If we deal with our roots- the things that go deep- within our souls and the things that entangle our souls from our conception, things that shape our views, our perceptions, our beliefs- the foundations of our lives…

If we plow that thing and untangle the foreign things that insert themselves as if they belong there, if we salt our roots with discipline and water it with the word, surely we will bear good fruit for our Master- the Living God.

Scripture makes an interesting analogy in 1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV 2000)– “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.”

Witchcraft- or a better translation of the Hebrew word Qesem is divination. In this scripture, “rebellion” is equated to divination. Divination is defined as “Communication with a deity for the purpose of determining the deity’s knowledge, resulting in clarification of a decision or discernment of the future. Two forms of divination developed in the ancient Near East, one using inductive manipulation of natural or human phenomena and the other taking intuitive forms of inner revelation.” (biblestudytools.com/dictionary)

In other words, this is a direct breaking of the command of the LORD ” Thou shalt have no other gods before me”. 

There are those who follow everything spiritual for answers. As believers, we are warned not to do this. But there are the subtle temptations that have embedded themselves in our culture- things like astrology in our daily news,  mediums on television shows, magic, and sorcery in blockbuster movies.

In our daily lives as believers in the MOST HIGH GOD, there must be a housecleaning.

In addition, when we harbor grudges and hate for our brethren, when we play the game of comparing ourselves to others, when we wish on others harm and ourselves prosperity- we are engaging in rebellion of GOD’s word and are aligning ourselves with the gods of this world. We are also practicing witchcraft …..

As believers, we need to ask God daily to cleanse us… our minds, motives, our hearts, and our souls. So that we can be filled with the LOVE of GOD, the Hope and Promise of His return, the FAITH to fight the war of temptation that taunts us daily.

Ps 51: 9-10 (NASB):  

Hide Your face from my sins
            And blot out all my iniquities.

      Create in me a clean heart, O God,
            And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Let us ask God to wash us in the water of HIS WORD and to renew our hearts and minds in HIS SPIRIT, that we may see, hear and know even as HE desires us to see, hear and know. Let us truly make the LIVING GOD the LORD of our Lives.

Amen