FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God .” Witchcraft is a work of the flesh, and while it can be energized by a spirit, it originates in the flesh. In its simplest form witchcraft is manipulation. It is trying to get someone else to do for them what a person should do for themselves, or should not do at all. We see this in the story of Simon the sorcerer who was a high-level sorcerer and very adept in witchcraft and sorcery. When he saw the works of Peter and John, and heard the gospel, he received the Lord, yet had not changed so quickly from his old habits and when he attempted to buy the ministry gift of apostle he was rebuked by Peter who said: Acts 8:20 “But Peter said to him, "Y our money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." 24 Then Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me." Notice that Peter gave clear instructions to Simon on what to do to repent of his sin “ pray to God .” Yet Simon subtly turns this and attempts to get Peter to do for him what he was just instructed to do “ Pray to the Lord for me .” This would be a welcome enough invitation under most circumstances, but in the case of witchcraft one must be very discerning because witchcraft has the power to defile through subtlety. Witchcraft and other works of the flesh can empower demonic spirits. Uncleanness, lewdness, hatred, contentions, jealousy, anger, selfish ambitions, heresies, and others can cause opening for spirits to be loosed to bring influence and manipulation. Jezebel used this against Elijah. In 1 Kings 17, 18 we have the record of the spiritual battle between Elijah the prophet and the forces of darkness most notably promoted by Jezebel and Ahab.

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