How should Exodus 22:18 influence our approach to spiritual warfare? The Command in Context • “You must not allow a sorceress to live.” (Exodus 22:18) • Given to Israel immediately after the Ten Commandments, the verse stands among civil and moral laws safeguarding covenant purity. • The death penalty underscores how seriously God views occult involvement—anything that places demonic power in competition with His sovereignty. Unchanging Spiritual Principle • Though the civil penalty was unique to the theocratic nation of Israel, the moral principle endures: sorcery is diametrically opposed to God’s rule (Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Galatians 5:19-21). • Spiritual warfare, therefore, starts with the same zero-tolerance mindset toward every form of occult practice. What This Looks Like Today • Refuge in Christ, not in charms, horoscopes, crystals, spells, or “white magic.” • Immediate renunciation of any occult objects, literature, or media (Acts 19:18-20). • Refusal to seek hidden knowledge or power outside of Scripture and prayer. • Discernment about entertainment that normalizes witchcraft (Ephesians 5:11). Confronting Occult Darkness with Gospel Light • Proclamation—declare the supremacy of Christ over every realm (Colossians 2:15). • Exposure—lovingly but firmly identify occult deception when it appears (Acts 13:6-12). • Deliverance—pray for and, when necessary, cast out demonic influence in Jesus’ name (Acts 16:16-18). Personal Armor for the Battle • Truth around the waist—know God’s Word to spot counterfeit power. • Righteous breastplate—keep no hidden sin that gives evil a foothold. • Gospel shoes—advance with confidence that Christ liberates captives. • Shield of faith—extinguish fiery darts of fear or fascination with the supernatural. • Helmet of salvation—guard the mind from curiosity that drifts into compromise. • Sword of the Spirit—speak Scripture aloud against demonic lies (Ephesians 6:10-18). Community Responsibilities • Teach children early to reject witchcraft; it’s not harmless fantasy. • Offer compassionate counsel to new believers disentangling from occult backgrounds. • Hold one another accountable; no dabbling, no secret indulgence, no mixed loyalties. Hope-Filled Confidence • “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) • Because Christ has already triumphed, we engage in warfare from victory, not for victory. |
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