What does the Bible say about WITCHCRAFT, VOODOO & BLACK

MAGIC?

As usual 95% of Christians fail to use discernment, yield to media

manipulation, and embrace this “sugar coated” siren of
witchcraft along with the deluded mass of the population little
heeding a wide array of Biblical admonitions not to open the door
to Satan who comes to devour as a roaring lion. Jesus said to
Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have you, to sift you
like wheat” (Luke 22:31) and that’s exactly what Satan will do if
we don’t ask before reading a book, watching a movie, entering a
relationship or pursuing any course of action “What would Jesus
do?”

Witchcraft involves the manipulation of the demonic host,

through incantations and the casting of spells. Witchcraft can also
involve communication with demonic spirits impersonating the
dead. The Bible clearly teaches that the dead cannot
communicate with the living as there is a great chasm separating
the dead from the living (Luke 16:26). As discarnate spirit entities
these demons possess knowledge regarding the activities of
humans and have a limited to ability to foretell the future.

Here are a few of the scriptures regarding witchcraft:

The Old and New Testaments treat witchcraft as an evil,

rebellious, and loathsome practice. Those who practiced it were
not tolerated. “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,” (Exodus
22:18).

Moses cautioned the children of Israel: “When you enter the land
the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the
detestable way of the nations there. Let no one be found among
you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices
divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or
casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the
dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord,
and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will
drive those nations before you. You must be blameless before the
Lord your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who
practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord has not
permitted you to do so” (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).

With respect to the evil kind Manasseh who reigned in Jerusalem

fifty five years the Bible states: “He did evil in the eyes of the
Lord, followed the detestable practices of the nations the Lord
had driven out before the Israelites” (2 Chronicles 33:2). “He
sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom,
practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and consulted
mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord,
provoking him to anger” (2 Chronicles 33:6).

When Samuel reproved King Saul, he compared rebellion to the

sin of divination and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Witchcraft includes both divination and idolatry. “For rebellion is
like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected
you as king” (1 Samuel 23). If Saul was rejected by
God for rebellion and arrogance so will a modern day person who
practices or permits himself or herself to be entertained by
witchcraft and idolatry.

The Living Bible clearly addresses the fate of those who delve or
as C. S. Lewis labeled “lust” for the occult: “The Lord has
rejected you because you welcome foreigners from the East who
practice magic and communicate with evil spirits” (Isaiah 2:6).
“Crawl into the caves in the rocks and hide in terror from his
glorious majesty, for the day is coming when your proud looks
will be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted. On that day
the Lord of Hosts will move against the proud and haughty and
bring them to dust… All the glory of mankind will bow low; the
pride of men will like in the dust, and the Lord alone will be
exalted. And all idols will be utterly abolished and destroyed”
(Isaiah 2:10-18).

Paul in Galatians 5:19-21 ascribes witchcraft as a deed of the

flesh. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish
ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies,
and the like. I warn you, as I did before that those who live like
this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” It is interesting to note
that Paul’s warning is to the churches of Galatia whose members
are already Christians. They are warned that by engaging in sinful
conduct they would not inherit the kingdom of God. The warning
is to those who have accepted Christ. The modern day Christian
who is entertained or allows his or her children to be entertained
and/or participate in the works of the flesh, which includes
witchcraft, should give serious heed to this warning.

White magic and black magic are not acceptable in Christianity

and there is no such thing as “cheap grace”. Christ diedon the
cross to forgive us for our sins, yet there is no excuse to take sin
lightly. Engaging in any sin including sorcery opens one to
demonic oppression and with persistent sinful conduct
possession.

One cannot rationalize that one is not engaged in witchcraft but

merely being entertained by books or movies whose characters
participate in witchcraft, even though the protagonists are
“good” witches.

The protagonist Harry Potter in the best selling Harry Potter

series of books and current movie attends Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry to become a wizard. Harry and his
friends are taking classes in casting spells, magical drafts and
potions, transfiguration, history of magic, magical theory etc…
They are learning to become “good” wizards and witches. Evil is
represented by the “Dark Side,” reminiscent of the “Dark Side”
of the Force in “Star Wars,” and embodied (or disembodied and
seeking to re-embody) in Voldemort, the evil wizard who killed
Harry’s parents.

Harry is characterized as an average boy who has been oppressed

by his very normal aunt and uncle and his cousin, reminiscent of
Cinderella’s oppression at home. The very normal family
members are exaggeratedly oppressive.

From a Christian paradigm the problem with Harry is that

salvation from his predicament comes from leaving home learning
witchcraft, a condemned practice. Children interact with ghosts
such as the Friar and Professor Binns, a ghost who teaches the
History of Magic. Professor Binns was a very old professor who
had fallen asleep by a staff room fire and went to teach the next
morning, leaving his body behind.

Christianity teaches that witchcraft, even charming, candy

coated witchcraft, is evil and that redemption only comes
through Jesus Christ and certainly not from the occult.
Communication with the dead is actually communication with
demons or “fallen angels.” Casting spells is prohibited.

In Christianity, salvation does not come through witchcraft but by

accepting the Son of God. Good is what is of God and comes from
worshiping Him. “Innocent” or “mechanical” witchcraft is still
witchcraft and as such dark. Exposing one’s children to a heavy
dose of the supernatural, even if portrayed through the activities
of appealing characters, is not acceptable. The siren call of the
occult in children’s movies and cartoons can be appealing.
Poltergeists, ghosts, flying broomsticks, werewolves, vampires,
witches, giants, bats, goblins, haunted hallways may be
captivating but they can instill a spirit of fear. They can certainly
be “dark and heavy” and exposure to the occult can be addictive.
This writer is a case in point having been involved in séances,
palmistry, astrology and eastern meditation prior to accepting
Jesus Christ. Interest in the occult started with late night
“Chiller” movies and supernatural comic books.

Aside from a dark supernatural dimension there is the good

supernatural dimension represented by the Heavenly Kingdom
(God, His cherubim and the angelic host). For the most part this
good supernatural dimension is rarely portrayed in children’s
cartoons or recent popular literature. How often do we see
angels on Saturday morning cartoons? The elves in the “Lord of
the Rings” are such angelic type beings who frighten Sauron’s
Black Riders pursuing Frodo.

Parents have a responsibility to screen what their children watch.

Studies have shown that children and adults who watch regular
violence on the screen become desensitized to it. The same
applies with intensive exposure to the occult. Jesus said,
“Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom
they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung
round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should
cause one of these little ones to sin” (Luke 17:1-2).

So what can be said of the Christian entertained by the occult?

The analogy can be drawn to the person who is not engaged in
immoral sex but is being entertained by pornographic books or
magazines. There is no such thing as a Christian “voyeur.” What
is sinful to a child is sinful to an adult. Christ does not respect the
“adult” bookstore nor the “adult” voyeur. Those who deal in
darkness will be engulfed by it. Poison is poison. A little
recreational poison can be as lethal as a lot of poison from the
hand of an assassin. There is no such thing as a recreational
séance (channeling session).

For all those who have engaged in sinful conduct including occult
or sexual voyeurism there is only one avenue forcleansing,
nothing less than the atoning blood of Jesus. Both the non
Christian and the Christian need to repent of their sins by asking
God to forgive them. The non Christian needs to invite Jesus
through a simple prayer to take charge of his/her life (“Jesus I
accept your sacrifice for me on the cross. Forgive me for my sins.
Please come into my life and take charge. Help me walk in your
light”).

Take a lesson from the sorcerers and witches who came to a

saving knowledge of Christ in Acts 19:19, “And many of those who
practiced magic brought their books together and began burning
them in the sight of all; and they counted up the price of them
and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” All occult objects
should be destroyed as these items are vehicles or
“windows” for occult activity and oppression. They are literally
magnets, which draw the demonic host.

God is not an evil God. He is not vengeful, but in the Bible he has
given us a mechanic’s manual for our well being. If we
insist on placing lemonade in our engine instead of oil we’ll
destroy it. If we don’t obey God’s admonitions against witchcraft,
sexual conduct and promiscuity, rage, envy, and substance abuse
we’ll destroy our bodies and condemn our souls for eternity. You
may not believe in God, but violation of his principles will
nevertheless bring destruction. Witchcraft may be very alluring
and comforting for you. It may give you success and power. It
may give you the “warm fuzzies.” Nevertheless it’s evil and
dangerous just as the serpent was to Adam and Eve in the
Garden.

For those who have had extensive occult involvement including

the actual practice of witchcraft it would be advisable to seek
the counsel of a pastor of a spirit filled Christ centered church
involved in the deliverance ministry. Keep in mind that you have
power over all demonic principalities in the name of Jesus once
you have accepted Christ as your personal Savior and are covered
by His blood (“Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your
name” Luke 10:17).

In the 1950’s Science replaced God. There was an ensuing

spiritual hunger, which sought expression in the counterculture of
the 1960’s and 1970’s through drugs, Eastern religions, and sexual
promiscuity. This led to materialism and the cult of the self of
the 1980’s and 1990’s. None of these substitutes can replace
man’s deep spiritual hunger. The absence of God can only be
replaced with the presence of God, and certainly not by a
counterfeit such as witchcraft. Witchcraft is like illicit sex, it may
offer thrills and gratification for a time but only a personal
relationship with the God of the Universe through his Son Jesus
Christ will satisfy, bring joy, and life eternal.