Witchcraft in Disguise: Seven Steps to Revival

We're going to make our proclamation for tonight, taken from the NIV. Deuteronomy 33:25-27: The bolts of our gates will be iron and bronze, and our strength will equal our days. There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help us, and on the clouds in His majesty. The eternal God is our refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will drive out our enemy before us, saying, 'Destroy him!' I want to say that I believe that's what God is going to do tonight; He's going to drive out our enemy and give us the power to destroy him.

Preparing the Highway for Revival

Yesterday evening Jonathan sang a beautiful song about building a highway for revival. I want to add another thought along the same line from the Scriptures, specifically Isaiah 62:10, which has the same thought of a highway: "Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway, take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples."

I want to comment on that phrase "take out the stones" because I believe over the centuries in the area where God intends the highway to be built, the enemy has planted great boulders that stand in the way of God's people. One of the things we have to do is take out the stones so that the highway may be prepared. In my last messages I've tried to deal with what I believe to be the greatest boulders that hinder revival:

  • Pride: The first boulder identified as a hindrance to spiritual progress.
  • Legalism: The second boulder that blocks the way for God's people.
  • Witchcraft in Disguise: The third boulder, which involves the spiritual power of control.

The Nature of Witchcraft and Control

When God created man He gave him the authority to rule the earth on His behalf, as recorded in Genesis 1:27-28. Man was intended to be God's viceroy on earth, exercise the authority of God in accordance with the plan and revealed will of God. However, when man fell into sin and rebellion he lost the authority because the authority is only given by God to the obedient. But he didn't lose the inner urge to dominate.

Unfortunately, when man dominates in his fallen condition he doesn't do it with the authority of God but he does it by an alien spiritual power which has supplanted the place of God. The name for that power is witchcraft. Witchcraft is something that seeks to dominate and control others. The key word in dealing with witchcraft is the word control. I don't believe that God ever controls anybody; He has given us all a free will and He expects us to cooperate with Him. He never overrides human free will because God has given it.

Passing From Curse to Blessing

The teaching all stems from the Word of God and the importance of what comes out of our mouths… that we can speak death or life over others. In my path toward healing, along with much time resting and seeking the Lord, I began to apply what I re-learned and began to experience a tremendous freedom. For a period of my ministry life, there had been a series of uncanny events around me, especially people’s growing word curses and a lack of words of blessing. People who once were encouragers became accusers, and people who stood for truth, began to spread lies.

The Process of Repentance and Renewal

I began to ask myself, “Why the madness and crazy making? What happened to building God’s Kingdom and not our own?” It is no coincidence that a group of people and leaders began repenting on behalf of a larger community breaking generational sins. This appeared to be a beautiful, long overdue process of confession and surrender to the Lord for a community in long-time brokenness. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!

My prayer is that YOU will be free from curses spoken over you. And that YOU will use your mouth to bless others, and not destroy! You reap what you sow. Let us plant seeds of blessing for the next generation.