Sorcery

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For

the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these

are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh

are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities,

strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying,

drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I

have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the

kingdom of God.  Galatians 5:16-21 NASB

In this list of sins there is one sin I want to talk about today and that is sorcery. You may

Ask what does sorcery have in common with these habitual sins? . I believe all these sins

put you into bondage that eventually destroys us! The truth that sets us free from these

sins is self-control I also believe sorcery is alive and well under a different name illegal

drug use.

When the word is spoken, image s of witches and wizards come to mind and of course

Halloween. Harry Potter and his adventures have put sorcery back in the news today.

Previous generations it was the show Bewitched! Galatians 5;19,20 Make clear that

Sorcery is a sin! So what is sorcery? Why is it a sin? What would it have to do with me?

Sorcery not a word that we hear every day!  Sorcery: Magic; enchantment; witchcraft;

divination be the assistance of evil spirits, or the power of commanding evil spirits

(Webster's) Sorcery, therefore, is the reliance on black arts or other forms of

supernatural insight or ability, and not a reliance on God . Magic tricks, which generally

involve illusion but not substance, are not really under discussion here.

Sorcery at it’s heart is the giving up of one’s self control to be in bondage to anything

involving forces other than God! Voodoo, magic spells, witchcraft in any form, including

Tarot card reading, psychic readings, séances also represent sorcery. Astrological

readings also, including horoscopes, also involve reliance on forces other than God

What is the big deal?

Most normal people find my opposition to such practices to be a little weird. I have had

many say to me, “What's the harm?” after all, it’s just a "little fun", with horoscopes and

psychic readings? It really is a good question.

From beginning to end in the Bible God has made clear there is only one God. Exodus

34:14 says; Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a

jealous God.

Sorcery does represent a concern and a threat, and should not be taken as lightly as it is!

The Bible makes it clear that our trust and confidence is to be in God alone Sorcery,

therefore, is no light matter, and is to be thoroughly avoided!

But what’s under the surface to Sorcery ? The Greek word provides an additional

concept we should consider. Gal 5;20 we read earlier the : Greek word for sorcery is

pharmakeia (pharmacy). Thayers Lexicon says; the use or the administering of drugs;

poisoning; sorcery,magical arts" (Thayer's) How do drugs fit into sorcery? We must

consider the healing profession in the ancient world While we today would separate

the scientific study of medicine from the black arts practices of "witch doctors", that

distinction was not kept in the ancient world.

The same doctor who would perform surgeries or give out medicine would also make

incantations to various gods or use magic or other black arts to effect a cure. They

would also use drugs to fall into a catatonic state under the control of spirits for a vision

or formula for healing.

When Paul used the word Sorcery his audiences sees some one using drugs to come

under the power of the spirits. Maybe, this can begin to help you see how Sorcery is

related to illegal use of Drugs.

As is well known, many drugs are consumed not for medical benefit but for recreational

purposes. We must understand there is a place and time for doctor prescribed

medications, because God uses that for our healing. But the truth is most use of

marijuana, cocaine, heroin, PCP, methamphetamines, crystal methadone, LSD, ecstasy,

opium, and abuse of prescription medications are to get high not to heal. The drugs are

enjoyed for "highs" and the ability to escape from the problems of life.

With the use of the Greek Word Pharmica it links sorcery and drug use-as a way we

trust or enjoy powers and forces other than God!

Be God's
 
Roger

A Bloody Popsicle

Sin and the destruction it brings, reminds me of the story of how Eskimos dealt with

wolves who killed their livestock. They would capture a rabbit or some other small game

and drain their blood. They would take a razor sharp double edged knife dip it into the

blood and then freeze it. By repeating this process numerous times, they would freeze

layer upon layer of animal blood around the deadly blade. In essence a blood popsicle

on a knife.

Then the villagers would take the knife to the outskirts of the village, where the wolves

had been active, and secure the blade on a stick. During the night, when a wolf would

come and smell the blood, he’d start licking and licking. As the wolf would lick away on

the bloodsicle, his tongue would become numb. So as his taste for blood would grow his

lust would cause him to lick faster and faster down and down to the razor sharp blade.

But by this time, because his tongue was so numb from the cold, he wouldn’t feel it as

the blade started slashing his tongue. In fact, what happens the taste of his own blood

would cause him to lick even faster.

By the time the wolf would figure out what was happening it was too late. His tongue

shredded and bleeding profusely, he’d wonder off and bleed to death! (Weird Craig
Groeschel)

Galatians 5:16-21 NASB says; But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out

the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit

against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do

the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,

factions,  envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn

you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not

inherit the kingdom of God.

Every one of these sins are a bloody popsicle sin! So what is normal in our society? 90%

of children between 8 and 16 have viewed Pornography online. Pornography use to be a

problem that affected men predominantly, now 1/3 of adult web sites are visited by

women. In 2009, a total of 650,843 young people aged 10–24 years were treated

in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries sustained from assaults. Nearly three out

of four (74%) of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of

domestic violence. Approximately 92% of U.S. adults who drink excessively report

binge drinking in the past 30 days.2 Although college students commonly binge drink,

70% of binge drinking episodes involve adults age 26 years and older. Some of the

results of excessive drinking are poverty, health problems from Heart issues to children

born with fetal alcohol Syndrome. Do you really want to be normal? Can you really say

you want to be In bondage to this sins?

Be God's

Roger Miller