A Warning!

Foreword from an African

The real judgment of God begins in the house of God, those who are called by His name, the church. It is this organism that transforms cities, regions and nations. It is no wonder that God would require such a high standard from this body because that does not only set the precedent but it gives it authority to stand in the face of the adversary and confront him with the truth of God's word that set people, cities and nations free. As the G1d saying goes, 'you can not give what you do not have'. Jesus said "remove the log in your eye before you can point a finger at your neighbor's speck_". It is interesting to note that Jesus speaks of your log (so huge) compared to your neighbor's speck (so small). Before we look out there, we need to look inside here, where we are. We need to put our house in order before we could put someone else's in order.

That is why I believe Peter Winzeler's book on Witchcraft in the church very timely and I would like to recommend it to every believer, especially to the leaders in the church. The church leader should be first because t where the anointing flows from to the whole body. We have no authority to deal with the witchcraft out there in the world when so much of it has crept into our very backyard, weakening us from within. The fact that the works of the flesh are rampant among us as believers, underlines the very fact that there is a bewitching that is taking place in the body of Christ. And also when you see foolishness dominating the activities of the church, then you know it has to do with the bewitching that has taken place. When you see folk seeking titles, recognition and a manipulative approach to ministry, you know this is a serious bad position that the church should never be. if prophetic people have become like soothsayers, fortune tellers and palm readers, then you know we are off tangent.

This book is timely and speaks to you directly with an aim of beginning a cleansing process in both your life as an individual and the body of Christ as a whole. It is a very good spiritual barometer for everyone who is serious about being radical for God. It plays the role of a mirror for any serious believer who really wants to die to self and become alive in God. What harm does it do to you to come back to God once more as you read this mater .al and beg for God's mercy in total humility? It will only make your heart more broken, more humble and more contrite. And this is a kind of heart that God would not refuse.

I advise you not to enter into the error of criticizing, because of what you have heard about the book or what you think you are reading, as this will only make your mind biased against it and therefore the person of our brother. Oh, I agree that it has been written from a sort hardliner and uncompromising approach. And maybe we long needed that kind of a book to begin to straighten us up and get us on the right path so that we are empowered to propel forward with more strength and purity than before. I do think that Peter has dealt with each one of the topics with enough depth to reveal the heart of the Father

To Peter I say God bless you very much for your obedience. This work helps us to move a step further in gaining authority to begin cleansing our nations from the powers of witchcraft that have so much accounted for the sicknesses and the dilapidating status quo that most of them are experiencing. Thank you Peter and God bless you all readers.

Chris Daza, Malawi / Africa.

Kingdom Ministries.

Principal and founder of "El Dabar" School of Prophets, Switzerland /Europe.

Forewords To The

Europeans

Peter Winzeler experienced Jesus Christ in his life as the Deliverer announced in the Bible. In successive stages this former drug addict was gradually set free by the Name of Jesus, the Messiah. This is the Name that reigns above all names. "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) The Name which can save us all from demonic bondage, from generations of soothsaying, witchcraft and sexual perversions, and free us from century-old curses and false doctrines.

In my former capacity in charge of the therapy centre "Best Hope", a fully committed body of believers, I was able to witness in person this miracle of complete restoration. Peter Winzeler gave his testimony in a number of missions. Later he taught in Switzerland, in the Philippines, in prisons in Russia and Moldavia, ministered to the blacks in Uganda and southern Sudan, as well as the whites in bondage in our own country. Again and again he encountered Christians who were struggling to maintain their faith in Christ through the strength of their own souls, and who were thus falling, completely unaware of the danger, into the trap of pious witchcraft. He himself also experienced times when he was misused by Christians on account of his prophetic gifts. He learnt to resist where others were being manipulated or controlled by means of an unholy spirit.

According to St. Paul (Gal. 3:1 this pious witchcraft, which develops rapidly into demonic power, has its origin in our fleshly nature, when we centre our attention not on the cross of Christ, in obedience to the Cross, but on our own rebellious desires and ideas. Christians become focused on their gifts and not on the Word. Peter Winzeler realized that this religious magic proceeds from a false, one-sided image of God. In the faith-life of these Christians, prophecy is more important than discipleship. They follow their own "Christian" God. This God reveals himself to them as only a gracious and loving "Daddy" and bears no resemblance to the Holy One of Israel, the just Judge and loving Father.

God wants his followers to be informed, people who understand the signs of the end-times, in which many false prophets will be active. However, among all the false prophets there are some genuine ones. Peter Winzeler's little book "God's Antidote for Witchcraft in the Church" is therefore, just like his first book, 'Prophetic Ministry in the Church of the 21st Century", a vital tool for survival in these end-times we are going through, to enable believers to learn to distinguish between the false image of God with its false fundamental doctrine on the one hand, and the true image of God in the Old and New Testaments with Hebraic fundamental understanding on the other. It is not primarily a matter of signs and wonders but of the God of the Bible, of whom the prophet John says:

`I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End ... Outside are the dogs, those who practise magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practises falsehood. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." (Rev. 22: 13, 15-17)

May all who read this book themselves receive the knowledge of Jesus through the spirit of truth and prophecy, and hence be led into the whole truth of His Word (John 16:13; Rev. 19: 10).

Hanspeter Vogt, Principal of "Hope for the Nations" - Jesus the Bridegroom longs for the day when He will be united with His beloved Bride. The Word of God describes very precisely the qualities that characterize this Bride: she must be flawless, holy and pure. Jesus himself says:

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4: 23-24). It is pure grace if we ever achieve this standard! However, in these times God is doing everything to help His Church to reach this point. This is why, out of love, He is shaking up "all things" in Christendom, so that the unshaken will be revealed and stand firm. The message of this book seems to me to be a call from God: allow yourself to be delivered from everything that is preventing you from coming into the presence of God, from recognizing Him and from living in true obedience! Leave the pigsties and come back to the Father's house!

It is my prayer that you, the reader, will face this challenge, will allow your life as a Christian to be examined as well as your criteria for discerning what is spiritual or unspiritual, so that God can bless you. I am profoundly convinced that He, the Sovereign God of Israel, Lord and Creator of all things, will use this book among other things to direct His Body into the right paths. For this I am deeply grateful to Him.

Peter Bosch, Pastor of "Immanual-Gemeinde" Schaffhausen

Preface

I have to admit that it wasn't easy for me to write this book. On the contrary, at times it was extremely difficult just to write a few lines and to put my thoughts clearly into words. Apart from obvious attacks from the enemy, I was constantly questioning myself, examining my motives and asking others to examine them with me. Why write this book? Is it really legitimate to say "the Holy Spirit commanded me to"? Probably my critics will say the same.

I have had the urge to write another book for a long time. At first, I always thought it would have to be a deeper study of a specific area of the prophetic ministry. Various people close to me were also encouraging me to put something else down on paper. Then, contrary to all my expectations, it suddenly all became very concrete and I was particularly astonished when the words "Witchcraft in the Church" established themselves more and more firmly in my mind and would not let me go.

So I felt I was being drawn into a journey of exploration in the Bible, and to write something on the subject of witchcraft. However, the title of this book is "Witchcraft in the Church - God's Antidote" because I believe that it is God's intention to reveal witchcraft in the church, to fight it and to stamp it out. And that is the purpose of this book.

Still, I must also confess that the longer I wrestled with this subject the more questions arose in me. The whole topic is extremely complex and not easy to see clearly. I had to delve deeply and intensely once again into the question of God's being, only to find God turning all my preconceived ideas about Him and what He was like totally upside down. I realized that I myself need a much deeper perception of God and to experience a closeness with Him and His presence if I am really to come to know Him. Writing this has made me really hungry for a closer walk with God in my life. I would like to stress that I have by no means all the answers on this subject. God has the answers and we have to keep on seeking Him and constantly experiencing Him in order to find the answers. And it is vital to note that there is no room in our intellect for these answers. On the contrary, our rational mind will oppose these answers and refuse to grasp them. But God Himself, in His power and sovereignty, can never be grasped intellectually or with our rational minds. I pray therefore, "... that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (Eph. 1: 17-23)

Please read the Bible quotations! I have deliberately quoted frequently and at length from the Bible because I believe it is important that God's Word should be at the centre and be read. Peter Winzeler, November 2001

Part I

Holy Spirit, as it is described in the Bible (Acts 1, 8)? We yearn for healing and freedom, and even preach about it, but it occurs all too seldom! What is the reason? Can it be that we Christians are living, paralysed, under a spiritual blanket? Can it be that we are the victims of a deception or illusion? Can it be that we have been bewitched?

Just because this happened to the Galatians in Biblical times, does that mean it couldn't happen to us in our modern era, too? The Greek word used in the original text here in Galatians (ebaskanen) comes from the root "baskaino" and means "to bewitch" or "to cast a spell on". The devil wants to lead the whole world astray (Rev. 20, 8) and this does not exclude Christians by any means. Jesus prophesied it and yet we Christians are often blind to the fact:

"At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people... For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-- if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time." (Matt. 24: 10-11, 2425)

A Spiritual Supermarket

The church is not a spiritual supermarket where we can satisfy the desires of our flesh and souls. On the one hand, the focus is often on "good vibes". On the other hand, therefore, people want to see manifestations, signs and wonders. Especially in charismatic circles people tend to accept everything unusual and apparently supernatural at face value. However, the Bible tells us something quite different:

"Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good." (1 Thess. 5: 19-22)

ever experience the Holy Spirit in action in our services and evangelisations. Are we really seeking the depth of God? Are we cleansing ourselves from sin by repenting and turning away from our own ways? Do we seek reconciliation with God and our brothers and sisters through the blood of Jesus? Do we refuse compromise and false solidarity with the world? Do we sanctify ourselves by His truth, by prayer and through His Word? Personally I believe - and I know that this is a daring statement - that there is more witchcraft in the church today than there is prophetic revelation.

What Does God Want Of Us Today?

God is preparing the Bride for His Son. The body of Christ must be cleansed and sanctified. Spiritually generated unity will ensure that the Bride is adorned more and more. God wants a Bride without blemish or wrinkles, a holy Bride for Jesus. This is why God is calling Christians to repent. We should all worship Him. He wants to free us from witchcraft and the power system of Babylon. He wants to purge spiritual arrogance, snobbishness and pride from our lives. We are to turn aside from the worship of institutions, religious systems, names, churches, ministries, gifts and individuals! He wants to lead us back to His presence, to His "Shechinah", the divine glory and indwelling of the presence of God in people (Rev. 21, 3). But those who don't turn away from their pious sorcery and Christian idol worship will have no share in the glory of God here on earth, nor in the Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21, 8; 22, 18-19).

Revival or Judgment?

This little book is a very serious appeal to the Church of Jesus. An appeal to repent, to turn aside and to seek holiness, before God imposes it on us on the Day of Judgment. "If church leaders would only stop playing church and become what God has called them to be, a genuine revival would break out in our churches!"²

Yes, I believe in revival. However, I do not believe that we will see it unless we repent and undergo a real change of heart. Revival has its price, just as genuine obedience has its price, Today, God is looking for people who chase after Him wholeheartedly and are not just after a share in a wishy-washy Christian grace, anointing, and blessing from God.

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chr 16: 9)

I sense there is a one-sidedness today, especially among the prophetic voices in the western church, where there is primarily talk of revival and grace and very little about judgment and God's justice. Do we really know the only true and sovereign God?

"The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; ... The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Ps. 34: 16.19)

The Problem of the Church

"Men are God's method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men... what the church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Spirit can use - men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men - men of prayer!'³

But in our present-day "Christian" era - or rather, "post-Christian" western world - the church has a massive problem: it has no more power! It is no longer the church built on the Rock of Jesus and planted on the Hebraic root of the Messiah (Rev. 22: 16). "Although wherever Christianity penetrated, it forced occultism into the background, many Christians still remained true to their old ideas and kept up old practices. (. ..) In so-called 'Christian' Europe sorcerers and astrologers were highly regarded during the Mediaeval period. The Enlightenment pushed occultism further into the background. But it was precisely the over-valuation of human reason that often stimulated man's neglected emotional and mystical yearnings. ^A

Could it be that we have fallen for one of the devil's oldest lies, namely that humans are like God, or at least can produce divine results? The devil was not only a liar, destroyer and murderer from the beginning; he was also a sorcerer, as we shall see.

Introduction

Something Is Wrong With Us, But What?

"You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3: 1.3

The secret has been out for a long time: the Church in the western world is sick. Terribly sick. While Harry Potter, Pokemon and all the other offspring of Hell are making fortunes in this highly developed occult society of ours, seducing our children in spite of their "Christian upbringing", we Christians are busy "playing church".

"In the 21st century we are living in an age of vagabond religiosity, of soft occultism, of technologisation that even invades artificial worlds and, simultaneously, the renaissance of magic in its most varied forms. You can find countless addresses and websites on topics such as magic, sorcery, witches, witchcraft on the Internet, just as you can in bookstores, "I

We think we can escape from the spirit of this world and protect ourselves at the same time by cutting ourselves off from everyday life, almost like a sect. While the Devil is slaking our children's spiritual thirst and providing them with supernatural experiences in the demonic realms, we have not the slightest inkling that anything could be wrong with us! We are far too busy distancing ourselves from the false doctrines of our so-called brothers and sisters in neighboring churches and seeking our own wellbeing in ministry and church service, to have any energy left over for us to resist the devil! The saddest part is that we are still absolutely convinced that everything is fine just as it is. And yet we are seriously sick.

We Christians are sick because we seriously lack God's presence and nearness. The membership of individual churches is stagnating or even declining. The members themselves are often impotent, living in sin and bondage, and simply unable to get free, whereas church leaders are busy, above all, in expanding their ministries, empire-building, and frantically hanging on to their position and power. We may well talk of the power of God and preach sermons about it, but where is it, this mighty power of the Holy Spirit, as it is described in the Bible (Acts 1, 8)? We yearn for healing and freedom, and even preach about it, but it occurs all too seldom! What is the reason? Can it be that we Christians are living paralyzed, under a spiritual blanket? Can it be that we are the victims of a deception or illusion? Can it be that we have been bewitched?

A Spiritual Supermarket

"Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good." (1 Thess. 5: 19-22)

Testing is not the same as quenching the spirit or dulling the Holy Spirit. Yet we often don't know how to test something in a healthy manner, or have no time to do so. Just as if we were in a spiritual supermarket, we consume everything that somehow looks spiritual or could make us feel good. All the same, the church is the dwelling place of God because the church is the body of believers, who in turn are a temple of the Holy Spirit. It should all go as He determines it and not as we would like it to go! We must stop, once and for all, playing at churches and chapels. We cannot go on living in such a superficial relationship with Jesus. We cannot replace the Holy Spirit by programs aimed at humans! Have we still not yet noticed that His presence has almost completely disappeared from our churches and congregations? Haven't we yet noticed how cold our hearts are growing? It is only because God still grants us His grace that we ever experience the Holy Spirit in action in our services and evangelizations. Are we really seeking the depth of God? Are we cleansing ourselves from sin by repenting and turning away from our own ways? Do we seek reconciliation with God and our brothers and sisters through the blood of Jesus? Do we refuse compromise and false solidarity with the world? Do we sanctify ourselves by His truth, by prayer and through His Word? Personally I believe - and I know that this is a daring statement - that there is more witchcraft in the church today than there is prophetic revelation.

What Does God Want Of Us Today?

Revival or Judgment?

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chr 16: 9)

"The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; ... The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Ps. 34: 16.19)

The Problem of the Church

What is Witchcraft?

'Do not practice divination or sorcery. “Leviticus 19: 2 6”

I realize that some will be shaking their heads by now when they hear phrases like "witchcraft in the church", "pious sorcery" and "Christian idol worship". I can also hear people saying, "Oh yes, that happens among them, but not among us! And certainly not to me!" Watch out! Because if this is how you are thinking, you are already caught in the sticky cobweb of sorcery. For sorcery always operates against the unity of the Spirit and against fellowship with God. It boosts the ego and pushes pride, especially among religious-minded people. In order to track down the secret of "witchcraft in the church" - and above all, to recognize and to combat it - we need to define what we mean by "witchcraft".

Brief Definition of Witchcraft

Witchcraft is a work of the flesh (Gal. 5: 19-21) which opens the door to a demonic power that bewitches people (Gal. 3: 1) with the result that they assume and exercise a counterfeit spiritual authority and position which has not been given to them by God, in order to manipulate, dominate and control other people, and to do so consciously or unconsciously, in place of the working and anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Occultism

First of all there is witchcraft or sorcery, which we all recognize immediately and with which we definitely do not want to be involved. This includes the whole of occultism, the whole range of esoteric practices in all its forms of magic rituals:

"When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways 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 out 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 Your God has not permitted you to do so." (Deut. 18: 9-14).

So much is plain to us: we want nothing to do with this blatant witchcraft and we don't even want to get anywhere near such people (although in my counseling ministry I constantly come across Christians who are involved in occult practices such as horoscopes, pendulums, spiritual healers, natural healers etc. and who are thus under the influence of witches and sorcerers),

Spiritual Power and Counterfeit Spiritual
Authority

There is, however, yet another form of witchcraft. This witchcraft has nothing to do with blatant rituals or occult practices. In brief: witchcraft is counterfeit spiritual authority. It makes use of an unholy spirit to dominate, manipulate and control others. It is a spiritual power which a person assumes, consciously or unconsciously, and uses to his or her own advantage. Among primitive pagan peoples who believe in animism, it is called "life force".

I prefer to use and understand the expression "witchcraft" as an umbrella term for any kind of spiritual power that does not have its source in Jesus and does not operate through the Holy Spirit. This life force is not a spirit or any individual spiritual being. It is essentially more like a substance or an energy. The best comparison is with anointing or power, except that this anointing and power do not come from the Holy Spirit. The spirits who operate with this power or force are unholy ones, who influence anyone who opens the door to them. (This, unfortunately, happens very quickly and without our being aware of it.) This happens if we don't accept our place, allocated by God, in the general scheme of things, in our family and congregation, if we are discontented, rebellious, or even resigned. Witchcraft also takes effect where we try to do things for God out of our own strength or if we attempt to purchase the love of God or the gifts of the Holy Spirit by our religious achievements. It happens wherever we recommend or ordain ourselves for a ministry, and push our way into a spiritual office or position of leadership. This power of witchcraft begins by confusing the Biblical image of God, then distorting it and finally replacing it by a false image of God. It will affect us by changing our personality and finally making us a different person.

When this happens we have already reached a stage where we need outside help, because we are then already in a state of confusion or double-mindedness in which we are unable to distinguish the Holy Spirit from magic. This force prevails wherever the Holy Spirit is not operating exclusively. This "life force" is to be found wherever the Spirit of God is not moving. It fills the whole atmosphere, since the prince of this world still has influence and the prophecies of Isaiah and Habakkuk have not yet been fulfilled:

"They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the

sea. "(Isaiah 11: 9)

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." (Hab: 2, 14).

Therefore, until the time comes, we must do everything in our power to make sure that we live our lives in a way that allows us to really know Jesus and His Holy Spirit and to have a deep, living relationship with him. There are difficult times ahead. But those who know God will also know the "secret place", His "Shechinah" (God's dwelling-place among mankind) and they will have the antidote for witchcraft.

Distinguishing between Sorcery, Divination
and Witchcraft

The Bible does not distinguish between sorcery (magic) and witchcraft. Various terms are used in the Greek of the New Testament depending on the kind of witchcraft. In the Old Testament there is a detailed list of the occult practices that are an abomination to God (Deut.18:9-18).

The main distinction in this book is that sorcery is concerned with controlling, manipulating and dominating, in other words, influencing and commanding other people, spirits or even God himself. Depending on the form it takes, it usually consists chiefly in indirect contact with demons, magic words, actions and rituals, formulas and curses. Sorcery is within everyone's grasp and anyone can perform it.

Divination and fortune-telling is a special form of sorcery or magic aiming at making contact with the unseen world. It deals with knowledge and insights gained from the unseen world and which are normally inaccessible to humans. This knowledge is obtained using horoscopes, clairvoyance, table tapping and glass moving, Ouija boards, cards, pendulums and other methods of questioning the unseen world. There are two types of fortune-telling: out-and-out phony’s operating with tricks, and people who have so-called mediumistic faculties. Frequently these people have a genuine gift from God, but because of their godless way of life it is being misused by the devil. Anyone who has been involved in the realm of divination or the occult and is converted to Jesus must first of all experience release and deliverance from these powers before the Holy Spirit can heal, cleanse and renew the divine gift of prophecy. It is a mistake for people who have come from an esoteric or occult background, and have repented and been converted, to be allowed to work straight away in a prophetic ministry. However, the Bible does not distinguish between fakes and mediums, since in the New Testament the same term can be used for deception and sorcery. Sorcery always cheats us, wanting to deceive and seduce us.

Witchcraft on the other hand is a higher, more subtle level of sorcery. It includes secret knowledge available only to initiates and operates through fetishes, amulets and other objects, as well as by directly invoking demonic forces through the witches and wizards themselves. This category also includes shamans, medicine men, witch-doctors, spirit-healers, magicians etc. There is frequently direct contact with demons. Most witches and wizards have made a pact with the devil and dedicated themselves to his service. They are usually possessed. They act as experts in their particular area. However, it is not easy to draw the line between sorcery and witchcraft. All the same, it must be said that in addition to people who are fully aware of being witches there are also some who are witches without being consciously aware of the fact. Especially in Pentecostal and charismatic churches, the possibility of there being Pentecostal or charismatic witches exists!5 Both conscious and unconscious witchcraft is an abomination to God and is condemned, for sorcery and witchcraft are always mixed up with spiritual prostitution, which is idolatry. Conscious or deliberate witchcraft deserves the death penalty:

"Do not allow a sorceress to live." (Exod. 22: 18; cf. Acts 13, 6-11; Rev. 21, 8)

"You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads." (Lev. 20: 26.27)

Although it normally develops rapidly into demonic power, sorcery and witchcraft have their sources in our fleshly nature. The attempt to manipulate others by applying emotional pressure is an elementary form of sorcery, even if motivated by a desire to serve the Lord.

Our Fleshly Nature - A Neutral Place?

Many Christians live in the belief - or rather, under the delusion - that the unseen world is divided into three parts. They think of the tripartite image of man: spirit - soul - body; or they argue from the Holy Trinity: Father - Son - Holy Spirit; and hence they believe that the "flesh" is a neutral area of the unseen world. This belief is usually not immediately obvious. It derives from a humanistic way of thinking colored by Greek philosophy, which in turn is a fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

"Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig-tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear

figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water... Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you Find disorder and every evil." (James 3: 10-12; 15-16)

James makes it very clear here that there is only light or dark, and no "twilight zone". What is translated here as "earthly, unspiritual, of the devil" could also be translated as "fleshly, sensual and demonic". It is a gross error to believe that the flesh is a neutral place! This is impossible, as there is only the visible world and the invisible world.

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and -on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." (Col. 1: 16)

The Bible shows us that the world we cannot see is in fact the real world. For what is visible is temporal, transient; but what is invisible is eternal (2 Cor. 4,18). Our flesh (in Greek: sarx) is by no means neutral, it has fallen away from God and therefore is predestined to permit sin to enter and with sin, demonic influences. The flesh is often the door the devil uses to slip into our lives and to separate us from God. We Christians are also "flesh". The Greek word "sarx" refers to the corporeal envelope, the body, of a creature. But it also means human nature, our earthly aspect. This earthly side has been opposing God from the moment man fell from grace. It is the basis of sin and rebellion against God.

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and 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." (Gal. 5: 19-21)

Therefore, whoever walks in the flesh and behaves as if he were acting in the spirit has not only committed a "fleshly" error but has also opened a door for the demonic powers of sorcery, magic and witchcraft.

Now that we have defined witchcraft we shall go on in the next chapter to find out where it comes from and where the origin and source of witchcraft is in the church.

The Source: Separation from the Root

"These are the men who divide you, [people] who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." Jude 1: 19

Actually, the source of witchcraft and why it has gained entry among mankind is very simple and easy to find. Man was taken in by Satan's lies, disobeyed God, and thus cast himself out of Paradise by breaking his relationship with God. The moment that this' happened a vacuum was created in the human soul which man, now being separated from God, tried to fill with a substitute, a similar substance to the presence of God. Over the course of the centuries this separation has been repeated over and over again in different ways so that the powers of witchcraft have gained entry more and more into Christianity. This has remained so until this day, although most Christians don't realize whose spirit they really are. In the following paragraphs I will show how these separations occurred and what the consequences were.

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Probably the greatest mistake man ever made was that fateful bite into a forbidden fruit! We don't even know what kind of fruit it was and what it tasted like. That is, however, irrelevant because it was not the fruit that caused man to fall but his rebellion and disobedience before he took that bite. So what was this Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil doing in the Garden of Eden in the first place? And while we're on the subject, how come Satan, in the form of the serpent, had the right to be there anyway? Really, God must have known it was all going to go wrong! If you use this argument, you are blaming God for your own failure. These are precisely the arguments that humanists use. "Yes, but if God is love, why does he let all these disasters and so much injustice happen on the earth?" It is not God, but man himself who has distanced himself from God by his disobedience and rebellion, and who therefore must bear the consequences. God said:

"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." (Genesis 1: 26)

and not "Come on, let's make some puppets who will be governed by us and the powers of darkness!" Right from the very beginning God gave man authority and responsibility. Together with life came the authority to rule and the responsibility to make decisions. The whole story has a lot more to it than appears at first sight. It is much more profound than we think, indeed so profound that I believe we still have to bear the consequences of these events in Paradise in spite of our redemption through the blood of Jesus.

God made man and planted a garden for him. Don't think God only planted a couple of trees, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. On the contrary:

"And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2: 9)

So don't think that Adam was standing there with just two trees in front of him, and the devil putting pressure on him to make up his mind. God had created a whole garden full of trees, and the Tree of Life was in the middle. What a prophetic picture of Jesus, who is life itself. This was the most valuable tree in the whole garden, and man was allowed to eat its fruit! For God had said:

"You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2: 16-17)

Thus, the Tree of Life was at that time in no way taboo! Man was even supposed to enjoy eating its fruit, that was what God had commanded. The only restriction imposed on man was not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The devil used tactics that could only have been foiled by absolute obedience to God's word.

1. The devil approached the woman (Gen. 3: 1). When God gave Adam the command, the woman had not yet been created (Gen. 2: 17. 22). Thus God put the onus on Adam. The devil made his attempt through the back door. We see quite clearly that Eve had been informed by Adam, for when the devil tempted her on her own and in secret, she knew perfectly well what God had said and also what the consequences of disobeying this command would be (Gen. 3: 23). However, she had probably only had her instructions from Adam and not direct from God.

2. The devil took God's words, which probably only Adam had heard direct, and twisted them.

3. Satan enticed Eve by offering her a secret, and aroused greed (the desire to have what she saw) and pride.

The devil knew that if he could get man to fall into the same sin that he had fallen into, he would have power over mankind and would capture his territory. This is why he didn't ask the direct question: "Did God say you must not eat from the Tree of Knowledge?" but instead turned it around and generalized the words of God:

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (Genesis 3, 1)

God had actually said the very opposite: that they could and should eat from all of the trees in the garden, with one small exception! Only at the second attempt, when the woman had joined in conversation with the serpent, did he question what God had said:

"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3: 4-5)

Never get into a conversation with the serpent. Jesus told us Himself that we should be as shrewd as serpents (Mat. 10: 16) but as guileless as doves. We should never think we are clever enough to outwit the devil. Others believed this before us, and were led astray (Rev. 2: 24). God has never told man to chat with the serpent. Man was to name all the creatures and to rule over them (Gen. 1: 26; 2: 19). The moment we get involved in discussions with the devil he will bewitch us and bedazzle us or fascinate us by something else that will draw us away from God. An experienced man of God once said, at a deliverance ministry I was attending: "Don't get discussing with devils, just drive them out!"6 How right he was. At any rate, Eve got herself involved in a discussion with the devil about what God had said. That is something we should never do. The devil is very clever and knows the word of God so well that he even dared to have a theological discussion with Jesus Himself. The devil tempted Jesus by using arguments taken from the Word of God (Mat. 4: 3-11)! Jesus didn't argue with him. He simply countered with the Word of God, but correctly quoted. Eve, however, was dazzled - or bewitched, bothered and bewildered - even before she had eaten the fruit, in the moment that

.. the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." (Genesis 3, 7)

The story shows that if we start chatting with the devil we are immediately exposed to the power of witchcraft. We can also see that witchcraft can be around us and influencing us before we have sinned. Eve ate of the fruit and Adam was not man enough to guide his wife in the right way. Instead of rebuking her and getting her to repent, he accepted the fruit from her and ate it too. An interesting point is that during the whole time Adam never once intervened although he was nearby (Gen. 3, 6)! There is absolutely no reason to blame the woman. Adam was there all along and watched the whole thing without lifting a finger. Probably he, too, was dazzled and unable to resist.

The Result and the Consequences

It had happened. Both had now eaten of the forbidden fruit. The whole of mankind had now fallen, not just a part. And indeed, their eyes were opened, but not in the way the serpent had promised them. Even if Satan promises you something that looks really tempting and good, never forget: he will always use the truth as well as lies to fool and bewitch you. As a result of their disobedience, Adam and Eve had gained more knowledge but they were transferred from the spiritual plane to the carnal plane. This knowledge was of the soul, which is fleshly, and not a gift of discernment by the Holy Spirit. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is like the Tree of the Soul, whereas the Tree of Life represents the spirit. This was a fundamental shift, a total bewitchment of mankind. When they realized that they were naked, they hid from God, although they ought to have known that you can't hide from God. But they had lost this spiritual insight. Instead of the bond between the human spirit and the spirit of God, a bond of the soul with the powers of darkness had come into existence (Gen. 3: 711).

The consequence of this terrible story was, and still is for many people, that they had to move out of the Garden of Eden, the constant presence of God, and were separated from God. Not until all of this had happened did God have to take drastic measures. Now he had to protect the Tree of Life from men, forbid man to eat its fruit and drive him out. He even set mighty angels at the entrance to the garden to make quite certain that man, in his sin, would not have eternal life on earth (Gen. 3: 22-24). The consequence was not "only" that man was banned from God's presence, which was spiritual death, but from then on man would also have to die a natural death because he was no longer allowed to eat of the Tree of Life and dwell in the company of the Eternal. Pain and sweat, more consequences for the body and soul, were among the results of incorrect human behavior.

Animism - Belief in Spirits

Animism or simply a belief in the spirit world is at the root of all religion. From the very start darkness lay above the original waters (Gen 1: 2), in other words: the spirit world existed even before the earth was created. Into this darkness, into this spirit world, God gives His light, His Messiah, who divides the light from the darkness (Gen. 1: 3-4). This all occurs before the foundations of the earth are laid (cf. John 1: 1 et seq.; Col. 1: 15-18; 1 Peter 1: 18-19). God made sure that His light was accessible to man at all times. Thus Paradise provided a place in which man could have intimate fellowship with God and where the Tree of Life (Jesus is life) stood in the middle (Gen. 2: 9). With whom did Adam walk in the garden in the cool of the evening? With God the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit? (Gen. 3: 8).

In Hebrew, it says here "Yahweh Elohim" meaning "God the Lord". It could be translated as the "only existing God" and in Hebrew, interestingly, it is in the plural form. So there are at least two, but two who form a perfect unity. Also in Hebrew the word "ruach" is used, translated here as "cool of the evening". However, "ruach" is the Hebrew term used for the Spirit of God! God, in his fullness, was very near and in close fellowship with man, but with the Fall, and the exclusion of man from Paradise and from close proximity to God, this intimate organic-spiritual fellowship broke down. Since then, man has been seeking ways to get back to God or even to become God Himself. Since the Fall man had lost his authority to Satan (Gen. 1: 26; 3, 13-19), the Prince of this world (Luke 4: 5-7; John l4, 30) and since that time animism, the darkness of the spirit world, has been the breeding ground and starting point for every religion. Forms of animism are found in all religions, in Christianity, in Judaism+, in Islam, in Hinduism and in Buddhism. Especially where words are used to work magic, as an incantation to invoke spirits, worship ancestors or saints, or to strive for vital force, forms of animism can be seen. For instance, Christians can also invoke the name of Jesus Christ as a magic word in a deliverance ministry, or use the body and blood of Jesus in a magic ritual. Even exaggerated striving for anointing and calling repeatedly on the Holy Spirit is equivalent to conjuring up spirits. Where does it say in the Bible that we should call on the Holy Spirit in this way? Naturally, I also talk to the Holy Spirit, as I have a relationship with Him. In a relationship, we talk to one another, otherwise it is not a relationship (John 14: 26; 15, 26).

However, only in the Book of the prophet Ezekiel is there a place where a person speaks to the Spirit of God and then it is only at the command of God Himself (Ezek. 37: 9). The apostles asked God for the Holy Spirit and obeyed the Word of God, so God anointed them with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4: 29-31). Jesus Himself said that we should ask Him and the Father for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11: 9-13). Should we not pay more attention to the testimony of the Bible in such matters? Here again, the Hebrew helps us. God the Father has a personal name: Yahweh or Jehovah. God the Son also has a personal name: Jesus (actually: Yeshua). The Spirit of God, however, has no personal name, "only" a description of His Being and purpose: spirit, wind, comforter, supporter, advocate, teacher. This is something we should consider in our prayers and times of worship.

Animism thus provides not only the source of witchcraft in the church, but it is the most existential form of witchcraft. Whoever becomes involved in witchcraft, therefore, whether deliberately or unconsciously, is tapping into the spirit world of animism.

Anti-Semitism and Replacement Theology

Anti-Semitism is a fundamental form of sorcery and at the same time one of the main gateways for admitting witchcraft into the church. Anti Semitism is one of the strongest of the powers of darkness that exist. Especially in the church in Europe and in the western world, Christian Anti Semitism is widespread and has poisoned believers to a great extent by replacement theology. We have found that witchcraft tries to replace what is authentic, genuine and chosen by God, by putting a fake in its place. Witchcraft refuses to comply with the will of God (Jer. 23: 18-22; Acts 13: 8).

This is exactly what anti-Semitism does. It refuses to comply with the eternal will of God. God was pleased, in His wisdom and sovereignty, to choose Abraham and to conclude an eternal covenant with him.

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Gen. 12: 2-3)

From Abraham, a great nation was to arise and all the people of the earth would be blessed. Abraham came from the line of Shem (Gen 11: 10-26) and the nation that was to arise from him was Israel. The promise made to Abraham passed via Isaac to Jacob and from Jacob came a nation: the people of Israel (Gen. 32: 29). God chose Israel for all eternity and through Israel, all the nations were to recognize that He, the Holy One of Israel, alone is God (Deut. 14: 2; 1 Kings 8: 43). From Israel came forth the Messiah, the Root or Branch (Isaiah 11: 2) and salvation would come from the Jews (John 4: 22).

The first church was Jewish, the entire Bible is Jewish and Jesus was a Jew! One of the devil's greatest lies is replacement theology which claims that the Christian community or church has now taken Israel's place and that therefore all the promises apply only to the church. The Jews and Israel are rejected. The so-called "murderers of God" are affected only by the judgment and wrath of God. This false doctrine has been the basis for all the persecution of the Jews throughout the history of the church and it was also the basis for Hitler's holocaust. It is sorcery of the highest order, a total twisting of the word of God by ecclesiastical theology, which even today still causes Christians to reject and inflict pain on the Jews. Yet the Bible says something completely different. We Gentile believers have been grafted by grace into the Israel of God (Gal. 6: 16), the true olive tree (Rom. 9: 11). By God's choosing Israel, we become co-heirs of the promise, fellow citizens of the saints and therefore members of God's household (Eph. 2: 19). The church of God and Bride of Jesus is made up of believing Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2: 10-18). We belong together, but we have by no means replaced Israel! On the other hand, we must not glorify Israel falsely and drift off into a kind of religious magic as "Israel fans". Neither is it necessary for us Gentile believers to become Jews in the flesh, but only in our hearts.

Jewish believers can be a great help to us in learning to understand the Word of God better, and leading a life before God according to the scriptures. We need them and they need us. However, we must not forget that Israel is the firstborn son among the sons (Exodus 4: 22; Jer. 31: 9) and also that the gospel belongs to the Jews first (Romans 1: 16). Once we have let anti-Semitic doctrine or theology into our church, the door is then wide open for false doctrines and the effects of witchcraft to operate on us. The first church was Jewish and able to distinguish witchcraft from the Spirit of God (Acts 8: 8-24; 13: 6-13; 16: 16-18). It fought against witchcraft in the church. Yet ever since the church turned away more and more from the Jewish brothers and sisters and their religious beliefs during the first centuries AD, especially since the council of Nicaea in 325 AD when the church officially renounced everything Jewish and even went so far as to condemn them, witchcraft has had free access to the church. Without exception, all the church fathers were infected by it in one form or another. All churches, whether catholic, protestant, Lutheran, Anglican, or free churches, were built on this theological foundation. Here again, there has been a division, a separation from the root. The church has not only separated itself from Israel but also from the stump and branch of David (Isaiah _ 11: 2; 53: 2; Rev. 22: 16).

Anti-Semitism, which is attempting to foil God's will, aims to destroy God's choosing of Israel so that the church cannot achieve its objective, either. I would like to make two last comments here in this connection:

1. If God's promises to Israel are no longer valid, who then tells us that the promises will be fulfilled for the church and for me personally, e.g. my salvation?

2. Anyone who is politically too far to the right, who loves Israel but hates the Arabs and Palestinians, might also be a victim of Anti Semitism, since the Arabs are also descended from Abraham and therefore Semites, with a promise from God as a people. (Gen 17: 29; Isaiah 19: 20-25; Zechariah 9: 6-8)!

Our attitude should not tend politically to the right nor be Christian-racist and thus anti-Semitic, but we should have a full and complete Biblical picture of God's plan for salvation and his choice of Israel, the church and His Bride, and we should close the door to witchcraft in the church by turning away from our false church theology and repenting of our false Christian actions. As long as Israel behaved faithfully and obediently to the Word of God and lived in the will of God, the genuine prophetic word that Balaam uttered about Israel wais true:

"There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!"' (Num. 23: 23)

This promise would also apply to the church and to the Gentiles if they had not renounced Israel and violated God's Word by their Christian anti Semitism!

Discerning the Word of God:

Old Testament and New Testament

What happened over centuries of church history is today the fundament of belief for many Christians. The value and significance of the Old Testament is considered to be different from the New Testament and therefore of less value. This is anti-Semitism hiding behind a Christian front. Jesus' view of the Old Testament was very different from that of many Christians today:

"I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5: 18-20)

Now it is of course legitimate to say that Jesus is here talking prophetically about the gospels and the New Testament. But the only scriptures that Jesus had were the Torah, the Prophets and the Books of Psalms, in other words the Old Testament. Jesus also foretells consequences here for those who abuse the Word of God in this way: they will end up as the least in the Kingdom of God. However, Jesus goes even further. He tells us that if we leave out the Old Testament and disobey God's commandments, then our righteousness will be no better than that of the religious intellectual or nominal Christians, and we will not go to Heaven. The whole of the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation must be anchored in our hearts, permeate our lives and determine our behavior. If the Word of God is alive and growing inside us through the Holy Spirit, the Word of God will also demonstrate its power in our life and not just intellectual wisdom. St Paul asks us:

"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would

not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good." (Romans 7: 7-12)

Through the Old Testament, the Torah, or the Law, as it is frequently incorrectly translated, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and convicts us of sin! From my own observation I see that in churches where little attention is paid to the Old Testament, the sins of the congregation are tolerated and the discipline which should be enforced by the congregation - a precept fully in keeping with the New Testament - is non-existent. If we take the Word of God in the Old Testament to mean something different from what it means in the New Testament we are placing ourselves above God and His will, are profaning the Word and are therefore blind. This has far-reaching consequences in the body of Christ. It is one of the results of the separation between man and God, which has also brought forth suffering, and division in the body of Christ.

Confusion in Church and Congregation

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." (1 Tim: 4.1)

It is true that general confusion reigns in the church and among the congregation. There are so many denominations which claim to have the pure doctrine and there are so many different doctrines about, that believers and even church leaders no longer know what's what in their beliefs! Many believers I have met have absolutely no idea of the direction they are to follow, are confused and bewildered as to what God wants for their lives. A sorry plight - spiritual apathy and total paralysis. Again, I personally believe that this is a consequence of the church becoming separated from the Hebrew roots and the arrogance which profanes God's Word. Half of the foundation on which the church stands is missing, and this foundation is therefore a false and very dangerous one. Extreme right and left attitudes are becoming visible and are very rarely corrected by the leaders with God's clarity, wisdom and authority.

The church is in a dilemma and - to a great extent - it hasn't even noticed. What Isaiah described is, unfortunately, now an everyday fact in many churches: lived in the will of God, the genuine prophetic word that Balaam uttered about Israel wais true:

"There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!"' (Num. 23: 23)

This promise would also apply to the church and to the Gentiles if they had not renounced Israel and violated God's Word by their Christian anti Semitism!

Discerning the Word of God:

Old Testament and New Testament

"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would

"When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations-I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts, my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow... See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her-- but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them." (Isaiah 1: 12-17, 21-23)

A Distorted Image of God

Because of our one-sided foundation based largely only on grace and not on God's justice, we automatically have a one-sided, distorted image of God. We want love, acceptance, forgiveness, consolation, healing and grace, and that is precisely what our image of God looks like. We would rather have nothing to do with the strict, just, holy God of the Old Testament. "After all, God is no longer like that nowadays. At that time, when He was Jehovah, yes, but today He is our Father, who loves His children." Yes, but it is only part of the truth.

The New Testament explains it to us: "for our 'God is a consuming fire'." (Heb. 12: 29)

"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off." (Romans 11: 22)

The Holy Spirit even killed believers in the New Testament, Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5: 1 - 11). How would we react if this kind of divine holiness and just righteousness were to reign in our churches? If we knew we could die if we played around carelessly with the Holy Spirit? Can we even imagine such a thing happening in this day and age?

A distorted or false image finally results in a dangerous form of dualism which declares that the God of the Old Testament and the Jews is different from the God of the New Testament and the Christians! The apostle John took a strong line in combating this false doctrine which is also to be found in gnosticism, a dualistic philosophy. Even the gnostic Marcion around 150 AD banned everything Jewish from the Bible. We also find this kind of tendency in Luther, who described the letters of Jude and James as "straw epistles"7. Let us not forget: whoever profanes the Word of God will become blind, one-sided and extremist.

Over-emphasis on God's grace and
goodness

If half the foundation is missing on which a belief is built, the fruit of this belief will be an unbalanced or double-minded personality. In a few circles there is a tendency towards extreme legality. But in many parts of the body of Christ there is an over-emphasis on God's grace, goodness and love. Grace is of tremendous importance, for it is by grace alone that we are saved. This is something I have experienced myself.

But God wants us to lead a life of justice and righteousness and not to exploit His grace shamelessly for our own spiritual satisfaction. If only the grace of God is stressed and not His justice and righteousness, our Christianity is unbalanced and there is a vacuum in our lives that needs to be filled somehow. And it is precisely at this point that we are split and have neither protection nor authority to stand up successfully against the attacks of the enemy and the temptations of the world. Whoever has a split or double image of God will also be double-minded in his personality. We may well proclaim that we are free and healed but this is a spiritual and natural reality in very few cases. In the same way, there is a lot of talk about revival, which is not wrong, but nobody wants to hear about God's judgment. I have personally been forbidden by a dear brother to prophesy God's judgment. The problem is that we have a distorted image of God and therefore a wrong understanding of justice and judgment. All the same, at all costs we must stop consoling ourselves with religious lies!

Up to now we have been dealing with the origin and source of witchcraft in the church, and hence also the ways it gains entry and some of its consequences. In the next section we will look at the different forms taken by witchcraft in the church.

PART II:

Witchcraft In The