Overcoming  Witchcraft

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith    unto the churches;       To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 In the last several UPLOOKs we've been examining the rather challenging (and, to many, controversial) parable of the ten virgins. In this month's discussion, we will leave some things unsaid, as we consider a point lying at its heart, which we may have overlooked: the matter of being an overcomer for Christ. Yes, I know, this is how the parable is usually interpreted. In our case, however, we will soon detect the need to assume a vigilant stance against an ever growing tendency to descend into witchcraft, within our society. What am I saying? That there is an indisputable principle which Christ utilized, even in this prophetic perspective, which may enrich us TODAY. For, whether the midnight cry takes place this afternoon, or fifteen years from now, death may overtake us, at any moment. We must start with the simple, before digging deeply into this witches brew of sleepy enchantments. Our purpose is to examine ourselves, carefully, to discern if we are any different from them. Come now, and let us peer into the pot, and see if we can find out why the foolish lost their oil. How can it be, that one's oil may run out? (In other words, if these virgins once had the oil, how is it now depleted??) You begin to see my point. For, if being born again, and being God's child, means only "trying our best" . . . why is it that the foolish virgins weren't accepted, when the bridegroom arrived?? Weren't they sincere? Here, look at foolish agonizing with the wise: And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. Matthew 25:8.9 Note that the foolish did not say that they didn't have lamps, but that the lamps had gone out! It takes oil to light those lamps, so why weren't they still lit? Further, where is it, exactly, that they are supposed to buy oil? What is going on, here? Are they saved, or not? And if saved, why not accepted by the Bridegroom? We may gain a partial answer by realizing that oil is only one of the symbols utilized to represent the Holy Spirit. Wine is another (liquid) symbol. In Ephesians five, for example, when speaking of being filled with the Spirit, the apostle says specifically, "be not drunk with wine,. . . but be filled with the Spirit. . ." (Eph. 5:18). There is a heady quality, to being filled with God's Presence, which may be compared to being drunk on wine. I know a brother who recently came out of a time of prayer, having taken a prayer break, on his job, when a co-worker, commented, "You look a little tipsy there." He  didn't tell him, what it was from, but the Lord knew. Being filled with the Spirit, is like taking a drink of Heaven's wine! Of this experience, all believers may imbibe, freely. Isaiah invites us: Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isaiah 55:1 This is wine, without price. But, the oil . . . is more like spiritual gold. For olive oil, like pure gold, requires a refining (and that refining . . . requires pressure). Interesting, isn't it, that faith is like this, as well? For faith is so graciously given by God (Eph. 2:8, Rom. 12:3), and yet precious faith, which is like gold, is able to last through the fire. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" (I Pet. 1:7) Faith is always precious, always. Yet, there are times when we may seem to forget this. In these times, when its value starts to be taken for granted the Lord says to us, "I counsel you to buy of me gold, tried in the fire, that you may be rich." (Rev. 3:18). You see, if you really value something, you don't have to be told to endure hardship to preserve it. A man who values a diamond ring, doesn't have to be told to put it in a safe place, or to shield it from dirt and grime (or thieves). A man who knows the value of gold, doesn't have to be told to put extra effort into mining it, out of the hills, and then to work it in the fires, to purify it. He does it, because he knows its value. The same is true with faith. Only, faith is difficult to appreciate without another precious ingredient: the fear of God. In fact, the fear of God was, itself, compared to precious gold, by king Solomon (Proverbs 2:1-6). Yet, we are not discussing the fear of God, here1. We are talking about having enough oil, and the fact that oil requires pressing, perseverance, and an appreciation for what God is doing in our lives, during times of trial. Did you catch all of that? If so, the next passage may come to life for you, in a whole new light. Here, Jesus is speaking (again) about attitudes at the end of the age. In it, he describes a particularly grating influence, which is like pure poison, for those walking in love: iniquity. Now, don't be intimidated by this word, "iniquity." In the simplest terms, it may be considered a special brand of selfishness. (That's easy to understand. Selfish people have a great deal of trouble loving anybody.) One thing special about this "selfishness" however, is that it's rooted in excluding God, from our decision making. First, see the tie-in, between iniquity, loss of love, and the (implied) loss of oil. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Matthew 24:12 Notice our Lord's immediate advice, after his pronouncement, concerning Christian love (agape) growing cold: persevere to the end. In other words, get that oil under pressure! Are we starting to see something here? Forgive this further note, regarding prophecy, but the above quotation just happens to precede the very popular statement, " And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (vs 14). Just in case you didn't notice, that's the seventh trumpet (Rev. 10:7), and refers to our day, when the gospel is going throughout the entire world, and is literally blanketing the globe. Hm-m-m-m-m. I wonder, didn't the Lord say that this takes place as iniquity is abounding, and love is growing cold? . . . Have you also been noticing anything, of late, in regard to our marriages, . . . and divorce rate? Let me see, what was our Lord's advice, in regards to living, in a time like this? {. . . endure to the end.} vs 13 And just what does this endurance produce? What does this pressure, help to refine, within the olive press? OIL!! "Oh, no," you say to me, "Frank, I see what you're getting at. Now you've done it! You're meddling again! This is the last time I'm going to ever read the UPLOOK!" (Well, at least you are reading this far. There are quite a few who have already started to refuse, before you! Yet, just hear me out, a minute more, as we examine this a bit more carefully, shall we?) Jesus never said that when the going gets tough, his people should excuse sin, or deny his name: ever. This is not the gospel. Denying Jesus is never condoned, under any circumstance. I sometimes hear statements of persons being forced to recant, in Muslim lands. Excuse me, but where is that in the Scriptures?? Does our Lord, or does he not, command us to endure unto the end?? Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12 Ah, now the perceptive are starting to see something! Surely prophecy may give us some insight into everyday living! Consider the matter/possibility of persecution in this country, for example. What is/should be our response? Should we. . . excuse ourselves? Should we also declare that following Jesus, "doesn't take all that"?? Please understand, I am not talking about some event in the future. We are talking about the world in which we live today. This summer, I am told, a (so called) national Gay Bill of Rights, may be passed, wherein homosexuals may be given minority status. What havoc will this wreak upon Christian organizations, eventually? (Say, putting two and two, together: have you considered what school vouchers would mean, within such an environment, for religious education??) Tell me, are we prepared to lose our tax exempt status, for Jesus, today? (Understand, if your church loses it, so do you, when you make out your taxes!) Are we prepared to stand up for the Lord, today, if it costs us something, in our pocket book? Can we stand the pressure? How much pressure? Please understand, this is basic Christianity. This is not something about which we need to guess about. Jesus is plain and clear on this issue: when put to the test for our faith, everything is up for grabs . . . except our faith, and faithfulness to him. We may not bow to Baal, or the golden image (or the green dollar) to save our skins. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. Luke 6:22,23 "But," you say, "Frank, no one is persecuting me (thank God), and things are going great . . . it's just that I can't stand this fellow, living with me (my spouse)." May I ask you a question (promise ' you'll not get upset. I'm not meddling, this time!)? "When would you like to get your 'extra oil,' after real persecution starts, or . . . before?" You see, the Scriptures state the wise foresee trouble, and prepare for it, while the simple (foolish virgins) pass on, and are punished (Pr. 27:12). There is a way to turn small trials, into large dividends, in the Kingdom of God. How? Follow Hudson Taylor's example (found in his little book, HUDSON TAYLOR'S SPIRITUAL SECRET). Hudson Taylor, when looking forward to spending the rest of his life on the mission field in China, knew that he would have times of privation, when promised support would not materialize. He was simply a realist, and knew that, being a pioneering missionary to China, would often cast him squarely into the arms of God, for support. So, what did he do? He started to practice/exercise his faith, in the small things, while still living in England. In one area, in particular, he accomplished this, by refusing to ask his employer for what was owed him. Instead, he used the opportunity to wait on God, by praying to the Father, who in turn, would jog his employer's memory. Several times, his bills almost went unpaid. In the end, however, he gained his intended goal: of learning to move the hand of man, by moving the heart of God, through prayer. Needless to say, this was a great benefit, when he got to China! In the same way we may utilize our individual hurts and pains, in every day life (even within a free society) to prepare ourselves for greater usefulness in the days ahead. What do we have to lose? Faithfulness always pleases God! Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Psalm 91:9-11 Yet, there is a perverse streak, within us, which would short circuit the overcoming life style. This perversion of righteousness is most subtly expressed in that term labeled, "iniquity." It is this spiritual perversion which is also fueling much of the moral self destruct mechanism within much of modern society. Iniquity abounding (Matt. 24:12) is the witches brew of Antichrist. Earlier, we saw that it may be thought of as a form of selfishness, which it is, but more accurately, it's really shutting out our wonderful Lord, from the inner control centers of our lives. It is here then, that we may tie all of the above principles together, and focus on just what it is, to be an overcomer for the Lord Jesus. Our example will come (of course) from the life of king Saul, in the Old Testament, for it was to him that the Lord gave the stinging rebuke, regarding this attitude, when refusing to annihilate the Lord's enemies: And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. I Samuel 15:22,23 It is interesting to note, that the movie industry's runaway bonanza, this summer, is a budget film, with a screen quality little above that of a home movie, raking in the millions. This is the horror flick, entitled the "Blair Witch Project" (which is a complete fabrication, and lie, from start to finish). Sadly, there is something perversely intriguing, about things which frighten us. Just as significant, is the fact that the fear of God functions in exactly the reverse manner, by shunning evil, and hating that which is bad for us (Prov. 8:13). In other words, evil causes a negative, gut, emotion in the person who truly fears God! Not so, with the workers of iniquity. Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel. Psalm 125:4,5 Remember, Samuel compared rebellion to witchcraft: that fascination with the dark, and evil, which manifests itself in spiritual mischief. The apostle Paul noted that the day would come (as it has) when men would despise those who are good (II Tim. 3:3). If the above passage, from the Psalms, starts to bother you, you might more carefully examine the scriptures we are sharing here. Within a society swimming in this attitude, it is not difficult to become infected. . . . Note, also, that the reward of iniquity, is to spend our time with these who dabble in the dark. Is this not also, ultimately, what Hell is? Did not our Lord describe it as a place of "outer darkness"? For many are called, but few chosen (Matt 22:13,14). Yet, when we observe what Saul actually did, to deserve this stern rebuke, it might make us pause, to take stock. For Saul had gone to war, for the Lord. He had risked his life for the people of God. In fact, he had even been victorious! All he wanted, was to take what was his (so to speak) from the spoils of war. Listen to Saul's religious greeting, to the prophet Samuel: Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. Samuel protests that he hears the bleating of forbidden contraband (sheep) in the company. No problem, Saul explains, it's really a special gift which he is preparing for the Lord (a sacrifice)!(??) for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. I Samuel 15:13-15 Interesting, isn't it?. Saul has made an involuntary admission. The Lord is now Samuel's God. Now, we really have to pry, to get to the bottom of this. You see, Saul had all of the tools and capabilities for obedience at his command. The Amalekites were fully under his control. Their destruction was merely a matter of the exercise of the will (which Samuel, himself, would literally demonstrate, by killing king Agag himself -vss 32,33). Yet Saul thought that some other form of formal worship, to God, would do. That's when Samuel pulled Saul aside and told him that rebellion is like witchcraft, and stubbornness, like iniquity and idolatry. Let's keep it simple, shall we? You see, when someone walks away from God, it starts with stubbornness. We simply don't want to walk the straight and narrow. The truth of the matter is that Saul saw those cattle and thought they'd look nice in his herd. Sure, he'd give the Lord his tithe, but it was that hidden desire, and craving, which he'd not held in check, which had gotten him in trouble. That's like a fellow going to church, and saying, "My, how pretty sister Nancy looks, today. You know, I think she'd look better . . . next to me!" But, of course, you're already married (or she is) and you've refused to kill that perverse thought as it started to surface. Then, while refusing to utterly eliminate those fleshly thoughts (which Amalek represents) you've continued to play with them. So now, you start to find ways to find time with Sis. Nancy. You may even start a Bible study with her, and just fawn over her, a little extra, so that you can continue to feed your fancy. By this time, however .. . you've already advanced to the next stage: idolatry. The Bible calls covetousness idolatry (Col. 3:5). In other words, when you desire something God doesn't want for you to have . . . you've entertained a covetous (and idolatrous) passion. "Put it to death!" the Lord commands, because, for these things, the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience (Col. 3:6)! Want to know a secret? Promise you'll not get upset with me, if I spill the beans all over your blouse. If you entertain those thoughts, eventually, you'll revolt and bolt from the Lord. Oh, you may not realize it (as Saul didn't—at first). You'll start looking for new fads, and fancy preachers, to titillate your fancy, while you engage your idolatry. In fact (sh-h-h-h) some day, if you're not careful, you'll actually find yourself in an assembly which has a counterfeit anointing (another name for witchcraft) while "enjoying" the service. If you're evangelical, you'll rely on humanist witchdoctors (and psychologists). If Charismatic . . . a more overt form may manifest. Peter describes it, this way. Says the apostle, you will find yourself in an assembly filled with persons who are spotted and blemished, in their character: sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: II Peter 2:13,14 In other words, this whole adultery thing, becomes a game to them, as their prophets (vs 15) become hirelings,  who are now paid to stroke their egos. What happens when a whole nation descends into this sewage? Can it be that they may expect to be rejected, and lose favor, as Saul did? Can it be that we are seeing this, today? Can it be, that the cry we now hear in (what is left of) some conservative, and aggressive, Christian circles, because of IRS harrassment--is a warning from the Lord that it is HE who is pulling the mantle of protection and favor from our land? If so, no matter how many dollars are expended, or lawyers are hired, or even political victories appear on the landscape. . . American freedom is doomed. And as Samuel turned about to go away, [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. I Samuel 15:27,28 To whom did the Lord give the kingdom? What was God looking for? He was seeking for a man after his own heart: even a little shepherd boy: David, the sweet hymn singer, who would not be afraid to trust in God. Oh, Lord Jesus, I want to be a David, in this last hour. I want to be an overcomer. Amen.

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¹ For a more complete discussion on the fear of God, please consider articles entitled  Fearful Treasure &   Daddy's Fear - thanks.

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