Jennifer LeClaire is now sharing her reflections and revelations through Walking in the Spirit. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
October has rolled around once again and spiritual warriors everywhere are standing strong against spiritual witchcraft. Every season—through every battle with this demonic power—I learn more about how to battle back.
I've long known idol worship—including Mary worship—can release witchcraft into a spiritual climate. I've understood that Wiccan activity can release witchcraft. I've recognized Voodoo and Santeria and other false religions can release witchcraft.
To sum it up, there are many different expressions of witchcraft just as there are many different flavors of ice cream. (I prefer the ice cream!)
The witchcraft that Jezebel releases often carries intimidation, imaginations and infirmities. Witch doctors in Africa have been blamed for hurricanes coming up the East Coast. Witchcraft in Voodoo rituals release spells and incantations that make people sick and even die.
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The Witchcraft We Battle
Witchcraft can be in the spiritual atmosphere due to demonic activity from those practicing its various expressions—but witchcraft can also be released directly at you as a spiritual attack. Because of the constant drip of persecution from unbelievers—and even believers in the church who don't believe in the full gospel—I break word curses, hexes, vexes, incantations, spells and every form of witchcraft that I discern coming against me.
What is witchcraft? Merriam-Webster defines witchcraft as the use of magical powers obtained especially from evil spirits; the use of sorcery or magic; communication with the devil or the familiar. You might think of the Voodoo priests or the witch doctors, but as I've said before even Christians can release witchcraft at you with their thoughts and words.
Webster's Dictionary defines witchcraft as an irresistible influence or fascination—and the Bible warns us not to be bewitched: "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified" (Gal. 3:1).
Obviously, there is a spiritual force the Bible is warning us about. It causes us to take leave of the truth that sets us free. Hence, we come into a measure of bondage, whether it manifests as strong confusion in your mind, sickness in your body, unreasonable fatigue, wild imaginations, feeling like giving up and so on. We have a responsibility to know about this spiritual wickedness and guard ourselves against it. I speak more about these realities in my book, Satan's Deadly Trio.
If you discern a witchcraft attack against you, you must stand against it as quickly as possible. The longer you let the witchcraft's residue settle on you, the harder it is to break free. Here are five practical ways to resist a witchcraft attack.
1. Be careful what you're thinking about. First Peter 1:13 says, "Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
The battle really is in the mind—or at least it starts there. Witchcraft works in imaginations and illusions many times. Although a curse or vex can cause your body to manifest with symptoms, for example, it's up to you whether you want to receive the attack or refuse to submit to the devil's power. Don't reason out in your mind where the physical symptoms are coming from. Ask the Holy Spirit what is going on and He will show you. Sickness is not the will of God, in any case.
2. Guard your heart from old temptations. The Amplified version of 1 Peter 1:13 says, "brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert)." Jezebel and her witchcrafts work to draw you into sin. When you are under heavy attack, your soul gets weary. Jesus can offer rest to your soul, but Jezebel wants to provide you a different way of escape through sin. Jezebel works to seduce you into idolatry or immorality (see Rev. 2:20). When you feel like you are getting hit from every side, guard your heart. Don't run into temptation when you are under attack, run for cover—run to Jesus.
3. Cast down vain, fearful imaginations. Imaginations don't always work to push sickness on you or tempt you to sin. Sometimes the devil just wants to overwhelm you with witchcraft imaginations so you'll give up and go hide in a cave with a bag of potato chips, a bowl of ice cream, a big pillow and the TV remote control. If the Holy Spirit dwells in you, then so does the fruit of self-control. You can choose by your will to "cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5, KJV).
4. Cast your cares on the Lord. Witchcraft imaginations totally skew your perspective—making monumental issues out of something God could fix with a wink. Cast your care on the Lord. Keep your eyes on Him. Pray for what you think you need—then believe He's got your back. When you do, He promises to care for you and give you perfect peace (see Is. 26:3).
5. Speak the Word, use the Name and invoke the Blood. You have three powerful weapons at your disposal—spiritual weapons that are mighty through God to pull down strongholds. It's hard to effectively wield those weapons when you are wallowing in condemnation, self-pity, fear or some other harmful emotion. Choose to snap out of it. Plead the blood against it. Declare the truth over your life, in the name of Jesus!
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of awakeningtv.com, on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening;Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer onFacebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer's Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.
YOUR ONLY HOPE IS IN CHRIST JESUS!
YOUR CHOICE!
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FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:1-4
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