Scripture

This is what the sovereign Lord says, “I am against all your magic charms which you use to entangle my people like birds. I will tear them from your arms, setting my people free like birds set free from a cage.”

Observation

Ezekiel prophesies against false prophets. They do not hear or see from the Lord but prophesy from their own imaginations. They say, “This message is from the Lord,” even though the Lord never sent them. These false prophets will be banished from the community of Israel and they will never again set foot in their own land.

The false prophetesses are also condemned by the Lord. They tie magic charms to the wrists of God’s people and provide them with magic veils. They trap the souls of these people and speak lies to them.

The Lord hates the magic charms and magic veils. He will tear them off the people and set them free. The Lord will rescue his people from their grasp.

Application

Every so-called magic charm, spell or false prophecy is from Satan. Attempting to control other people is witchcraft and it is evil.

What is particularly bad is when people dress themselves up in Christian images and use Christian terminology while mixing in magic or occultic practices. This makes the Lord angry, because it is attacking the faithful, the elect, the church.

Sadly this is all too common in parts of the Pentecostal and charismatic churches. You can buy prayer shawls and holy oil that are supposed to make your prayer more effective. This is deception and it is from Satan.

Beware of men and women who claim to speak on behalf of God, but use ungodly methods, charms and mantras.

Listen

Lord, in what other ways may christians be misled by those who claim to speak for you but are really agents of satan?

Keith, there are many preachers who claim to speak on my behalf, but are really just preaching their own ideas. The so-called progressive preachers just copy the values of the world and then claim they speak for me. The extreme Pentecostal preachers sell trinkets at huge markup and claim it is all from me.

I made the world and everything in it. I have no need of trinkets to entice me to answer prayers.

I love all my people. I will work out all of their lives for good if they will trust me and not their TV preacher.

The test of every ministry is this. Do they draw people to me or to themselves?