BREAKING THE STRONGHOLD OF WITCHCRAFT

SERIES: DELIVERANCE

TEXT: GALATIANS 5:19-21

Witchcraft is described in the Bible as one of the works of the flesh. This is because witchcraft works against the spirit of God. All forms of witchcraft involvement will prevent a man from being part of the kingdom of God. Let us learn:-

THE DESCRIPTION OF WITCHCRAFT.

• Please understand that there are two types of witchcraft.
• There are fleshly witchcraft and occult witchcraft.
• The fleshly witchcraft involve the following activities:-

1. Stubbornly pursuing someone to cause damage or destruction (witchcraft hunt)-Exodus 14:22-27.

• When you pursue hard on someone who has not done you harm, with the mind of doing evil to the person that is an act of witchcraft.
• Pharaoh was chasing after the children of Israel wanting to kill them at all cost.
• Harman was after Mordecai’s life and then the rest of the Jews for no good reason.
• Harman wanted Mordecai and the Jews dead.
• Pray that every stubborn pursuer of your life and destiny may be arrested and put to shame and death in the name of Jesus Christ.

2. Attempting to read the mind of another person-1^st Samuel 17:28-29.

• Eliab the elder brother of David was trying to predict what was going on in the mind of David, but was totally wrong.
• When you try to read the mind of others people and behave unto them based on your own conclusions it is an act of witchcraft.
• However, there could be times when the Holy Spirit may reveal to you through discernment that someone is pretending.
• Peter, through the Holy Spirit discerned that Ananias and Sapphira his wife were lying.

3. Attempting to prove your worth through the oppression of others-Esther 3:5-6.

• Harman was trying to prove the worth of his power by oppressing Mordecai and his people and even planning to kill them. This is an act of witchcraft.
• When you demonstrate your superiority by lifting up others or helping them to do what they could not do on their own, but without the heart of love for them and to the glory of God.

4. Attempting to influence somebody in a negative way to do somebody against his will-Gen. 39:7-12.

• What Potiphar’s wife was doing to Joseph was an act of witchcraft.

5. Taking what belongs to someone forcefully or unlawfully-1^st Kings 21:5-7 (15).

• Jezebel’s act of attempting to take what belonged to Naboth was an act of witchcraft.
• Later Ahab and Jezebel killed Naboth=witchcraft.

6. Wishing that other people’s blessings are yours and that your failures are theirs is an act of witchcraft-1^st Samuel 18:6-9.

• Saul became very sad when they ascribed ten thousand to David and a thousand to Saul.
• As a result King Saul hated David and sought every opportunity to kill him.
• When you seek to have other people’s successes and achievements, while making your own failures or troubles to be theirs is an act of witchcraft practice.

7. Rebellion against God and the word of God or against God’s appointed authorities-1^st 15:23-24.

• For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
• Any deliberate act of rebellion or disobedience to know truth and instruction of God and His word or disloyalty or disobedience to God’s approved authorities will amount to God’s approved authorities.

8. Knowing about someone’s glory and making moves to fight against it-Gen. 37:18-20.

• The brothers of Joseph were aware of the glory of Joseph that his destiny was more glorious than theirs. They planned to kill him and that is an act and spirit of witchcraft.
• When you sidetrack other people for fear of them becoming greater or better than yourself.
• Trying to detour or manipulate the destinies of others is an act of witchcraft.
• Looking at the above description of witchcraft makes most of us witches!!
• We may call it cleverness, competition and smart, but it is acts of witchcraft.

Occultic witchcraft includes activities of human beings that involve satanic supernatural manifestation.

• Occultists are referred to as the rulers of darkness of this world-Eph. 6:2.
• The activities of witches include the following-

1. Monitoring and manipulating people’s glory and destinies with aid of satanic powers.
2. Attacking and oppressing their subjects in various ways causing failures or set back disharmony or disunity and affecting people with different kinds of sicknesses and diseases.
3. Fighting against the preaching of the gospel by resisting the gospel preachers and making the people not respond positively to the call of the gospel.
4. They renew their covenants with satan regularly through the shedding of blood.

• These acts may include miscarriages of pregnancy, deliberate abortions, accidents of various kinds leading to the flow of human blood and loss of lives.
• Murdering of people or mysterious things to happen that will lead to bloodshed and death.

5. They place their marks and signatures on death subjects for identification. These marks can appear physically about most of the time they exist spiritually and not visible to the physical eyes.
6. They can forcefully initiate into their kingdom by transfer of spirits through blood relationships, sex and food either in dreams or in real life.
7. They can confer false blessings on people such as divination, protection, fortunes and wealth.

• As a child of God you are not to be ignorant of the activities of these witches and wicked satanic agents.
• All satanic activities including witchcraft can be destroyed through the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Witches don’t work alone but in covens.
• Witches reinforcement are programmed for the long term through transfer of powers.

THE DESTRUCTION OF WITCHCRAFT.

• Following activities are necessary in order to destroy witchcraft effectively, together with its hold and effectiveness.

1. Salvation-L.I.S.A-Living in salvation always.

• Being saved and living for God in holiness.
• Anyone who is not saved, he/she is still a child of satan and cannot really be free from the bondage of witchcraft and sin.
• We all need an opportunity to surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. Repent or sins and be set completely free from the power of witchcraft and hazards.

2. Pleading the blood of Jesus Christ for protection against their works and for destroying their observed works.

• The blood of Jesus Christ is the greater weapon against the devil and his agents and can lose its power at any time-Rev. 12:11.

3. Engaging in spiritual warfare with the power of darkness continually while putting on the whole armor of God.

• Every child of God is on warfare with the powers of darkness.
• You must fight defensive and offensive war all the time making use of the sword of the Holy Spirit.

4. Spiritual insight by the Holy Spirit and sensitivity to Him.

• We need the Holy Spirit to reveal some hidden secrets of the enemy so that you are not deceived.

5. Fervently in prayer and serving God.
6. Gaining victory over your thoughts and dream life-take every thought captive.
7. Rejoice always, give thanks always, pray without ceasing.

CONCLUSION

• Witchcraft is real and it is a works of the devil.
• There are various kinds of witchcraft depending on territory, covenants, tribes and families.
• There is inherited witchcraft (generational) and witchcraft that is purchased through initiations.