Modern Witchcraft

[Jonathan_Gale]

What do you think about witchcraft, magic, and sorcery? Do you think it is used today? If so, how is it relevant to us Christians?

Yes, it is of utmost relevance. The Greek word for "witchcraft, magic, and sorcery" is pharmakeia, that's where we get the drug related terms pharmacy, pharmaceutical, pharmacist, etc. Drug abuse, especially for recreational purpose, is sorcery. It is warned in Rev. 18:23 -

The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery [PHARMAKEIA] all the nations were deceived.

The light of a lamp is the symbol of the holy spirit, bridegroom and bride are Christ and His church. The voice of God is essentially silenced and ignored because all nations will be drugged!

 

[walkswithFire]

Witchcraft can be blatant or subtle and found in almost every area of daily life. Your kids may be playing certain games on their tablets or at school where specific teachings are acceptable ie: new age meditation. Kids cartoons and certain TV programs. Advertisements targeted towards kids, teens or adults. It's a minefield out there but Praise Jesus! that we have the Holy Sprit of God to help and guide us through it all.

The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make him holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it. - Leonard Ravenhill

 

[2PhiloVoid]

What do you think about witchcraft, magic, and sorcery? Do you think it is used today? If so, how is it relevant to us Christians? Is there any room for Christians to dabble? If you don't think it has modern application, when did it become irrelevant?

Being the skeptic that I am, I'm not usually concerned about these things.

Thus......witchcraft, magic and sorcery is, if anything, best saved for a good time playing Dungeons and Dragons or watching a superhero flick (e.g. Doctor Strange), where it's all treated as it should be: as mostly fiction.

 

[walkswithFire]

I guess you have to experience it before you understand what and where the enemy works best. Me? - I have worked in the counselling and deliverance ministry for 2 decades (casting out demons)

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I guess you have to experience it before you understand what and where the enemy works best. Me? - I have worked in the counselling and deliverance ministry for 2 decades (casting out demons)

I'm not charismatic and, what's more, will never, ever be ... for similar reasons.

 

[NBB]

Ever heard of Blood Covenant? I heard how it impacts one's spiritual life because it's binding on the person.

Nothing Jesus can't resolve, but witchcraft is very ugly stuff,, and too sadly there is people in league with the devil doing stuff like that.

 

[BNR32FAN]

What do you think about witchcraft, magic, and sorcery? Do you think it is used today? If so, how is it relevant to us Christians? Is there any room for Christians to dabble? If you don't think it has modern application, when did it become irrelevant?

There are still many tarot card, palm readers and so called “psychics” and “necromancers” out there. Now whether they are actually performing some sort of witchcraft I can’t say for sure but whether they are or they aren’t they’re either performing forbidden rituals or deceiving people for money. So either way it’s still a sin.

 

[NBB]

I'm not charismatic and, what's more, will never, ever be ... for similar reasons.

Its not that unbelievable, really you just have to believe the devil exists, all that other stuff like witchcraft, the enemy invented it.
And then you have people dealing with stuff like this, after you receive the Holy spirit, you are given discernment too.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Its not that unbelievable, really you just have to believe the devil exists, all that other stuff like witchcraft, the enemy invented it.
And then you have people dealing with stuff like this, after you receive the Holy spirit, you are given discernment too.

Nah. Most of it is fake. And I have discernment to know this.

 

[NBB]

Nah. Most of it is fake. And I have discernment to know this.

Its not fake, there is people casting out demons and dealing with problems of witchcraft too with God with results, just like the bible commanded.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Its not fake, there is people casting out demons and dealing with problems of witchcraft too with God with results, just like the bible commanded.

I said "most" of it is fake ...

 

[The Hour IS AT HAND]

Nah. Most of it is fake. And I have discernment to know this.

If "most" of it is fake, why would God give us so many warning against it?

Deu 18:9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Deu 18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Deu 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Deu 18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Did not Saul use a medium to speak to the dead?

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

What do you think about witchcraft, magic, and sorcery? Do you think it is used today? If so, how is it relevant to us Christians? Is there any room for Christians to dabble? If you don't think it has modern application, when did it become irrelevant?

Depends on what you’re talking about. Not all things done under the banner head of “witchcraft” are created equal.

I read and collect tarot cards, collect crystals, grow herbs for health/healing. Is it witchcraft? Some say so. Some say no.

I also read about bands of “healers” in Africa and Asia who abduct albino people and sacrifice them, selling their organs for use in everything from healing aids to youth serums. Is that witchcraft? Some say no, some say yes.

Either way, the two scenarios are not comparable under the “witchcraft” banner, nor are the moral concerns.

 

[RileyG]

Nothing Jesus can't resolve, but witchcraft is very ugly stuff,, and too sadly there is people in league with the devil doing stuff like that.

Amen. Christ overcame the world and the devil.

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Amen. Christ overcame the world and the devil.

Yes. Light in the darkness. The only light that never burns out.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Agreed, we should have no portion of it, but we must also be aware of how Satan is attacking the body of Christ.

Satan is just as active in the nominal Christian community as in any other religion. He validates our worse desires and helps us feel good about being selfish.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

If "most" of it is fake, why would God give us so many warning against it?

Deu 18:9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Deu 18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Deu 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Deu 18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Did not Saul use a medium to speak to the dead?

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Oh, good gravy! Let's not act as if these things are actually being seen today, because they're not.

If people ARE seeing these things take place, I'd suggest they simply gather their belongings, get out of the seat they're sitting in, properly dispose of the buttered popcorn bucket they finished ...and promptly leave the movie theater.

 

[timewerx]

Absolutely ….

Several year ago when I Lived in the old pueblo (Tucson) we had a weekend in the Word. We deliberately held this at the Poco Diablo (little devil) in Sedona to bring some light to the place. It was a great weekend with about 150+ believers, and the resort itself was a very nice place. The Sedona area was heavily influenced back then ….and I am sure it’s it has grown even darker. To my recollection back then it was mostly the…. crystal, new age, earth worshipers & witchcraft type of people.

Zuni Indians successfully repelled multiple conquests by the Spanish missionaries back in the days. These missionaries came heavily backed by the Spanish military, yet defeated by the peaceful Zunis.

Definitely a case of David vs Goliath. Is God actually helping the Zunis instead of the heavily armed Catholic missions?

I'm not saying witchcraft is more powerful but perhaps, maybe we are the ones doing something wrong, possibly a greater evil?

We see the opposite happened among the Incas and Aztecs because these tribes are outright evil.

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Satan is just as active in the nominal Christian community as in any other religion. He validates our worse desires and helps us feel good about being selfish.

Agree, and I believe ammillennialism, alien aduction style rapture and any fake Jesus that deviates from Moses are the biggest deceptions.

 

[The Hour IS AT HAND]

Oh, good gravy! Let's not act as if these things are actually being seen today, because they're not.

If people ARE seeing these things take place, I'd suggest they simply gather their belongings, get out of the seat they're sitting in, properly dispose of the buttered popcorn bucket they finished ...and promptly leave the movie theater.

Rev 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.