LIVING BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. (Part 23).
Galatians 5. Verses 19-21 read:
The acts of the flesh 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.
The works of the flesh are at variance with the standards advocated by the word of God. Unless the flesh is subdued, a man will find it difficult walking in the Spirit and pleasing God. Yesterday, we looked at four expressions of the flesh, namely sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, and idolatry. Today, we want to consider one more expression of the flesh, which many reckon as strange in this list, given the very negative perception men have regarding it. We are talking about witchcraft.
Witchcraft is primarily a domineering spirit that seeks to suppress and control the will of others. God created men as free will beings, with the power of choice and decision. God does not impose his will on men or override their will. To get men to do his bidding, God urges them through his word and the operations of his Spirit. Men must abhor what God abhors.
The spirit of witchcraft is a misuse and abuse of power. It lords over people as though they have no will of their own. Men who operate in this spirit, especially leaders, end up enslaving their victims and reducing them to perverted and substandard lives. Slavery is one of the worst forms of witchcraft, which has and continues to bedevil the world. Witchcraft is common among leaders who seek absolute control over the men under them. We must never be culprits or victims of this dangerous spirit.
Beloved, scripture suscribes to accountable relationships because of the numerous benefits it offers. However, there is a clear distinction between accountable relationships and witchcraft. In accountable relationships, leaders commit instructions to people and permit them to assimulate and respond to these instructions out of their own volition without compulsion or enslavement. Accountability must flow naturally out of free will. Beloved, whilst upholding accountable relationships, we must object to any form of domineering or witchcraft operation, which seeks to enslave men. It is a work of the flesh, and it is alien to the walk in the Spirit.
SHALOM 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏