Over the past month or so, I’ve been to Ghana, Togo and Benin in Western Africa, to several states in the USA and to Mexico twice. (Yep, been busy!) I’ve seen a lot of sadness, poverty and evil in those places. But the weirdest so far was on Swami’s Beach in So California. Witches. Yep, you read it right. Witches.
I was sitting there with my Italian friend, Katia, chatting about the Bible when I spotted what I thought was a mirage. (After all, it was hot and the sun was shining brightly.) I squinted in hopes of adjusting my vision. But Katia confirmed I was seeing fine. This was no mirage. This was some weirdo dressed in a long black robe, with very long, jet black straight hair, a wand and some charms.
The “person” was marking territory and chanting – moving in a sort of frenzied jive as if animated by an overcharged battery. Seemingly casting spells.
I later saw the witch with a man dressed in white. He looked like another witch. They were further up the beach and had planted posts and strung charms on them. They were swishes the ground as if casting more spells. It seemed the white character was training the black one. Most bizarre! But then again, to be expected at Swami’s beach, right next to the Self Realization Center.
My friend was shocked. “How can there be witches?” she said. . “Why would someone willfully follow evil?” I couldn’t answer that. But I did explain that evil-followers are plenty – including well-known names. For example, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin is a renowned follower of Black Magician Aleister Crowley. Allusions to the Greek god, Pan, refer to Lucifer. Songs such as Most High mock Jesus Christ and honor darkness. (More info here.
My friend was shocked and I wanted to put her mind at rest, remind her that she was a child of the Light. I explained that as a follower of Jesus, she had nothing to fear. The evil one cannot touch us unless we invite him. Greater is He who lives in the hearts of those who’ve invited Him to be their Lord and Savior than he who is in the world. We walk through the valley of the shadow of death here on earth, but we need fear no evil. But neither must we be naïve about its workings.
No, we must not be shocked that there are those who choose to follow darkness. Rather, we must be sure that we do not propagate it unawares, that we are not flirting with darkness by pushing boundaries, by taking liberties God doesn’t want us to take, by keeping a foot in the world, by embracing all that Hollywood produces and letting filth and evil through our eye gates.
How do we do this? Simply follow Jesus every day, one day at a time. We die to self daily, taking up our crosses to follow Him. Simply. Reading His Word. Praying. Seeking Him. Sharing Him. Inquiring of Him and asking Him to shed His light in the dark areas of our souls. We ask Him to help us. We cannot do it of ourselves, for our souls cling to the dust. But we can do it with Him and through Him. So let’s choose life.
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
If you’d like to know how to change children’s lives through prayer, browse the Orphans First website. And join the Orphans First Prayer Chain.
Janey L. DeMeo
August 2009 © Copyright
www.orphansfirst.org / www.JaneyDeMeo.com
2 comments:
I teach World Religions and have noted that black magic and witchcraft, as spells and charms, are found in almost every religion except Biblical Christianity (Hinduism has its magical mantras, tantras - so, does Buddhism; Islam has its own magic and its world of zins). Jesus is the only One who unlinks us from belief in magic and unveils the real world of encounter between forces of darkness and the Kingdom of light. The ministry of the Spirit is against all forms of demonic magic. Magicians operate under demonic control, though they think magic follows scientific laws. Several times, people ask if a believer can be demon-possessed or be impacted by magic. Impossible, the enemy can't just touch Heaven's citizen as if the King provides no security - and, then a believer's body is the Temple of the Living God. But, one must be careful not to fall to the condemnation of the devil - mark Ananias & Sapphira.
The Good News is that when Jesus died all religion died with him. Unfortunately the witches don't know it so they resort to charms and chants to secure their protection. Christians have been told and we want to believe it, but we continue to cling to our belief that good works or choices are our means for salvation from God's disapproval. But He swears by his Son that that he will not hold our folly against us as he will not hold their charms and chants against them. Now that is Good News. Thank you Jesus.
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