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Every year about this time there’s an onslaught of witchcraft attacks against me—and many people I know. This year the enemy used a different tactic. Since the spiritual forces of darkness could not slow me down by day, the attacks are coming at night.
First, let me explain what I mean by witchcraft. During Lent, some people have a tendency to exalt Mary, the mother of Jesus. But we know that's not God's will. God has "highly exalted Jesus and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee must bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that He is Lord, to the glory of the Father" (Phil 2:9-11). Let me be clear: I am not Catholic-bashing here. This is not about a religion or a denomination. It's about spiritual practices in which some are engaging.
Where Mary is exalted, I believe it empowers the spirit of Jezebel and her witchcrafts. Some people in some religions refer to Mary as the queen of heaven. But Ashtoreth, the chief pagan goddess of war and sex mentioned in the Old Testament, is also known as the queen of heaven. And it’s the Ashtoreth spirit that’s behind Jezebel. The Lord speaks of the queen of heaven in Jeremiah 7, noting that the people of Judah were giving offerings to other gods and provoking Him to anger. The Old Testament Jezebel’s father, Ethbal, was the high priest of the goddess.
What Witchcraft Feels Like
Again, exalting Mary seems to empower the queen of heaven, also known as Jezebel. When Mary is lifted up to a place where only Jesus belongs, it unleashes demonic activity in that territory. As demonic activity increases, people report feelings of oppression, fatigue, strong spiritual warfare against the mind that makes you feel like quitting, and even physical manifestations for which doctors can’t find a reason. Are you experiencing any of these things?
When witchcraft is particularly heavy in the spiritual climate, my eyes actually burn. Everything seems like a much bigger deal than it really is because witchcraft works to take your eyes off Jesus by magnifying the problem. The enemy can use people to release witchcraft against you through word curses, but this spiritual force seems to sometimes hang over your head like a dark cloud—unless you break it.
This year, witchcraft couldn’t get me by day. I was ready for the onslaught. So instead, witchcraft attacked me at night—in my sleep. I have had some of the worst nightmares in the last two weeks that I’ve ever had in my entire life. Things I won’t even speak out loud because the power of death and life is in the tongue. Indeed, the enemy wants me to speak out the disturbing pictures he offered to give them life. But I refuse. And I break that assignment in the name of Jesus!
What’s more, I’m waking up to especially nasty messages via email. Although it’s not unusual to get a nasty message, the religious spirits have come out in droves to attack—out of the blue. They are releasing shame upon me, making false accusations and otherwise releasing word curses over my life. I bind them in the name of Jesus, bless those who curse me, and move on.
Pushing Back Powers of Darkness
Of course, these witchcraft nightmares left me exhausted. Don’t you know it’s so much more difficult to work with one hand and battle with the other when you are physically exhausted? And to wake up to a string of email attacks from the religious spirit starts your day focusing on the wrong thing if you let it.
And if you let it, it’s all downhill from there. The devil wants your thoughts and words because then he can sway your actions. Thankfully, I discerned what was going on, and I’m changing my battle plans. I've spent many, many hours in worship and prayer seeking revelation on how I can better gird up the loins of my mind.
Always remember, we aren’t wrestling against flesh and blood, yet we do need to put on our whole armor and engage in the battle. Passivity isn’t going to deliver you from Jezebel’s witchcraft.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Cor. 10:3-6).
When it comes to witchcraft, we have to withstand it. The Amplified Bible says to “be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined]” (1 Pet. 5:9). It’s easy enough to give in to witchcraft, especially if you don’t know what is attacking you. So again, when you feel like giving up, when you feel tired for no reason, when you have strong confusion, when you are fighting an intense battle in your mind and when infirmities are manifesting, it could be witchcraft. Resist it at its onset. Cast it off. Submit yourself to God. "Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you" (James 4:7, AMP).
Again, submit yourself to the lordship of Christ. Exalt His name. Thank Him for His blood. Rejoice in the Lord. Praise and worship carry breakthrough. That’s often all it takes to change the spiritual climate in your home. And worship is where we should start because He is worthy of our adoration.
If worship doesn’t break the witchcraft, take authority over it in the name above all names. Witchcraft has to bow at the name of Jesus. But make sure you don’t have any common ground with the enemy. Repent for any rebellion in your heart, and surrender your will anew to God. Remember, we are more than conquerors in Christ, and no weapon formed against us can prosper—not even witchcraft. Our job is to be spiritually discerning enough to catch the devil at his onset, resist him, rebuke him and praise God for the victory. Amen.
Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Spiritual Warrior's Guide to Defeating Jezebel and The Making of a Prophet. You can email Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@charismamedia.com or visit her website at www.jenniferleclaire.org.
