Spiritual Warfare - Part 4 (Curses)

 

What is a curse?  How do we get cursed, and how do we fight curses?

~~ Watch the Video ~~

Breaking Curses

Outline:

• Introduction
• Traits of Wholeness
• Review Spiritual Warfare
• Forbidden Practices (Occult)
• Witchcraft
• What is a Curse?
• Can A Curse Affect A Christian?
• Hedge of Protection
• Prayer
• Mercy

Scriptures:

• Genesis 12:3
• Deuteronomy 18:9-14
• Leviticus 19:31
• Acts 1:23-26
• Deuteronomy 18:20-22
• Jeremiah 23:16-17
• Galatians 5:19-21
• Proverbs 26:2
• Genesis 3:16-17
• Ephesians 4:26-27
• Job 1:10
• Galatians 5: 18-23
• James 2:13
• Isaiah 38: 1 - 6

Introduction

Genesis 12:3

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses [bind under a curse] you I will curse [reviles]; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Curses are real

You can be cursed by

• God
• Other people (e.g. witchcraft)
• Your actions
• At Birth (e.g. generational curses)
• Being in the wrong place (e.g. nations who challenged Israel)

familiar

Today we’ll talk about curses from

• other people
• your actions

The next lesson will cover curses from

• God
• Generational curses
• Being in the wrong place at the wrong time

Talk about some stuff

Unlock a lot of mysteries today

Set foundation to where we’re headed

Speak boldly

Traits of Wholeness

We are in our series called Seeking Wholeness

How can we be:

• Spiritually healthy
• Emotionally healthy
• Mentally healthy

Free from oppression of

• Your past
• Yourself
• Bad thinking
• Strongholds
• The enemy

Sozo

• Saved
• Healed
• Delivered from demons

Dealing with life’s current stresses and also being healed from experiences/wounds of the past

We’re not just supposed to have eternal life

• We’re supposed to have: joy, peace, patience, and self control here on earth

Traits of Wholeness

• Authenticity
• Honesty
• Kindness
• Not seeking external approval / validation
• Living by values and principles
• Setting Boundaries
• Taking ownership of your responsibilities
• Living with purpose and passion
• Optimism
• Confidence
• Healthy relationships with others
• Not losing control of your emotions
• Free from addictions
• Addressing Conflict with truth and love
• Vulnerability
• Not critical or Judgemental
• Not jealous
• Genuinely applaud the success of others
• Forgive those who have wronged you in the past
• Know that you’re worthy of receiving love
• Not afraid to fail
• Able to manage irrational fear, worry, and anxiety
• Selfless encounters with others
• Not manipulating others trying to control their actions/reactions
• You care about how others feel
• Patient
• Don’t give into peer/social pressure
• Can communicate directly
• Don’t take responsibility for other people's emotions
• Take responsibility for your own emotions
• Slow to anger
• Ability to maturely express your wants, needs and desires
• Being led by the Spirit

We want to become

• aware of our issues
• empowered to manage/fix them

Review Spiritual Warfare

Review Armor of God

This is the primary way we fight spiritual warfare

Ephesians 6: 10 - 18

We have an unseen enemy…the devil

We defeat him with

• Living a life of “truthfulness”
• Moral righteousness
• Believing the gospel of Jesus Christ
• Having faith in God
• Having the hope of salvation
• Reading the bible
• Hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit
• Led by the Spirit

The Devil (Spirit Warfare 1)

Satan’s methods

1. Tempt us by offering us material things
2. Taking our material things and power
3. Attacking our health

Correct doctrine

• Some problems that happen are spiritual
• And need a spiritual solution
• Negative consequences aren’t always a result of unrighteousness/sin
• Negative consequences aren’t always God punishing us

Seeking Other Spirits (Spiritual Warfare 2)

There are other spirit beings

• People worship these other beings (idols)

God’s warns us against issues

• Worshiping other spirits
• Consulting other spirits
• Petitioning other spirits

The Occult (Spiritual Warfare 3)

We talked about occult practices that God hates

These practices are found in

• Witcraft
• Voodoo
• Santeria
• New Age Practices
• Satanism
• Ancestor worship

Forbidden Practices (Occult)

These practices allow the enemy access into your life

Deuteronomy 18:9-14

9 “When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, a soothsayer, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who consults the dead. 12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God is going to drive them out before you. 13 You are to be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations, which you are going to dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.

Variations of involvement with evil spirits:

From Cambridge International Dictionary:

DIVINATION: the skill or act of saying or discovering what will happen in the future

WITCHCRAFT: the activity of performing magic to help or harm other people.

SOOTHSAYER: The ability to know and tell what will happen in the future.

OMENS: a sign of how a future event will take place

SORCERY:  a type of magic in which spirits, especially evil ones, are used to make things happen.

SPELLS: spoken words which are thought to have magical power

MEDIUM: a person who receives messages from people who are dead.

A SPIRITIST: a consulter of spirits.

NECROMANCER: One who calls up the dead

If you have taken part in these you have opened yourself up to the access of evil spirits

• You need to renounce

Passing Through the Fire

Dedicating babies to the god Molech

• Burning them in fire as a human sacrifice
• Dedicate baby by quickly passing through fire without burning

Divination

the skill or act of saying or discovering what will happen in the future

Includes

• Horoscope / Astrology
• Psychics / Fortune telling
• Palm reading

Leviticus 19:31

31 ‘Do not turn to mediums* or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

Using

• Tarot cards
• Lots / Dice
• Tea leaves
• Ouija boards

Fa or Ifa System (Voodoo / Yoruba)

Toss kola nuts in a tray.  The ecosystem involves 256 distinct signs each with it’s own large vocabulary of Proverbs and narratives.

Divination tells us

• Why we came to the world
• What we came to achieve in the world
• The origin of your illness
• How to heal you

It is not a way to find out the future, but the way to deal with the present in such a way that life will be better five or 10 years down the road

Forbidden for Christians

Divination in the Bible

God approved divination as communication with Him

Urim and Thummim

Priest’s ephod

The Urim ("lights") and Thummim ("perfections") were gemstones that were carried by the high priest of Israel on the ephod / priestly garments. They were used by the high priest to determine God’s will in some situations.

Disciples Used Divination

Acts 1:23-26

23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all people, show which one of these two You have chosen 25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

• They were communicating with God

False Prophets

Divination: the skill or act of saying or discovering what will happen in the future

Do we do that in the church?

• Prophecy

Divination in the church

Deuteronomy 18:20-22

20 ‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name, a word which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 “And if you say in your heart, ‘How will we recognize the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ 22 “When the prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, and the thing does not happen or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you are not to be afraid of him [do not dwell/sojourn with him].

• If someone claims a prophecy of God and it doesn’t come true…leave

If someone gives a prophecy “from God” and it doesn’t come true they are a false prophet

Example: God told me …

• Trump will win the election in 2020
• 2022 is going to be prosperous
• You will find your husband in 2021

Jeremiah 23:16-17

16 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. 17 They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The LORD says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’

• Some prophets prophesy good things to evil people

Why false prophets are harmful

• Might be speaking a prophetic word by a demonic spirit
• They can speak destruction into your life
• Take God out of the picture

Story: Prophetic conference

• People chasing after a prophecy

Astrology

Astrology is the attempt to know the future course of events by observing and interpreting the heavenly bodies

• 26% of Christians believe in astrology
• 3% atheists believe in astrology

There are 10,000 full time astrologers in the United States

Some people won’t make a serious decision in their life without consulting their horoscope.

Modern astrologers use the characteristics of each sign in the zodiac and the position of the planets in the solar system at the moment of birth from the house along with information from the “houses” to chart which areas of our life will be influenced by the planets.

Horoscopes are the most popular form and practice of the occult.  

The Magi (3 Wise Men)

They were astrologers

The 3 wise men were atstologers who saw a sign in the starts telling them that Jesus was born.   They weren't Jewish.

Astrology started in Mesopotamia (Babylon)

Spiritism

Channeling Spirits

Where a person is used as a medium to speak to the dead in order to know the future.

Voodoo

The personality or consciousness of the priest or priestess is set aside and that of the spirit takes over their body and voice

The individual doesn’t remember what they did while they were possessed.  

Necromancy

One who calls up the dead.

Example: Saul consulted Samuel through the witch of Endor

God wouldn’t command you to do something that you can’t do

Don’t Talk to Deceased Loved Ones

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxyEe0DvfDU7WGgz6MXSe0slgxAeuyPY28

Sorcery / Magic

The attempt to control or manipulate higher or unseen powers or beings through the use of objects, incantation, and rituals

Magic is a vague term that describes everything from the tooth fairy to a card trick.

Sorcery depends on an alliance with a higher spiritual being which optimally results in the practitioner having access to an external power much stronger than anything he could have otherwise channeled by himself.

—Quora (Lee Berg)

Magic is an element used in many types of occult practices

White Magic (Natural Magic)

White magic has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for selfless purposes.  …  White magic was practiced through healing, blessing, charms, incantations, prayers, and songs. White magic is the benevolent counterpart of malicious black magic.

–Wikipedia

Known as:

• White witches
• Medicine men
• Witch doctors
• Cunning folks (Europe)
• Healers
• Herbalists

May not involve magic/supernatural

Not malevolent

Concerned with:

• curing illness or injury
• divining the future
• interpreting dreams
• finding lost items
• appeasing spirits
• controlling weather or harvest
• protection and security from evil forces
• prosperity and good fortune
• ritual cleansing when harm or impurities have been contracted

It is the duty of medicine men to

• purge witches
• detect sorcery
• remove curses
• control the spirits and living-dead

Often includes worshiping “Mother Earth” or goddess worship

Christians should not take part in “White Magic”

Spells

spoken words which are thought to have magical power

•  jinxes, hexes, charms, and curses

Common spells:

• Love
• Money
• Healing
• Revenge
• Bad dreams
• Tiredness

E.g. Put something In your food

Witchcraft

Types:

• White witches / black witches
• Wicca / witchcraft
• New Age / “Old Age”
• Work of the flesh / spiritual practice

Wicca is a religion that practices dualism. The divine source is imagined to separate into a masculine god and a feminine goddess.

Witchcraft, independent of Wicca, is a collection of folk magic practices involving natural elements like plants, stones, the sun and moon, animal symbology.

New (Age) vs Old

Fad religion

Ancient Witches

“These people actively practiced a life-nature magic. In the beginning it was superstition that developed rituals in hopes of influencing fate and lead up to the discovery of an entirely separate branch of magic that involves the art of energy harvesting and binding, the well known spells, elemental magic, the study of seasons, and divination, to name a few.”

Occult witchcraft:

• Kabbalah
• Freemasons
• Egyptian Hermeticism
• Illuminati
• Druidry

Work of the Flesh - Manipulation

Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• Witchcraft is a work of the flesh
• This is not talking about something you study/learn

Natural desire

The goal of witchcraft is being in control of the situation

Basic witchcraft tactics

• Trickery/deception
• you don’t know I’m controlling you
• Manipulation
• Intimidation
• Domination
• I’m going to physically force you

tactics:

• Isolation
• Confusion
• information
• Gossip
• Internet search / social media

Witchcraft in the Church

Pretend Christians

Sitting in services uttering cursing against the church

Spreading gossip

Seducing the leaders

Charismatic witchcraft (Pastors)

“the art or exercise of magical powers, the effect or influence of magical powers, or an alluring or seductive charm or influence.”

Charismatic witchcraft is exerting ungodly influence through carnal powers of charisma to seduce someone to think or act according to your will.

Charismatic witchcraft begins as a work of the flesh, but left to run its course this fleshly behavior attracts demon powers. These demon powers work through an individual to manipulate, intimidate, control, and ultimately dominate believers in order to bend their will toward their viewpoint. Charismatic witchcraft is released through tactics such as fear, prophetic flattery, and witchcraft prayers. Charismatic witchcraft practitioners seek their own gain, use sincere people who want to serve God to build their own kingdom, and otherwise use and abuse people for their own purposes.

Charismatic witchcraft practitioners want to play God in your life. If they do pray for you, they often pray witchcraft prayers. A witchcraft prayer is when you pray your own will instead of God’s will. Witchcraft prayers are not Spirit-led but flesh-led. Witchcraft prayers unleash demon powers to tempt and seduce people to think and do what you want them to think and do.

There are signs you are under a charismatic witchcraft attack. Confusion is a primary sign. Confusion is part of the curse of the law (see Deut. 28:28). God is not the author of confusion (see 1 Cor. 4:33). If you are confused as to whether something is of God, that may be the first sign that it’s not. A charismatic witchcraft spell works on your identity—or I should say works against your identity in Christ. You become dependent on the leader rather than God to make decisions.

Advanced charismatic witchcraft prayers and spells work to create soul ties between you and the wicked intercessor so that you will feel connected with them and their ministry. That makes it hard to leave. A soul tie is when your soul is knit with another person’s.

What is a Curse?

a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something

–Oxford dictionary

Every society on earth is concerned with being cursed.

Story: Israel - evil eye

The more “advanced” the society usually the lesser the concern

A curse is a spiritual force

Psychological Element

Based on you believing that you are cursed

Reticular activating system

You create it

• Accidents
• Bad luck
• Health

Example: Placebo drug

• You get healed

A Force of Attraction

Blessings attract positive

Curses attract negative

Favor with God and man

• Favor in the Physical and spiritual dimension
• Attract people and spirits to treat you positively

Mosquito Example

What attracts mosquitoes?

• Mosquitos - blood type O
• Beer
• Standing water

What repels mosquitos?

• Dryer sheets
• Mosquito repellent

What do curses attract?

• Demons

Types of Curses

• Sickness
• Financial misfortune
• Bad luck
• Limitation
• e.g. never get married
• E.g. not have children
• Right on the edge
• e.g. as soon as you get close to a goal it falls apart
• Accidents
• Nightmares

Signs of Witchcraft Attacks

• Denial of divine benefits
• Peace, joy, being able to pray, healing, deliverance
• Occupying the wrong position in life
• Prayer paralysis
• No results
• Vagabond anointing
• Mark of hatred
• People don't like you

Some of the ways you may know that a curse is operating in your life:

1. Repeated emotional breakdown
2. repeated illnesses… Especially those that are hard to diagnose
3. Repeated miscarriages
4. The constant breakdown of the family and inability to sustain relationships
5. Continual financial insufficiency especially when there is enough money
6. Accident prone
7. History of suicide or unconventional death

Can A Curse Affect A Christian?

Does being saved prevent me from coming over to you and slapping you in the head?

• So why would it prevent a demon?
• It can’t possess you, but it can oppress

What will prevent a curse from operating on you?

• A blessing

Grant Permission

Proverbs 26:2

Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, So a curse without cause does not come to rest.

Something had to

• Initiate it
• allow it

Permission has to have been given for a curse to operate on you

A Christian can give permission through

• Your behavior
• Your ancestors

Even a curse from a witch has to have been given permission

Participating in the occult practices above gives permission

• Idolatry, witchcraft

Curses from the fall

Genesis 3:16-17

16 To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you shall deliver children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” 17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; With hard labor you shall eat from it All the days of your life.

• Having to work to get food is a curse
• Pain in childbirth

It doesn’t matter whether you are a Christian or not

Justice

The universe is designed around justice

Example: gravity

Ephesians 4:26-27

26 BE ANGRY, AND YET DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Your sin gives the devil an opportunity

Your sin give demons legal access to your life

Hedge of Protection

Job was righteous

Job 1:10

10 “Have You not made a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

God removes His protection from you if you sin

It’s not God punishing you but it’s God removing His protection

God allows it

Armor of God 

• Spiritual warfare
• truthfulness, righteousness, led by the Spirit

Kingdom of God

If you are in the Kingdom of God you have protection

Galatians 5: 18-23

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

• Not talking about habitual sin
• You are not under the law of judgment

 

If you are led by the Spirit… you are exempt from the law of judgment

If you are led by the Spirit…no curse will land on you

Jesus didn’t change one word of the law

Sinning gives the demons access to your life

You will still go to Heaven

Prayer

What can we do to protect ourselves?

It’s Because of Your Prayer Life - Tim Timberlake

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx_qDrhh7UPVZAg6F7mH0-AjlrAw3OGcMs

Story: friend dad story - witch on the roof

In Jesus Name

https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClMGPayJj5H/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

• We can pray in Christ's righteousness

“Father, I ask you first to forgive me for my sins and cleanse me from any area where I have allowed the devil to enter my life.  I renounce any involvement with the works of darkness.  In the name of Jesus, I now cancel every curse, and Father, I ask you to forgive the people who have spoken them against me. I thank you that those curses will no longer operate against me.  In Jesus’ name, they are broken right now, by the power of Almighty God. I cancel every evil  that was spoken against me and ask you to cover me and my family with your protection according to your Word in Psalm 91.”

Mercy

What system is in place in the kingdom to exempt you?

James 2:12-13

12So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

God’s universe is set upon judgment and mercy

Example: police badge in car

• The law was broken
• You deserve punishment
• God can give you mercy

Mercy is more than a provision through which sinners experience salvation

The mercy of God is the system in the kingdom where guilty people are made free

Righteousness and justice are the foundations of God‘s throne

• But in his dealings with humans he introduced a mystery
• We can receive mercy
• Only beings living in “time” receive mercy
• i.e. no mercy for angels

Mercy is the attribute of God that provokes His help into your life regardless of your conditions

Was Isaiah a false prophet?

Did all of his prophecies come true?

• No

Isaiah 38: 1 - 6

1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’” 2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3 and said, “Please, LORD, just remember how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept profusely.

4Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, 5“Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David says: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city.”’

• Every time God changed his will it was because of Mercy

The mercy of God can change any negative prophecy that was given over anyone’s life

The mercy of God can

• Reverse any curse … whether or not you deserve it
• Cancel out the judgment you deserve

Grace is getting what you don’t deserve

Mercy is not getting what you deserve

Mercy isn’t just about salvation

Defense against curses

• Righteous living
• Prayer
• Mercy

References

Armor of God Bible Study

Unchained Disciples : The Armor of God - Part 1

Unchained Disciples : The Armor of God - Part 2

Spiritual Warfare

Unchained Disciples : Spiritual Warfare - Part 1

Unchained Disciples : Spiritual Warfare 2

Unchained Disciples : Spiritual Warfare - Part 3

Demons (book)

Michael Heiser

Angels (book)

Michael Heiser

What every person needs to know about demons: Francis Chan

Crazy love

Season of the witch

fourth watch

Stephen Darby

• Your Problem Is Witches
• Your Problem is Witches II
• Your Problem is Witches III (Generational Curses)
• Pray against witchcraft
• Uncovering Occultic Strongholds

Manipulation

Pennie Renewed: Manipulation: The Heart of Witchcraft

14. Witchcraft and magic

Yale Courses

Astrology Percentage Stats

https://statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2020/04/11/42552/

Superstition, astrology and the occult

Mike Mazzalongo | Bible talk.tv

The truth of voodoo revealed | ancient mystery

History channel

article on Molech

BibleTruth

Ron carpenter

• Hidden in plain sight part 1
• Hidden in plain sight part 2
• Hidden in plain sight part 3

Charismatic Witchcraft in the Church

https://www.destinyimage.com/blog/jennifer-leclaire-charismatic-witchcraft-in-the-church

Breaking A Curse

https://bibleresources.org/curses/

Witchcraft deeds of the flesh

https://togodandjesuschrist.tripod.com/works_flesh_sorcery.htm

Extra

Story devil worshiper

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CllhdupDrKd/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Forbidden Practices (Occult)

Passing Through the Fire

Deuteronomy 12:31

“You shall not behave this way toward the LORD your God, because every abominable act which the LORD hates, they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.

Divination

Exodus 28:29-30

29Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he shall bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of judgment, as a continual reminder before the LORD.

30 And place the Urim and Thummimc in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.

1 Samuel 14

40Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side.”

“Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.

41So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim; but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.”g And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.

42Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.

43“Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him.

Necromancy

1 Samuel 28:3-16

3Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land. 4So the Philistines assembled and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they camped in Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. 6So Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him, either in dreams, or by the Urim, or by the prophets. 7Then Saul said to his servants, “Find for me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”

8Then Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “Consult the spirit for me, please, and bring up for me the one whom I shall [c]name for you.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, that he has eliminated the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then setting a trap for my life, to bring about my death?” 10So Saul swore an oath to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!” 13 But the king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up from the earth.” 14He said to her, “How does he appear?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage

15 And Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am very distressed, for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has abandoned me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or in dreams; therefore I have called you, so that you may let me know what I should do.” 16 Samuel said, “But why ask me, since the LORD has abandoned you and has become your enemy?

Healing

• Fake healing

• The demon in the person who's from that person to someone else

Healing

All voodoo is concerned with healing the body and spirit through the benign intercession of voodoo God’s during each of ceremonies

Food was directed at healing

• People
• Relationships
• Relationships with ancestors

Voodoo priestess or mambo most combined the skills of

• Medical doctor
• Psychotherapist
• Minister
• Teacher
• Mother

In Africa most voodoo congregations are led by men.

In America 50% are headed by women

Herbs are a big part of all African-based religions

• Each tree, Bush, and Plant has a Spirit… A good spirit

They don’t see Catholicism is conflicting with voodoo. They see it as enhancing voodoos power

The goddess Erzulie Danto is there a counterpart to the Virgin Mary

Difference between witches, sorceress, warlocks

Quora

Many, many variants of this question get asked on Quora, so I will once again take the opportunity to list every type of magic-user I can think of. I’ll explain them in the context of fiction, although many of these terms have been or are used to refer to real people.

Alchemist: A very versatile term in fiction, often referring to sciency-type hard magic, or else to potion making. Alchemy was a real thing, explained here, but alchemy in fiction usually doesn’t resemble real-life alchemy beyond passing references. Alchemists seek to magically, spiritually, or chemically transmute something from a base state to a higher, purer version of itself.

Conjurer: A wizard that specializes in conjury. Sometimes that means making objects appear out of thin air, but it can also mean conjuring spirits from other planes and/or binding them to one’s will (in that case, “conjure” is used interchangeably with “evoke”). A conjurer’s art differs from an illusionist’s in that the things a conjurer makes appear are actually there, rather than just appearing to be there.

Diviner: A person who specializes in gaining information through magical means. Divination is widely practiced in real life. There are many types of divination, but it usually consists of interpreting random patterns to devise meaning from them. The only thing that’s technically magical about it is the assumption that patterns created by random chance have inherent meaning, or the assumption that the patterns are messages from the gods. Astrology, tarot reading (cartomancy), palmestry (chiromancy), tea-leaf reading (tasseomancy), casting bones or rune stones (cleromancy), augury (interpreting natural patterns), scrying (crystal-gazing or mirror-gazing), pyromancy (fire-gazing), and necromancy (see below) are all forms of divination.

Druid: A word for an ancient Celtic priest, who played a combined role of lorekeeper, scientist, and clergy. Next to nothing is known about real Druids, but Druids in fiction are usually wizards who practice tree and nature-based magic. Druids in real life are neopagans or occultists who follow Celtic-based (or Celtic-inspired) magical paths.

Elementalist: A magic-user who specializes in manipulating some kind of elemental force, usually the four classical elements, but sometimes other ones (say, darkness, light, or electricity). Different kinds of elemental manipulation have their own names (i.e. aerokinesis, pyrokinesis, geokinesis, hydrokinesis, etc).

Enchanter/ess: A magic-user that specializes in enchanting objects or people, which means putting spells on them to imbue them with magical properties or alter their behavior. If something is described as being “bewitched,” it’s enchanted. May also specialize in curses, which are baneful enchantments.

Illusionist: A magic-user that conjures deceptive sensory stimuli, usually (but not always) images. There are two types of illusions: projections, which make something that isn’t there appear there, and glamours, which disguise or alter something that is there. An illusionist’s magic is the equivalent of VR — the sights and sounds and sensations seem real, and can be fun or scary to interact with, but ultimately they have no substance. They’re just messing with your perception. In real life, “illusionist” is another word for a stage magician, because their whole job is to mess with your perceptions.

Mage: A generic term for a magic-user. It lacks the association with stage magic that “magician” has, and also lacks the gendered or scholarly connotations of “wizard.” That makes it particularly versatile. I see it most often in RPGs, and therefore it most often refers to a magic-user who’s using their magic for combat, out there getting their hands dirty. TVTropes distinguishes between the Black Mage who specializes in offense, the White Mage who specializes in defense and healing magic, and the Red Mage who does a little of both.

Magician: A generic term for a magic-user. It tends to be rare in fiction because of its association with stage magic in real life. Sometimes it works, though, and in the right context it can sound just as mystical as any other term on this list. For example, the protagonist of The Arcana is called a “magician.” Sometimes, it could also be used in the context of ritual magic, since real practitioners of ritual magic are called “ceremonial magicians.”

Mystic: A word for a person who uses magic as a means of experiencing some form of spiritual transcendence, or vice-versa. In fiction, it tends to be used as a non-denominational variant of “monk.” You’re most likely to find a mystic meditating somewhere on a mountain while floating half a foot off the ground, and opening portals with their mind. Mystics are therefore something like wizard-priests, or wizard-gurus, who practice a particularly spiritual variant of magic that’s centered around connection to some higher power (rather than summoning and commanding lesser spirits). In real life, magic and mysticism tend to go hand-in-hand, and are lumped under the umbrella of occultism. Shamanism and theurgy are both forms of mysticism.

Necromancer: A person who does any kind of magic involving the dead — their souls, their bodies, or a combination of the two. The word “necromancy” originally referred to a type of divination (hence the -mancy suffix) that involved summoning the souls of the dead to learn mystical secrets from them. Now, it refers to any kind of death magic, from raising zombie hordes to holding seances. Necromancers in fiction are broadly evil, but this isn’t always the case. Magic is a tool, and although necromancy may be morally dodgy, it can be practiced ethically (in fiction or in real life). Sarah McLean's answer to In fantasy, necromancers are usually evil. How would you go about creating a necromancer that isn't evil?

Occultist: A general term for anyone who studies magic in real life. There’s lots of different types of occultists, and what they call themselves depends a lot on their specific field. Any of the words on this list could be used to refer to occultists of various types, and many have historically been used. Magic-users are almost never called occultists in fiction, and there are probably several reasons for this — occultism usually has a spiritual dimension that is lacking in fiction, many fictional magic systems don’t resemble real-life occult ones, and it may be pointless to call a fictional magic-user an occultist if magic is an accepted part of their reality instead of being “hidden.” (I’ve only ever heard two fictional characters self-identify as occultists. These are Anathema Device in Good Omens, and Saint Germain in Castlevania.) In my opinion, an occultist should strive to achieve the trifecta of disciplines for studying and manipulating the physical and spiritual world — scientist, priest, mage.

Psion: A term for a magic-user who specializes in using psychic power, rather than flashes of light or complex rituals or any tools at all. This person uses their mind to do magic. They don’t “cast spells” so much as manipulate their surroundings with their mind. Often they have telepathy, empathy, or telekinesis, but psionic magic could extend into other kinds of psychic powers like clairvoyance, clairaudience, psychometry, etc. Some can control or manipulate other people’s minds. More wizard-like psions are also capable of energy manipulation, like manifesting psi-balls out of thin air and throwing them at things. This one has the odd distinction of being mainly found in sci-fi, making them wizards-but-more-sciencey.

Shaman: A tribal medicine man/woman who is the spiritual leader of their community. This term originally referred to such people in Siberia, but now is applied to folk healers and spiritual leaders among indigenous people throughout the world. Most shamans use various methods — drumming, dance, chanting, wearing masks, using psychedelics, etc. — to experience an altered state of consciousness, which will allow them to travel to other planes of existence and communicate with spirits. This way, they act as the “bridge” between their tribe and the spirit world. The word is sometimes used in fiction to describe the Ethnic Magician, though it probably shouldn’t be, since this idea is often culturally appropriative at best and represents the racist “noble savage” trope at worst.

Shapeshifter: Exactly What It Says On The Tin — a person who can magically change their physical form. They can actually change their shape, as opposed to just making themselves appear different (that’s the illusionist’s wheelhouse). Some shapeshifters can turn themselves into animals, some can make themselves look like other people, some can even become non-living things like wind or water or fire.

Seer: A person with the inherent ability to see the future. This is distinct from a diviner, who analyzes random patterns to acquire information. Anyone can learn to be a diviner, but a seer is gifted (or cursed) with the inborn ability to see random flashes of the future, to get prophetic dreams or intuitive premonitions, or even to randomly go into trance and recite entire prophecies. Seers and oracles existed in real life, and they were very important. In Greece and Rome, the oracles advised kings and generals by going into trance and receiving messages directly from the gods.

Sorcerer/ess: A generic term for a magic-user, but with particular connotations. Sometimes a “sorcerer” is evil while a “wizard” is good. Sometimes wizards and sorcerers practice different types of magic (like in DND, where wizards develop magical ability through study while sorcerers have inborn ability). But in general, the most common attribute of a sorcerer/ess is that they are powerful. They’re wizards or mages (or witches) with enough raw power to move mountains and summon storms. You don’t argue with a sorcerer. Often, a sorcerer is an ugly old man while a sorceress is a beautiful young woman, for some reason. In real life, the word is not favored by occultists, but there are some who use it.

Summoner: A magic-user who specializes in summoning spirits, magical beasts, or other such entities to server or fight for them. There are lots of different ways that this can work. Maybe the summoner uses traditional ceremonial methods from real-life grimoires, but they’re more likely to open portals to other planes or yell out a dramatic “I SUMMON THEE!” evocation. Or maybe they just throw a pokeball. Summoning magic is very cool, but summoners are limited in that they can’t do much without the aid of other entities.

Thaumaturge: A strange and uncommon term for a magic-user, specifically a “worker of miracles.” This type of magic-user is officially sanctioned by the Church — saints’ abilities to perform miracles is thaumaturgy. This type of magic comes straight from God. One could argue that Jesus Christ is the most famous thaumaturge of all time. In fiction, this word is used all over the map, but the most accurate use of it would be to describe a person who specializes in holy-themed elemental/healing magic.

Theurgist: A practitioner of ritual magic, specifically, working with higher-ups like gods and angels. (The word goetia describes working with demons and the like.) Ceremonial magic in real life is extremely complex, and involves a lot of very specific procedures and tools. It’s often called “high magic” to distinguish it from “low” folk magic. Theurgy is the highest of high magic, because theurgists intend to unify themselves with the divine (rather than control gods for their own petty needs. It’s ritual-mysticism, referring to a combination of magic and esoteric religious practices. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this word in fiction (except in Wizard101, which misuses it, so that doesn’t count), and that’s a shame. It should really be used more often!

Warlock: I may as well mention it. The word “warlock” is used way too often to mean “witch, but male.” It does technically mean that, but etymologically it means “oath-breaker,” referring to the deception of the Devil and those who serve him (i.e. witches). Therefore, it’s not really as reclaimable as “witch,” and most men who practice witchcraft in real life call themselves witches. (If they do call themselves warlocks, it’s usually because they’re uninformed or edgy. Most consider “warlock” derogatory.) In fiction, it can refer to a lot of different things: male witches, battlemages, evil sorcerers, cambions.

Witch: A complex and divisive term that has meant many different things in different contexts. Sometimes a witch is a malevolent devil-worshiper that’s only a step above a demon (The VVitch), sometimes a witch is any female practitioner of magic (Harry Potter), sometimes a witch is an alternate species of human that is born with magical abilities (The Owl House), the list goes on. It often has negative connotations, but doesn’t always, especially in modern media. The influence of Wicca in real life has also changed the use of the term in fiction. In general, I would define a witch as a person who practices a combination of folk magic and a more practical and animistic form of theurgy. Witches practice folk magic — none of those bright lights or loud bangs of wizards and mages, but herbal remedies and homemade charms, pieces of string in one’s pocket, sensing the presence of spirits and telling them to get lost, etc. They’re more likely to live in cottages in the woods or swamps than the lofty towers of citadels or universities. Their spells are powerful and effective, but indirect — they will manifest later, after you forget about them, and will have longer-lasting effects (i.e. bringing you luck or money). Witchcraft is defined by practicality. This does not cover every use of the term (Wicca has plenty of pomp and ceremony, The Owl House and Harry Potter have plenty of bright flashes of light, etc.) But, for now, this is a working definition.

Wizard: A generic term for a magic-user, but with the connotation of academia. Wizards are both skilled and knowledgeable — you have to study to be a wizard. It doesn’t matter whether this studying happens in a formal school, in an initiatory secret society, while apprenticed to a master, or simply on one’s own. You have to study astrology, correspondence tables, divination, entire books worth of spells, long lists of the names of spirits, etc. Wizards may have some things in common with theurgists, like practicing planetary magic with many robes of different colors and wands of different woods for each planet, or (more rarely) calling up and controlling spirits. But in general, wizards in fiction practice magic that has immediate effects. They turn people into animals, they make things disappear, they animate inanimate objects, etc. Because it’s so closely associated with fantasy magic, the word “wizard” is not often used by occultists in real life.