WHO HATH BEWITCHED YOU?
Rev. Michael G. Blankenship
( sermon notes )

Gal 3:1 "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

When you say "bewitched" the 60's & 70's generation thinks of Samantha Stevens. This is very deceptive. Make no mistake about it … Witchcraft is not vogue in the scripture! And it is alive and well in the 90's.

God was laying down some rules to live by in the book of Exodus when he stated the following…

Exodus 22: 16 "And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. 19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death."

Then he says… 18 "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

I REMIND THE CHURCH TONIGHT and our Youth who have a fascination with this junk that palm readers, tarot cards, ougi boards, seances, Psychic Friends Network! Are to be avoided!

Duet 18: 10 "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. 15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

WITCHCRAFT IS A SIN! It is a form of idolatry. The only supernatural power you need is in God! And if you need some direction from the Lord then you need to find a man of God to help you! We need to be a people that is fascinated by God and not a counterfeit Devil! He is nothing but a counterfeit anyway!

Paul said in Gal 5 that Witchcraft was a "work of the flesh" - ""And they do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God!"

Listen to God's words about King Manasseh… (IN REFERENCE TO THIS TOPIC)

II Chron 33:1 "Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses. 9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. 10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

Witchcraft had led them to not listen to the voice of God. There is something worse then being blind and that is being blind and stubborn at the same time!

the greatest threat to your spiritual walk is
stubborn pride!

King Saul is an example: God has chosen him, blessed him, anointed & appointed him! But arrogant pride rose up in him; he became stubborn. Saul would not admit his sins or wrong doings! He blamed others for his actions and created a shallow facade!

I Sam 15: 22 "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Then Saul asked Samuel to pray with him but Samuel said NO! and rather rent his mantle.

27 "And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. (David)

BUT DAVID DID SOME BAD SINS ALSO? Yes, but David truly repented! He said: "cleanse my heart" "don't take thy holy spirit from me". Remember what started all this? … Agag

32 "Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. 33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal."

Now back to the text…

3:1 "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?"

BUT WAIT… This is not witchcraft! The Greek word is different.

In other words… WHO HAS BEEN LYING TO YOU?

II Cor 4: 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

GOD'S SPIRIT IS HERE TO BREAK THE SPIRIT OF LIES & DECEPTION! Our part is to render ourselves tender and pliable! You might say "No! It's ok, I can handle it; I'll be alright."

3 "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

How, pray tell, are you going to "handle it" without God's spirit? One of the cheifest areas of lies and deceptions is in regards to your feelings about the ministry!

I Tim 5: 19 "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses".

That is not just talking about physical people talking… but mental images and thoughts. The DEVIL is the ACCUSER of the Brethren!

II Tim 3: 3:1 "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good

Who do you hang out with? Are they always grumpin' about the Church? LISTEN: God has begun a good work in so many in these alters… Its time to come home!

Gal 5: 7 "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be."

Who Hath Bewitched You? It is time to confront the lies you have been believing!

9-21-96 AUPC (Sun/PM)

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