have opened up a door for the spirit of witchcraft to come in. 

So the spirit of witchcraft is a spirit of control and manipulation. Witchcraft seeks to control a person against their will. Um, some people inadvertently, like, I just say- there's that word again, inadvertently- let's come up with another, another word. Some people unknowingly, that's a better word, will open up a door for the spirit of witchcraft, and how do they do that, what they do is they, they want to control. They try to control or manipulate another adult against their will and whenever there is control and manipulation going on, there is a wide open door for the spirit of witchcraft to come in and just make things much worse.

Witchcraft is a controlling, manipulating spirit it has many weapons that it uses. The spirit of witchcraft uses guilt, shame, condemnation, unworthiness, all kinds of messages in order to control someone to do something that they really don't want to do. One of the primary-and hear me very clearly- how, how do you know if there is a spirit of witchcraft attacking you, or your marriage, or your church? The number one fruit of the spirit of witchcraft is confusion, mental confusion. It's interesting, but when a person is being controlled against their will or there is a force trying to get someone to do something they really don't want to do, it creates resentment, it creates anger, and nearly always will create mental confusion. So when I, when I see Christians suffering mental confusion, uncertain about what to do, it's kind of like they're, they're walking in a fog, just can't seem to get a clear picture of what's happening. 

Generally speaking, there is a spirit of witchcraft. Now, in spiritual warfare, it's always helpful to identify which spirit is in operation. The spirit of witchcraft works very closely with the spirit of Jezebel which is another controlling spirit, and again, the purpose of it is manipulation and control to get people to conform to somebody else's will. One way the spirit of witchcraft comes in, and this is going to seem kind of hard, but it will come in through well-meaning intercessors. And sometimes an intercessory prayer group can get into witchcraft. Now, I'm not condemning intercessory prayer, it's a very important ministry, but when an intercessory prayer warrior begins to pray their will be done, their will be done for the church, their will be done for the family, their will be done. In opposition to God's will be done. That opens a wide open door for the spirit of witchcraft to come in.

Witchcraft is a fleshly spirit and it is a spirit that wants to manipulate, control, cause confusion, cause chaos, all kinds of problems. Um, prayer, in prayer, intercessory prayer, let me say this one of the critical things with the intercessory prayer warrior is to pray what you see. You'll discern things going on in the church, excuse me, and you'll, you'll discern things happening in people's lives and you begin to pray for what you think the solution is. Well, that's good, but if you'll just simply say “but Lord, not my will but your will be done,” that's the way Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “but Lord,” you know, “take this cup from me but God, not my will but your will be done.” So if we're trying to impose our will, even through prayer, we could inadvertently- there's that word I keep using- we could cause an open door in the spirit realm to be open for the spirit of witchcraft to come in. I mean, I don't, I don't know of anybody who wants to, to do things to open up a door for witchcraft but we do it in our flesh. We- when we try to manipulate, control, dominate, influence somebody against their will, that can be an invitation. A written invitation for the demonic spirits of witchcraft to come join the party, and we don't want to invite demons to come join the party.

So if you are a Christian, especially if you are a Christian leader or working in any type of ministry, you've probably had a spirit of witchcraft come against you. Now, to be honest, there are witches in operation that practice the evil- evil practice, and they will literally place assignments and curses upon churches and individuals. Again, the fruit of that is, the fruit of that is generally is going to be confusion or mental resentment or frustration. There's just no peace with it at all when you're being attacked by that spirit. But with discernment and with the Holy Spirit, you can recognize what spirit’s in operation and the good news is, it's a demon! Hallelujah, it's a demon! Why would I say hallelujah? Hello Mr. demon, meet the Holy Spirit that resides inside of me. Let's have a contest, Holy Spirit versus demon. Guess who wins? The spirit of God wins all the time. One thousand, thousands of times more powerful than any demon, and you are the temple of the Holy Ghost. You have the Spirit of God within you. But if you don't understand that and don't release the authority that God has given you, these demons will cause problems for you. They'll cause confusion in marriages and confusion in relationships and confusion in the church. 

Some leaders, some church leaders- again, I love the church, Christ loved the church, Christ gave his life for the church- some leaders instead of leading by example and by teaching the truth, will try to force their way. They'll try to force submission, they'll try to, to force um, force people to do what they want to do, and they get away from management and leadership into control. And when you go away from management and leadership, and you step into control and manipulation to get what you think as a leader should be done, again, you're opening up a door for the spirit of witchcraft to come in. So now every time somebody tries to control you or manipulate, you it doesn't mean they are practicing witchcraft, what they're doing is they're opening up a door or they're giving witchcraft an opportunity or permission to begin to operate, and then things get much much worse. And I've known many a Christian that just seems to be, they seem to be confused and they're frustrated and full of resentment and anger and they just can't seem to, to find their way. And then we pray and rebuke the spirit of witchcraft and all of a sudden peace comes and they're free.

So I've often said this, I don't want to focus on demons, I really don't. We want to focus on God we don't- “seek you first the kingdom of God.” Focus on God, focus on the Lord and his Holy Spirit, his kingdom, on Jesus Christ. However, Jesus said “these signs will follow those that believe,” in Mark 16, we will cast out demons. So he didn't tell us to ignore demons, he told us to cast them out. And James, he says if we submit to God and we resist the devil, he will flee from us. And Luke, he said “behold, I've given you authority over snakes and scorpions and all the power of the enemy and nothing shall harm you,” so we have authority but authority must be exercised, okay? You, some of you, listen to me, you're like an undercover cop. You've got authority but nobody knows it. You're not dressed like a cop, you don't act like a cop, you're just, you're undercover, you know. You're an undercover warrior. We need to, we need to take off the cover, let the world know, let the demons know who we are: children of the Most-High God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ. These weapons will not prosper against us and the spirit of witchcraft must go. 

There'll be no more, no more frustration, no more resentment, no more confusion in our families, in our church, in our lives and our job. We don't receive that spirit anymore. And if you're someone who believes you have to control someone to get your way, stop it. You know, tell people what you want, tell people what you need, but don't force it. Freedom of choice. You see witchcraft, wants to take away your freedom to choose. Witchcraft wants to take away your freedom to choose. God made us free, free to choose him, free to worship him, free to love him. We're also free to sin and we're free to rebel. The choice is ours. But what the spirit of witchcraft does, it seeks to take away your choice, take away your choice to, to choose the Lord; take away your choice to choose love, to choose submission, and to choose Godly obedience. Take away the choice to choose it and try to force an agenda upon you. Again, the sounds a little bit- what’s going on in our country today, trying to force an agenda. And see, that's what manipulation does, and that's what control does. 

And again, we do these things and it's like we're writing, taking a little Hallmark card, say “hey Mr. Demon, Mr. Spirit of Witchcraft, you are cordially invited to come join my life.” No. And what do we do? Say, “Lord, forgive me. I've tried to control and manipulate. I may have opened up a door for the spirit of witchcraft. Lord, forgive me, Lord, forgive me. I repent of that. Thank you, Father. Your word says if I confess my sin, I'm faithful- you're faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Thank you for that, Lord.” Maybe you didn't intentionally use witchcraft but you did, so you repent, ask forgiveness. But maybe, you know, this spirit is coming against you and to me, that's kind of the easy one to say “no more in the name of Jesus Christ. I break the spirit of witchcraft off of me and my family, I command you to go now. In the name of Jesus, get out. In the name of Jesus, be gone. I break your assignment, I break your power by the authority of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the authority given to me get out. Your assignment against me, my wife, my ministry, my children, is hereby broken in my possessions and my church and my ministry. I break you in the name of Jesus Christ.” 

We do not ever have to receive this spirit again. Recognize it, know what it is. When you understand what demon is in operation, it's much easier to get rid of it, to cast it out, to forbid it from operating, and it honors God to do that. God wants us to be free, God wants us to be free, he doesn't want us to be hindered by any demonic spirit. The spirit of witchcraft is just a very common demon, been around for thousands of years. And I know there's all kinds of demons, you don't have to name every single one of them, but I know this controlling, manipulating spirit that causes confusion and resentment and anger and all kinds of problems in churches and family and lives and jobs, it's got to stop now, folks. It needs to stop now in the name of Jesus Christ. It needs to stop now, and it will stop in the name of Jesus Christ, so let's pray.

“Heavenly Father, I thank you for every person listening to me. And Father, any person listening to this show who is being affected right now by this spirit, I thank you, Father, that your word says we have authority and that we will cast out demons. So, Father, we cast this demon off of every listener, this assignment off of everyone listening to my voice. And Father, give them the power and the authority. Let them see their power and authority that they too can resist the devil and he will flee, Father. And so Father, remind us of our authority and we just declare and decree, everyone listening to this show being attacked, being harassed by the spirit of witchcraft is free and that spirit will stop, that assignment will stop now in Jesus name.”

And folks, and amen, and folks listening to me, continue to resist the demon until he's gone. One thing about spiritual warfare it's like a boxing match. Sometimes when you're boxing, you have to hit your opponent more than one time before you knock him out. And you may have to hit this spirit over and over and over. Punch this spirit, punch this spirit. Hit this spirit until finally that spirit is gone and it's knocked out cold. You get it? Amen, amen. It's an honor. I really thank you for listening. Uh, please share this show and help us to, to multiply this message. To, to help people. Don't forget to subscribe, don't forget to um, you know, give me a review. Go to my Podpage, um, what's it, it's icmcollege.org/selftalk. That's the website where you can make comments, you can see every show we've ever done, it's called icmcollege.org/selftalk. So I appreciate you very much. Thank you for listening. It's an honor and a privilege and this is Dr. Ray Self from Winter Park, Florida. God bless you.

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Thanks again for listening to Self Talk. It's been my honor and privilege to be able to be with you today through the wonderful world of the internet. Be sure and check out my resources, there's many resources that can help you out at my website, icmcollege.org. That's the college, International College of Ministry, there are free lessons, you can get a free evaluation, there's a lot of things you can do on that website. Also, check out our podcast website which is icmcollege.org/selftalk. Be sure, and maybe consider purchasing one of my books, Hear His Voice, Be His Voice or Redeeming Your Past, Finding Your Promised land on amazon.org. Thanks again for listening, we appreciate you.