dailywordofdestiny

Dark Deception

Zephaniah 1: 1-6;  Habakkuk 2;  Luke 21: 8-36;   2 Peter 3: 3-14

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or consults the dead.  Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.  You must be blameless before the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 18: 10-13).  

The Lord tells us clearly in Revelation 2 what the spiritual climate in  the Body of Christ will be in the “last days”.  In Ephesus, there are some who have abandoned (left) the love they first had for Christ.  In Smyrna we see those who are poor in physical, material riches but are very rich in their spiritual condition being told to FEAR nothing, to be loyal and faithful even in persecution and as they face death.  In Pergamum, we see those who have allowed a place where Satan sits enthroned. …they are clinging to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to set a trap and a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to entice them to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols and to practice lewdness (sexual vice).  In Thyatira, they are tolerating the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess (claiming to be inspired…the spirit of control) and who is teaching and leading astray many and BEGUILING them into practicing sexual vice and eating food sacrificed to idols.  They have been taught but have no desire to repent of their immorality and they refuse to do so (rebellion).  In Sardis, we see the apathetic, sleeping ones and God says, ‘Rouse yourselves and keep awake, and strengthen and invigorate what remains and is on the point of dying; nothing being done meets the requirments of My God or are perfect in Hi s sight’.  Philadelphia, reveals those who have kept His Word and guarded His message and are not renouncing or denying His name.  The Lord tells them, “HOLD FAST to what you have.”  Laodicea, is a group that is filled with complacency; neither hot nor cold (riding the fence) believing they are rich for they have prospered and are wealthy; they don’t have need of anything or anyone (including God)…yet  they are blind to their dying, and uncovered  spiritual condition.   How many in the body of Christ have been seduced by and have bought into the lies of the enemy; how many are being influenced by the demonic world and yet are blind to the deception that is leading them secretly and slowly away from the ONE TRUE GOD?  Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3: 13 that at the close of this age evil men and imposters (enchanters) will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  It would take a very blind man not to see the evidence of this today.

In its simplest form, witchcraft is an expression of the corrupt, rebellious nature of fallen humanity.  In Galatians 5: 19, 20 it is listed as idolatry among the works of the flesh.  There are not very many who have not resorted at some time or other to witchcraft in this form.  However, it is most important to recognize that Satan will use the “works of the flesh” as an opening for demonic power.  He will move in and take control of men and women and make them his tools of evil and slaves to his kingdom; most often through casting of spells or speaking curses (see 2 Timothy 3: 3 to ensure you are not aligning yourself with the accuser of the brethern in your words).   Examples of witchcraft are:  acupressure, accupuncture, hypnosis, touch healing, martial arts, etc.   

Divination is offering any form of knowledge not obtained by purely natural means and it includes all false forms of religious revelation that CLAIMS a supernatural source.   Examples of divination are:  astrology, clairaudience (hearing ‘voices’), crystal balls, ESP, horoscopes, YOGA; transcendental meditation, mediums, mind reading, tarot cards, seances, tea-leaf reading, and most importantly, all false religions that claim supernatural revelation but contradict the Bible.  Distinguishing true and false in this realm is like distinguishing between straight and crooked in the natural realm.  Once we have truly established what is straight according to God’s Word, then we will know what is crooked, whether it be by one degree or by ninety degrees.   ANYTHING that departs from the TRUTH of God’s Word is FALSE.  The most powerful deceptions differ in only minute ways from God’s truth as Jesus revealed to us in His time in the wilderness facing Satan himself (Matthew 4: 6 as it alludes to Psalm 91).  It is VITAL in these final days that we KNOW JESUS, KNOW HIS VOICE and most importantly, KNOW HIS WORD and OBEY IT FULLY (John 10: 3).

Sorcery operates through material objects or through ways that will impact the 5 senses, such as drugs, music, pornography, etc.  This is one area I see daily and am well aware how many do NOT have knowledge of the great impact that is made on their life by what they wear, what they feast their eyes on, or what they listen to.  Satan is all about “mind control” and if he can get you to dwell on something, listen to or think about it alot, etc. he knows he has you.  Examples of sorcery:  amulets, ankhs (cross with a ring at the top), charms, bracelets, etc used to heal, crystals for healing, hallucinogenic drugs (i.e peyote), heavy metal music, “lucky” charms (horseshoe, 4-leaf clover, rabbit foot, etc.), Ouija boards, hex signs, talismans, ZODIAC charms, etc.

Many people dealing in the occult will have major, chronic issues resurfacing in their lives and into the next generations (mental or emotional problems, marriage and family breakdowns, financial insufficiency, accident prone, suicidal ideation, unnatural or untimely death).  Many will say, “I didn’t know that visiting a fortune-teller made me guilty of spiritual adultery in God’s eyes.”  Many of those involved in sorcery are churchgoers and by dabbling with in the occult they have become involved in something far worse than physical adultery.  The shadow it puts on their life may continue to rest over the lives of the next four generations of their descendants.  Each of us have 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, and 16 great-great grandparents; making a total of 30 persons, any one of whom may be the cause of a curse over our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren.

Ignorance does not absolve us from the guilt of our sins, but it may dispose God to show us mercy if we repent and turn to Him.  “Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse WITHOUT cause shall not alight”  (Proverbs 26: 2).

~ to be cont’d…