Our neighborhood kids are in their yards gleefully decorating for Halloween. Cardboard witches, ghoulish ghosts and sticky spider webs cover the lawns. I have nothing against candy. Give me a tub of Snickers and Almond Joy’s. I’ll run around the block all night long. This night can be a time to reach out to your neighbors, enjoy your children and teach some valuable spiritual lessons.
However, occult practitioners are alive and well. I receive e-mails from around the world promoting the merits of spell-casting and witchcraft. This is America, for crying out loud! I’d expect a few jabs from Africa, South America or the Caribbean. Even a few random voodooers in Louisiana. But these people write me constantly, espousing the value of finding a lost love or getting rich by casting spells.
You can choose to let your kids be enthralled by the occult. Let them read fantasy, or play video games with demons and monsters if you wish. But teach them truth and discernment.
Yes, witches are real. Here in the good old U.S. of A. And they are not going away anytime soon. Take it seriously. Learn how to fight spiritual battles and win. It’s the only way to keep your family (and yourself) spiritually strong and safe.
Let me show you a snippet of a “spell-casting” letter I recently received.
“After being in relationship with my lover for seven years, my boyfriend broke up with me, I did everything possible to bring him back but all was in vain. I explained my problem to someone online and she suggested that I should contact a spell caster that could help me cast a spell to bring him back. This spell caster called Dr. Kala told me this was no problem. My ex would return to me in three days. He cast the spell and surprisingly my ex called me! He said was that he was so sorry, that he wanted me to return to him, that he loves me so much. Since then, I have made promise to tell anybody I know that has a relationship issue to contact Dr. Kala. He is a great spell caster who helped me with my own problem. Contact him for the solution to all your problems!”
(I’m NOT giving you his contact info. Try Jesus instead!)
By the way, if you want to know how to cast a spell, just check out the children’s section at Barnes and Noble. They are having a two for one sale. (I’m not kidding…)
My pastor-husband Roger wrote a great Bible construct on witchcraft, and particularly on casting spells.
“According to the Bible, the spell caster is operating with a “spirit of divination” which is often demonically inspired. When you enter into the realm of spell casting you enter into the realm of the occult–and you want to stay as far from the occult as you possibly can.
Let me show you the instructions that the Lord God Almighty gave to the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land (which corresponds closely to the boundaries of the nation of Israel today).
‘When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord;… 13You must be blameless before the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 18:9-13).’
That passage is from the Old Testament of the Bible. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul lists sorcery as one of many sinful practices that mark the lives of people who choose to walk in or near the Kingdom of Darkness: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife . . . and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
A frightened sixty-year-old grandmother who was deeply involved in the practice of casting spells, divination and sorcery was frantically pouring out to me her story of a lifetime’s involvement in most all of the behaviors God forbade in Deuteronomy 18.
“The spirits have turned on me,” she cried. “A fortune teller I go to occasionally revealed that I was marked for death and would die within the week. Her face was terror and despair as she begged me for help.”
I had little to give. At that point in my ministry I knew so little about engaging Satan in spiritual warfare.
Two days later the funeral home called and asked if I could perform a funeral service for a sixty-year-old grandmother who had slipped in the bathtub and cracked open her skull on the faucet as she fell.
The Bible describes the bad spirits who operate in the spirit world as demons. Good spirits are angels.
Why is it so important to stay as far as possible from those who cast spells? Because, the language of spell casters, fortune tellers, sorcerers (et all) is the language of deceit.
The Apostle Paul wrote to a young pastor describing the process of deceit: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 Timothy 4:1).
The wisest man who ever lived taught: “There is a way that appears to be right (to men and women), but in the end it leads to death” (Proverb 14:12).
My understanding is that every area of our lives that is not under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit is open to oppression by a demonic spirit.
John, one of Jesus’ disciples wrote: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Even the demons know that the Kingdom of Light holds more life and power than the Kingdom of Darkness. One of Jesus brothers wrote about the power of the Almighty God in a Bible book that carried his own name: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder!” (Jude 19).
Jesus taught that in some circumstances the demonic stronghold is so entrenched that both prayer and fasting are needed to dislodge the manifesting spirit(s).
My experience is that 95% of the time getting free from a spirit guide or exposure to spiritism, sorcery, witchcraft, divination, and fortune telling (only God knows the future) is a simple matter of Christian discipleship.
The Process Is As Follows:
Surrender to Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Place your faith in Him as the one who died on the cross in order to forgive all your sins. At the moment you receive Him into your life He gives the gift of eternal Salvation (John 3:16-18) as well as the gift of the Holy Spirit who indwells you in order to guide and empower your life (John 3:5-8).
Check that no “Satanic Foothold” has taken hold of an area in your life (Ephesians 4:27). A “Satanic Foothold” results from committing a particular sin again and again until we open up ourselves to a spiritual attack in that particular area.
Confess your sin of involvement with spirit guides, casting spells, divination and so forth.
Repent of your involvement. Repent means to turn the other way. Turn your back on the occult world and never look back.
In his book, James, the half-brother of Jesus described this part of the process: “Submit to God … Rebuke the Devil and he will flee from you“ (James 4:7). Actively rebuke Satan and demand that on the basis of the powerful work of Jesus, that he leave you alone. Actively engage in spiritual warfare prayer. Submit your life fully to God and He promises that any demonic spirit(s) will be forced to depart.
Balaam was a spell caster in the Bible who was hired by Balak to curse God’s people, Israel, and thus gain a huge reward for his troubles. Four times he attempted to curse Israel and each time God stopped him. In fact, God made his feelings about casting spells so clear that Balaam refrained from sorcery and tried never to do it again (Numbers 24:1).
However, God stands against Spell Casters (Numbers 22:1).
Balaam’s demise is dismissed almost as an afterthought. But, God had not forgotten: “They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every man. Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword (Numbers 31:7-9). “
Now pay attention.
If you love your kids, and if you are really interested in living a powerful Christian life, take Satan seriously. Don’t minimize his influence. Be a good soldier. Put on your spiritual armor. God has given you all the resources to emerge victorious.
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV
If your kids need to celebrate Halloween with their buddies, dress them up like barn animals and princesses. Leave the zombies and warlocks alone. Just my opinion. But, if you choose to allow them to celebrate Halloween, read Kiddie Bible Teaching Tips for Halloween.
