Be alert and vigilant, because your adversary, the devil,
as a roaring lion, lurks about, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8
I am grateful for the kind and encouraging letters I receive…
as a roaring lion, lurks about, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8
I am grateful for the kind and encouraging letters I receive…
Many of these letters are from friends, but some are from people who are seeking advice and information about some form of the occult, especially witchcraft, more commonly known nowadays as "Wicca."
Witchcraft and its benign sounding counterpart, Wicca, has been made popular and appealing by mainstream movies and TV shows which portray the "Craft" as adventurous and exciting, but in an alluring and spooky kind of way. "It's just harmless fun," is the popular claim of its adherents.
But let me state that witchcraft is not the same as satanism. Yet they are both part of the "occult," which in my opinion is a word that is much overused. Still there are many similarities to them. Most notably, their founder is the devil.
I know many would vehemently protest this. They're welcome to do so. But I am only stating what I believe to be true. Not all religions or spiritual practices originate from God. There is a being known as Satan (or Lucifer), as the Bible makes abundantly clear. He is an arch deceiver.
Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul warns, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes and lies) of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). In the same letter Paul describes the devil as the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). While the Lord Jesus himself calls Satan the "prince of this world" (John 14:30).
Likewise, Scriptures such as Acts 26:18 show Satan as having "power" and authority, but with only a limited amount of it. Yet whatever power he does possess, it is deadly. Ultimately Satan seeks to keep people from receiving a correct knowledge of God. He tries to keep them from believing the gospel account that Jesus died for our sins, was buried in a tomb, and was resurrected on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-9).
The devil, in his hatred for God and His creation, tries to lead people astray and thereby keep them from recognizing Jesus as the one who desires to be their Savior. The devil’s end goal is to lead them into hell. This is serious!
Many a hungry soul and many an innocently curious person has been lured into things like witchcraft and wicca. While some of this magic actually seems to work, it is only because of demonic entities who are in operation behind the scenes. It's nothing but devilishdeception that's meant to put the practitioner in bondage.
I pray people will see witchcraft and wicca for what it is. It's a deadly poison. But Jesus loves these precious souls and He longs for them to come to Him. He can offer far more than the occult with all its confusion, and the seemingly endless need of having to cast spells, do rituals, and partake in sorceries.
D. B.
Witchcraft and its benign sounding counterpart, Wicca, has been made popular and appealing by mainstream movies and TV shows which portray the "Craft" as adventurous and exciting, but in an alluring and spooky kind of way. "It's just harmless fun," is the popular claim of its adherents.
But let me state that witchcraft is not the same as satanism. Yet they are both part of the "occult," which in my opinion is a word that is much overused. Still there are many similarities to them. Most notably, their founder is the devil.
I know many would vehemently protest this. They're welcome to do so. But I am only stating what I believe to be true. Not all religions or spiritual practices originate from God. There is a being known as Satan (or Lucifer), as the Bible makes abundantly clear. He is an arch deceiver.
Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul warns, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes and lies) of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). In the same letter Paul describes the devil as the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). While the Lord Jesus himself calls Satan the "prince of this world" (John 14:30).
Likewise, Scriptures such as Acts 26:18 show Satan as having "power" and authority, but with only a limited amount of it. Yet whatever power he does possess, it is deadly. Ultimately Satan seeks to keep people from receiving a correct knowledge of God. He tries to keep them from believing the gospel account that Jesus died for our sins, was buried in a tomb, and was resurrected on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-9).
The devil, in his hatred for God and His creation, tries to lead people astray and thereby keep them from recognizing Jesus as the one who desires to be their Savior. The devil’s end goal is to lead them into hell. This is serious!
Many a hungry soul and many an innocently curious person has been lured into things like witchcraft and wicca. While some of this magic actually seems to work, it is only because of demonic entities who are in operation behind the scenes. It's nothing but devilishdeception that's meant to put the practitioner in bondage.
I pray people will see witchcraft and wicca for what it is. It's a deadly poison. But Jesus loves these precious souls and He longs for them to come to Him. He can offer far more than the occult with all its confusion, and the seemingly endless need of having to cast spells, do rituals, and partake in sorceries.
D. B.
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