Satan has used this deception since time immemorial, beginning with the Garden of Eden, luring people into thinking he is on their side rather than against them. An ally rather than an enemy.
Witchcraft's burgeoning popularity is being fueled by contemporary culture, the film industry, and social media. As pop culture portrays Satan as the "good guy," an increasing number of young people begin to perceive him as the "angel of light."
Satan has used this deception since time immemorial, beginning with the Garden of Eden, luring people into thinking he is on their side rather than against them. An ally rather than an enemy. The depiction of the enemy as the benevolent ally in popular culture and mainstream media is perhaps the most blatant evidence of this deception.
Take a moment to consider Harry Potter's massive popularity among young people. Throughout the film, sorcery and the occult are prominent themes. These are vile practices that infuriate God.
Leviticus 20:6 “I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.”
Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Pixar and Disney's upcoming animated film "Turning Red" has recently generated much discussion and debate. A 13-year-old girl who magically transforms into a giant red panda in this coming-of-age story has been deemed demonic and disturbing by some members of the Christian community.
Sadly, many Christians have grown desensitized to the film industry's portrayal of dark forces as the "good guys," Thus, many are becoming tolerant of these types of TV shows and films.
God’s Mandate to Parents
Parents are accountable for leading their children on the right path. It is a parent's duty to steer children away from evil by guiding them into the light of God's truth.
Thus, allowing our children to get desensitized to movies glorifying the very things God forbids is an affront to God and a disservice to our children.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 [NIV] “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and your gates.”
Contemporary Culture Weakens the Bond Between Parents and Children
Due to our busy lifestyles and liberal ideologies in today's culture, parent-child relationships are increasingly strained.
Family life continues to be disrupted by today's hectic lifestyle, distorted moral standards, and the ease with which modern devices are accessed. Therefore, misunderstanding, hostility, and rifts within families become more prevalent. And as conflicts between parents and children become more frequent, young people seek guidance from their peers and from unsavory personalities they follow on social media, such as influencers advocating witchcraft.
What Attracts Young People to Witchcraft?
Young people often turn to witchcraft in order to gain control of their chaotic lives.
It has been reported that even children with Christian parents engage in witchcraft and occult practices without their parents' knowledge.
Some started dabbling in magic and sorcery after watching a movie about witchcraft. It does not matter whether the movie extols the virtues of witchcraft or highlights the dangers of the practice; young people are still seduced to engage in spellcasting as a way to "feel a bit more powerful.”
In one case, one woman recounted how a movie she watched as a teenager highlighted the devastating consequences of witchcraft, yet she still chose to engage in it. Here is a link to her testimony.
Keeping Your Children Safe from Witchcraft
Keep an eye on online activities.
Check to see if your children are watching online rituals related to the occult. Children have the right to privacy, but when their lives are in danger, parents have the right to intervene. As parents, God has entrusted us with the responsibility of raising and guiding our children to the best of our ability.
Don’t let our busy schedules get in the way of parental duties.
Know Their Friends
With the growing number of young people joining witchcraft, it is only reasonable to know if your child’s peers participate in magical arts or divination. Many young people are influenced by their friends. At this stage of their lives, they are predisposed to experiment with new things and are more susceptible to pushing the limits of what is possible.
Your Children Should Feel That You Are an Ally, Not an Enemy
One way to help shape our children's behavior and decisions is to strengthen our bond with them. Let them feel that you are for them and that you have their best interest at heart.
It is crucial to have a heart-to-heart conversation whenever possible to strengthen such a bond. As a result, they will be more receptive to our advice and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from harm.
Our strong relationship with them will make it easier for us to protect them from negative influences, as we will exert far more influence over them than the multitude of negative influences they are exposed to every day.
However, should our children see us more as an enemy than an ally, they will not listen to us and do exactly the opposite of what we advise them to do. Thus, if we fail to invest time in building a stronger relationship with them, we are inadvertently making them vulnerable to deceit and manipulation by devious individuals.
A Look at Witchcraft's Dangers through Personal Testimonies
To open our children’s eyes to the sinister side and the danger of witchcraft, you can show them real-life stories of people who have experimented with witchcraft and the tragic consequences that followed.
Here are links to videos of personal testimonies of women freed from witchcraft:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVgAZb2c6_U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H0vfeIntjE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0sEOsvivi4
Keep Your Family’s Faith in God Strong And Steadfast
Your family's belief in God can remain unwavering by spending a few minutes each day talking about God with your spouse and children. Do not let the sun go down without sharing God's words with your family.
By spending more time together praying and worshipping God, your whole family won't be easily deceived by the enemy’s wicked schemes.
Let us always be reminded that strong faith and loyalty to our Savior draw us closer to the heart of God and prevent us from falling prey to the devious plots of the enemy.
1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Make Your Children Aware of How Serious an Offense Witchcraft Is
The Bible is replete with warnings about the dangers of witchcraft and the gravity of such an offense. It was one of the deadly sins God forbade the Israelites from committing before entering the Promised Land.
Read to them God’s warnings about the danger of occultism.
Here are some Bible verses you can read to your kids so that they may understand the severity and the repercussions of such an offense:
Galatians 5:19-21 [ESV] Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Samuel 15:23 [ESV] For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
Leviticus 20:6 [ESV] “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
Deuteronomy 18:9-12 (NASB) "When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you.”
Please explain to them how these verses relate to their own lives in simple terms so they can understand the significance of these verses on a personal level.
Teach Our Children to Love And Fear God
Instill in our children a holy fear and a deep love for God by teaching them God's words as well as living out the virtues of Scripture in our own lives, modeling to them the biblical principles they need to live by as they grow up.
We must do so because when our children are deeply rooted in the love and fear of God, they will reject evil practices and avoid harmful influences. The Spirit of the Lord will be with them and will guide them into all truths.
Thus, they cannot easily be tricked by the enemy's deceitful schemes, nor can they be negatively influenced by their peers.
Proverbs 9:10 [KJV] “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Know Thy Enemy
It is common for Christians to feel apprehensive about discussing spiritual attacks, the spirit realm, the devil, or any of his agents with their children. However, young people should be aware of these realities. If they don't know what danger is lurking around them, then they are not in a position to shield themselves from enemy attacks.
Defeating an unknown foe is impossible. Take heed of the adage, "Know thy enemy."
Knowing the enemy means knowing his strategy and tactics to defend yourself against the tricks, misdirection, and deception he constantly orchestrates against you.
But before discussing these things with them, we must first make them aware that God lives within them. They must be taught the absolute truth that God is more powerful than the enemy, and that all forces of evil cannot stand against anyone living in God's light.
Luke 10:19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.”
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