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                         Witchcraft in the Church!

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By David Wilkerson
March 5, 1990
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          A number of converted witches are going about the
          country today, warning that Satanists and practicing
          witches are infiltrating the church -- especially
          charismatic churches. Some of these former witches have
          authored books telling of a diabolical plot by evil
          witches to enter congregations posing as
          super-spiritual Christians. Their purpose is to deceive
          and shipwreck pastors and to lead multitudes of naive
          believers into occult worship.

          Many of these evil witches, they say, are already
          firmly established in numerous churches, controlling
          both the pastor and congregation and causing great
          confusion, wickedness, divorce -- even death. We have
          received many letters in our office from people who say
          they believe their pastor must be under some kind of
          demonic influence -- and I believe many of these
          letters are very legitimate.

          Saints, we in the Body of Christ dare not allow the
          devils power to be magnified in the house of God! His
          power is limited, and he cannot penetrate a Holy Ghost
          wall of fire. When the disciples were sent out with
          power to heal the sick and raise the dead, they came
          back rejoicing: "Lord, even the devils are subject unto
          us through thy name" (Luke 10:17)

          The only pastor who can fall under the control of a
          witch is one who indulges in secret sin -- who is
          driven by greed or success, or who has betrayed the
          Lord through unbelief or neglect! A man of God who has
          mortified the deeds of the flesh and wields the sword
          of the Lord will know the enemy. He will discern any
          trap and will stand against the wicked one, as Paul did
          with the witch at Philippi.

          Heres what happened: A slave girl possessed by the
          devil -- that is, a practicing witch with a spirit of
          divination -- sought to infiltrate Pauls ministry! She
          followed after Paul and his companions, crying out,
          "These men are the servants of the most high God, which
          shew unto us the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17)

          But Pauls spirit was disturbed. He discerned that the
          girl was not converted and that she had no right to
          touch holy things. He perceived a trap. So he turned
          and said to the evil spirit in her, "I command thee in
          the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And (the
          demon) came out the same hour" (verse 18).

          Paul was unmoved by the demon powers. He was led by the
          Holy Spirit and full of the Word of God. But the Bible
          tells of one group of supposed ministers that was
          attacked -- literally -- and overcome by a demon. These
          were the seven sons of Sceva. When they tried to cast a
          demon out of a man, the evil spirit leaped on them,
          tore off their clothes and sent them running into the
          street in a panic -- all because they didnt know
          Jesus. They were not full of Christ!

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                         Those Who Walk In Holiness
                             Resist the Devil

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          Ministers of the gospel who fall into deep sin dont
          exactly have a demon "leap" upon them; they arent
          seduced by a witch. They are led astray by their own
          lusts and desires! They have gotten off holy ground and
          have begun to cruise the devils territory!

          No congregation that walks in holiness and the fear of
          God can be deceived or controlled by witches or evil
          spirits. Only pleasure-mad,
          Bible-and-holiness-rejecting churches are open to
          Satans attempts to move in.

          Wherever the Word of God is exalted, wherever people
          separate themselves from wickedness and the world,
          wherever there is true repentance and obedience to the
          Holy Ghost -- there Jesus will always manifest His
          presence!

          A congregation that is bathed in the presence of Jesus
          doesnt have to scream commands at wicked powers. The
          very power of Jesus drives out all that is wicked!
          Satan and his evil hordes simply cannot coexist with
          Christs presence. We resist the devil by being full of
          Jesus -- by living and worshipping in His presence!

          Are there really churches and pastors today that are
          falling under the control of witches and demons?
          Absolutely, yes!

          I know of one large Pentecostal church wholly given
          over to Satan. The pastor had a lustful, evil spirit.
          He committed one act of adultery after another, and
          soon his wife became involved. The pastor and his wife
          eventually introduced something into the congregation
          called "connections". They developed an entire doctrine
          around it.

          First they brought ballroom dancing into the sanctuary.
          The pastor told the people to look into their partners
          eyes until the Holy Spirit made a "connection".
          Pastors, leaders and deacons became involved. They
          began swapping wives, committing adultery.

          Before long, it all became chaotic. Divorce became
          rampant. Parishioners began having nervous breakdowns.
          The pastors son committed suicide. His daughter
          divorced and ran off with another man. More suicides
          broke out. One young mother was so distraught over her
          husbands leaving her that she drowned her baby in the
          bathtub so the babys soul would be safe with Jesus!

          That church has been utterly destroyed -- it is
          embroiled today in numerous lawsuits -- all because of
          the unbridled lust of a backslidden pastor! That one
          man, full of Satan, opened up his entire flock to
          demonic powers!

          Beloved, be careful where you go to church! Be careful
          that you have discernment, because a pastor who has
          opened himself to Satan can open your heart to demonic
          powers.

          Yet this message has to do with a kind of witchcraft
          that is a even more dangerous than that. It is much
          more subtle.

          It is brought into the church not by evil shepherds or
          by witches -- but by multitudes of Christians who dont
          know they are under the spell of witchcraft!

          The kind of witchcraft I want to expose is present here
          in Times Square Church -- and in every church in
          America! In fact, it is in every church in the world,
          to some measure. It may be only a seed -- but it is
          still there.

          You ask, "How could the devil possibly deceive Gods
          elect? With occult seductions?" No! Thats too obvious.
          We could easily discern the devices of Satan in that
          area. No, he comes to us in another way. His attack is
          so very subtle that few Christians ever recognize it.

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                   Rebellion Is As the Sin of Witchcraft
                             (1 Samuel 15:23).

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          When the Lord showed me the kind of witchcraft present
          in the church today, it shook my soul. It is revealed
          in 1 Samuel 15:22-23: "Behold, to obey is better than
          sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For
          rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness
          is as iniquity and idolatry."

          The Bible describes here a witchcraft far more
          dangerous than the occult. It controls more pastors and
          congregations than any other kind of demonic influence.
          It is rebellion against the Word of God!

          Dont be quick to sit back and relax, thinking, "Thank
          God, that cant possibly mean me. Im not rebellious
          against Gods Word. I love the Word. Im walking in
          obedience!"

          Thats what I thought, too. But then God convicted me
          of the dangers of falling under the spell of this
          witchcraft! He showed me the seed of its beginnings --
          exactly what erupted in the Garden of Eden! We all have
          the seed of this sin. In fact, you may unknowingly be
          under the influence of this evil charm.

          Jesus gives us a parable that exposes this witchcraft!
          Ive read the parable of the evil husbandmen many
          times. Ive prayed over it. But not until now have I
          seen in it the witchcraft that Jesus was exposing.

          There was a certain householder, which planted a
          vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a
          winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to
          husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the
          time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to
          the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of
          it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one,
          and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent
          other servants more that the first: and they did unto
          them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his
          son, saying, They will reverence my son.

          "But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among
          themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him,
          and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught
          him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
          When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what
          will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He
          will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let
          out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall
          render him the fruits in their seasons" (Matthew 21:
          33-41)

          This parable is more than a retelling of how the Jews
          rejected Gods appeal from heaven -- and how they would
          be cast aside and the Gentiles made the husbandmen. It
          is also about a great supernatural battle over an
          inheritance. Its about a battle between the power of
          Jesus Christ and the power of Satan for the souls and
          allegiance of mankind! Its about who is going to rule
          and reign in the hearts of Gods chosen! And beloved,
          youre either under the power of Jesus Christ or under
          the influence of Satan!

          You see, this parable is about how a people of God can
          become bewitched by the devil and end up totally
          possessed by an anti-Christ spirit. Christ was talking
          here of a most powerful form of witchcraft -- rebellion
          against the truth!

          Here is the Key to this parable: "This is the heir;
          come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his
          inheritance" (verse 38). That is the devil speaking!
          "Let us create rebellion against the Son! Let us
          crucify Him! We will take control!"

          It is true that when the Pharisees heard this parable,
          "they perceived that he spake of them" (verse 45). But
          Jesus is also speaking to His church! In Hebrews 6:5,
          we find a people who "have tasted the good word of God,
          and the powers of the world to come...." They have
          rebelled against that good Word they heard, and as a
          result, "they crucify to themselves the Son of God
          afresh, and put him to an open shame" (verse 6).

          Who is crucifying Christ over and over again, putting
          Him to open shame before the whole world? Are they
          witches? Satanists? Homosexuals? Murderers? No!

          They are those who heard, tasted and partook of the
          true Word of God -- and then allowed a spirit of
          rebellion to take root! Satan moved in, and they ended
          up possessed -- crucifying Christ!

          Believer, I tell you on the authority of Gods Word
          that as long as you have this spirit of rebellion in
          you, it is impossible for God to revive or renew you!
          "For it is impossible for those who were once
          enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and
          were made partakers of the Holy Ghost...if they shall
          fall away, to renew them again unto repentance" (verse
          4,6).

          I believe this means that repentance has no effect
          whatsoever in those who are in rebellion against the
          Word!

          Lets look more closely at this form of witchcraft in
          the church.

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                     The Witchcraft of Rebellion Begins
                     With a Little Root of Bitterness!

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          I want to talk to you about being poisoned with the
          "gall of bitterness." Peter introduced this phrase when
          he rebuked Simon, a new convert who had offered money
          in exchange for the power of the Holy Ghost to lay
          hands on people for baptisms and miracles.

          "And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the
          apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered
          them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on
          whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

          "But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee,
          because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be
          purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in
          this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of
          God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray
          God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be
          forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall
          of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity" (Acts 8:
          18-23).

          "Gall" here means envy -- a dangerous poison. And Simon
          was infected with it! I believe he also had a heart to
          help people, which helped disguise his condition. Verse
          13 says he believed, was baptized and "continued with
          Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs
          which were done".

          Something deadly lay underneath! All the while Simon
          was saying to himself, "I can do that, too! Im gifted.
          I feel for people. Give me a chance!"

          Simon had a dangerous mixture in his heart. It was a
          desire to be used by God -- mixed with a desire for
          preeminence! He truly wanted God to use him, but he
          also needed recognition. He wanted power and place,
          without paying the right price! He wanted a shortcut.

          So it is in the work of God today. Many are trying to
          take shortcuts to get to a place of power and
          usefulness. We offer our talents and abilities to the
          Lord -- but if you have the talent and dont have a
          servants heart, God cant use you!

          In his third epistle, John tells of a man named
          Diotrephes who "loved to have the preeminence among
          them" (3 John 9). When things did not go his way, he
          began "prating against" the brethren with malicious
          words.

          A "prater" is one who babbles over trifles. Diotrephes
          was offended by Johns message, and he began to gossip.
          His vanity had been pricked, his pride wounded. So he
          went about telling a story of being wounded by other
          servants of God. He disrupted the peace of the brethren
          and won many to his side.

          This wasnt gross sin; it wasnt doctrinal error. It
          was the sin of impatience! He couldnt wait for God to
          do the work. He wanted preeminence -- and he probably
          sounded so right!

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                     A Wounded Spirit Is Fertile Ground
                         For a Root of Bitterness!

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          "A wounded spirit who can bear?" (Proverbs 18:14). How
          could the Israelites of Isaiahs time have become so
          fallen, so backslidden, so depressed in such a short
          time? Isaiah explains it: "From the sole of the foot
          even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but
          wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: They have
          not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified
          with ointment" (Isaiah 1:6).

          The prophet went on to warn the people of God who had
          open wounds, sores and bruises. He said as long as they
          went on bleeding, with blood on their hands, God could
          not hear them in such a condition: "And when ye spread
          forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea,
          when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands
          are full of blood" (verse 15).

          Whose blood is the Lord talking about? Your own! Youre
          bleeding from an open wound in your heart! Its oozing
          blood! You need healing! You need your wound softened
          with the oil of the Holy Ghost!

          Yet many of you dont run to the Master for healing.
          You dont realize that Satan is trying to get you into
          the witchcraft of rebellion. You see, God wont listen
          to a voice that cries out but wont accept His
          deliverance!

          Let me show you how dangerous rebellion is, and why God
          calls it witchcraft: The husbandmen of the parable were
          Gods children. They were engaged in religious work.
          How could an upright Pharisee -- who paid tithes on
          every mint leaf in his garden, loved his children,
          traveled the whole world just to make a single convert,
          faithfully spent Sabbaths poring over the law-- turn
          into such a vicious person? How could these husbandmen
          eventually kill and steal and crucify?

          They were enraged! They had murder in their hearts.
          Thats not from the flesh -- thats demonic! They
          stoned the messengers of the law! They knew what was
          demanded of them -- but once they rebelled against the
          word of God, bitterness took root in their hearts.

          Beloved, bitterness blinds! You lose your spiritual
          vision in proportion to the growth of your bitterness.
          The more your bitterness grows, the more your blindness
          grows. Let a root of bitterness fester -- let the wound
          turn to gangrene, -- let the sore spread its poison all
          through your soul -- and you will end up just like
          these violent Pharisees, so blind they finally
          crucified the Son of God!

          If you continue in the gall of bitterness, you will end
          up with other bitter souls, prating; throwing stones at
          Gods holy servants, playing the part of a poor
          misunderstood martyr. You will end up at
          gall-gatherings, where others share your rebellion.

          If you continue in the gall of bitterness, you will
          open your very heart and soul to demon possession! You
          will end up a mouthpiece of the devil. Your tongue will
          become a spear that pierces the side of Christ. You
          will hang Him on open shame before all who know you.
          And you will shut out the voices of all preachers and
          prophets!

          The work of God will go on, with other husbandmen
          willing to obey. God will say to you what Peter said to
          Simon : "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter:
          for thy heart is not right in the sight of God" (Acts
          8:21)

          Has someone in the house of God wounded you? Do you
          have a root of bitterness? I beg you: Run to the healer
          of all wounds and ask Him to pluck it out by the roots!

          "Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and clamor,
          and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all
          malice" (Ephesians 4:31) Stop it -- now!

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                      The Witchcraft of Rebellion Ends
                     in a Lack Of Reverence for Jesus!

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          "But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying,
          They will reverence my son" (Matthew 21:37).

          The immediate application of this parable was to the
          Pharisees and religious leaders Jesus was addressing.
          They had shut their ears to the prophets and watchmen
          God had sent them so often. "Behold I send unto you
          prophets... some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and
          some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues, and
          persecute them from city to city" (Matthew 23:34).

          Jesus was speaking this parable to expose the plan of
          Satan. He was trying to show that a satanic plot was
          behind their lack of reverence for Him -- and their
          shutting out His truth!

          Christ had told them their rebellion had turned them
          into children of Satan: "Why do you not understand my
          speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of
          your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye
          will do.... And because I tell you the truth, ye
          believe me not" (John 8:43-45).

          This was the message: "You became bitter, rebellious!
          You opened your soul to the devil. He filled you with
          wounds, bruises, putrefying sores -- and now you are
          full of death. Violence is in your heart. You cant
          hear a word I say.

          "No prophet can reach you now, no watchman! Not even I
          can touch you. You are giving my inheritance to Satan!
          You were to be my people, but you would not. You sold
          yourself to the enemy. You despised my authority!"

          These husbandmen did not reverence Him. They rebelled
          and killed Him. But Satan did not get the inheritance
          -- a resurrected Christ gave it to others.

          Looking at those Pharisees, you have to wonder: Why did
          they show such disrespect to Him? Why no reverence? Why
          could they not hear or understand His words? Why such
          blindness?

          Many in Gods house today suffer an even greater
          blindness. The Holy Ghost comes to us, willing to show
          us the meaning of all that Jesus said to us. He
          convicts us of our sin. We have been translated out of
          darkness, into His light. So why, then, do so many in
          the church still go about under this spell of
          witchcraft -- still prating, bitter and wounded --
          still holding onto this spirit of rebellion?

          Some have already gone too far, as did these Pharisees.
          "He will miserably destroy those wicked men" (Matthew
          21:41). Others are falling deeper and deeper into the
          devils snare, and only a thunderbolt from heaven can
          wake them up to the danger!

          You simply cannot go on with roots of bitterness. You
          cannot go on green with envy and jealousy. You cannot
          go on wounded and hurt, blaming others. You cannot go
          on disregarding the clear hand of God -- unless you
          have lost your reverence for Jesus!

          Jesus is standing at your hearts door even now. He is
          saying, "The Father sent Me. Show me your fruit -- your
          obedience! You were planted in good soil; you have had
          time to grow. What kind of harvest do you have for Me?"

          Reverence for Jesus is not a feeling; it is not words.
          Respect and reverence mean doing what He said! It means
          obeying His Word, laying aside all the hurt and putting
          yourself completely in His hands.

          If you put down this message still clinging to your
          wounds, holding onto your grudges, justifying your
          bitterness -- you not only disrespect Christ, but you
          are also putting Him to open shame and crucifixion once
          again.

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                     There Is Hope For the Rebellious

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          Beloved, I could not deliver this message if God had
          not given me a word of encouragement for those who long
          to be free of their rebellion. Its found in Psalm 107:
          9-14.

          "For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the
          hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and
          in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and
          iron; because they rebelled against the words of God,
          and condemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore
          he brought down their heart with labor; they fell down,
          and there was none to help.

          "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he
          saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out
          of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their
          bands in sunder."

          Have you been "brought down" by your rebellion, your
          bitterness? Cry out to the Lord of Hosts for divine
          deliverance! Let Him break the demonic bands around
          your heart -- and bring you out of the shadow of death
          and into His marvelous light!

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771 USA.

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