People often see the need to fast and pray to ward of witchcraft and spells that they feel other people are putting on them. But what do the scriptures have to teach us about this subject? . Should we be actually worrying about people putting spells on us?
Before we begin is should be made what YHWH has said about witchcraft and its practices.
Here is something that Samuel said to Saul in regards to his sin, which gives us some insight into how YHWH views witchcraft:
1 Samuel 15:22-24
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed thecommandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
If we look at the laws of YHWH we can see the punishment for those that practiced witchcraft:
Leviticus 20:27
27A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
Exodus 22:18
18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Deuteronomy 18:9-11
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.
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.
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
In the scriptures above we can see the punishment that was given to witches before the Messiah came and fulfilled this part of the Law.
It is also interesting to note that a person that is able to communicate with (familiar) spirits was also a practice punishable by death.
This lest us know that you dont have to be a confessed witch in order to be guilty of this act.
The scriptures define witch as a person practicing sorcery and wizard soothsayer and person who can contact spirits.
It can safely be said that a witch also has the ability to put spells, or enchant a person as is said “divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch”.
NOTE: After the Messiah coming and fulfilling the laws, we (or more accurately Israel) are no long commanded to stone people, see The messiahs purpose here.
Now we know what a witch and wizard is, lets see whether it is really necessary for believer in YHWH to fast and pray against people that may have these gifts.
To understand the power that Witches can have over things especially in regards to putting a spell on a person or people we have to look at the scriptures.
Lets look at the story of Balam:
Balaam was wizard who used the spirit of divination and was know for being able to cusre and bless people.
We see proof that Balaam was a false prophet that could actually bless and curse in:
Numbers 22:7
7And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
Here we see that the elders of the King of Moab who it is that wants to curse Israel because he is scared that they might take over his territory, offering Balaam a reward for his ability to curse Israel.
The king of Moab is Balak, who asks Balaam the false prophet to curse Israel there times each time he comes back to king and says that he cant do it.
This false prophet actually communicates with YHWH, who tells him that he can not curse Israel, here is the reason why:
Numbers 23:16-24
16And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
17And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?
18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
19God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
20Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
22God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
23Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any
divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
24Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
What is important to look at is the reason why YHWH stopped Israel from being cursed:
Numbers 23:21
21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness
in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Here it speaks of iniquity, in Jacob (Israel) not being ‘beheld’, which lets us know that if we keep ourselves free from sin we will be free from,
“enchantment and divination”
This is what we should take away from the power of witchcraft in our lives.
Firstly it is important to note that no witch has power outside the YHWH, and that he knows about all the things they do.
Further reading of the bible lets us know that false prophet does not always give false prophecies, but their offense against YHWH is that they use their gifts against his will.
This can be demonstrated further by looking at the story of Job and what YHWH says to the devil, when he is given permission by YHWH to test Job:
Job 1:6-12
6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
7And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
We see here that Satan himself was given permission to destroying the things around Job to test him, but no harm was to come to him. this shows us that all curses and blessing are in the hand of YHWH, because is Satan the leader of all the evil spirits and powers used by the ungodly?
Lets also see what the bible says about the character of Job:
Job 1:1
1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
As you can see Job was keeper of YHWH’s commands and fear him.
So as believers we should be concentrating on serving YHWH rather than what we think another person may be trying to do to us.
Lets Give YHWH all the glory and know that he has power over Satan, Witches, Wizards, Sorcerers, enchantments, divination and the WORLD. so know you know what witchcraft in the bible is and how you can combat it, lets do so by concentrating on living righteously.
Check out Praying and Fasting in the Bible – How it Should Be Done, to get direction on reason to fast and pray.
Peace and Shalom
READ: Numbers Chapters 22 and 23 and Job Chapter 1
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