To everything there is a season—and this is the season where witchcraft gets heavy, demonic imaginations target minds and infirmities inflict bodies.
Of course, Jezebel and her witchcrafts can creep onto the scene any time of the year. But every single October for as far back as I can remember I see an onslaught of spiritual attacks from every direction. It’s like clockwork.
What is witchcraft? Merriam-Webster
Witchcraft can be in the spiritual atmosphere due to demonic activity from those practicing its various expressions—but witchcraft can also be released directly at you as a spiritual attack. During this time of year, we see a celebration of darkness and evil. You can’t walk into a retail store without seeing vampires, witches, ghouls and goblins.
All of this fascination and agreement with rulers of the darkness of this age impacts the spiritual climate in our cities and over our lives. You may wind up feeling sick and tired for no reason. You may have raging imaginations against your soul. You may feel like giving up. You may be touchy or find that people are easily offended at you.
Please, pay close attention and remember that we aren’t warring against flesh and blood, and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. This is a spiritual battle against a spiritual foe that must bow to our spiritual weapons.
1. Gird the loins of your mind. The first step in any battle is to gird up the loins of your mind. 1 Peter 1:13 says, “Therefore guard your minds, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
The battle really is in the mind—or at least it starts there. Last week, a friend of mine who had a stroke many years ago began manifesting with post-stroke symptoms out of the blue. The enemy was working on his mind, trying to convince him that what he had been delivered from was returning. Meanwhile, a lump manifested on the back of my neck that itched and burned like fire, followed a few days later by ear pain so bad that I could hardly think, the feeling of knives in my throat when I swallowed and rocks in my stomach all at once. I finally broke down and went to the doctor. My vitals were normal. No sign of infection. I am convinced every bit of it was witchcraft.
2. Guard your heart. The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition version of 1 Peter 1:13a says, “brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert).” Jezebel and her witchcrafts work to draw you into sin. When you are under heavy attack, your soul gets weary. Jesus can offer rest to your soul, but Jezebel wants to provide you a different way of escape through sin. Jezebel works to seduce you into idolatry or immorality (see Rev. 2:20). When you feel like you are getting hit from every side, guard your heart.
The Preacher said, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left; remove your foot from evil” (Prov. 4:23-27, MEV). Don’t run into temptation when you are under attack, run for cover—run to Jesus.
3. Cast down imaginations. Imaginations don’t always work to push sickness on you or tempt you to sin. Sometimes the devil just wants to overwhelm you with witchcraft imaginations so you’ll give up and go hide in a cave with a bag of potato chips, a bowl of ice cream, a big pillow and the TV remote control. If the Holy Spirit dwells in you, so does the fruit of self-control. You can choose by your will to “[cast] down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
But it’s up to you. Nobody can cast down those scary, hurtful or otherwise wrong thoughts for you—and nobody can replace them with “whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report” (Phil. 4:8).
4. Cast your cares on the Lord. I’m not saying you don’t have legitimate problems or concerns. I know all about legitimate problems and concerns. But mature spiritual warriors understand the balance between taking responsibility and casting your cares on the Lord (see 1 Pet. 5:7; Ps. 55:22).
Witchcraft imaginations totally skew your perspective—making monumental issues out of something God could fix with a wink. Cast your care on the Lord. Keep your eyes on Him. Pray for what you think you need—then believe He’s got your back. When you do, He promises to care for you and give you perfect peace (see Isa. 26:3).
5. Speak the Word, use the name and invoke the blood. You have three powerful weapons at your disposal—spiritual weapons that are mighty through God to pull down strongholds. It’s hard to effectively wield those weapons when you are wallowing in condemnation, self-pity, fear or some other harmful emotion.
Snap out of it! Get the Word of God in your mouth because it’s your spiritual sword (Heb. 4:12). Speak the Word to your problems because the Word of God always accomplishes its purpose (Isa. 55:11). Bind the enemy’s operations in the name of Jesus, and loose the opposite of what’s manifesting in your life with the power of life that’s in your tongue. And plead the blood of Jesus over your mind (Rev. 12:11). You’ve been bought with a price—spirit, soul and body. Your soul includes your mind.
Stephen Strang 
Charisma Media Staff 
Charisma Staff 
