It may surprise you that witchcraft is alive and flourishing in our churches. It is a sad fact, but true, because most Christians have really no idea what witchcraft actually is, let alone recognise it. In Hosea 4:6 Jehovah laments “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Clarke says of this statement of the Lord’s, that “they have not the knowledge of God, nor of sacred things, nor of their own interest, nor of the danger to which they are exposed. They walk on blindly, and perish.” How close is that to most Christians today? Then the Lord continues “Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being priest to Me.” As Clarke adds, that we, like them, might have become wise, had we not rejected the means of improvement – the knowledge of God’s ways. It means ultimately that we are declared goats, rather than a sheep, and as Jesus said in Matthew 25:46 “… these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.”

Witchcraft, in simple terms is counterfeit spiritual authority. The only spiritual authority which Christians ought to know, is the Holy Spirit. However, we are in bondage to whomever’s yoke we carry, to whomever we submit our will and trust. Witchcraft uses human and demonic spirits to dominate, to manipulate and to control others.

If you have been attending Church for a while, you will have recognised the spirits of domination, manipulation and control which abounds there in support of territorialism and self-preservation which often runs riot amid groups and cliques. That, those, are witchcraft in action in the Church.

Galatians 5:16-217 warns the Church of this very real problem, saying “Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” Galatians 5:18-20 continues saying “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies …..” Sorcery is witchcraft.

Yes, witchcraft here has its roots in the lusts and the spirit of man, but as soon as these roots are established in us and we begin to operate in them, they open doors to the demonic. Using hype and human soul power for godly works, for works of God, is still witchcraft.

The enemy is subtle and does not normally take on the church directly, nor those who are spiritually empowered and walking in authority with God. The reason is, that they know they will be defeated in a showdown, for He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Instead, the enemy seeks those who have already fallen to his wiles and are already in the church in leadership places. The enemy almost always, resorts to deception, and is a master at that black art.

Much of what is taught in business schools is based on deception, hype, manipulation or control and as defined above; and they are witchcraft. These are the esteemed ways of the world and when church leaders starts to grow their ministry based on hype, manipulation or control, they are evoking and working in witchcraft.

A simple example. Have you ever heard a prayer warrior ever so subtly (or not subtly as the case may be), expose the sins of another during a prayer? That is manipulation and it is plain witchcraft, just as is the gossip which that same seemingly godly prayer warrior indulges in, in earnest, outside the church walls. Just because the practitioners of witchcraft carry on their Satanic craft in a church and using biblical language, does not make witchcraft any more godly or right.

The lack of support of a godly given leader is also witchcraft, just as is any attempt to remove that person, or even slander them. 1 Samuel 15:23 makes this blatantly clear saying: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship…”

(If you want to know more about this read about David and King Saul and see how David submitted to the Lord at all times, but Saul succumbed to the demonic and was brought down by the Lord.)

For those who practice witchcraft in the Church, and without, Jude has a bit to say to them:

“But what things they do not know, they speak evil of. And what things they understand naturally, like the animals without reason, they are corrupted by these.
Woe to them! For they went the way of Cain, and gave themselves up to the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.
These are sunken rocks in your love feasts, feasting together with you; feeding themselves without fear; waterless clouds being carried about by winds; fruitless autumn trees, having died twice, having been plucked up by the roots; wild waves of the sea foaming up their shames; wandering stars for whom blackness of darkness has been kept forever.
And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied to these, saying, Behold, the Lord came with myriads of His saints, to do judgment against all, and to rebuke all the ungodly of them concerning all their ungodly works which they ungodly did, and concerning all the hard things ungodly sinners spoke against Him.
These are murmurers, complainers, leading lives according to their lusts. And their mouth speaks proud things, admiring faces for the sake of gain” (Jude 1:10-16).

Yes, the black darkness has been reserved for them, for that is where they will end up – and many of them are already well down the path.

The primary defence we have against those who practice witchcraft and black or white magic is to walk in the light of the Lord who was and is the true Spirit. We must live our lives in truth, trusting in the Lord, just as Jesus did.

We must not answer evil with evil (Proverbs 20:22), but with love, for Satan cannot cast out Satan (Mark 3:23). If we use their tactics, we become one of them, for the enemy will pounce on our sin and extract every ounce of control they can from that sin or ours. We must not fear, for perfect love casts our all fear (1 John 4:18). We are to humble ourselves at all times, so that the Lord, at His choosing, can exalt us (1 Peter 5:6) and not to seek to accomplish promotion or advancement by the works of our hands. That which the Lord has call us to, He will accomplish in His own and perfect time.

Finally, do not seek to expose and bring down the enemy in your midst. The Lord will do that in his time, as Romans 16:20 says, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly…” Instead, do as Jesus said in Matthew 5:44-45,

“But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

If we use witchcraft to achieve our success, we will be constantly on edge working to keep ourselves there, and employing more, and stronger witchcraft. However, it we rely on the Holy Spirit, He will give us the authority in which we can stand and accomplish the works of the Lord with perfect grace and with peace in our hearts.