"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." Taken from 1 Samuel 15:23 KJV
When we pray for someone, we need to take care that we pray according to the nature of God. If I inject my will into the prayer by asking God to do something against the person's will, this is poising my will against another's free will. It stems from the carnal nature and never carries out God's plan for the person. This, in a nutshell, is witchcraft.
Manipulation is an attempt to sway another against their will. Our society is corroded with this.
If a worship leader sees the people are struggling to get into it, he may say something like, "Come on, people, God deserves better." While this is true, trying to use pressure to achieve a result is a subtle attempt to manipulate others. Or he might say, "Come on, give the Lord a hand." Are you clapping in response to God or are you doing it because it's expected?
We are supposed to be led, not coerced into doing something. You may think I'm splitting hairs, but this is a very serious topic. Using manipulation is what the enemy does and when this is used by Christians, we are opening up others and perhaps ourselves to being oppressed by the enemy.
God highly values our free will and seldom interferes with it. Your thoughts?
When we pray for someone, we need to take care that we pray according to the nature of God. If I inject my will into the prayer by asking God to do something against the person's will, this is poising my will against another's free will. It stems from the carnal nature and never carries out God's plan for the person. This, in a nutshell, is witchcraft.
Manipulation is an attempt to sway another against their will. Our society is corroded with this.
If a worship leader sees the people are struggling to get into it, he may say something like, "Come on, people, God deserves better." While this is true, trying to use pressure to achieve a result is a subtle attempt to manipulate others. Or he might say, "Come on, give the Lord a hand." Are you clapping in response to God or are you doing it because it's expected?
We are supposed to be led, not coerced into doing something. You may think I'm splitting hairs, but this is a very serious topic. Using manipulation is what the enemy does and when this is used by Christians, we are opening up others and perhaps ourselves to being oppressed by the enemy.
God highly values our free will and seldom interferes with it. Your thoughts?