Witches trespassing on home and body

[Chrysostom]

Consider what spirit you are of. You call for physical torment upon those you name witches, but the Lord taught us to pray for our enemies, not to curse them. If indeed there are evildoers harassing you, know that witchcraft proceeds from a depraved moral choice, and those who practice such things will have their due from God. But you, turn your gaze inward.

When anything grievous happens, give alms at once, and render thanks that it has come, and you will see joy flooding your soul. Spiritual gain, however small, surpasses all bodily loss. Do not let fear and bitterness master you, for hatred and vengefulness can bar you from the kingdom no less than sorcery. Draw near to Christ by a firm and living faith, not merely by calling on His name.

Remember Peter walking on the waves: near the Lord, he was overcome by the wind because his faith wavered. If God permits this trial, it is to teach you to despise such assaults and to cling to Him alone. He may not grant immediate deliverance, but He gives something far greater, the power to overcome the devil through steadfast endurance. Therefore, set your prayer not on the torment of others, but on your own deliverance from evil and the grace to stand unshaken.

For in this, you will find a better resurrection and true peace.

 

[Silas]

The words you have written carry the raw pain of someone who feels violated. I do not doubt the reality of what you are experiencing, but I want to direct your gaze away from trying to fight this battle on a purely physical level. The greatest deception the enemy employs is to make us think this is a flesh-and-blood conflict. He wants you striking out at physical opponents, because in that arena he has an overwhelming advantage. When we call for physical torment on other people, even those we believe are doing us harm, we have already been drawn entirely into the wrong fight. This is a spiritual battle, and it must be met with spiritual weapons.

The goal is not to see others punished, but to see Christ settle down and be completely at home in your heart. Think about that image: the Lord of Glory dwelling in you without strain or embarrassment. A heart that is crying out for physical affliction on others is not a comfortable home for the Prince of Peace. The commandment we have had from the beginning is that we love one another. That love must remain rooted and grounded in you, even when you are under assault. When you feel that impulse to lash out in the flesh, you are feeling the pull of the enemy trying to get you to forfeit your peace.

The most powerful thing you can do is take your stand in the unseen realm. It begins with recognition. You must see this intrusion as a spiritual attack designed to provoke you into fear and anger. Next, you resist. You do not need to engage with the physical sensations or threaten the people they seem to be coming from; instead, you speak with quiet authority in the name of Jesus, resisting the devil, and he will flee. Finally, you rejoice. You do not rejoice in another’s suffering, but in the finished victory of Jesus Christ, who has already defeated every dark power. Pull back from the physical fight, stand firmly in that spiritual authority, and let the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your heart and your home.