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Very definitely. Such drugs as peyote (which contains the hallucinogen mescalene) have been used in the past by North American Indians to commune with evil spirits. Indeed all drug-abuse in encouraged by Satan since it destroys human lives.Is the widespread use of legal mind-altering drugs an attempt from the Dark Side to enslave men and women so they can't think for themselves?
The word of faith movement pretty much has brought over into the church witchcraft under the label of Christianity!"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?
Misusing the word is always a bad idea. Intentional or not. I deal with Romans 10: 8-10 in my newesf thread if you are interested. ShalomThe word of faith movement pretty much has brought over into the church witchcraft under the label of Christianity!
I was convicted this morning on this exact thing. My husband is a very private man and went to a Quaker church growing up. He sits and hardly moves a muscle during the music. (And I dont know if this is how Quaker churches are, it is how I imagine it is).
But we were singing "Come now is the time to worship, come, just as you are to worship Him." And I thought about this convo I have been quiet on, and just had to pray to God about it. I was raised in a Baptist church where it was pretty strange to even lift your arms a little. Now I am all out freely worshiping, and am on praise team, but sometimes look into the congregation and think "what is wrong with everyone." Mostly standing with hands glued to the pew. And I think now, I used to be the same way, but the Holy Spirit was moving greatly in me. Though I feel more free now, it doesnt mean I should be thinking someone else's heart is in the wrong place. So yes, I get what you are saying. And instead of praying for people to worship the way I want them too, I need to be praying, that people will feel complete freedom to worship God just as they are. For me as well with my heart solely focused on Him.
Just like the name "methodist" was a way of deriding those who were in John Wesley's "cell groups", so was the name "quaker" given to the Early Quakers because they went into ecstatic states of quaking during their worship services. I imagine that their rigid stoic silence came as a reaction to that demeaning name observers gave to them.
Could it be that you are looking for approval or affirmation from the congregation? I would not recommend that you do this at your church service, but somewhere in the Samuels, David danced naked before the Lord, and God accepted it as worship due unto Himself.
Yes, a bit humorous, and perhaps risque, but my point is that we need to be concerned with worshiping God, and not the approval of other congregants.
As long as it's God's will, then pray whatever He says. ShalomYes, peace.
I'm just concerned about your idea that praying for something against a person's will is witchcraft.
I went to a new church once. During worship, I expressed myself to God as I like to. Afterward a woman came up to me and told me how she loved the way I worshipped. So I tamed it down a lot. Shalom.If I was concerned about that, I wouldnt be raising my hands up high in worship since hardly anyone else does. I dont dance naked or would I. And I may run around the house and dance at home when I listen to worship, but at church I just raise my hands. But no, I can't say what is in another person's heart. I just feel like maybe God deserves more then just standing like a still zombee when worshipping. Heaven sure won't be like that...
But it is one of those things that I want to be careful praying and speaking about. Because last thing I want, is for someone to "fake" worshipping God.
I went to a new church once. During worship, I expressed myself to God as I like to. Afterward a woman came up to me and told me how she loved the way I worshipped. So I tamed it down a lot. Shalom.
To not distract her from the Lord. I want the Spirit of God to move too. As a worship leader, I led people into God's presence without getting in the way. As an act of worship, I toned it down. I can worship freely at home. For me to not do what I did would've been to sin. Shalom.As to not distract her? I want the spirit of God to move and not worry even about distracting somebody else. Because if someone is distracted by you worshipping, they are not completely focused on God either, right? Id rather someone see someone freely worshipping God then someone just standing there picking their nose, viewing facebook, or something. I don't worship for show. The more I think about what Heaven will be like though, I just can't imagine anyone not giving their all in worship to the King; heart, soul, mind, and strength.
I just want to make sure we remember what praise and worship is about. It is not about us or anyone else. It is about God. It can be evangelism, it isnt the purpose though.
To not distract her from the Lord. I want the Spirit of God to move too. As a worship leader, I led people into God's presence without getting in the way. As an act of worship, I toned it down. I can worship freely at home. For me to not do what I did would've been to sin. Shalom.
To not distract her from the Lord. I want the Spirit of God to move too. As a worship leader, I led people into God's presence without getting in the way. As an act of worship, I toned it down. I can worship freely at home. For me to not do what I did would've been to sin. Shalom.
It is my opinion that we (in general) are in the box. I get where you're coming from. I'll become even more undignified than this. -King David lol Shalom.Fair enough. I just don't think we can stop the Spirit of God from moving or put Him in a box. But I understand what you are saying.
I'm getting better. Lol You're welcome. The bird is a golden eagle and I believe it is a cobra that he is about to have for lunch. This, to me, is a picture of spiritual warfare. Shalom.Thanks for the explanation. When you previously posted to her, your logic evaded me because I could not connect the dots.
curious What is with the cassowary pic? They are nasty and dangerous birds, not native to Canada
Getting multiple perspectives is a good opportunity to learn something new. Shalom.these are great perspectives on this issue
I was convicted this morning on this exact thing. My husband is a very private man and went to a Quaker church growing up. He sits and hardly moves a muscle during the music. (And I dont know if this is how Quaker churches are, it is how I imagine it is).
But we were singing "Come now is the time to worship, come, just as you are to worship Him." And I thought about this convo I have been quiet on, and just had to pray to God about it. I was raised in a Baptist church where it was pretty strange to even lift your arms a little. Now I am all out freely worshipping, and am on praise team, but sometimes look into the congregation and think "what is wrong with everyone." Mostly standing with hands glued to the pew. And I think now, I used to be the same way, but the Holy Spirit was moving greatly in me. Though I feel more free now, it doesn't mean I should be thinking someone else's heart is in the wrong place. So yes, I get what you are saying. And instead of praying for people to worship the way I want them too, I need to be praying, that people will feel complete freedom to worship God just as they are. For me as well with my heart solely focused on Him.
Praying for the lost is a Christian's responsibility. Encouragement is though manipulation isn't. That's a fine line. When leading worship, I found the main part of my job was to worship God. People would see me, eyes shut, singing to God. They would often do the same. Shalom.I dont think praying privately for a person who doesn't want your prayers is necessarily wrong and I certainly wouldn't call that witchcraft. We come to God with our petitions and pleas and He can either answer our prayers or not. Likewise, I see nothing wrong with encouraging others to pray and worship God, as encouragement is a gift of the Spirit.