Exposing Prophetic Ministry Witchcraft
The prophetic ministry must guard against prophetic witchcraft. Jeremiah tells us about the rebellion hidden in the lives of profane prophets and priests. “And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err” (Jeremiah 23:13).
The word “folly” means to operate in rebellion and foolishness. Workers of witchcraft do foolish, even stupid, things that don’t make any sense. Then they say that God told them to do it. They will argue with their counsel saying things like, “I have heard from the Holy Spirit, and I am submitted and listen to Him only.” Statements like that are common and contrary to the Word of God, which teaches that there is safety in a multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14).
When you start thinking that you are more spiritual than others and that you are the only one that can hear from God, you’re in big trouble. When you think that you are the only one that’s got the truth, and the only one that receives revelation, or the only one that can prophesy, or the only one that knows the Word of God, you’re entering the realm of foolish rebellion. You’re well on your way to being overtaken by the spirit of witchcraft.
Jeremiah said that profane prophets and priest, “prophesy by Baal.”
Baal is a spirit of divination (false prophecy). Were these Samarian prophets and priests prophesying? Yes, yet when they prophesied it brought error and led people astray. Their prophetic words did not lead people into liberty and freedom from sin, but into sin’s bondage. That’s the result of prophetic witchcraft.
Witchcraft released through false prophecy (in Baal) can rob years from a person’s life. Prophetic divination only releases confusion and will never lead you closer to God. We must learn to submit to God and avoid folly, the foolishness of rebellion.
ISSUES OF SIN
“I have also seen in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah” (Jeremiah 23:14).
Notice the characteristics of prophetic witchcraft:
Adultery (betrayal and sexual sin)
Lying
Strengthening evildoers (compromise)
None return from wickedness (avoiding confrontation of sin that hinders repentance)
As Sodom and Gomorrah (unclean).
People that walk in witchcraft are subject to sexual sin and perversion, whether by viewing pornography where no one can see them except God or by flirting with girls or boys in the church.
I prayed for a young man once and smelt a strange odor and knew by the Spirit of God that it was a homosexual spirit. All homosexual spirits are unclean spirits. When I discerned what it was, I said to the spirit, “Come out of him!” Instantly, the spirit slammed the young man to the floor and came out.
Unbeknownst to me, the young man was the pastor’s son. Children of ministers are trophies to demonic powers. The pastor later told me that many prophets had attended his church, but he had never seen any of them cast out unclean spirits. I thought that was a terrible reflection on the true prophet’s ministry that carries a responsibility of dealing with matters of sin and holiness. You cannot be a true prophet and ignore sin.
People that walk in witchcraft avoids dealing with issues of sin. The devil doesn’t want to expose his strategies. True prophets, however, always deal with issues of sin (Lamentations 2:14). That doesn’t mean that God will publicly embarrass someone. Don’t forget that there is a prophetic statesmanship used with the seasoned prophet.
SMOOTH SAYINGS
Jeremiah tells us that witchcraft operates through smooth sayings and refuses to turn people from sin.
“Thy prophets have seen vain, and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment” (Lamentations 2:14).
These are the false prophets who prophesy smooth sayings. Smooth sayings are prophetic words that people want to hear. They are full of flattery and words that mean nothing.
Workers of witchcraft prophesy worthless and misleading sayings that lead people to wrong conclusions because they feed and fuel spiritual pride and idolatry. True prophetic operations will expose sin for the purpose of deliverance and to keep someone from being ensnared by deception. The Holy Spirit always uncovers and reveals sin to keep one’s soul from going to hell.
LYING
Again, Jeremiah, speaking about the prophets of Jerusalem says, “they commit adultery and walk in lies” (Jeremiah 42:14).
For emphasis, we could read this scripture, “I have also seen among the workers of witchcraft a horrible thing, committing adultery and walking in lies.”
The spirit of witchcraft will lie to you without conscious. It’s time to tag these false prophets on their lies and break free from their deception.
Someone once told me that they had the prophetic word from the Lord for a particular meeting. It puzzled me because I felt like I had the word from the Lord for the meeting, but I didn’t say anything to her. She began to tell everybody connected to the meeting that she had the word from the Lord. Because of her persistence, like others, I started to believe her. I thought, “Well, God, I know that you have given me a prophetic word for this particular meeting, and I know that your word doesn’t have to come through me, that’s up to you. So whatever you want to do is OK with me.”
The next day, however, the girl that was telling everyone that she had the word from the Lord then said that she didn’t have the word from the Lord. It’s interesting, you either have it, or you don’t. Sometime during the night, she lost it.
Then she said somebody else had the word of the Lord for the meeting – her friend. I found out later that she was only trying to promote her friend’s ministry. That hidden agenda is called manipulation and is witchcraft in operation. Do you see how dangerous and crazy this can get? (This woman was Jezebel’s eunuch. If you are interested in learning more about Jezebel and her eunuchs, check out my book Jezebel: Seducing Goddess of War.) Those operating in witchcraft will mask a lie in spiritual activity to promote their hidden agendas.
NO GUTS, NO GRIT, NO BACKBONE
Those who operate in witchcraft often accuse God of changing His mind. Do you know what their problem is? They need to stop saying, “God said.”
Jeremiah tells us, “They walk in lies and encourage and strengthen the hands of evildoers.” They encourage the hands of evildoers by agreeing with their error and refusing to correct them of their sin. These workers of witchcraft have no backbone and are full of compromise. They say things that are politically or religiously correct at the moment according to the camp they are with.
The most disappointing thing about the workers of witchcraft is “they strengthen the hands of evil doers.” Because they lack the willingness to speak out against unrighteousness and sin, “none returns from his wickedness.”
PROFANENESS
Finally, Jeremiah tells us that witchcraft left unchallenged, will pollute the whole land.
“Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: ‘Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem profaneness has gone out into all the land’” (Jeremiah 23:15).
Those that operate in spiritual witchcraft release confusion everywhere they go. Once a man told me about a conflict he had with what God said to him versus what prophets said to him. He said, “God spoke to me and told me that I am supposed to go to the nation of Brazil.”
That got my attention because I love to meet people who are responding to God’s call to the nations. But then he said that another prophet told him that the Spirit of God was saying he was supposed to go to Columbia. Then, to top that, another prophet said that God told him to go to Argentina.
The man said he was confused and didn’t want to miss God. He asked me what I thought. I asked him to tell me what God said to him again. His response was that God only spoke to him about going to Brazil. “Well, that’s your answer,” I told the man.
The point is that it doesn’t matter if an angel from heaven came down and told you something contrary to what God has told you. You should not be listening to anyone but God. Whether a star from the Hollywood prophets – a superstar or a wandering star – you need to do what God told you to do. He will never violate the witness in your spirit or the scriptures. The only thing you need a prophet for at that point is for confirmation and perhaps timing. Prophecy regarding the other nations could have been in the man’s future or nothing more than the operation of witchcraft designed to confuse the man.
CONFIRMATION
We need confirmation to guard us against the manipulation of witchcraft’s operations. There is a “safety net” for all prophetic utterance. That safety net is called confirmation. When God prophesies to you, He is, often, doing so to confirm what He has already placed in your heart.
Upon receiving a prophetic word, you should submit it to the safety net of confirmation like your pastor (Hebrews 13:17). Your pastor is the only one who will have to give account to God for you. Run your dreams, visions and prophecies by him first before doing anything foolish.
Perhaps you have never received a prophecy but are sure that God has spoken to your heart. I have had the same thing, too. I was at a meeting once where prophets were prophesying over everyone except me. I didn’t get a prophecy. I began to feel like maybe something was wrong. All those prophets actively engaged in delivery, but every one of them stayed clear of me. They didn’t come anywhere near me.
When the meeting was over, I asked God, “Why didn’t you give me a prophecy?” He said to me, “You didn’t need one.” If you, however, do receive a personal prophecy, then it is important to submit it to the safety net of your spiritual leader.
LEARNING TO SAY NO
Jeremiah tells us that witchcraft does not come from the Spirit of God, nor should we listen to its message.
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the LORD’” (Jeremiah 23:16).
Whenever God speaks to you prophetically, He brings:
Direction
Focus
Identity
Confirmation
He quickens you and gives you an assurance that you are going in the right direction. He never brings confusion and wondering, but an assured knowing that you are doing the right thing.
Neither does God release a prophetic word to get into your pocketbook. The Holy Spirit is not a merchandiser. You will never see God hold up and envelope and say, “Anybody that has a hundred dollars, I will give you a prophetic word or pray for your healing.” God will never do that – that’s witchcraft!
If you find yourself in a meeting like that, then get up and leave and don’t go back. If they do things like that in the church you attend, then question your leader. If it persists, then find another church.
Finally, Jeremiah tells us that witchcraft will steal God’s words to deceive. This means that false prophets will sound like the real thing.
“Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith” (Jeremiah 23:30-31).
Those who operate in witchcraft listen intently for true prophetic sayings. They break those sayings down into “buzz words” and repeat them to appear spiritual – that, too, is witchcraft.
ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS
The following questions will help you identify if you have been a victim of prophetic witchcraft.
Have you ever had conflicting personal prophecy and were very confused or hurt by it?
Have you ever received a personal prophecy and it just did not witness with your spirit?
Have you ever heard anyone say, “I am submitted and listen only to the Holy Spirit?”
Do you hear people repeatedly say, “God said”? Does it seem, however, that God is continually changing His mind?
Do you submit prophecies, dreams and visions to your pastor to judge and examine them?
Has anyone ever said they would give you a prophecy in exchange for money?
Have you ever felt that you could prophesy, and it would manipulate someone to do what you wanted?
Did you ever prophesy because you felt a strong pull on you from the people or because you had a reputation to live up to?
Did you ever prophesy because you wanted people to know how spiritual you were?
Have you ever heard someone pray a prayer that was intended to manipulate?
DRIVEN PROPHETS
When you are in prophetic ministry and enter a territory in which witchcraft is operating, it is important to be careful that you receive the unction (permission) of the Holy Spirit to prophesy (2 Peter 1:20-21).
I have seen true prophets prophesy in false operations because they tapped into the spirit of divination that was resident in the territory. I write more on this subject in my book Prophetic Operations. Without a strong unction, it is possible to tap into man-pleasing prophetic divination that feeds the idolatry in someone’s heart (Ezekiel 14).
Jeremiah says that profane prophets and priest are not stable and are driven into slippery places.
“For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house, have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:11-12).
Jeremiah speaks of “slippery ways in darkness.” This speaks of ambiguous prophetic sayings that produce nothing but instability in the people. Witchcraft cannot produce stability.
True prophets build stable believers. Profane prophets produce flaky believers. Profane prophets and priest lack inner peace and are frantically driven. Hitler was driven. Alexander the Great was driven. False prophets are driven. Workers of witchcraft, too, are driven. God doesn’t drive his servants; He leads them ever so gently. Those operating in witchcraft, however, have a driving force egging them on. It’s witchcraft. It’s slippery. It leads to dark places, and it’s not from God.
REFLECTION
True prophets build stable believers.
Profane prophets produce flaky believers.
The word “folly” means to operate in rebellion and foolishness.
Smooth sayings are prophetic words that people want to hear.
Those who operate in witchcraft often accuse God of changing His mind.
Witchcraft releases confusion.
When God speaks prophetically, He brings direction, focus, identity, and confirmation to your life.
The Holy Spirit is not a merchandiser.
