A Teaching By Bro. Essien Ekong (Bishop)

12/14/2014 1

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, SANGOTEDO

SUPERSTITION, DREAMS, DEMONS AND WITCHCRAFT

DEFINITION

Superstition:

To exercise willingness to believe in the

supernatural. A widely held but irrational belief in

supernatural influences.

INTRODUCTION

We live in a world that has been led astray by

countless imagination of men who have long

forgotten the word of God. Satan is alive and

doing well through the deception of men.Though

the gospel has bound the defeated Satan in the

lives of Christians, he is still roaming through the

power of lies that religious men promote and

control lives of the innocent, ignorant and

gullible.

It is the responsibility of the Christians to arise and

preach the truth in order to defeat and break the

strangle hold that satanic believes has on them through

superstitious believes, fear and bondage. This is the time

for boldness to stand on the promises of God and extol

the mighty powers of God over trivial and ancestral

beliefs and fears based on countless deceptions that

exist throughout the world. “Fear Not Little Flock…” “He

that is in us is greater than he that is in the world”. “Take

heed that no one deceives you” Matt. 24:4

ARE THERE DEMONS, WITCHES, PRINCIPALITIES?

Occult practices have been with mankind since the time

man deviated from the knowledge of God. They will

surely be till Jesus comes again.

In recognizing man’s vulnerability to such practices, God

gave a stern warning that Christians should not partake

in occult practices or be deceived into believing in their

powers and being led away from divine direction. God’s

people should be concerning such workings

because God has warned us before hand that Satan is

capable of holding men captive and giving pre-eminence

to his power and ability to harm men.

These mysterious happenings tend to occur somewhere

else

“Did you hear?...”

“We have heard that…”

Satan exists and is at work in the

He still goes about like a roaring lion in the world of

unbelief, seeking those he may devour. His power lies in

the willingness of men to doubt God or underestimate

God’s omnipotence and follow after deception.

and understand that

there is no room or need for fear. We are more than

conquerors through Him who loved us. There is nothing

we cannot conquer through Jesus.

If there is still fear in us concerning those things we

cannot understand, then we are still weak in our

understanding of the power of God that works in us to

give us victory over fear.

•Examples of occult practices

1. Magic

2. Astrology

3. Fortune telling

4. Satanism

5. Spiritism

6. Witchcraft

7. Dream analysts, Extra sensory perception, palmistry,

Yoga meditations. e.t.c

WHAT SHOULD WE DO

Throughout the Bible we are commanded to

(Ps. 40:3,4; 62:1-2)

Prov.3:5-7. The

word of God is like a lamp into our feet, the light into

our paths (Ps.119:105).

The word of God is able to thoroughly equip us for every

good work (2Tim 3:16-17). His divine power has

through

the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue

(2Pet.1:3-5)

If one must follow God, therefore,

Man cannot believe in the lies of

deception and at the same time accept the truth of

God’s word. We should be looking into Jesus the author

and finisher of our faith (Jn. 14:13;15:16;16:13)(James 1:2-

5,16,17). The (Jn.

14:26) that is necessary for godly living.

“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and

empty deceit, according to the tradition of men,

according to the basic principles of the world, and not

according to Christ. For in Christ dwells the God head

bodily and

(Col. 2:8-10)

Once we accept Christ, we are buried with Him in

baptism, raised with Him through faith. We are dead in

our trespasses and made alive together with Him. He has

forgiven all our trespasses, wiping away all that was

against us. He has taken away our sins by nailing it on

the cross.

Col. 2:11-15

If we continue to fear and tremble over what devils,

witches, demons, e.t.c can do to us, we are diminishing

God’s powers and elevating witches unto undue

prominence and pride of place.

A true Christian would claim victory over witches and

wickedness, principalities and powers because

. If

we jointly ignore their powers and ability to harm us

since we are in Christ, we will not be distracted or

enslaved or live in fear of what they can do.

OUR OMNIPOTENT GOD

For by Him (Jesus) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on

earth,

. All things were created through Him. He is the final authority for “with

God all things are possible” matt 19:26, mk. 10:27.God says “I am the Lord and

there is no other . There is no God besides me”(Isa 45:5)

.(Gen 18:14, Job 42:2) “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth” Rev 19:6SATAN CANNOT TAKE JESUS SHEEP: Jn. 10:27-28

If the sheep choose to remain with Jesus, Satan cannot harm or take them

away. Satan can be resisted by men who choose to submit to the will of God.

“Resist the Devil and he will flee from thee”. (James 4:7)

MAKE A CHOICE

Man is a free-moral agent . He can determine his destiny

by the choices he makes in relation to God’s law. How

much pain and suffering do we inflict upon ourselves

and others because of bad choices?

, that both you and your

descendants may live without fear and intimidation

(Deut. 30:19-20)

If you are free in Christ, then you cannot be cursed by

someone else.

. This is possible psychologically

if the one cursed chooses to give up his will to another.

However if the one who is cursed refuses to submit his

will, then the one who places the curse has no influence

over him whatsoever.

(NO WEAPONS FASHIONED AGAINST ME SHALLPROSPER) This is why those in Ephesus who believed

found freedom from magical arts and the trickery of

men. (Acts 19 & 20)

The word of God prevailed (Acts 19:20) Because men believed it

and not the false alarming and pretentious powers of witchcraft

and sorcerers. It is the deception of “clever” men that is used to

oppress the hearts of the ignorant and gullible. It is through the

word of truth that we gain knowledge of how God actually allows

Satan to work.

. Therefore, man

, for “the secret things

belongs to the Lord our God. Deut.29:29

Paul worked into the world of mystics and witches when he

evangelized the Gentile world. Not for one minute did he give

credit to any so called miraculous or supernatural powers that

were supposedly being exercised by witches and medium.NO APOSTOLIC EXAMPLES!!

PERSONAL EXAMPLES

1. The great owl that flew to DOREN

2. The Muslim Girl burning incense and candles in my

office at 3am

3. The house girl who confessed to being a witch

TEASERS

What would you do if someone confesses to

being a witch in our midst.

What would you do if your housemate

“confesses” to being a witch or demon.

What would we do if we see an old woman being

stoned for “confessing” to killing someone through

witchcraft.

CONCLUSION

The Bible is truth.

. A Christian

has .

Those who choose God can deliver themselves from a world that

is tossed to and fro by every mystical belief that is conjured up in

the minds of misguided deceivers who have forsaken the

knowledge of God. (Eph 4:14)

We have a choice as to whether we accept the word of God and

its powers or turn to those who “lie in wait” to deceive.

I pray we make the right choice ALWAYS.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL