The Confession of a witch

¶  A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.  In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;  And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff". (Job 4,12-13) 

A woman stood before me, and I was able to see her clearly, yet from her form, I knew that I had never meet her in the physical. She took a seat before and boldly said:  "I am a witch and I have come to confess", she said. " I confess that I am the one that have cursed that "man" "(and she gave the specific name of this person who I was interceeding for during the night and for whom I had call on some loved ones to interceed for) after hearing that he was living in Germany with a "white man" who used to visit him in Ghana.

This news had reached by ears by an agonizing family member of this man. Upon hearing that, all their family back home in Ghana had rejoiced greatly that the boy (now turned man's) suffering  was over because he had finally made it to Europe, something in my spirit begun to feel uncomfortable and I enquired of the Lord of what was wrong. I also enquired of how the man left Ghana and his estate before leaving. 

Tales of the Broken Arrow 

This is when I was told that His father abondoned him when his mother was pregnant and he was brought up by his paternal grandmother together with his mother. This loving mother of the man fell ill and died at just when he was entering into his adolescent and thus he was left orphan. He grew up to love his grand-mother and step sister who had been raised in one of the war tone African countries by a foreign woman and had traced the root of his father. The grandmother who had been the man's caretaker died from a heart attack by the troubles caused the man's half sister. Therefore he was now alone in this world. This is when he found a job at a hotel and family members believe this is where he met this "white" man who ceased on the occasion to pour his perverseness into the this black royal blood and after binding him emotionally took him as his captive to his motherland, Germany where he could marry him.

Abraham Rescues Nephew

 "And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." Jude 1:23

Now after the woman had recounted the story to me, I heard the spirit of the Lord saying to me,  "When Abram heard that his nephew had been captured, he armed his 318 trained men, born in his own household, and pursued the four kings all the way to Dan. He split up his men to attack them at night. He defeated them, pursuing them all the way ... He brought back everything they had, including women and soldiers. He also brought back his relative Lot and his possessions."

The above is an account from Genesis chapter 14 from verse 1 through 24. A confederacy of four potentates enter upon an extensive raid or foray on an nation where Lot dwelt as foreigner and this is where he Lot, together with the people of the land  and their kings are taken captive. This report stirred up not only the clannish or family affection of Abram but also the spirit of the intercessor within the prophet, who then pursues, overtakes, and defeats the retreating enemy, and recovers his nephew and friend, as well as all the prisoners, and property that had been taken. 

The raid is minutely described in #Ge 14:1-12. Four nationalities are here leagued together, corresponding to, four nations or tongues mentioned by Rawlinson (Anc. Mon. I p. 69). But Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, a Japhethite, Tidal the  Turanian; Amraphel, the Hamite; and Ariok, a Shemite. The dominant confederacy consists of four kings of Mesopotamia. Many generations back the first world power, consisting of four cities, was established by Nimrod, son of Ethiopia (son of Ham, a black person) in the land of Shinar. {#Ge 10:8-10 } From the vicinity of the places in which they reigned it is evident that they were petty princes of domains varying from a town and its suburbs to a comparatively extensive territory. The Kushite has become subordinate, and a Japhethite or a Shemite has attained the predominance. (Even from that time till now seeing that the Japhethite keep on seeking to subjugate the Kushite.

FAMILY MONTH PROPHECY

September is the month for the FAMILY. Where prophetically, God unveiled a strategic prophetic word for the health and peace of a home where he is Lord and in this month, we understand that He is offering a RESCUE PLAN to a family member that has been taken captive and he is looking for someone to stand in the gap as Abraham did, so he will bring deliverance to a family member. 

Likening this episode to the account of the woman and the word of the Lord that came to me, we would see how the white man, a Japhethite (Symbolic of Western  Europe's) invasion on the continent of Africa with the homosexual lobby and propaganda. "If you dont accept it, we wage war against you and cut off our food aid. They have gained grounds in most part of Africa and are now easing their way through Ghana. This has brought about the captivity of someone's nephew, niece, son or daughter. 

This German according to the woman does not allow any of their family members to either speak to him on phone or even visit. As Abraham's nephew was taken captive, so has someone’s nephew been taken captive because they dwell in Sodom and relate with Gomorrah. See it doesn't matter how righteous you are, bible warns us to not have any relations with the people of Sodom and of Gomorrah for if you dwell in their midst, you may partake also of their judgement.

The Captors of Lot

These four kings according to Scriptures could infer to human authorities or agencies of judgement: "principalities and powers, magistrates" (Titus 3:1) or spiritual agents which include "death,  life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers in heavenly places, nor things present, nor things to come, also mentions as those demon spirits (not flesh and blood)with whom believers wrestle against: (1) principalities, (2) against powers, (3) against the rulers of the darkness of this world, (3) against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Captives of sin

It is important for us to note that anytime the word captive is mentioned, it means a prisoner of war, one taken and held as a prisoner, unable to escape, a war victim sold into slavery, one in exile, removed, etc. It metaphorically means to capture one’s mind, captivate. The Hebrew word alludes to gaining control over someone. The Greek word means, properly, to take alive; and then to take captive, to win over, #Lu 5:10; and then to ensnare, or seduce. Believers taken captive means that they have been ensnared by the arts of Satan unto (εις) his will; that is, they become so influenced by him, that they complied with his will. 

Sin according to scripture is a captor. The spirit that enslaves and rules over the flesh.  

¶  Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.  And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.  Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base. Zec.5:5-10

In relating my vision to that of the prophet Zechariah, we understand that the woman could represent "sin", an "evil spirit" of "perveseness" or "wickedness". In 2Timothy 2:26, Paul warns those bound under the power of sin are to recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. How were they taken captive? It was by opening their door and allowing seducers to creep into houses, and lead captive foolish people who already are laden with sins, and led away with divers lusts. (2Ti 3:6) 

Thus lust, desire, sin are the snare or bait of the devil by which he lays hold and make one his perpetual slave. This maybe what the four kings used to bait Lot. This is what the German, used to bait the man in our story and this is what the devil still uses to bait Believers. But glory to Jesus! Paul says that we can recover all!!

Abraham attacked and recovered all. Years later in his line, another covenant friend of God, David also got back everything the Amalekites had taken; and he got back his two wives. There was no loss of anything, small or great, sons or daughters or goods or anything which they had taken away: David got all back! (1Sa 30:18-19) not by his own power or might, but by the strength and power of God. 

To recover means to awake. The word in the context of 2 Timothy properly means, to become sober again, as from inebriation; to awake from a deep sleep; and then, to come to a right mind, as one does who is aroused from a state of inebriety, or from sleep. The representation in this part of the verse implies that while under the influence of sin, the captive Believers is like a man intoxicated, or like one in deep slumber. 

According to this, the reference is to an artifice of fowlers, to scatter seeds impregnated with some intoxicating drugs, intended to lay birds asleep, that they may draw the snare over them more securely. There can be no doubt that such arts were practiced, and it is possible that Paul may have alluded to it. Whatever is the allusion, the general idea is clear. It is an affecting representation of not only those who have fallen into error but also, those bound under the power of witchcraft. They are in a deep slumber. They are as if under the fatal influence of some stupefying potion. They are like birds taken alive in this state, and at the mercy of the fowler. They will remain in this condition, unless they shall be roused by the mercy of God through the ministry of an intercessor; and it is the business of the ministers of religion to carry to them that gospel call, which God is accustomed to bless in showing them their danger. That message should be continually sounded in the ears of the sinner, with the prayer and the hope that God will make it the means of arousing him to seek his salvation. From this state they were to be roused, as one is from sleep, or as a man is recovered from the stupor and dullness of intoxication. To be intoxicated spiritually means to be under a spell, be bound by a spell, held as a captive in the snare of the devil.

Pr 26:2 ¶ As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

Jer 5:26, 27 For among my people are found wicked [men]: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full birds, so their houses are full of deceit.

¶  Because, even because they have seduced (caused to wander, stray, go astray)  my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter: Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.  Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.  So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;  To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.Ezekiel 13:10-16

¶  Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?  And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?  Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly. Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.  Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 13:17-23

 

"Vague as the flight of the sparrow, aimless as the wheelings of the swallow, is the causeless curse. It will never reach its goal." The marginal reading in the Hebrew, however, gives"to him" instead of "not" or "never"; i.e., "The causeless curse, though it may pass out of our ken, like a bird’s track in the air, will come on the man who utters it." Compare the English proverb, "Curses, like young chickens, always come home to roost."  (barnes)

In Ezekiel 13, the original translations, render thus: “Woe to the women that” put charms on every finger-joint, that set veils upon heads of every height to ensnare souls. “Will ye” ensnare “the souls of my people,” and keep your own souls alive, and will ye profane my name “among my people for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to” keep alive “the souls that should not live, by lying to my people” who listen to “a lie? Wherefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold” I will come upon your charms, where ye are ensnaring the souls like birds; “and I will tear them from your arms and will let the souls go” free, “even the souls” which ye are ensnaring like birds. “Your” veils “also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be” ensnared; “and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” 

 Most ancient interpreters and many modern interpreters have understood the “pillows” (or charms) and “kerchiefs” (or veils), as appliances to which the sorcerers had resort in order to attract notice. The veil was a conspicuous ornament in the east — women whatever their “stature” (or, height) putting them on — and it was worn by magicians in order to seem more mysterious and awful. #Eze 13:18-21 BARNES

This is why in the realms of the spirit when you dream of a person in an intoxicating state, it mean, the one has been poisoned, seduced or bewitched. This is the message the witch was carrying to me. To intoxicate means to poison. To corrupt. To go astray. The is the objective of satan. To remove a person from their destiny call, all he has to do is to cast a spell and cause the one to go astray. The devil spreads his net of desire, lust, greed and by this many have been taken captive and they have become entangled taken in a snare or net. 

Does the bible talk about witchcraft?

After burning witches the Western world tried to do away with the philosophy of the power of such to hurt and as in the days of Saul, intense Christianity subdues these powers of darkness, these have lifted up their ugly heads again to cast a snare in the way of Believers as in the days of old, so it is now and so it is in many pagan world. The vision revealed to me, came as I was interceding for this woman's relatives trying to know the cause to the crookedness of homosexuality and as I went through the Holy Scriptures, I was given understanding to the vision. Someone was confessing to have cast a spell on the woman's relative and to many others in their family! A spell?? This person was, therefore not born a homosexual, but his destiny had been exchange through witchcraft. What? In this modern day?? I don’t believe that stuff! said another standing by, as the witch kept on saying “ I have come to tell you the truth. I want to see what you will do?”

In Galatians 3:1 Paul says: ¶ You stupid people of Galatia! Who put you under an evil spell? Or who cast a spell on you?? Wasn’t Christ Jesus’ crucifixion clearly described to you? (GWV). Other version have tried to used lighter interpretations such as: “who tricked you” and so forth but the Greek text is not speaking about just a mere trick but a an evil power that was able to deceive the minds of the Believers into doing something that was an offense before God. Of course, Paul recognizes that they could never have fallen to that estate except they for being under an evil power. They had been laid captive through an evil spell which the Authorized Version calls bewitchment or to be bewitched. Christian who are walking in error have been bewitched – from Strongs no.940 βασκαίνω baskaino to bring evil on one by feigning praise or an evil eye, to charm, to bewitch. An evil eye in Italian is “mal occhio” it means to be under a spell, to be cursed or be bewitched. Thus through witchcraft, destinies are distorted and people are seduced into sin and walk in crookedness. 

The next place where bible mentions of witchcraft in the New Testament, is in Galatians 5:20, which says the work of the flesh are Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies. The God’s Word Version substitute “witchcraft” with drug use. This is what we tried to explain earlier on. Drug abuse, drug use, drunkenness, arts of seduction are all classified as witchcraft. It is sister to idolatry. It is translated from the Greek word witchcraft translated also as sorcery (which is the object branch of the occult), is φαρμακεία pharmakeia pronounced as far-mak-i’-ah (S 5331), from which we have pharmacy, medicine or drug. Thus to bewitch is to be drugged or poisoned.It means the use or the administering of drugs, poisoning, sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it, and is a metaphor of deceptions and seductions.This is the same meaning giving to witchcraft in my language (Twi, Ghana). It is “aduru” which means medicine, drugs. And when one goes to a fetish to frustrate or corrupt the destiny of another, the one is said to have gone for “drugs” and the victim of the drugs whose life begins to be distorted is said to have been “drugged”! 

Though the apostle vouch for the actual existence of witchcraft; many Western theologians who underrated it are now paying dearly as their church members are now the captive of the power which they denied. Paul says this is this was known as such and is a proof of the corrupt nature of man, and the fruits it bears. No one can doubt it. It is a system of imposture and falsehood throughout; and nothing is a better demonstration of the depravity of the human heart than an extended and systematized attempt to impose on mankind. The word which is here used, (φαρμακεια, whence our word pharmacy, from φαρμακον a medicine, poison, magic potion,) means, properly, the preparing and giving of medicine. Then it means also poisoning, and also magic art, or enchantment; because in pagan nations, pharmacy or medicine consisted much in magical incantations. Thence it means sorcery or enchantment, and it is so used uniformly in the New Testament. It is used only in #Ga 5:20 Re 9:21 Re 18:23 21:8. Some have supposed that it means here poisoning, a crime often practiced; but the more correct interpretation is, to refer it to the black art, or to pretensions to witchcraft, and the numerous delusions which have grown out of it, as a striking illustration of the corrupt and depraved nature of man. 

In Psalms 55, 12-15, when David felt that there was more to the troubles and corruptions in his life, he prayed to God saying, “Cruelty and violence are like guards (soldiers) on patrol and controlling my life, causing me to do their will, day and night and this is causing trouble and corruption in my life. These spirits are like troublemakers and liars and because of what they have made me to become, my enemies sneer and make fun of me. The I recognized that it was someone close to me who was behind all this and moreover, it was because such was controlled or using some evil power to cause me to walk in sin. (CEV, mine added).

EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL, DRUNKENESS AND DRUGS USE IS SYMBOLIC OF WITCHCRAFT

The scriptures is full of those who distort destiny and cause sorrow in the lives of others through witchcraft, sorcery, magic, incantations, etc. Isaiah 28:7 says “ But they also have erred, walk in crookedness through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble [in] judgment. Proverbs 20:1 says, “¶ Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Thus, wine is an intoxicator and we said to intoxicate is to bewitch so that a person is taken out of his destined way. The word rendered ‘have erred’ hgv refers usually to the fact that people “stagger” or “reel” through wine, and is applied commonly to those who are intoxicated. {#Pr 20:1 } . They reel or stagger through wine, that is, they are addicted to intoxication. They have been made captives! “led out of the way!. 

Noah was made captive through witchcraft And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered ( captive) within his tent. (i.e., Noah went astray and lost his divine protection) Ge 9:21

Israel was made captive through lust and witchcraft - “Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.” Ho 4:11

Proverbs 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. A wine of violence is what is mentioned in Hosea 7:5. ….. the princes have made [him] sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. People are made sick, failures, through bottles of wine – through witchcraft. Joel 3:3 confirmed this by saying that through witchcraft, (cast lots) for my people; the fate of boy is exchange by the hand of an idolater (an harlot), and the destiny of a girl is exchanged through (witchcraft) wine. . We live in an age where some God’s people are treated as of no account, and the enemy delights in showing their contempt toward them. They chose no one above another, as though all alike were worthless. ‘They cast lots,’ it is said elsewhere, ‘upon their honorable men’, {#Na 3:10 } as a special indignity, above captivity or slavery. A ‘girl’ they sold for an evening’s revelry, and a ‘boy’ they exchanged for a night’s debauch. #2Ch 28:8,9 Am 2:6 Ob 1:11 Na 3:10 Re 18:13

For those who might think that this could be just a night of debauchery, the prophet Amos says that from verse 6 through 8 of his book that, “ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek.” They exchange the lot of my people through whoredom, (1) when a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: (2) When they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.! Of course, this is the reason why psychologist could not cure homosexuality and have now ruled it out from their books. Who is the man that has war against a spirit being? It is like kicking against the wind, beating the air or fighting like a blind boxer. It is the Lord who goes before us, assigning his ministering angels to fight on our behalf for by him were all things created. Whatever it is that has taken you or your loved one captive are thing in heaven, in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all of these things were created by him, and for him and thus submit to and are subjects His will and power. This was confirmed thousands of years ago, when Jesus Christ spoilt principalities and powers (that is to say paralyzed or stripped their power to harm or destroy you), and made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in the cross. Col 1:16 Ro 8:38 Eph 3:10 Col 2:15  

Four foreign kings (governors of cities) wage war against Sodom and Gomorrah. In this battle against the king of Sodom and his allies Lot is taken prisoner because he lived in the place where the judgement of war had been released.  Abram hears of the report and rescues him. God gives Abraham victory because he has a covenant with Him. This is proven by his offering of a tithes of his booty and partaking of the Holy Communion with Melchizedek who blesses Abram at his return. Abraham refuses to establish any covenant with any other and  giving out the rest of the spoil, his partners having had their portions, he restores to the king of Sodom. (* A.M. 2091.  B.C. 1913. * Shinar. #10:10 11:2 Isa 11:11 Da 1:2 Zec 5:11 * Ellasar. #Isa 37:12 * Elam. #10:22 Isa 21:2 22:6 Jer 25:25 49:34-39 Eze 32:24. 

THE BLOOD OF JESUS, OUR ANTIDOTE TO WITCHCRAFT

For this reason, Christ stated the purpose for his death saying in Matthew 27 verse 26 through 28 , “While they were eating (at the last supper at the Table of the Lord, where Christ instituted the Holy Communion), Jesus took bread and blessed it. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take this, and eat it. This is my body. Then he took a cup and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He gave it to them and said, "Drink from it, all of you.This is my blood, the blood of the promise (new Covenant, New Testament)  I will poured out for many people so that their sins might are forgiven.” As Abraham attacked, delivered and recovered all that had been taken captive including his nephew because of the power of the covenant with Melchizedek, so Jesus who is our Melchizedek which means King, Lord, Ruler and Decider over Righteousness will fight and restore righteousness in our families against and deliver any member that has been taken hostage by sin in the mighty name of Jesus. 

Our Lord Jesus also established a new covenant for us which Paul claims it to be a better covenant that the first, in that if the blood of goats and bulls could halt the power of sin in destroying how much more the blood of Jesus Christ would not do better for us!!!. Sin has no cure but the blood, because sin is in the poison in the blood of man. Sin is not cured by medicine but by blood. “For where there is no shedding of blood, there cannot be the remission of sin! Peter also confirms this and says that we have not been redeemed by silver or gold or any human hand, but by the precious and holy blood of Jesus. What can wash away our sins? What can was away our corruptions? What can deliver your family member that has been taken hostage by sin through the art of witchcraft??? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!!!!

In simple terms Christ was saying I have been sent to shed my blood and whoever will drink of it shall be healed from his or her sins or in our study, Jesus was saying Drink my blood. This is the antidote and cure against sin and after shedding his blood. Then on the cross, Jesus took the cup (of the wine of violence, the bitter wine of the sufferings of man and drunk it. On the cross also, satan tried offering him the second cup which contained poison, the cup of witchcraft, the drug of seduction and deception from which man had been drugged and which caused a person to go astray but this he refused as a sign for us that none of us who believe in him shall or must ever come under the power of witchcraft, magic, sorcery, divination, incantation, enchantment again! And when he rose, he left us a confirmation of this promise saying, “For though many shall come in my name, saying, I am [Christ]; and shall deceive many, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall (1) they cast out devils; (2)they shall speak with new tongues,  (3) They shall take up serpents; and if (3) they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;  (4) they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.!!!! 

RECOVER

Halleluia!!! Did you see it!!! Here come the “recover” word again!! The word form Strongs no.2573 καλῶς kalos  meaning, beautifully, finely, excellently, well,  rightly, true, nobly, commendably, honourably, in honour, in a good place, comfortable, to speak well of one, to do good, to be well (of those recovering health). Many who were made sick, cursed, walked under the shadow of the prince of darkness and that were seduced through the art of witchcraft (spoken evil of), now shall be spoken well of. Meaning shall recover, for that is the meaning of “recover” even as to curse or witchcraft means “speak ill of”. Many who were beautifully and wonderfully made have been made ugly through curses. But bible says even they shall recover. The shall be restored to their place of honour, excellence and beauty in the name of Jesus. By his name they shall exchange their ashes for beauty and their crown of disgrace for honour! It is by drinking the blood of Jesus and demanding through his name and by his blood that every demon spirit that has been sent by a witch or servant of satan that is causing a loved one of yours or that of the woman in our life example, be cast out!! And these who have been made sick by the poison of witchcraft, shall recover!!! You shall recover your children, your nephew and all your household you have been taken hostage by the spirit of Amalek or of the four kings of Mesopotamia, in the Mighty Name of Jesus!!!

I know that many have limited this Scripture to the speaking of tongues (I mean speaking with the tongues of angels. What we use in our prayer language) but the bible is saying more that you have imagined Jesus was speaking about the power of sin in the blood of man and it’s transmission through the agents of satan.  

If we should take an analytical look at the words of Jesus which I think should be the passport of every believer, because it is the words of a man who is leaving his people for a long time. And as it is done in the Hebrew culture and in mine, before a man leaves his people for a long time (this usually happened at prior to the death of a person because a journey is symbolic of death – a departure), they bless their family. Abraham did it, Issac did it, Jacob did it and Jesus before departing from the earth did it. Many today, do this thing and they call it a WILL. This is the WILL Jesus left for us. By this prophecy and declaration, Jesus confirmed the covenant he established at the last supper, acted upon by his death, and confirmed after his resurrection.

“And he said to them, Go into all the world, and (preach this gospel), give the good news to everyone so that, He or who has faith and is given baptism (and submits or buries himself in my word) will get salvation; but he who has not faith will be judged (will have to pay for his own sins). And these signs will be with those who have faith: in my name they will send out evil spirits (that were sent in); and they will make use of new languages (they will speak out the promise and read it their inheritance which belongs to them); They will take up snakes, and if there is poison in their drink, it will do them no evil; they will put their hands on those who are ill, and they will get well." Mr 13:6, Mr 16 15-19

Go out and tell the world that there is cure to sin, there is deliverance for those taken hostage by the power of satan and his servants, and there shall witness an unnatural phenomena. They shall see with their own eyes that what has happened is divine. If they Believe that I came to offer my blood as a cure to their sicknesses. The God’s word version says, "These are the miraculous signs that will accompany them (believers): They will use the power and authority of my name to force demons out of people by standing on my Word (speaking in new languages, a new Law, decree). They will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick and cure them." GWV

Snakes - Symbolism

What is the symbolism of the “snakes”?? The word from Strongs no. 3789 is ὄφις In Greek, pronounced as ophis through the idea of sharpness of vision; This should caution who that not all who have sharpness of visions and of prophecy are speaking from the spirit of God.  The word is translated from the Authorized Version as snake or serpent. With the ancients and still among pagan world and witchcraft, the serpent was an emblem of witchcraft, cunning and wisdom. The serpent who deceived Eve was regarded by the Jews as the devil. Snake (a python) among the Greeks and Romans denoted one that had the spirit of prophesying, thus it denotes the evil words of false prophets and servants of satan such as diviners, mediums, ventriloquists, necromancers and fortune tellers, okomfo's, juju priest and shamans. In our day the serpent deceived through the wisdom and philosophies and thought patterns of the world. 

Satan is symbolized by a snake and his bite is the “poison” that polluted the holy blood of man is call “sin” . For this purpose, the bible says in Deuteronomy 33 verses 32 to 33, Moses the prophet says, “For their vine is the vine of Sodom, from the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are the grapes (blood) of evil, and the berries (doings) are bitter (cause sorrow). Their wine is the poison of dragons, the cruel poison of snakes. This is the estate of every man without Christ! And this is the bitter wine which Christ drank. Satan baits the Believer through deception. It is an evil power stronger than man. It is witchcraft and with this cords, men are captured as bird. Thus in the book of proverbs, bible related a “curse” to a flying bird. When the bird is trapped, it means the curse has alighted and is effected in the life of a person. (Pr. 26,2) “So then after the Lord had spokenAnd they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (19 & 20). Jesus left an inheritance to Believers. It is in the covenant package stipulated through his blood. This is the power that neutralizes the power of witchcraft, sin and all the powers of the enemy. More so, Jesus assure unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God (where he intercedes, pleads our cause, acts as our lawyer and watches that every word of his spoken by us is activated).  

s the Believer that no satanic power can harm them! And even if they are bitten, all they would have to do is more than to look and live, if they drink of the poison, if they are cursed, hexed, maligned it shall not have effect!!! Amen. This is the same promise given to the Israelites. We have a better covenant!!! If it worked for them, it shall work more so for us too!!! The disciples of Jesus who lived amidst satanic priest, priest who practiced the occult and who were called “snakes and scorpions” could not be harmed. The promise immediately begun to be effective in their ministries. The disciples witness the miraculous following them wherever they went preaching what the gospel of Jesus. The disciples saw the power of Satan breaking and bond losing from those who had been held hostage by the devil and his servants for years. The disciples of Jesus who went out to preach this gospel among pagans of their age like the Roman, Greeks, who dealt heavily in witchcraft, saw many delivered. The bible says the Lord Jesus was with them to watch over every one of his promise and he confirmed it with “signs”, following.

Deliverance from WITCHCRAFT

“ And they gave attention to him, because for a long time his evil powers had kept them under his control.

“For I see thatyou are prisoned in bitter envy and the chains of sin.”

The book of Act is a testimony of many of these signs that followed the disciples of Jesus but there are two of these that I love so much to recount. The first is the about a girl , “a slave” of some Roman couple. And then you will ask me from what spirit was she bound. Well her masters made her a slave to witchcraft. See the witch that delights in cursing and destroying and binding people themselves are servants, slaves working for satan. In the Old Testaments, false prophets and witches faced the penalty of death but as you can see in the New Covenant, Jesus offers live to all who will repent and believe in his name. He who does not repent and delights in his or her evil way according to the scripture we have read, shall be judged and face the judgement assigned to witches and false prophets. 

16 ¶  One day when we were going to the place of prayer, a female servant met us. She was possessed by an evil spirit that told fortunes (it gave her knowledge in predicting events and of the future; to prophesy), whose masters made great profit from her power. She made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. (The Authorized version says: 17  She used to follow Paul and shout, "These men are servants of the Most High God. They’re telling you how you can be saved."18  She kept doing this for many days. Paul became annoyed, turned to the evil spirit, and said, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" As Paul said this, the evil spirit left her.

The bible says in Acts chapter 16, that, now, when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but there too the Spirit suffered them not So they passed by Mysia and went to the city of Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia. The man urged Paul, "Come to Macedonia to help us." As soon as Paul had seen the vision, they all immediately looked for a way to go to Macedonia and concluded that God had called them to tell the people of Macedonia about the Good News. So they took a ship from Troas and sailed straight to the island of Samothrace. The next day they sailed to the city of Neapolis (not Naples in Italy), and from there we went to the city of Philippi. Philippi was a leading city in that part of Macedonia, and it is a Roman colony, planted by Octavius. We were in this city for a number of days. This is the city where they met a woman named Lydia who dealt in purple, symbolic of one who corrupted destinies (see Rev.16); the same believed upon hearing the good news and she and her family were baptized. After, she invited the disciples to stay at her home saying, "If you’re convinced that I believe in the Lord, then stay at my home." She insisted. So they did. Here is an illustration that God had sent them into the city to deliver not only those cursed by witches but the witches themselves who would repent.

After her, God takes Paul to his next assignment which was to deliver a convert who had become Paul’s Praise leader. This is someone who not  Believer but operated in magic and trafficked with evil spirits. She could cast spells on people and prophesy over them. And it came to pass that one day as the disciples went out to prayer at the hour of prayer, a certain damsel paidiske, the word properly means, bondwomen, maid, maiden, bondmaid, a young girl, a maid-servant, a young female slave,  a maid servant who has charge of the door. Thus she herself was a slave to what and was used by the devil to bring gain to others. She was possessed with a spirit of divination. Others have the spirit of the phython, translated from Strongs number4436 Πύθων Puthon from Putho (the name of the region where Delphi, the seat of the famous oracle, was located and where national leaders and people went for prophecies and healing); In Greek mythology the name of the Pythian serpent or dragon that dwelt in the region of Pytho at the foot of Parnassus in Phocis, was said to have been the spirit of Apollo that possessed the prophetess at the oracle at Delphi. For this reason, she was called the pythoness. The word means a spirit of divination. Divinations are practiced by false prophets #De 18:10,14 Mic 3:6,7,11. Thus, she was a false prophetess. In our time she would be a wicca, a mentalist, necromancers #1Sa 28:8 Priest of pagan and idolatrous nations were so designed (Philistine priests and diviners #1Sa 6:2) This is the word used for Balaam #Jos 13:2 whom we would later on study.

There are 3 kinds of divination are mentioned in Bible. 

In #Ezekiel 21:21 practiced by a pagan king against Israel and which was annulled by the prophet Ezekiel through a vision given to him by God. 

1) Shaking of arrows: The first is  by making the arrows bright, that is shaking arrows a mode of divination used by the Arabians, but forbidden by the Koran. According to Jerome, in a case such as the one mentioned in the book of Ezekiel, each arrow bore the name of some town to be attacked. After the arrows were shaken up in the quiver, they were drawn out one by ne. The places were to be attacked in the order their names on the arrows were drawn out. As Jerusalem was the first in the above instance, Nebucadnezzar proceeded to make the siege on it. Another writer says that the arrows were thrown up to see which way they would fall, and in this manner the place to be taken indicated. The Arabs generally used only three arrows. On one was written, My God hath bidden me; on the second, My God has forbidden me; and on the thirsd was blank. If the blank was drawn the arrows where shaken up again and drawn until the arrow bearing the decided answer came forth. If it was the one forbidding the inquirer would have to wait a whole year before consulting the arrows again on the question. (Source: The Dakes Annotated Reference Bible ).

GOD'S ARROWS:

God Almighty also has arrows and by them he discomfits any other arrows that are used as instruments of divination against the sons and daughters of the most High. Job 6:4 says " For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me." Thus the arrows of God could be very dangerous. It drinks up the spirit of the enemy. It is a weapon that set terror in array against his enemies. In the same manner, Psalms 7:13 says that, " He (God) hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors." Whiles pagans send arrows as instruments of divination against God's people, the Almighty sends out his arrows as instruments of death, famine, destruction against all their persecutors. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. For this purpose the Psalmist says, "therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them." This means that when Believers begin to play on the stringed instruments, God sends out his weapon of war from his warehouse against his adversaries. This will cause a pagan to think twice before divining against a child of God. Ps 18:14 Ps 21:12 .

In Deuteronomy 32:23 and 42 Moses prophesied and said God will heap mischiefs upon them (his adversaries); and will spend His arrows upon them.  He will make His arrows drunk with blood, and His sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.

Numbers 24:8  says God brought him (Israel) forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: (for this reasons) he (Israel) shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. God does not only pierces and destroys with his arrows but he also arms his faithful servants with them so that, "They (even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin) were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow. And of the kings of Israel also, some made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. In this, their names spread far abroad; for they were marvellously helped, till they became strong. 1Ch 12:2 2Ch 26:15. Psalms 38:2 says when God's arrows sticks fast in you, His hands will press you sore. Psalms 45:5 says "(God) Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. This is what happened to the Syrians when God's servant Elisha put his hands on king Joash and told him to shoot!.

Elisha and the King

Maybe you are asking what has arrows used in divination got to do with arrows used in battle. Well divination by pagans is known aas their "strategies of war". It is their preparation for battle. This is why God also armed his servants in like manner to couter attack and frustrate their strategies and purposes. For this, the prophet Isaiah says, speak a word it shall not stand, declare your strategy of war and it shall be broken, for God is with us." What the prophet intended was that whenever the pagans divine and received by their idols, new strategies of was as was with the kind of Babylon, God also gave his prophets a similar symbolism to "break" or render invalid what has been prophesied through the shaking of arrows to them. This is what Isaiah meant when he said "declare your strategy of war, that is to say, let your idols give or prophesy battle plans for you, it shall not stand; in fact, it shall be broken, because God is with us, or God will show us a plan to counter attack and destroy what they told you about us. Thus the Psalmist says in chapter  58:7 that      " Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. This is because, in Isaiah 7:24  bible says it is only the cursed on whom evil arrows shall alight and not the land of the righteous. "With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns." This is the arrow God breaks! " There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah."Ps 76:3 

This takes me to the story in 2Ki 13 which might have taken place in A.M. 3166.  B.C. 838.  It says from verses 14 through 19 that, " Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.  And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.  And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.. 

Eastward 13:17 And he said, Open the window {i } eastward.  And he opened [it]. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed [them]. 

(i) That is, toward Syria: so that he not only prophesied with words but also confirmed him by these signs that he would have the victory. Syria of Damascus lay partly east, but still more north, of the holy land. The arrow was to be shot, eastward, not so much against Syria itself as against the scene of the recent Syrian successes, Gilead, {#2Ki 10:33 } which was also to be the scene of Joash’s victories over them. Aphek is almost due east from Shunem, where it is not unlikely that Elisha now was.  The arrow …  literally, “An arrow of deliverance from the Lord, and an arrow of deliverance against Syria; and thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, even to consuming.” 

In Psalms 57:4 and 64:3, arrows are symbolic of poisonous and bitter or false words. They are curses spoken by servants of satan and enemies. Their tongue is a sword and their words are arrows. " My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword."  "Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words"

In Psalms 127:4 arrows are symbolic of children. " As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth."

In Ezekiel 5:16 God says " When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

Pray with and say: May God send his evil arrows of famine upon any diviner, witch, wizard, that would divine and seek knowledge from his or her household idols over my life as a strategy of way in the mighty name of Jesus!!! May He cast forth his lightning, and scatter them: and shoot out His arrows, and destroy them. May God  smite the bow out of the left hand of every mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, Sharp arrows, with coals of juniper, and cause their arrows to fall out of their right hand. May he set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and burn them with fire in the name of Jesus!! Halleluia!!  Let the sun and moon stand still in their habitation: at the light of God's arrows and at the shining of His glittering spear, Amen! Hab 3:11 

Scriptures on the arrows on God include: Ps 77:17 Ps 120:4 .Ps 144:6Pr 26:18  Eze 39:9  Isa 5:28 Jer 50:9 Jer 50:14  Jer 51:11  La 3:13 Eze 39:3  

2. Consulting with images (the teraphim) or household idols:  Pagans had individual or household gods to whom they worshipped as a family talisman and from whom they inquired of and obtained knowledge concerning the future. As is the culture of idolaters, the mode of consultation varies from nation to nation and even from city to city but what is certain is that some stood infront of the idol and spoke to it, by first offering sacrifices and placing things such as money, food, wine (pouring libation) or by touching the object which could be wood or stone. The first mention of of them in Scripture is the occasion of Rachel stealing them form her father in Haran (Gen. 31:19,34). They were put away by Jacb (Gen.35:4); set up by Micah as his gods (Jud.17:4); and considered as idolatry in 1 Samuel 15:23.

3. Looking at the liver or examining the entrails of animals sacrificed:  Idolaters judged what step to take by examining the liver of an animal that was sacrificed, to see whether it was good or bad. If the liver was healthy and the lobes inclined inward the omen was favourable, but if diseased, dry, spotted, of without the band between the parts the omen was unfavourable. This method of divination was used by many idolatrous nations.

Diviners also abounded among the aborigines of Canaan and the Philistines #Isa 2:6 1Sa 28:1ff. At a later period multitudes of magicians poured from Chaldea and Arabia into the land of Israel, and pursued their occupations #Isa 8:19 2Ki 21:6 2Ch 33:6 This satanic dominion and superstition widely spread, and in the time of the apostles they had to deal with many of such. There were "vagabond Jews, exorcists" #Ac 19:13 and men like Simon Magus #Ac 8:9 Bar-jesus #Ac 13:6,8 and other jugglers and impostors #Ac 19:19 2Ti 3:13 Every species and degree of this superstition was strictly forbidden by the law of Moses #Ex 22:18 Le 19:26,31 20:27 De 18:10,11 But beyond these various forms of superstition, there are instances of divination on record in the Scriptures by which God was pleased to make known his will.

Divine knowledge was permitted to Israel “by the casting of lot”, by which, when resorted to in matters of moment, and with solemnity, God intimated his will #Jos 7:13 The land of Canaan was divided by lot #Nu 26:55,56 Achan’s guilt was detected #Jos 7:16-19 Saul was elected king #1Sa 10:20,21 and Matthias chosen to the apostleship, by the solem lot #Ac 1:26 It was thus also that the scape-goat was determined #Le 16:8-10. 

2. Divine knowledge was also given through dreams #Ge 20:6 De 13:1,3 Jud 7:13,15 #Mt 1:20 2:12,13,19,22 This is illustrated in the history of Joseph #Ge 41:25-32 and of Daniel #Da 2:27 4:19-28

3. By divine appointment Israel could predict events and know the will of God by the Urim and Thummim #Nu 27:21 and by the ephod. God was pleased sometimes to vouch-safe direct vocal communications to men #De 34:10 Ex 3:4 4:3 De 4:14,151Ki 19:12 He also communed with men from above the mercy-seat #Ex 25:22 and at the door of the tabernacle #Ex 29:42,43 Through his prophets God revealed himself, and gave intimations of his will #2Ki 13:17 Jer 51:63,64

Divination simply means supernatural knowledge. This can be gained by practicing witchcraft or being baptized with the gift of the spirit. This is what brought the girl’s Roman masters much gain. But someone in the city could not no longer bear the captivity and cried upon the name of the God that was working miracles in nearby cities. It is for these people who had been held bondage, that God’s angel appeared to Paul to go preach the gospel. Paul’s assignment became his first adversaries. The girl launched her evil powers over the Apostle by giving him false praise. Earlier on we learnt that the bewitch was to trap a person with false praise. Paul will not fall for this. The same followed Paul and the disciples, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. And yet, this still was bound with hurting people with witchcraft. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. Why would Paul speak to someone who was praising him. Because the girl who just met them, prophesied that they were men of God! Paul rejected the prophecy and cast the spirit out of her!. By her prophecies many had been made captive. I think the church today have little knowledge of this, that submission to a false prophet pollutes one’s life. 

The bible says in Leviticus 19 verse 26  Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times…..  Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. These practices invoke evil spirits into the land and they begin to posses people and cause them to walk in wickedness and crookedness. The same is reiterated in Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 10  There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch 11  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.12  For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. The next command says “you shall be holy”. Which means that those practices polluted people’s lives. Yes, that is exactly what Moses affirms in Leviticus 20:6 6 7 saying “A person who turns to mediums and psychics, is a prostitute. This is to say they have goes astray, polluted themselves and exchange their destiny for what is unworthy. God will not turn his face from only the which, but from such a person and cut him off. He demands in verse 7 for his people to “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I [am] the LORD your God.” For "I will condemn people who turn to mediums and psychics and practice black magic and chase after them as though they were prostitutes. “ Sanctify yourselves means work on staying clean. Keep watch over what may pollute your spirit, soul or body. Be holy because I am the LORD your God. The horrible outcome in the lives of those who submit to seek witches, wizards, mediums, false prophets, diviners, fetish priest, etc., are numbered from verses 8 through. You can read it for yourself and in this, you will understand why there is such wickedness in many pagan countries. ( #12:31 Le 18:21-30 20:2-5 2Ki 16:3 17:17 21:6 2Ch 28:3 Ps 106:37,38 Jer 19:4-6 32:35) 

The same is reiterated in Ezekiel 13 where God say to the prophet, ¶  "Son of man, look at the women among your people who make up prophecies, and prophesy against them. "Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty LORD says: How horrible it will be for women who sew magic charms for people’s wrists and make magic veils of every size for people’s heads. You want to trap people. You want to control the lives of my people for your own profit. You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who shouldn’t die, and you spare the lives of people who shouldn’t live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen. "’This is what the Almighty LORD says: I’m against the magic charms that you use to trap people like birds. I will tear them from your arms and free the people that you have trapped.  I will tear off your magic veils and rescue my people from your power so that they will no longer be under your control. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

“You have discouraged righteous people with your lies, even though I hadn’t brought them any grief (saddened them with what I have not said). You encouraged wicked people not to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives. That is why you will no longer see false visions or make predictions. I will rescue my people from your power. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’" (17-22)

Pr 26:2 ¶ As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come (be made effective, shall not alight).

The precise import of the terms expressed these unhallowed practices cannot by which pagans lived on.(1) divination, kosaim, kesamim, seems a general term for the various species after specified; such as observer of times, meonain, one who pretends to foretell by the clouds, planets, etc.; enchanter menachesh, a diviner, either by means of serpents, or by inspecting the entrails of beasts, the flight of birds, etc.; a witch, mecashsheph, one who used magical fumigations, etc.; a charmer, chover chaver, one who uses spells, or a peculiar conjunction of words, or tying knots, etc.; a consulter with familiar spirits, shoel ov, a pythoness; a wizard, yidoni, a cunning man; necromancer, doresh el hammaithim one who seeks enquiries of the dead. #Ex 22:18 Le 19:26,31 20:26,27 1Sa 28:3,7,9 1Ch 10:13 2Ch 33:6 Isa 8:19,20 47:13 Ac 19:19 Ga 5:20 be a fortuneteller, witch, or sorcerer” De 18:10  ,

Yet these Romans claimed it was their practice and after sending the girl to curse Paul failed, they falsely accused him and put him in bondage. And even in this, Jesus honoured his word by sending an angel to deliver them. Many are the believer that may find themselves in bondages because servants of satan who sent messengers to tempt them failed. Many leader church figures’ names are being tarnished by the media and others are bound in so many difficulties because of the Word. These witches and wizards cast spells on God’s servant to impede them from preaching the gospel. But even in this, “when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers.”… even in their midnight hour, Jesus will not break his covenant and will send an angel for their deliverance!

20 In front of the Roman officials, they said, "These men are stirring up a lot of trouble in our city. They’re Jews, 21  and they’re advocating customs that we can’t accept or practice as Roman citizens." 22  The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered the guards to beat them with sticks.23  After they had hit Paul and Silas many times, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailer to keep them under tight security. 24  So the jailer followed these orders and put Paul and Silas into solitary confinement with their feet in leg irons.

25 ¶  Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. 26  Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the jail. All the doors immediately flew open, and all the prisoners’ chains came loose.

1. The jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open. Thinking the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28  But Paul shouted as loudly as he could, "Don’t hurt yourself! We’re all here!" 29  The jailer asked for torches and rushed into the jail. He was trembling as he knelt in front of Paul and Silas. 
2. Then he took Paul and Silas outside and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved?"31  They answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved." 32  They spoke the Lord’s word to the jailer and everyone in his home. 33  At that hour of the night, the jailer washed Paul and Silas’ wounds. The jailer and his entire family were baptized immediately. 34  He took Paul and Silas upstairs into his home and gave them something to eat. He and his family were thrilled to be believers in God.

SIMON The Magician

1. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 4 ¶  Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. 
2. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 7  For unclean (evil) spirits, (or were broken in the spirit) crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with paralysed, and that were lame, (broken in body) were healed. 8  And there was great joy in that city.
3. But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery (practiced magic), and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10  To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 11  And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
4. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

14 ¶  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15  Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16  (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17  Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (and they begun to SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES) 18 (This is when the snake under cover started to burn! And begun to manifest cunningly) . And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 24  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.25  And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. Acts 8

This is not the Simon (abbreviated form of Simeon), one of the twelve apostles, called the Canaanite #Mt 10:4 Mr 3:18 " Zealot", and only black man among Christ Apostles. This is not even Simon, the father of Judas Iscariot #Joh 6:71 13:2,26. This man is not the Simon, one of the brothers of our Lord #Mt 13:55 Mr 6:3. He is not the Pharisee names Simon in whose house "a woman of the city which was a sinner" anointed our Lord’s feet with ointment #Lu 7:36-40. Nor is he Simon ther leper of Bethany, in whose house Mary anointed our Lord’s head with ointment "as he sat at meat" #Mt 26:6-13 Mr 14:3-9. He is also, not Simon the Cyrenean from in North Africa, then a province of Libya who was seized by the soldiers as the procession wended its way to the place of crucifixion as he was passing by, to carry the heavy cross which Christ from failing strength could no longer bear. He is the founding father in the first church established outside of Jerusalem. He was the "father of Alexander and Rufus" #Mt 27:32 and one of the "men of Cyrene" who preached the word to the Greeks #Ac 11:20

This Simon the sorcerer of great repute for his magical arts among the Samaritans #Ac 8:9-11 hovered in the church as a snake under the grass , confessing himself as a professed convert to the faith under the preaching of Philip the deacon and evangelist #Ac 8:12,13 But his profession was, however, soon found to be hollow at the coming of Peter. His conduct called forth from Peter a stern rebuke #Ac 8:18-23 From this moment he disappeared from the Church’s history and this is why we have the term "Simony," as denoting the purchase for money of spiritual offices. This was a witch who had lost territory and had entered into the camp of his enemy posing as one of them for their destruction. This witch had distorted lives and deceived many to walk in crookedness until the people heard Philip preach the gospel. Jesus confirmed Philips preaching and many who walked under the power of Simon’s sorcery got delivered and became who God wants them to be. This story is a direct connection with that of the nephew of Lot who had been taken hostage because he dwelt in Sodom. In the days of the apostles, just two thousand years ago satan could take hostage of a whole city by causing the people to walk in deception and crookedness. Then what about now. Many are walking in crookedness and deception because their cities have been taken hostage by satan or a territorial spirit through the hand of a sorcerer like Simon. He was not just a magician and Peter was not ignorant of the “devices” of the devil. He did not brush it aside like many in Western Europe will do today.

Magic was real in the days of Christ and in the day of the Apostles and magic is still real in our day! The Jews seem early to have consulted the teraphim (q.v.) for oracular answers #Jud 18:5,6 Zec 10:2 There is a remarkable illustration of this divining by teraphim in #Eze 21:19-22 We read also of the divining cup of Joseph #Ge 44:5 The magicians of Egypt are frequently referred to in the history of the Exodus. Magic was an inherent part of the ancient Egyptian religion, and entered largely into their daily life of most of the cultures in that dispensation. All magical arts were distinctly prohibited under penalty of death in the Mosaic law. The Jews were commanded not to learn the "abomination" of the people of the Promised Land #Le 19:31 De 18:9-14 Though church historians banished any idea that attributes power to the witch of Endor who whom consulted #1Sa 28:3-20 and gives no warrant for attributing supernatural power to magicians, here in the above illustrations, we understand that they did not brush the issue aside or as a lie, for whatever is not addressed will only wait for attack and this is the result of churches ordaining homosexual priest. The witch is here is not only a bystander as some Theologians suppose. The practice of magic which the Jews carried from Mesopotamia, through Canaan, Egypt the wilderness, and enforced in the reign of the backsliding kings of Israel such as Solomon and Manasseh (who is emphatically said to have practiced divination) lingered among the Jews till after the Captivity, when they gradually abandoned it. This is what reared up its heard even in the days of Christ where many practiced it and attributed supernatural phenomena such as healings, etc., to specific demons like Baalzebub). It is therefore not true that, it is not much referred to in the New Testament and that Magi mentioned in #Mt 2:1-12 were not magicians in the ordinary sense of the word. Thou they belonged to a religious caste, the followers of Zoroaster, the astrologers of the East all these were magicians and so were they addressed by the prophet Daniel, Mordecai and Esther. Peter and Philip encountered Simon, the magician, #Ac 8:9-24 and Paul and Barnabas encountered Elymas, a Jewish sorcerer, at Paphos #Ac 13:6-12 At Ephesus there was a great destruction of magical books #Ac 19:18,19

In our day, Simon could be a pastor, priest, politician, journalist who preaches sin as natural to people and demand that they live that kind of life. Europe where I live now is held hostage by profane TV and media which pollutes the lives of people and have taken many captives by their seductive and satanic broadcast. Witches are now searched for by the rich and hailed as Mentalist who help police in their findings. Occultist and Satanist have now infiltrated into the church with their diabolic philosophies and are marrying same sex couples. These are the same who lobby around the globe for leaders to establish anti- God rules so as to ensnare the souls of men. These are the prostitutes in the book of Revelations that trade with nations and trade in the souls of men, polluting them with their abominations. The above scripture is clear. The people were set free but Simon still felt cool until the arrival of Peter who demanded that the new believers activate the full promise Jesus gave to them. They had forgotten to speak in tongues (received the Holy Ghost power to speak well). This is where Simon was exposed! This is why after every Believer is delivered, they must receive the power to speak positively. The devil can hurt you but what about yourself??? So we see that in the New Testament church, they did not ignore Simon but addressed, attacked and cast him out!!! This is the portion of any witch who does not desire to repent and keeps polluting the church of Christ. As Simon cast a spell on the whole people in the city of Samaria so did the witch confess to me, to have cast a spell on the nephew of this woman. But as Simon was cast out by Peter, we all by the power that is in the name of Jesus, cast out any spirit of Simon ruling in our midst!!

The Cripple at the Beautiful Gate

For unclean spirits came out from those who had them, crying with a loud voice; and a number of those who were ill and broken in body were made well.  Some are broken in the body by witchcraft, some are broken even before their birth. Lives that God made beautiful kalos finely, excellently, well, rightly, so that there shall be no room for blame. Lives made nobly, commendable and in honour have been broken even before birth. The bible says in Isaiah 5:18 that, ¶ Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope”. This scripture is deep. It denotes that there are those engaged in the craft of polluting people’s lives by causing them to fall in sin and by inflicting crookedness upon them even before birth. A line is symbolic of a life or a bloodline. God never created anybody as a homosexual. Sin is the blood and is sometimes strengthened through witchcraft.

Broken in the Womb

This is the mystery revealed unto me in the book of Job chapter 3. I want you to carefully read so you will not miss what I am going to share. In his violent suffering, Job opening his mouth, and cursing the day of his birth said, “ Let destruction take the day of my birth, Job 3:3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night [in which] it was said, There is a man child conceived. Job did not curse only his day of birth but also the very night of his conception!!! This was the night when his father and mother mated and his father’s sperms met his mother ripe eggs. Job says in that night, it was announced in the realms of the spirit that a male child has been conceived. Uptil today nobody can tell the day of their conception excerpt after days when they begin to have pregnancy symptons. But here, Job says in that night, not only even God and his angel knew it but that there where those who gained access of this knowledge through the art of divination. These are observe the times. Job released the day of his conception those who are able to curse the night of one’s conception and cause the light of it to be dark. He says: “ Let it be cursed by those who put a curse on the day; who are ready to make Leviathan awake, and make its morning stars dark; which looks for light, but may never have any; nor see the eyes of the dawn. These powers according to verse ten, are able to keep the doors of a mother’s body shut or cause death to cease upon one at birth. These are the ones that cause a child’s death at birth that they might never have come into existence; like young children who have not seen the light. They are the powers of the evil that have many lives prisoners of sin and of crookedness, the small and the great , the servant and master. They have made many lives full of trouble, and life to the bitter in soul; to desire for death, and search for it more than for secret wealth!

The God’s Word Version says, they "Scratch out the day I was born and the night that when it was said, ‘A boy has been conceived!’ and make it to be pitch-black. They cause the darkness and long shadows claim it as their own and a dark cloud to hang over it, so that it’s gloom terrify it. "That night when the blackness is spoken would included or affect all the days of the year and be numbered among the months of such an one. Those who curse the day and the night of one’s conception, do it by the power of satan (these know how to wake up Leviathan). That is, invoke the spirit of devils and those supposed to be born as Stars turn dark before dawn and the hope for their light is never receive. They become like the first light of dawn and their eyes (lives) are not hid from trouble. So many of such ask: ¶  "Why didn’t I die as soon as I was born and breathe my last breath when I came out of the womb?” But as the Lord liveth and even as His soul liveth, all of such can find deliverance at the cross and in the blood of Jesus. Such is the miraculous sign that followed the disiciples of Jesus to confirm the promises enacted in the New Covenant.

“And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:  The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.  And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.  Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein…. But Paul could hardly finished before he was arrested and stoned to death” Why?? Because he declared that those miracles of the restoration of a man broken from the womb could not be the work of any man or demon, but in the name of Jesus!! Even this man who was born with a blood disease, a generational curse or sickness or crookedness was restored and made whole. The curse spoken over the night of his conception which IMPEDED his walk, symbolic of his life was broken because he believed in the power in the New Covenant which says, “you shall lay your hands on the sick and they shall recover”. The man who was spoken to be homosexual became whole and never lived in that corruption again. This is the power of Christ that breaks the power of the enemy sent to IMPEDE, DISTORT, AND HINDER PEOPLE FOR BEING WHO GOD WANTS THEM TO BE!!!  Paul spoke to the cripple with the new language and he was restored into his good place.

HERE IS WISDOM!

In the above Scripture, God was authorizing the woman as he had authorized Abraham to (1) ATTACK (2) AND RECOVER!. People who live in the western part of the world are being daily groomed into a religion and society which is A- theist. A society which abhors the knowledge and rule of God. A society that has come up with a nostalgic desire for their pagan root and fierce propaganda against God, Christ and his church. Some of their propaganda, is to pollute and defile the human race through the next generation and presently there are fierce lobbies in the schools, media, society in favour of things that are an abomination to the world. Presently in Europe, marriages between men and men are blessed in church and in civil courts and these same sex couples can even adopt children.

On his recent visit to African, the President of the United States of America tried to push his homosexual propaganda through the continent but African leaders did not hesitate to push him back as they did to the British premier who together with Obama, had threatened the continent with the cutting of food supplies and aid. 

For years we all know that children birthed in different parts of the world grow up with different mindset and lifestyle’s and in their way of viewing life. Thus in Europe, this that all things are viewed and treated scientifically. All are perceived upon reasoning. This is not so in Africa. Europe is not Africa. Europe eradicated idolatry from the land right from the days of the early church. African is still in idolatry and cities and villages pay homage to satan. In Europe Christianity abolished homosexuality and all idolatrous practices. In African certain practices are still an abomination not because of the European establishment of Christianity but of Africa's strict morals. Homosexuality was one of these and was treated as a mental illness until 1973. European science failed to "cure" homosexuality and accepted that "it was natural to be born as such". In Europe, Psychiatric and psychological diseases or any other unnatural tragedy are treated scientifically. In African, there are still those who view psychiatric diseases and unnatural tragedy are viewed to be spiritual. Numerous afflictions that come upon the European and the African will be handled differently (excerpt they are fundamental believers).

Let me give you an example. I collaborate in ethno-clinic set ups where teachers advise parents of children who do not do well at schools to request for a special teacher who will attend to them in class. But in Italy, the law required such to be diagnosed as "disabled or mentally incapable" because they are granted a teacher. Parent would have to take their children to psychiatric hospital and to psychologist and neurologist who would determine the QA of the children. But many times when this proposal is made to African parents, most if not all" vehemently refuses it immediately and because some are aware of my call as a pastor, they later on confide in me that they are "will take it to God in prayer". On women went ahead to tell me that, it was her mother in law that has stolen the brain of her daughter and that is why she could not study.

In another occasion I had to interpret a medical report to a man who had undergone a test and had found out that, he had AIDS. As he was leaving the hospital, he said to me and I know that he was sincere because he came with his wife. He said to me mum: “I am going to Ghana and I will kill ……..” I then asked why and he begun to narrate to me of what he thinks was the cause to his ailment. He said that, he had had inherited a plot of land, but as he begun to build a house on it, another family member came to warn him that the plot belonged to him and that he should not dare touch it. He said that he did not overlook the warning but had to come abroad immediately to begin work and this is when he began to feel ill and decided to go for a test. Meanwhile he said that he called back home in Ghana and was told that the person has confessed that he was the one that bought the AIDS for him! It is a practice as I said earlier on and as was mentioned by Paul of pagans and idolaters to “buy” “sow” “plant” ailments, failure, etc. to their enemies through this art of sorcery.

Thus whiles many still lie asleep in the Western world to this knowledge, others in nations where idolatry is not yet abolished would fight back these calamities and corruption which fall on them, through prayers or other spiritual means. For this, some people who had been given over to death by some doctors, but whose family members refused and sent them back to be cured in Ghana have returned totally healed of the disease that medical science could not cure. I am trying to help someone to understand that the problems which mortals are fighting with and dealing with could be more than physical. It could be a marital problem, marital turmoil, child rebellion, sickness, crookedness as that of the woman that came who has been our life lesson or some other.. Bible says that the battle in which Believers are engaged in in not just physical but many are spiritual.

This is exactly what was revealed to me!! See when the world is lobbying for homosexual rights, witches and wizards are happy because they now have another weapon for their battle. I also believe that many of these lobbyists are either God haters, Satanist, occultist, witches and wizard who though shine as light in the daytime, have unleashed this weapon of war against the church of God!. Europe has been made captive by principalities through their own philosophers and they have lost natural reasoning. All have erred from the right way. They have lost their senses. They have been “baskaino”, made captive through their own imaginations (3053 logismos reckoning, computation, a reasoning: such as is hostile to the Christian faith, judgment, decisions: such as conscience passes) and “high things” (stumbling blocks, hupsoma thing elevated, elevated structure i.e. barrier, rampart, bulwark ), stronghold (ochuroma meaning to fortify, through the idea of holding safely, a castle, stronghold, fortress, fastness, anything on which one relies,  of the arguments and reasonings by which a disputant endeavours to fortify his opinion and defend it against his opponent). These are what should have been pulled down but were exalted against the knowledge of God. They chose not to bring into captivity their thought ( to the obedience of Christ. 

Witches, enchanters and servants of satan, know that if they attack a person with tuberculosis, this person might immediately seek medical aid to curb the disease but if they attack a person with homosexuality, they have hit a jackpot! they person may never be delivered because he or she was told that he was born like that! but the devil is a liar and here is wisdom! Bible says that the enemies of the children of God do not wish them to prosper and they do this by laying a stumbling block in their way. This is their weapon of war, for they know that so long as there is perverseness and iniquity in the life of a Believer he or she cannot prosper! and this is what they cease on. This is what the witch sat in front of me to say. She said that she was in one that caused or stirred up the "homosexuality" of the man who is now married to a white man in Germany. If you happen to be in the deliverance ministry or an African, this would not be a surprise to you. The only surprise is that, you may never have included "homosexuality" as one of the packages bought by enemies for people.

In Africa, we hear much of this stuff. Witches confessing to be behind the death of a person or behind the sickness or distortion, failure and crookedness of a person. They confess to have made a person mad. They confess to have turned a person into a prostitute. They confess to have turned a person into a drunkard and caused them to lose their job. And now here sat this witch in front of me saying that she was the one that had made the boy "homosexual". I do not know what spirit was put on Lot by the four kings and in which he was bound and he was being controlled. But I know that the God of Abraham is also our God! and he shall deliver whatever relative of yours is bound in Sodom! As the four kings put perverseness upon Sodom, so also witches, wizards, satanist, and nations ruled by the kingdom of darkness do to other nations.! Perverseness?? Why??? Because this is what takes away God’s presence from the midst of his people and as Balaam could not find any, his sorcery was paralyzed!

Stumbling block

Balaam the sorcerer hinders the destiny of Israel through witchcraft

“No spell can curse the descendants of Jacob. No magic can harm the people of Israel. Now it will be said of Jacob and Israel: ‘See what God has done!’ (GWV).

 Isa 5:18 ¶ How horrible it will be for those who string people along with lies and empty promises, whose lives are sinful.

The Bible in Basic English if the same verse says "No evil power has effect against Jacob, no secret arts against Israel; at the right time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel, See what God has done! " Numbers 23:23

Thus here too, we see Scripture mentioning of the art of witchcraft and casting of spells to impede, halt the destiny of a person. In Isaiah chapter 5, the prophet places over 6 curses on such destiny distorter.  

•18 ¶ Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as with cart-ropes 

•20  Woe unto them who (exchange) by speaking out what is evil to be good and what is good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

•21  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and intelligent in their own esteem! (that obtain wisdom and knowledge not from God (this has to do with divination).

•22  Woe unto them that are mighty for drinking wine, and men valiant to mix strong drink; (this is still talking about witchcraft. Those who mix drink are those who devise deceptions and conjuction into which people will be drugged or cursed.

•23  who justify the wicked for a bribe, and turn away the righteousness of the righteous from them! (this is what false prophets and diviners do).

But as the Lord liveth, he says in verse 24 that, because of this, therefore as a tongue of fire shall devoure them as stubble, and as dry grass sinketh down in the flame, their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; for they have rejected the law of Jehovah of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Balaam places a curse over Israel

The Israelites had just defeated the king of the Amorites and of Bashan, their sons, and all their troops, leaving no survivors. And they took possession of his land. ¶  Then the Israelites moved and set up camp across from Jericho, on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River.  Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.  The Moabites were very afraid because there were so many Israelites. Besides, the Moabites couldn’t stand these people.  So the Moabites said to the leaders of Midian, "All those people will eventually eat up everything around us the same way an ox eats up the grass in a field." At that time Balak, son of Zippor, was king of Moab.  He sent messengers to summon Balaam, son of Beor, who was at Pethor, on the Euphrates River, in the land where his people lived. Balak’s message was, "A nation has just come here from Egypt. They’ve spread out all over the countryside and are setting up their camp here in front of me. Please come and curse these people for me, because they are too strong for me. Maybe then I’ll be able to defeat them and force them out of the country. I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed."  The leaders of Moab and Midian left, taking money with them to pay for Balaam’s services. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said. (Numbers 22:1-7)

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. De 18:20

We have been speaking about how servants of satan are able to ruin and distort destinies by placing a curse on such. The curse could be sickness, sorrow, failure, etc, but when it come to the children of God who enjoy divine protection, what witches do is to stir up the sin nature in them and allow them to ruin themselves. This is what he did to Israel. His name Balaam means, This Lord of the people; foreigner or glutton, as interpreted by others, the son of Beor, was a man of some rank among the Midianites #Nu 31:8 comp. #Nu 31:16 He resided at Pethor #De 23:4 in Mesopotamia #Nu 23:7 It is evident that though dwelling among idolaters he had some knowledge of the true God; and was held in such reputation that it was supposed that he whom he blessed was blessed, and he whom he cursed was cursed. When the Israelites were encamped on the plains of Moab, on the east of Jordan, by Jericho, Balak sent for Balaam "from Aram, out of the mountains of the east," to curse them. 

This is where one would ask, why??? The answer is because they knew that God was with Israel and had sent them to cast out these wicked people so they also resorted to spiritual powers to overthrow Israel even before they rich their promise land. This is to say that, Israel had not provoked these people who were seeking to hurt them. Israel had been released to go claim their promise and these pagan people sought for supernatural and satanic powers to keep Israel from not attaining their promise. In our day we would say that they many promises Jesus dies to lay in store for the Believer but unfortunately, many have been trapped by their weaknesses which satan throws to them as a bait and are never able to reach their goals. The devil does not want to go out and Jesus say even after they are cast out, they go about only to return to see if their former dwelling is empty. As God told the Israelite to cast out the evil nations, so Jesus told his disciples to go cast out devils and deliver those who would believe on him. So Balaam was paid to “curse”, that is cast a spell on Israel. We later read in the succeeding chapters that the spell was to bind them with sin for as long as there was no perverseness in Israel, God was with them. So the king of Moab, invoked the spirit of lust upon them. But by the remarkable interposition of God he was utterly unable to fulfil Balak’s wish, however desirous he was to do so. The apostle Peter refers #2Pe 2:15,16 to this as an historical event. In #Mic 6:5 reference also is made to the relations between Balaam and Balak. 

Though Balaam could not curse Israel, yet he suggested a mode by which the divine displeasure might be caused to descend upon them #Nu 25:1ff. It was by inviting the men of Israel at a party (idolatrous festival) and seducing them in sleeping with the Moabite women). This means Israel was deceived into worshipping a demon they would never have done because they ate a food in which idols were invoked into. After eating this food, the men begun to lust after what was unclean and brought upon themselves the judgement of God. This kills many and delayed Israel’s journey but could not stop them.. God in another chapter calls what happened – A BATTLE! – and orders Moses to take revenge, saying: "wage war against the Midianites and treat them as your enemies, and kill them because they treated you as enemies.  For they are a danger to you with their false ways. They plotted and beguiled you (that is they invokes curses and evil spirits on you and caused sin to come on you in the question of Peor. This is what opened the door for the disease which came on you because of Peor. Moses obeyed God’s command and in a battle between Israel and the Midianites (q.v.) Balaam was slain while fighting on the side of Balak #Nu 31:8  The "doctrine of Balaam" is spoken of in #Re 2:14 in allusion to the fact that it was through the teaching of Balaam that Balak learned the way by which the Israelites might be led into sin. Read also about the NICOLAITANES, in the book of Revelations. God turns balams’s curses into blessing and Balaam was constrained to utter prophecies regarding the future of Israel of wonderful magnificence and beauty of expression #Nu 24:5-9,17

While Israel was staying at Shittim, the men began to have sex with Moabite women 2  who invited the people to the sacrifices offered to their gods. That is, they sent for the people to be present at the offerings made to their gods; and the people took part in their feasts and gave honour to their gods. The people ate the meat from the sacrifices and worshiped these gods. 3  Since the Israelites joined in worshiping the god Baal of Peor, the LORD became angry with Israel.  The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people, and execute them in broad daylight in the LORD’S presence. This will turn the LORD’S anger away from Israel."  So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you must kill the men who have joined in worshiping the god Baal of Peor. …while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of meeting another pulled a woman inside to have sex with her right in the camp of Israel and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, seeing it, got up from among the people and took a spear in his hand,  And went after the man of Israel into the tent, driving the spear through the two of them, through the man of Israel and through the stomach of the woman. So the disease was stopped among the children of Israel. But twenty-four thousand of them had come to their death by the disease. (Numbers 25: 1-9)

As the witch confess to have done to this male child, so did Balam to Israel. He invoked demon spirit of lust, homosexuality, fornication, desires for the wrong things into God’s people so STOP THEM from attaining God’s promises. This is why I say that, satan is no one’s friend. I believe that someone in the camp who had fallen in love with the woman used in trapping him begun to teach that there was nothing wrong in going to pagan feast. This is where they were bewitched through food. They did not only walk in sin but they died of evil diseases. I have shared much on cursing through food which you will find in my book titled, The Table of the Lord. The same philosophy in carried by Paul in the New Testament. Many have been bewitched through food. Idolaters know this very well. In Psalms 106 verse 20, the writer says that it that when they ate of food sacrificed to idols, danced and had sex with these Moabite women who may have been temple prostitutes and worshipped their idols, they changed their glory (their nature of God upon them) into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. (The ox because this is what they worshipped at Horeb.) You exchange God’s glory on you for the nature, disgrace or shame of what you worship. So bible says, you become like what you worship. As a people is, so is their god!

Ex 34:15  Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;

Ps 106:28  They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

1Co 10:8 Again, let us not give way to the desires of the flesh, as some of them did, of whom twenty-three thousand came to their end in one day:18  Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

IMPEDING IMMIGRANT THROUGH DIVINATION

“Please come and curse these people for me, because they are too strong for me. Maybe then I’ll be able to defeat them and force them out of the country.” Numbers 22

“The LORD spoke his word to me. He said, "Son of man, draw up a map and mark two roads that the king of Babylon and his sword can take. Both of these roads should start from the same country. Make a sign, and put it where the roads start to fork toward the cities. Mark the road that the king and his sword can take to the Ammonite city of Rabbah, and mark the road that leads to Judah and the fortified city of Jerusalem. The king of Babylon will stop where the roads branch off, where there is a fork in the road. Then he will look for omens. He will shake some arrows, ask his household gods for help (by speaking to his images), and examine animal livers. The omens will indicate that he should go to the right, to Jerusalem. So he will set up his battering rams there, give the order to kill, raise a battle cry, aim the battering rams against the city gates, put up ramps, and set up blockades. “GWV

¶  The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.  At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort. But when you speak to the people of this vision, they will say that it is a false prophecy in their sight, because they have made treaties with other nations for help: but I the Lord will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken. Ezekiel 21:22-24 

he made. Or, as the Vulgate, "he mingled his arrows":  "They wrote on several arrows," says Jerome, "the names of the cities they intended to assault; and then putting them altogether promiscuously in a quiver, they drew then out thence as lots are drawn; and that city whose name was written on the arrow first drawn, was the city they first made war on." * arrows.  or, knives.  images.  Heb. teraphim. #Ge 31:19,30 Jud 17:5 18:14,18,20,24 2Ki 23:24 Ho 3:4 4:12 Zec 10:2

 The Chaldaean king is depicted standing at the entrance of the holy land from the north, meditating his campaign, using rites of divination that really belonged to the Akkadians, a primitive race which originally occupied the plains of Mesopotamia. The Accadians and the Etruscans belong through the Finnish family to the Turanian stock; this passage therefore shows a characteristic mode of divination in use among two widely separated nations; and as the Romans acquired their divination from the conquered Etruscans, so the Chaldaeans acquired the same art from the races whose soil they had occupied as conquerors. 

He made his arrows bright Rather, he shook his arrow; a mode of divination much in practice with the Arabians. It was usual to place in some vessel three arrows, on one of which was written, “My God orders me”; on the other, “My God forbids me”; on the third was no inscription. These three arrows were shaken together until one came out; if it was the first, the thing was to be done; if the second, it was to be avoided; if the third, the arrows were again shaken together, until one of the arrows bearing a decided answer should come forth.  

He looked in the liver It was the practice both of the Greeks and the Romans (derived from the Etruscans) to take omens from the inspection of the entrails (especially the liver) of animals offered in sacrifice.

Another revelations I received on this was that, they are many who desire to travel to a certain part of the world. A country but the above scripture is telling me that it should not be a wonder to us if an anti-immigration party of that nation behaves as Balak did. To curse the people, cause their death, so they never enter into their territory. This happened to Christ when he was about to enter into a city. The territorial spirits there, or the king of that land like Simon had kept them bound so much so that he caused Jesus’ boat to sink so that he might never arrive the land!

As we learnt, the enemies of God’s people have never rested and they will use any means possible, using both physical and spiritual weapons to gain their control over God’s people. I have illustrated to you of how witchcraft is never an absent topic in the Scriptures nor a think relating to only pagan nation. As it was with pagan nations, so was it in the nations where the New Testament churches were being established. Greeks were known for their great philosophers and upon whom the universities of the European societies are built to day. The true word of God was polluted with their philosophies as age the years went by, witchcraft, divination, sorcery and all the branches of the occult are deemed as a thing of the savage nations whom Europe had been graced to rule over. The buring of witches could not rule out the demons spirits. It was the eradication of idolatry and of these practices that brought God’s glory to the West. But as they forgot about their maker and relied upon their own might and wisdom, God gave them up to a delusion in which many are bound today.

These are bound because they did not give heed to the warnings by St.Paul who debated against the Roman and Greek philosophers saying that satan bind people either through witchcraft or through satanic philosophies. This is what has bound Europe.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil (strip you of your glory) through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

The word spoil now commonly means, to corrupt, to cause to decay and perish, as fruit is spoiled by keeping too long, or paper by wetting, or hay by a long rain, or crops by mildew. But the Greek word here used means to spoil in the sense of plunder, rob, as when plunder is taken in war. The meaning is, "Take heed lest anyone plunder or rob you of your faith and hope by philosophy." These false teachers would strip them of their glory, faith and hope, as an invading army would rob a country of all that was valuable. 

Through philosophy. The Greek philosophy prevailed much in the regions around Colosse, and perhaps also the Oriental or Gnostic philosophy. See the Intro. They were exposed to the influences of these plausible systems. They consisted much of speculations respecting the nature of the Divine existence; and the danger of the Colossians was, that they would rely rather on the deductions of that specious reasoning, than on what they had been taught by their Christian teachers. 

And vain deceit. Mere fallacy. The idea is, that the doctrines which were advanced ill those systems were maintained by plausible, not by solid arguments; by considerations not fitted to lead to the truth, but to lead astray. 

After the tradition of men. There appear to have been two sources of danger to which the Christians at Colosse were exposed, and to which the apostle in these cautions alludes, though he is not careful to distinguish them. The one was that arising from the Grecian philosophy; the other from Jewish opinions. The latter is that to which he refers here. The Jews depended much on tradition, See Barnes "Mt 15:2";) and many of those traditions would have tended much to corrupt the gospel of Christ. 

{i } spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, {5 } the tradition of men, {6 } rudiments of the world, {7 } and not after Christ. 

Paul brings all corruptions under three types. The first is that which rests on vain and curious speculations, and yet bears a show of certain subtle wisdom. (i) This is a word of war, and it is as much as to drive or carry away a spoil or booty. 

The second, which is manifestly superstitious and vain, and stands only upon custom and pretended inspirations. 

The third type was of those who joined the rudiments of the world (that is to say, the ceremonies of the Law) with the Gospel. 

Principles and rules, with which God ruled his Church, as it were under a schoolmaster.  

A general confutation of all corruptions is this, that if it adds anything to Christ, it must necessarily be a false religion.

Ac 17:18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

Two special sects of the philosophers set themselves against Christ: the Epicures, who mock and scoff at religion: and the Stoics, who decide religious matters according to their own thinking. 

(i) Literally, "seed gatherer": a borrowed kind of speech taken from birds which spoil corn, and is applied to those who without any skill blurt out the knowledge which they have gotten by hearing this man and that man.

Epicureans: Disciples or followers of Epicurus, or adherents of the Epicurean philosophy #Ac 17:18B.C. 342-271, who abandoned as hopeless the search by reason for pure truth, cf. #Joh 18:38 seeking instead true pleasure through experience. He died at Athens B.C. 270) This philosophy was a system of atheism, and taught men to seek as their highest aim a pleasant and smooth life. They have been called the "Sadducees" of Greek paganism. They, with the Stoics, ridiculed the teaching of Paul. Athens was distinguished, among all the cities of Greece and the world, for the cultivation of a subtle and refined philosophy. This was their boast, and the object of their constant search and study, #1Co 1:22. This sect of philosophers was so named from Epicurus, who lived about 300 years before the Christian era. They denied that the world was created by God, and that the gods exercised any care or providence over human affairs, and also the immortality of the soul. Against these positions of the sect, Paul directed his main argument, in proving that the world was created and governed by God. One of the distinguishing doctrines of Epicurus was, that pleasure was the summum bonum, or chief good, and that virtue was to be practised only as it contributed to pleasure. By pleasure, however, Epicurus did not mean sensual and grovelling appetites, and degraded vices, but rational pleasure, properly regulated and governed. See Good’s Book of Nature. But whatever his views were, it is certain that his followers had embraced the doctrine that voluptuousness and the pleasures of sense were to be practised without restraint. Both in principle and practice, therefore, they devoted themselves to a life of gaiety and sensuality, and sought happiness only in indolence, effeminacy, and voluptuousness. Confident in the belief that the world was not under the administration of a God of justice; they gave themselves up to the indulgence of every passion; the infidels of their time, and the exact example of the gay and fashionable multitudes of all times, that live without God, and that seek pleasure as their chief good. 

Stoics. Disciples of Zeno, B.C. 280, and Chrysippus, B.C. 240.  This philosophy was founded on human self-sufficiency, inculcated stern self-repression, the solidarily of the race, and the unity of Deity.  Epicureans and Stocis divided the apostolic world. These were a sect of philosophers, so named from the Greek στοα, stoa, porch, or portico, because Zeno, the founder of the sect, held his school and taught in a porch, in the city of Athens. Zeno was born in the island of Cyprus, but the greater part of his life was spent at Athena in teaching philosophy. After having taught publicly forty-eight years, he died at the age of ninety-six, two hundred and-sixty-four years before Christ. The doctrines of the sect were, that the Universe was created by God; that all things were fixed by fate; that even God was under the dominion of fatal necessity; that the fates were to be submitted to; that the passions and affections were to be suppressed and restrained; that happiness consisted in the insensibility of the soul to pain; and that a man should gain an absolute mastery over all the passions and affections of his nature. They were stern in their views of virtue, and, like the Pharisees prided themselves on their own righteousness. They supposed that matter was eternal, and that God was either the animating principal or soul of the world, or that all things were a part of God. They fluctuated much in their views of a future state; some of them holding that the soul would exist only until the destruction of the universe, and others that it would finally be absorbed into the Divine Essence, and become a part of God. It will be readily seen, therefore, with what pertinency and address Paul discoursed to them. The leading doctrines of both sects were met by him. 

The city wholly given to idolatry. Greek, κατειδωλον. It is well translated in the margin, “full of idols.” The word is not elsewhere used in the New Testament. That this was the condition of the city is abundantly testified by profane writers. Thus Pausanias (in Attic. i. 24) says, “The Athenians greatly surpassed others in their zeal for religion” Lucian (T. I. Prometh. p. 180) says of the city of Athens, “On every side there are altars, victims, temples, and festivals.” Livy (45, 27) says, that Athens “was full of the images of gods and men, adorned with every variety of material, and with all the skill of art.” And Petronius (Sat. xvii.) says humourously of the city, that “it was easier to find a god than a man there.” See Kuinoel. In this verse we may see how a splendid, idolatrous city will strike a pious mind. Athens then had more that was splendid in architecture, more that was brilliant in science, and more that was beautiful in the arts, than any other city in the world; perhaps more than all the rest of the world united. Yet there is no account that the mind of Paul was filled with admiration; there is no record that he spent his time in examining the works of art; there is no evidence that he forgot his high purpose in an idle and useless contemplation of temples and statuary. His was a Christian mind; and he contemplated all this with a Christian heart. That heart was deeply affected in view of the amazing guilt of a people that were ignorant of the true God, and that had filled their city with idols reared to the honour of imaginary divinities; and who, in the midst of all this splendour and luxury, were going down to the gates of death. So should every pious man feel who treads the streets of a splendid and guilty city. The Christian will not despise the productions of art; but he will feel, deeply feel, for the unhappy condition of those who, amidst wealth and splendour and adorning, are withholding their affections from the living God, bestowing them on the works of their own hands, or on objects degraded and polluting, and who are going unredeemed to eternal woe. Happy would it be if every Christian traveller who visits cities of wealth and splendour would, like Paul, be affected in view of their crimes and dangers; and happy if, like him, men could cease their unbounded admiration of magnificence and splendour in temples and palaces and statuary, to regard the condition of mind, not perishable like marble; and of the soul, more magnificent even in its ruins than all the works of Phidias or Praxiteles. 

You will recognize that, it is in this same city which was full of philosophers that was also full of idolatry and to which Paul was grieved in "his spirit" as with the witch at Macedonia #Ps 119:136 2Pe 2:8 As I said some are bound in sin through witchcraft and others through philosophies. But what is clear is that satan and his servants and all others who hate the gospel have one objective, to hinder the believer from obtaining the promises Jesus laid for them and they will go to the extent of selling their souls and even that of their first born for it. For we saw that who ever needed something from satan, had to offer a sacrifice. Some offer birds, bulls, goat, tie knots, and shed even human blood, yes that is what bible tells us that Manasseh the king of Israel did. It goes on to says in 2Kings 3:26, 27 that once again, the king of Moab warred against Israel and when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through [even] unto the king of Edom: but they could not. Then he took his firstborn son, who would have succeeded him as king, and sacrificed him on the wall as a burnt offering. Israel herself in her apostasy, did the same thing. Psalms 106:37, 38 says Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. They did all of this in service to the devil. 

1Co 10:20  But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. :21  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.

Re 16:14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Re 18:2  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

“Then Jesus said to them, "So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. "These are the miraculous signs that will accompany believers: They will use the power and authority of my name to force demons out of people. They will speak new languages.  They will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick and cure them." After talking with the apostles, the Lord was taken to heaven, where God gave him the highest position. The disciples spread the Good News everywhere. The Lord worked with them. He confirmed his word by the miraculous signs that accompanied it.

DICTIONARY

Strong’s 3531 Νικολαΐτης Nikolaites Nicolaitans =" destruction of people". A sect “of Believers” mentioned in #Re 2:6,15, who were charged with holding the error of Balaam, casting a stumbling block before the church of God by upholding the liberty of eating things sacrificed to idols as well as committing fornication.

It also means From nikao, "to conquer," and laos, "the people," or "laity." If the word is symbolic it refers to the earliest form of the notion of a priestly order, or "clergy," which later divided an equal brotherhood #Mt 23:8 into "priests" and "laity."  What in Ephesus was "deeds" #Re 2:6 had become in Pergamos a "doctrine #Re 2:15. These were the pastors and church leaders that polluted the church with the doctrine of same sex, etc. Nicolaitanes were a corrupt sect, who have turned Christian liberty into licentiousness, contra, #1Pe 5:2,3 Mt 24:49

Jesus commands his church and in Verse 6 of Revelation 2 approve of, 

That thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes. Gr., works —  τα εργα. The word Nicolaitanes occurs only in this place, and in #Re 2:15. From the reference in the latter place, it is clear that the doctrines which they held prevailed at Pergamos as well as at Ephesus; but from neither place can anything now be inferred in regard to the nature of their doctrines or their practices, unless it be supposed that they held the same doctrine that was taught by Balaam. See Barnes "Re 2:15". From the two passages, compared with each other, it would seem that they were alike corrupt in doctrine and in practice, for in the passage before us their deeds are mentioned, and in #Re 2:15 their doctrine. Various conjectures, however, have been formed respecting this class of people, and the reasons why the name was given to them. 

I. In regard to the origin of the name, there have been three opinions: 

(1.) That mentioned by Irenoeus, and by some of the other fathers, that the name was derived from Nicolas, one of the deacons ordained at Antioch, #Ac 6:5. Of those who have held this opinion, some have supposed that it was given to them because he became apostate and was the founder of the sect, and others because they assumed his name in order to give the greater credit to their doctrine. But neither of these suppositions rests on any certain evidence, and both are destitute of probability. There is no proof whatever that Nicolas the deacon ever apostatized from the faith and became the founder of a sect; and if a name had been assumed in order to give credit to a sect and extend its influence, it is much more probable that the name of an apostle would have been chosen, or of some other prominent man, than the name of an obscure deacon of Antioch. 

(2.) Vitringa, and most commentators since his time, have supposed that the name Nicolaitanes was intended to be symbolical, and was not designed to designate any sect of people, but to denote those who resembled Balaam, and that this word is used in the same manner as the word Jezebel in #Re 2:20, which is supposed to be symbolical there. Vitringa supposes that the word is derived from νικος, victory, and λαος, people, and that thus it corresponds with the name Balaam, as meaning either סע לעב lord of the people, or סע עלב he destroyed the people; and that, as the same effect was produced by their doctrines a by those of Balaam, that the people were led to commit fornication and to join in idolatrous worship, they might be called Balaamites or Nicolaitanes —  that is, corrupters of the people. But to this it may be replied, 

(a) that it is far-fetched, and is adopted only to remove a difficulty; 

(b) that there is every reason to suppose that the word here used refers to a class of people who bore that name, and who were well known in the two churches specified; 

(c) that, in #Re 2:15, they are expressly distinguished from those who held the doctrine of Balaam, #Re 2:14 — "So hast thou also (και) those that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes." 

(3.) It has been supposed that some person now unknown, probably of the name Nicolas, or Nicolaus, was their leader, and laid the foundation of the sect. This is by far the most probable opinion, and to this there can be no objection. It is in accordance with what usually occurs in regard to sects, orthodox or heretical, that they derive their origin from some person whose name they continue to bear; and as there is no evidence that this sect prevailed extensively, or was indeed known beyond the limits of these churches, and as it soon disappeared, it is easily accounted for that the character and history of the founder were so soon forgotten. 

II. In regard to the opinions which they held, there is as little certainty. Irenaeus (Adv. Haeres. i. 26) says that their characteristic tenets were the lawfulness of promiscuous intercourse with women, and of eating things offered to idols. Eusebius (Hist. Eccl. iii. 29) states substantially the same thing, and refers to a tradition respecting Nicolaus, that he had a beautiful wife, and was jealous of her, and being reproached with this, renounced all intercourse with her, and made use of an expression which was misunderstood, as implying that illicit pleasure was proper. Tertullian speaks of the Nicolaitanes as a branch of the Gnostic family, and as, in his time, extinct. Mosheim (De Rebus Christian. Ante Con. 69) says that "the questions about the Nicolaitanes have difficulties which cannot be solved." Neander (History of the Christian Religion, as translated by Torrey, i. pp. 452, 453) numbers them with Antinomians; though he expresses some doubt whether the actual existence of such a sect can be proved, and rather inclines to an opinion noticed above, that the name is symbolical, and that it is used in a mystical sense, according to the usual style of the book of Revelation, to denote corrupters or seducers of the people, like Balaam. He supposes that the passage relates simply to a class of persons who were in the practice of seducing Christians to participate in the sacrificial feasts of the heathens, and in the excesses which attended them — just as the Jews were led astray of old by the Moabites, Numbers 25. What was the origin of the name, however, Neander does not profess to be able to determine, but suggests that it was the custom of such sects to attach themselves to some celebrated name of antiquity, in the choice of which they were often determined by circumstances quite accidental. He supposes also that the sect may have possessed a life of Nicolas of Antioch, drawn up by themselves or others from fabulous accounts and traditions, in which what had been imputed to Nicolas was embodied. Everything, however, in regard to the origin of this sect, and the reason of the name given to it, and the opinions which they held, is involved in great obscurity, and there is no hope of throwing light on the subject. It is generally agreed, among the writers of antiquity who have mentioned them, that they were distinguished for holding opinions which countenanced gross social indulgences. This is all that is really necessary to be known in regard to the passage before us, for this will explain the strong language of aversion and condemnation used by the Saviour respecting the sect in the epistles to the churches of Ephesus.

CURSE

What is a CURSE?? A curse is a profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger; "expletives were deleted" (source: wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn) 

What is a Curse?:
A curse is the opposite of a blessing: whereas a blessing is a pronouncement of good fortune because one is initiated into God’s plans, a curse is a pronouncement of ill fortune because one opposes God’s plans. God may curse a person or a whole nation because of their opposition to God’s will. A priest may curse someone for violating God’s laws. In general, the same people with the authority to bless also have the authority to curse. 

Types of Curses:
In the Bible, three different Hebrew words are translated as “curse.” The most common is a ritualistic formulation which described as “cursed” those who violate community standards defined by God and tradition. Slightly less common is a word used to invoke evil against anyone who violates a contract or oath. Finally there are curses which are invoked simply to wish someone ill will, like cursing a neighbor in an argument. 

What is the Purpose of a Curse?:
Cursing can be found in most if not all religious traditions around the world. Although the content of these curses may vary, the purpose of curses seems to be remarkably consistent: enforcement of law, assertion of doctrinal orthodoxy, assurance of community stability, harassment of enemies, moral teaching, protection of sacred places or objects, and so forth. 

Cursing as a Speech Act:
A curse communicates information, for example about a person’s social or religious status, but more importantly it is a “speech act,” which means that it performs a function. When a minister says to a couple, “I now pronounce you man and wife,” he isn’t just communicating something, he is changing the social status of the people before him. Similarly, a curse is a deed which requires an authoritative figure performing the deed and acceptance of this authority by those hearing it. 

Curse and Christianity:
Although the precise term isn’t generally used in the Christian context, the concept plays a central role in Christian theology. According to Jewish tradition, Adam and Eve are cursed by God for their disobedience. All of humanity, according to Christian tradition, is thus cursed with Original Sin. Jesus, in turn, takes this curse on himself in order to redeem humanity. 

Cursing as a Sign of Weakness:
A “curse” is not something which is issued by someone with military, political, or physical power over the person being cursed. Someone with that sort of power will almost always use it when seeking to maintain order or punish. Curses are used by those without significant social power or who simply lack power over those they wish to curse (such as a stronger military enemy).

A curse is the effective action of some power, distinguished solely by the quality of adversity that it brings. A curse may also be said to result from a spell or prayer , imprecation or execration, or other imposition by magic or witchcraft , asking that a god , natural force, or spirit bring misfortune to someone.

The forms of curses found in various cultures comprise a significant proportion of the study of both folk religion and folklore.

Folk use

The deliberate levying of curses is often part of the practice of magic, taking place at the boundary between organized religion  and folkloric customs. The curse makes effective part in the Hindu culture (The Fakir has the bless and curse power).

Special names for specific types of curses can be found in various cultures:

African American vodoo presents us with the jinx/haitians and crossed conditions, as well as a form of foot track magic, whereby cursed objects are laid in the paths of victims and activated when walked over. 

Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture is the source of the belief in the evil eye , which may be the result of envy but, more rarely, is said to be the result of a deliberate curse. 

German people, including the Pennsylvania Dutch  speak in terms of hexin wo (from the German word for witchcraft), and a common hex in days past was that laid by a stable-witch who caused milk cows to go dry and horses to go lame. 

1. people, use the word Shrap in Hindi and Marathi 

Ancient Greek and Roman curses

Greek and Roman curses were somewhat formal and official. Called katadesmoi by the Greeks and tabulae defixiones by the Romans, they were written on lead tablets or other materials, generally invoked the aid of a spirit (a deity, a demon , or one of the dead) to accomplish their aim, and were placed in some place considered effective for their activation, such as in a tomb, cemetery, or sacred spring or well.

In the text of katadesmoi and defixiones, the petitioner uttered a prayer or formula that the enemy would suffer injury in some specific way, along with the reason therefore, such as theft or loss of respect.

The Romans, Etruscans , and Greeks in Italy all practiced this custom. They buried the curses so well that today we have a body of curse inscriptions to tell us how they did it.

Celtic curses

In the Celtic world there were also many different forms of curses. Some of the most well known from Ireland are Curse stones, Egg curses, New Year curses and Milk curses.

Curse stones generally involved particle stones with the power to curse. One example involved turning a stone three times and saying the name of the person you wanted to curse.

Egg curses are a fertility curse. If you buried/hid eggs on someone else's land it was believed you could steal their land's fertility and therefore their luck . There are also some well documented methods believed to break these curses.

New year curses are like egg curses. If you took something from someone on the new year you took their luck for the year. People used to not clean their house or throw out water for this reason. In Munster you can see a similar form in the may bush and the stealing  of may bushes. Stealing back the item or bush is believed to return the luck.

Milk curses were curses put on a household where the milk from others cows went to yours.

Curses in the Bible

The first curse in the Bible is put on the serpent  by God, "You are cursed more than all cattle," (Genesis 3:14). As a result of Adam and Eve disobeying God, the ground is also cursed: "Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life." (3:17). Cain  is cursed from the earth, "So now you are cursed from the earth," (4:11).

In the New Testament Paul  sees curses as central to the meaning of Jesus's crucifixion . In Galatians 3:13 he says: "Christ redeems us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us...". He refers to Deuteronomy: " anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse." (21:23 RAEDM)

Some passages in the Tanakh treat curses as being effective techniques; they see a curse as an objective reality with real power. However, most sections of the Bible conceive a curse to be merely a wish, to be fulfilled by God only when just and deserved.

According to the Book of Proverbs , an undeserved curse has no effect (Proverbs 26:2), but may fall back upon the head of him who utters it (Genesis 12:3; Sirach 21:27), or may be turned by God into a blessing, as in the case of Balaam  (Deuteronomy 23:5).

The declaration of punishments (Gen. 3:14, 17; 4:11), the utterance of threats (Jeremiah 11:3, 17:5; Malachi i. 14), and the proclamation of laws (Deut. 11:26-28, 27:15 et seq.) received added solemnity and force when conditioned by a curse.

In the Bible, cursing is generally characteristic of the godless (Ps. 10:7), but may serve as a weapon in the mouth of the wronged, the oppressed, and those who are zealous for God and righteousness (Judges 9:57; Prov. 11:26, 30:10).

A righteous curse, especially when uttered by persons in authority, was believed to be unfailing in its effect (Gen. 9:25, 27:12; II Kings 2:24; Ecclus. Sirach 3:11). One who had received exemplary punishment at the hands of God was frequently held up, in cursing, as a terrifying object-lesson (Jer. 23: 22), and such a person was said to be, or to have become, a curse (II Kings 22:19; Jer. 24:9, 25: 18; Zechariah  8:13). An elaborate trial by ordeal for a woman suspected by her husband of adultery is set forth in Numbers 5:11-30; this involved drinking a "bitter water that brings a curse"; if the woman were guilty, she would suffer miscarriage and infertility .

It is especially forbidden to curse God (Exodus  22:28), parents (Ex. 21:17; Leviticus 20:9; Prov. 20:20, 30: 11), the authorities (Ex. 22:28; Eccl. 10:20), and the helpless deaf (Lev. 19:14).

Curses in Rabbinic literature

A number of sections of the Talmud show a belief in the power of curses (Berachot 19a, 56a.) In some cases, a curse is described as related to the nature of a prayer (Ta'an. 23b); an undeserved curse is described as ineffective (Makkot 11a) and falls back upon the head of him who utters it (Sanhedrin 49a).

Not only is a curse uttered by a scholar unfailing in its effect, even if undeserved (Mak. 11a), but one should not regard lightly even the curse uttered by an ignorant man (Meg. 15a).

The Biblical prohibitions of cursing are legally elaborated, and extended to self-cursing (Shebu. 35a). A woman that curses her husband's parents in his presence is divorced and loses her dowry (Ket. 72a).

Cursing may be permissible when prompted by religious motives. For instance, a curse is uttered against those who mislead the people by calculating, on the basis of Biblical passages, when the Messiah will come (Sanhedrin 97b). Cursed are those who are guilty of actions which, though not forbidden, are considered reprehensible.

According to legend, some rabbinic scholars cursed sometimes not only with their mouths, but also with an angry, fixed look. The consequence of such a look was either immediate death or poverty (Sotah 46b, and parallel passages). (See Evil eye )

Curses in the Qur'an

Cursed places

Certain landmarks or locales are said to be cursed. Various lakes, rivers and mountains have been called cursed, as has the Sargasso Sea. However even when there is a tradition of a place "taking someone" every number of years it is not always considered cursed. For example, someone is said to drown in Lough Gur  in Limerick, Ireland  every seven years but the lake is not considered "cursed" by the locals. The alleged Bermuda Triangle effect is believed by some to be some form of curse (and by others to be some unexplained natural phenomena).

Babinda's Boulders, Babinda township, near Cairns , Queensland on Australia's mid-north coast, is a place known for the Devil's Pool, a group of waterholes known to be dangerous to young male travellers, but never claiming the lives of locals or females. There is some dispute about the dangers, that the geography of the place is naturally risky with the rocks and fast moving currents &em; yet an Aboriginal legend exists giving it the context of a historic curse. 

Curse to the United States presidency

Tecumseh's curse was reputed to cause the deaths in office of Presidents of the United States elected in years divisible by 20, beginning in 1840 . This alleged curse appears to have fallen dormant, since Ronald Reagan, (elected in 1980) survived an assassination attempt.

Sports-related curses

A number of curses are used to explain the failures or misfortunes of specific sports teams, players, or even cities. For example:

The Curse of the Billy Goat is used to explain the failures of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, who have not won a World Series championship since 1908, and a National League pennant since 1945. 

There was the Curse of the Bambino, on the Boston Red Sox major league baseball team, who had not won a World Series since 1918 until the 2004 World Series , when the Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals , 4 games to 0. 

The "Krukow Kurse" is used to explain the San Francisco Giants ' failure to ever win the World Series . It is attributed to Mike Kruko (a former pitcher for the Giants and a current broadcaster for the team) based upon his yearly pre-season predictions that the Giants  "have a chance" to win the World Series . Once Krukow stops making such predictions- says the legend- the Giants will, in fact, win the World Series. 

Players who appear on the covers of either the Sports Illustrated  magazine  or the Madden NFL video game have tended to, coincidentally, suffer setbacks or injuries, immediately after appearing on either cover. 

Some think that the NHL's St. Louis Blues , Toronto Maple Leafsnd the Los Angeles Kings  are cursed. Each team has not won a Stanley Cup  championship, since 1967. For the Blues and Kings, 1967 was the season that each team joined the NH, also implying that each team has never won the Stanley Cup. 

There was the Curse of 1940, which was placed on the New York Rangers  for 54 years. But that curse was broken in the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, with a 4 games to 3 victory against the Vancouver Canucks 

There was an alleged curse placed on the Los Angeles Lakers , whenever they played the Boston Celtics  in the NBA Finals , especially at the old Boston Garden. Los Angeles lost to Boston 6 times in the Finals in the 1960s ('62, '63, '65, '66, '68, '69), and in the 1984 NBA Finals. In several matchups, infamous incidents have seemed to have favored the Celtics, and in series-clinching wins for Boston, legendary coach Red Auerbach was said to have pulled his famous "victory cigar," and puffed it in front of the Lakers' bench. But the "leprechaun jinx" ended, with the Lakers' 4 games to 2 victory over the Celtics, in the 1985 NBA Finals . The Lakers' celebration was at Boston Garden, which would be the only time in the garden's history that a team other than the Celtics won the NBA championship in that building. 

There are alleged curses on the cities of Buffalo , Cleveland, Houston, Philadelphia 2C, San Diego, and Seattle ; which are believed to have a major league sports championship curse, meaning that any major league franchise that settles in that city are unable to win a sports championship, even if they have powerful and talented teams, thus causing much heartbreak to their fans, and much joy to rivals. Houston did however managed to win back to back championships in the NBA in 1994 and 1995, thus the curse for Houston may have been broken. 

The Curse of 27

The Curse of 27 is the belief that 27 is an unlucky number due to the number of famous musicians and entertainers who have died at the age. Robert Johnson, Jim Morrison , Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix , Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Janis Joplin, Jonathan Brandis and Kurt Cobain  are all believed to have been affected by the curse of 27. This is also known as the 27 Club .

Cursed objects

Cursed objects are generally supposed to have been stolen from their rightful owners or looted from a sanctuary. The Hope Diamond is supposed to bear such a curse, and bring misfortune to its owner. The stories behind why these items are cursed vary, but they usually are said to bring bad luck or to manifest unusual phenomena related to their presence. The idea has broad pop-culture appeal, from eponymous object in the 1902 horror short story "The Monkey's Paw ", to the ancient Greek story of Pandora's Box  to the "Lament Configuration" puzzle box in the modern Hellraiser movie series. The television show Friday the 13th: The Series dealt with a hoard of cursed antiques sold by an evil man that gave their owners various powers in return for killing. Once cursed, the objects were indestructible and had to be stored in a special vault. This is an example of placing a new curse onto an otherwise neutral object which was then used as a cursed object to purportedly bring a curse to a person or place. This is similar to the practice of recording a spoken curse onto a media such as a cassette tape  (sometimes then known as "witch's tape ") or recordable CD  which is then left at the area to be cursed.

Egyptian curses and mummies

Limestone donation-stele from Mendes , 3rd Intermediate Period, Dynasty XXII . The inscription celebrates a donation of land to an Egyptian temple, and places a curse on anyone who would misuse or appropriate the land. 

There is a broad popular belief in curses being associated with the violation of the tombs of mummified corpses, or of the mummies themselves. The idea became so widespread as to become a pop-culture mainstay, especially in horror films (though originally the curse was invisible, a series of mysterious deaths, rather than the walking-dead mummies of later fiction). The "Curse of the Pharaohs " is supposed to have haunted the archaeologists  who excavated the tomb of Pharaoh  Tutankhamun , whereby an imprecation was supposedly pronounced from the grave by the ancient Egyptian  priests, on anyone who violated its precincts. Similar dubious suspicions have surrounded the excavation and examination of the (natural, not embalmed) Alpine mummy, "Ötzi the Iceman ". While such curses are generally considered to have been popularized and sensationalized by British journalists of the 19th century, ancient Egyptians were in fact known to place curse inscriptions on markers protecting temple or tomb goods or property.

NOTES AND SCRITPURE READING

On his return he receives refreshment and blessing from a native prince who is priest to the most high God.  #Ge 14:1-12 

"in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim, 2  They made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (which is Zoar). 3  All these came together in the valley of Siddim (which is the Salt Sea). 4  For twelve years they were under the rule of Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they put off his control. 5  And in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings who were on his side, overcame the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6  And the Horites in their mountain Seir, driving them as far as El-paran, which is near the waste land. 7  Then they came back to En-mishpat (which is Kadesh), making waste all the country of the Amalekites and of the Amorites living in Hazazon-tamar.8  And the king of Sodom with the king of Gomorrah and the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is Zoar), went out, and put their forces in position in the valley of Siddim, 9  Against Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar: four kings against the five. 10  Now the valley of Siddim was full of holes of sticky earth; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were put to flight and came to their end there, but the rest got away to the mountain. 11  And the four kings took all the goods and food from Sodom and Gomorrah and went on their way. 12  And in addition they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who was living in Sodom, and all his goods.13 ¶  Then a soldier who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew what had happened. He was living next to the oak trees belonging to Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner. (These men were Abram’s allies.) 14  When Abram heard that his nephew had been captured, he armed his 318 trained men, born in his own household, and pursued the four kings all the way to Dan. 15  He split up his men to attack them at night. He defeated them, pursuing them all the way to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16  He brought back everything they had, including women and soldiers. He also brought back his relative Lot and his possessions. 17 ¶  After Abram came back from defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley).18  Then King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. 19  He blessed Abram, and said, "Blessed is Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth. 20  Blessed is God Most High, who has handed your enemies over to you." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 ¶  The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, and keep everything else for yourself." 22  But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I now raise my hand and solemnly swear to the LORD God Most High, maker of heaven and earth,23  that I won’t take a thread or a sandal strap. I won’t take anything that is yours so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’24  I won’t take one single thing except what my men have eaten. But let my allies Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share."

The raid is minutely described in #Ge 14:1-12. The dominant confederacy consists of four kings of Mesopotamia. Many generations back the first world power, consisting of four cities, was established by Nimrod, son of Ethiopia (black people)  in the land of Shinar. {#Ge 10:8-10 } This has now given way to a world-confederacy, consisting of four kings. From the vicinity of the places in which they reigned it is evident that they were petty princes of domains varying from a town and its suburbs to a comparatively extensive territory. The first, Amraphel, is king of Shinar. He is therefore the successor of Nimrod, and the sovereign of the most ancient kingdoms, and on these grounds occupies the first place in the list. But this kingdom is no longer the sole or even the supreme power. Amraphel is probably the descendant of Nimrod, and a Kushite. The second, Ariok, is king of Ellasar. If this town be the same as Larsa, lying between the Frat and the Shat el-Hie, the land of Shinar has been divided between two sovereigns, and no longer belongs entirely to the successor of Nimrod. Lower Shinar includes also Ur of the Kasdim; and hence, Ariok probably represents that race. The third, Kedorlaomer, is king of Elam, or Elymais, a country east of the lower Tigris, and separated by it from Shinar. He is probably a Shemite, as the country over which he ruled received its name from a son of Shem. {#Ge 10:22 } He is the lord paramount of the others, and commander-in-chief of the united forces. Hence, the Hamite seems to have already succumbed to the Shemite. The fourth, Tidel, is designated “king of Goim.” Goim means nations; and it is doubtful whether it denotes here a special nation or a congeries of tribes. The Gentiles, especially so called, seem to have been Japhethites. {#Ge 10:5 } It is obvious that four nationalities are here leagued together, corresponding probably to the Kiprat arbat, four nations or tongues mentioned by Rawlinson (Anc. Mon. I p. 69). But Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, is clearly not a Kushite. The only question seems to be whether he is a Shemite or a Japhethite, or Arian, in which race the Shemite was ultimately absorbed. If the former alternative be adopted, we may have two Shemite languages among the four. If the latter be accepted, Kedorlaomer is an Arian; Tidal, a Turanian; Amraphel, a Hamite; and Ariok, a Shemite. In either case the Kushite has become subordinate, and a Japhethite or a Shemite has attained the predominance. 

BIBLE DICTIONARY

FIGHT

Ex 14:14  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Ex 17:9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

De 1:30  The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

De 1:42  And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

De 3:22  Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.

De 20:4  For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

De 20:10  When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

Jos 10:25  And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good 1Sa 8:20  That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

 1Sa 15:18  And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

1Sa 17:9  If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

1Sa 17:10  And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.

1Ki 20:23  And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

2Ch 20:17  Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

2Ch 32:2  And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 32:8  With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Ne 4:14  And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.:20  In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

Ps 35:1  « A Psalm of David. » Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

Ps 144:1  « A Psalm of David. » Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

Isa 19:2  And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

Isa 29:7  And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.

Isa 29:8  It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

Isa 31:4  so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

Jer 1:19  And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

Jer 15:20  And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

Jer 21:4  Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city :5  And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.

Jer 51:30  The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.

Da 10:20  Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.

Zec 10:5  And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.

Zec 14:3  Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

Zec 14:14  And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.

Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Ac 5:39  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

Ac 23:9  And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

2Ti 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Heb 10:32  But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Jas 4:2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Re 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Isa 30:32  De 1:41  De 2:32 Jos 9:2 Jos 11:5  Jos 19:47  Jud 1:1  Jud 1:3  Jud 1:9  Jud 8:1  Jud 9:38  Jud 10:9  Jud 10:18  Jud 11:6 Jud 11:8 Jud 11:9 Jud 11:12Jud 11:9  Jud 11:12  Jud 11:25  Jud 11:32  Jud 12:1  Jud 12:3  Jud 20:20  1Sa 4:9 1Sa 13:5  1Sa 17:20 1Sa 17:32  1Sa 17:33 1Sa 18:17 1Sa 28:1 1Sa 29:8  2Sa 11:20  1Ki 12:21  .1Ki 12:24  Jer 32:5  Jer 32:24  Jer 32:29  Jer 33:5 Jer 34:22 37:8 37:10 41:12  Da 11:11  1Ki 20:25  .1Ki 20:26  1Ki 22:31  1Ki 22:32 2Ki 3:21  2Ki 10:3  2Ki 19:9  2Ch 11:1  2Ch 11:4  2Ch 13:12  2Ch 18:30 2Ch 18:31  2Ch2Ch 18:30 2Ch 18:31  2Ch 35:20  2Ch 35:22 Ne 4:8  Ps 56:2