Last week my team and I went out into the local Squatter Camps (poor communities) to make friends and ask if they need help with their daily chores. There was one particular house that the Holy Spirit was calling us to, so we went. When we got in the door, we quickly found out that we arrived at the house of a witch doctor who was teaching a woman the ways of their practice. Now, before you jump to conclusions, the witch doctor I met is not like the Salem witch trials or witch craft (although there are some like that). Many modern day witch doctors were born into their profession and they pray to their ancestors in order to heal people of their disease by using different herbs and powders. They believe that their ancestors pick who should become a doctor, and once they are chosen, they cannot say “no”. If they say “no” the ancestors will cast a spell and make them blind or give them a disease or potentially kill them. The truth is, however, that ancestors are powerless and any spiritual powers they are interacting with are the enemy. This is why the Bible says “He made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger” 2 Chronicles 33:6. The Bible warns us not to interact with the dead. So, in conclusion, these women are not aware that they are worshipping the enemy because he is disguised as their ancestors.
I want to make you aware of something that can seem scary and also relevant to our lives today.
Just like there is light in this world (God), there is also darkness (the enemy). And what the enemy loves to do is use mundane and everyday things, and use them to lie to us and manipulate us and deceive us. So, just like the enemy is manipulating the witch doctors to believe their ancestors are real and disguising himself as the ancestors, he can do the same thing in your life too. In western culture, his lies can be even more deceptive because they are not as blatant as a witch doctor. He disguised himself as things you might relate to personally.
Have you ever met someone who has anxiety? What about depression? What about someone who was born with anger issues? Or social anxiety?
The witch doctor is born into her position. She’s born a doctor. Have you ever felt like your family or do you know of families who have generations of anxiety, depression, anger issues, etc? Yea. Me too. My family is one of them. Everyone in my family, including me, has had some form of anxiety or depression. Have you considered that the enemy can use your anxiety and depression to whisper even more lies into your head? So, what the enemy likes to do is tell you to numb the pain with anything you get can your hands on. If you have social anxiety, he will tell you to drink, because that will make you more outgoing. And he loves when we listen to him. Because once you start numbing yourself to the real issue, he’s only going to cut you even deeper. Now, you still have social anxiety, but you also have a drinking problem. Not only do you have a drinking problem, but because you have social anxiety, you will never get married because no one will ever want you because you aren’t outgoing enough. Now Satan has you in a trap. He will lie to you Day after Day, time after time and you don’t even know it’s him. He will feed you so much deception. So much manipulation to the point where you just think you are messed up in the head. This is just one example of the many ways the enemy can sneak into our lives. Do you see how disguised this is? We don’t even know it’s him because he makes it seem like it’s US.
There’s a way out guys. There’s a solution. There’s a WAY to true happiness. There’s a way to your happy life. Because the enemy won’t just get you mentally, he can tell you that you aren’t a good friend. He can tell you that you will never be a good father or mother. He can tell you that you aren’t attractive. He can tell you that no one wants to hear what you have to say. He can tell you that you won’t ever get that job you wanted. He can tell you that the only way to know someone loves you is if they want to have sex with you. Everything that comes in your brain that is darkness…is him. It’s all lies. He loves to see you suffer. He loves to manipulate you.
Doesn’t that make you angry? That someone is controlling your life and you don’t even know it? That someone is feeding you lies? Telling you things that aren’t even true? Making you believe that you aren’t worthy of anything?
The same enemy that talks to witch doctors, is the same enemy that talks to you. Don’t let him. If Christ is in you…you have the power and the authority to tell him to bleep off!!
Guys this is important. Jesus. Jesus wants to tell you how important you are. How loved you are. How you are going to get that job. How you don’t have to numb the anxiety, he will help you through it. How you are beautiful. How the right person will come along, and when they do, they won’t want to have sex with you but they will actually want to know you for you. How you are an incredible mother or father. How you are an amazing friend.
It’s so important to have a relationship with Jesus. The good thing about light, is that it always overcomes darkness. That you never ever have to listen to the lies again. That you understand and are aware of the deception of the enemy and how much Jesus just wants you to stop listening and listen to Him instead. We were born into a sinful world. We were born into darkness. Jesus isn’t just going to give you light if you don’t ask for it. He can’t help you if you don’t ask! And if you ask for help, if you ask for truth, you won’t know how to fight darkness unless you actually have a relationship with him.
GET FIRED UP GUYS! We have the power to overcome the world with light!!! Stop believing lies and start believing truth! Trust me, it’s such a better life than living in darkness.
