Spirit of Witchcraft

DeAnna Willman

O YHWH you are my God. I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things from of old, faithful and sure. Isaiah 25:1

How many of you remember as a kid being told not to step on a crack, walk under a ladder, or let a black cat cross your path? How many of you were taught to keep secret the wish you sent out into the universe as you blew out your birthday candles or else it wouldn’t come true? Or did any of you have a lucky charm that you just knew brought you good luck or at least prevented bad things from happening to you?

All of these are superstitions and are a form of witchcraft. It’s a form of feeling in control of those things that we cannot control.

My husband and I had multiple dealings with various American Indian tribes when we were house parents at a children’s home. The superstitions that each tribe had were very lengthy! I’m not saying that to put them in a bad light, it’s just another group of people practicing a subtle form of witchcraft. It’s really an attempt to control events, people, and even the environment to bring about good or to prevent something bad from happening. It is an attempt at working in our own power what can only be done in the power of God or looking to a power other than God.

This need to control is a manifestation of the lying spirit of fear and doubt. The lying spirit has convinced the person to doubt God’s love, protection, and even involvement in one’s life. So, there is fear. Fear that God will not protect or will not bless. Fear that something bad will happen. So, fear convinces the person that if they do not control or manipulate the situation, people, and/or environment, they will not get the desired outcome. This choosing to control and manipulate is a subtle form of witchcraft. It can seem benevolent, even beneficial to the person or others

For instance, a parent wants their child to be safe, so they continually hover over the child controlling everything in the environment that could possibly harm the child. Keeping our children safe is a natural and good instinct. However, when it is taken to the point that the parent is continually manipulating the environment to suit their desired outcome (safety from ALL possible scenarios where the child could be hurt) it has become control and an operating out of one’s own power. The parent fears, even expects, the child to get hurt without the parent fixing the environment for them. The parent believes, and therefore fears, that God will not care for and protect the child. The parent has chosen to try to act like God (preparing for EVERY possible scenario) but will fail at it. Inevitably, the child gets hurt in some way. This gives fear the opportunity to double down on the pressure put upon the parent to do more, control more, manipulate more, and even deprive the child of more, in order to prevent the child from ever again being hurt.

It can be the manipulating of situations to get a certain person to like you. (people pleasing) It can be the obvious hinting done by a child who is hoping for a sweet or gift. It can be manipulating things and people to help another receive a good that you believe they need. It may seem good, but is it what God has planned or wants for the person? Perhaps your spouse is an alcoholic. So, you continually pour out all liquor, avoid outings with others, and even drive the spouse to AA meetings to make sure he/she doesn’t miss a meeting. You are manipulating things and environments, but have you really delivered your spouse from being an alcoholic? You are trying to work in your power what you desire, even what would benefit your spouse. But it is your behaviors controlling his/her behaviors to produce what you want. But it is not truly bringing what is righteous and what is needed to either of you. It cannot change the spouse’s heart or beliefs. It cannot make him/her CHOOSE different behavior or belief.

Control and manipulation are a taking away of, or forcing, another person’s choice in situations. It can be the single parent who doesn’t want to be alone, so along with emotional guilt trips laid on the child, he/she sabotages all of their grown child’s relationships. An abusive spouse who fears being caught, or fears being rejected, manipulating the other spouse into total isolation with no one but the abusive spouse in their life. It is the young man telling the young lady he is dating that if she truly loved him, she would have sex with him. It is the young woman telling her friend that if the friend goes to an outing without her, she will kill herself. It can manifest in many ways.

Let’s look at a few examples in scripture.

Sarah- she was not becoming pregnant and was unable to give Abraham the son he desired and that God had promised. So, she chose to manipulate Abraham and Hagar to bring about the son she wanted. (they chose to go along with it) Then, when she was given her own son, she kicked Hagar and Ishmael to the curb, so to speak. They were not longer a part of her plan.

Rebecca- God promised her that the older child would serve the younger child. Rebecca heard that Isaac wanted to bless Esau (the older child) so she manipulated Isaac, Esau, and Jacob for her own agenda. I still wonder what that marriage relationship was like after Isaac realized what had happened. We know what happened between the siblings.

Leah and Rachel- sibling rivalry (fear of being rejected by Jacob for the other sister) motivated them to manipulate Jacob, their own handmaidens, and even the kids to “one up” the other sister. The names Leah picked for her children show that being special in Jacob’s eyes was her goal and idol. Rachel’s actions were no better.

Jezebel- her husband wanted a specific vineyard. Being king and very wealthy, he could have purchased another vineyard. But he wanted the one he could not have. So, Jezebel manipulated the town elders and a situation that would bring about the death of the owner of the vineyard. She then gave her husband what he had wanted.

I hope that these examples help make clear what is meant by control and manipulation. It is truly witchcraft in the eyes of God. Working in your own power to try to bring about the outcome you desire instead of looking to God or letting others come to their own outcome due to their own choices is a sin. It is a manifestation of choosing to believe lies. Lies that you can or must be God. That you can do a better job than He can. That you cannot trust God. That you can ultimately bring about the perfect outcome for self and others.

This week ask God to reveal to you any area where you have been practicing the subtle witchcraft in your life. What lie is it that you are believing that brings forth this behavior? What is the truth? Go through the exercise of taking these thoughts captive and come against that stronghold!

Until next time….

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose… What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave him up for us all, how will He not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:28,31-32.