WITCHCRAFT - SATANISM

Witches are for Halloween or for superstitious primitives in seventeenth century Salem. That seems to be the "modern" outlook sophisticated skepticism and a knowing smile when it comes to witchcraft.

And yet Time's recent cover story would indicate that witchcraft is not a thing of the past. Satan is not dead. Young people by the thousands are probing seriously the mysteries of "the other side," from seances to Satan worship. Leading universities report over enrolled courses on witchcraft . . . occult book sales have doubled in three years . . . most American high schools have their campus "witches and warlocks" . . . And occasionally the headlines shatter our complacency with the terror of Manson-style violence.

Halloween is celebrated by children in the United States. This issue is becoming debatable inside of Christian circles because of the rise of the occult in America.

Witchcraft-Satanism revivals and their obvious tie with pagan holiday causes Christians to question if the church should participate in Halloween.

Children amuse themselves in costumes and masks with Halloween pumpkins of 'Jack O' Lanterns' name for (Will Wisps) an ancient symbol of a damned soul, too long considered harmless fun, and innocent pranks.

Halloween is celebrated masquerading as Church fund-raising bazaars decorated with black cats and witches; skeletons, scarecrows, haunted houses, bats, vampires and dummies in coffins. It should not be integrated with the holiness of the scared house of God. It's wicked and brings curses, (Deut. 11-36, 28.)

Some see it as evil and will have nothing to do with the celebration; others as harmless fun partake fully: costume parties, Halloween decorations and 'trick-or-treat. Still others try to find a "middle" approach, allowing trick-or-treat and masquerades, but as "Bible characters" instead of demonic and occult figures.

Some Churches are now seeing the influence of its fruit. One cannot deny the occult-metaphysical nature of Halloween is not in line with the Christian in character. Despite this clear contrast, Christians defend their complicity in the holiday asserting their "liberty in Christ" from the bondages of "legalism," declaring it is only innocent fun! God never gave us liberty to engage ourselves in evil!

"Learn not the way of the heathen . . . for the customs of the people are vain," (Jeremiah 10:2-3).

"And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate," (II Corinthians 6:15-17).

THE SPIRIT WORLD

The Bible clearly teaches that there is both a natural, material world as well as an invisible and spiritual world. The domain of physical human beings is the physical world, whereas the "heavenlies" are people or occupied by spirit beings. Among these spirit beings there are two classes, the good and the evil.

In the Scriptures, both holy and unholy spirit beings are designated as angels (Revelation 12:7). Unusually the unholy angels are referred to as demons, translated in the King James Version as devils.

They are called seraphim, cherubim, angels, principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, (Ephesians 6:12), throne, dominion (Colossians 1:16), fallen angels (2 Peter 2:4), spirits in prison (I Peter 3:18-20), demons, seducing spirits (I Timothy 4:1).

There are an "innumerable company of angels," (Hebrews 12:22). They are referred to as "mighty angels" but they are not almighty (2 Thessalonians 1:7). One angel destroyed 185,000 of the Assyrian armies in a night (2 Kings 19:35). One angel rolled away the stone from the tomb of Jesus and one angel will bind Satan and cast him into the "bottomless pit." They are glorious beings according to Luke 9:26 and they seem to posses great knowledge but they are not omniscient -- all know. The angels are "all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister (serve) for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:13-14). They are also responsible for 'taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ' (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

The chief of the fallen angels is an archangel who has at least forty names given in Scripture. Some are proper names, but others are descriptive. For example, in Revelation 12:10 he is called the "accuser of the brethren." He is called "that old Serpent," (Revelation 20:2), indicating his guile, Lucifer, "Son of the Morning," (Isaiah 14:12), his title when he fell. Devil means "accuser or slanderer," and it is of Greek origin (Revelation 12:9). Satan means "adversary or resister," and is of Hebrew origin; "Apollon," means "destroyer," the term " Dragon." Speaks of his power. He is also called "Prince of devils." (Matthew 9:34), "Prince of this world," (John 12:31), "Belial," is implied to be his title in II Corinthians 6:15. In II Kings 1: 2, 6, 16, he is referred to as "Beelzebub," implying a prince of demons. As Dr. Lewis S. Chafer says, "In power, prominence and importance, Satan appears in the Bible second only to the Trinity."

Two of his most powerful names are:

"The prince of the power of the air," (Ephesians 2:2) and " the god of this world," (age) (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Satan's origin is shrouded in mystery. There are two passages of Scripture to explain his origin. Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Isaiah 14:12-17.

Dr. Chafer points out the "Demon influence, like their activity, is prompted by two motives: but to hinder the purpose of God for humanity, and to extend the authority of Satan. They therefore, at the command of their king, willingly cooperate in all his God-dishonoring undertakings. This influence is exercised both to mislead the unsaved and to wage an increasing war against the believer," (Eph. 6:12).

Derek Prince writes, "Today, by divine providence, the veils of convention and carnality are once again being drawn aside, and the church of Jesus Christ is being confronted by the same manifest opposition of demon power that confronted the church of the New Testament. In these circumstances, the church must once again explore the resources of authority and power that was made available to her through the truth of the Scripture, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and the Name and the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible warns: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," (I Peter 5:8).

He is after you, your family and your children!

THE BATTLE TODAY

No one can dabble in the occult and come away unshackled. It is not harmless games and fun. Occult involvement whether done innocently or not, is disobedience to God's Word. When people ignore God's warning and enter a forbidden realm, they witness spiritual phenomenons. The Devil does have supernatural power. However, everything he does for people, he requires payment. The result of occult involvement causes oppression, depression, confusion, delusion, and physical ailments of all sorts. We are warned not to be ignorant of Satan's devices in (II Corinthians 2:11).

Playing with the occult has become very attractive to Americans. Everywhere you go, you will witness occult activity. It is blatant. Psychic and astrologers are using 900 numbers. Occult themes are being worked into many television programs. Talk. Shows are featuring astrologers, divinatory, clairvoyants, scientologists, Satanists, witches, psychics, crystal gazers, dream analysis, yoga, reincarnations, hypnotists, fortune-tellers, spiritualists, parapsychologists, numerologists and New Agers. Even Disney World is deeply involved in the promotion of the occult.

"Many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds," 2 John 7.

Michael Harper writes these encouraging words: "These wicked beings can suggest evil, but cannot coerce the will of another creature. They may spread snares and device to ruin the children of God, but cannot compel any other being to comply with their designs, nor can they employ God's creation other than as He decrees. They have never been able to defeat God, and actually God uses them as instruments to correct the erring Saints. See Luke 22:31-32; I Corinthians 5:5; I Timothy 1:20.

Someone has remarked that Satan is like a monkey wrench which the Lord uses to tighten up loose nuts! Be of good cheer, saints of God! Satan is severely limited and all his bluster and bluff about "all power" is sham. Our God is still on the throne and He rules! Hallelujah! Remember you choose to participate with the wiles of the devil. You are also called to educate your children concerning his games. "Success for the Christian will depend in a large measure on recognizing the work of the devil and knowing how to defeat and expel him from every situation . . . " says Michael Harper.

ALL  HALLOWS  EVE

Halloween or ALL HALLOWS' EVE, was originally a festival of fire for the dead and the powers of darkness. It is the evening of 31 October, the night before the Christian festival of Hallows' or ALL SAINTS DAY.

All Hallows' Day commemorates the saints and martyrs, and was first introduced in the 7th century. Its date was changed from May 13 to November 1 in the following century, probably to make it coincide with and Christianize a pagan festival of the dead. All Souls' Day in the Roman Catholic calendar is November 2. It is marked by prayers for the souls of the dead.

Before the coming of Christianity, the pagan Celts in northern Europe held two great fire festivals each year, Beltane of the eve of May 1 and Samhain on the eve of November 1 to mark the beginning of summer and winter. These dates have no connection with the equinoxes or solstices, or with sowing and reaping, but seem to date from very early times when Celtic society depended heavily on cattle for subsistence. Samhain marked the beginning of winter and was the time when the cattle were brought in from pasture to spend the winter under cover. It was also the beginning of a new year. Because the Celtic day started at sunset, and ran to the following sunset, the festival began on the eve of November 1.

Bonfires on high hills were a blatant feature of The Old Halloween rites, though in England they have been gradually transferred to November 5 to mark the arrest of Guy Fawkes. In the 1860's a traveler in Scotland counted 30 fires on the hilltops between Dunkeld and Aberfeldy, each with a circle of people dancing round. Done to the end of the 19th century, fires blazed on the hills in Lancashire on the eve of All Hallows. In north Wales every family built a bond fire and each person threw into the ashes a white stone which he had previously marked. Prayers were said round the fire and next morning if a stone was missing, it was thought that its owner would die before he saw another Halloween. The same belief existed in the Scottish Highlands and many forms of fortune telling were a traditional feature of Halloween - probably because it was the Celtic New Year's Day and so a suitable time for predicting the events of the coming years.

In Aberdeenshire and Buchan in the 19th century, boys collecting fuel for the bonfire would ask for 'peat' to burn the witches. When the fire was lit, the boys danced round it shouting "Fire! Fire! Burn the witches." When the fire died down, the ashes were scattered and when the last spark had gone out, the cry went up into the ominous darkness. "The devil takes the hindmost" and they all ran for their lives. In Wales 'the cropped black sow' would take the hindmost.

All Hallows' Eve was a night when the dead stalked the countryside, and offerings of food and drink were put out for the ghosts and they passed by to the west always, the direction of the dying sun at sunset.

The fairies could also be seen moving from one fairy hill to another with the music of bells and elf horns. They were sometimes identified with the dead.

Darker and colder creatures still roamed through the night on Halloween - demons and hobgoblins, witches who straddled broomsticks or shank bones, flew in the sieve or eggshells, or rode on coal-black horses. The fires helped to keep them off and at Balmoral in Queen Victoria's time the effigy of a hideous old witch was ceremoniously burned on a bonfire at Halloween.

The guisers went from house to house, singing and dancing. Their bloodcurdling masks and grotesque costumes may have been meant to keep evil at bay or, more likely, were some visible representations of the ghosts and goblins that lurked in the night. The masks have now been transferred to the children who, in the United States, visit the neighbors for the food-offerings which once belonged to the dead - or play tricks akin to the legendary destructiveness of witches and imps abroad on this night.

"When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, through shalt not learn to do after the abomination of those nations," (Deuteronomy 18-9).

MASKS

A very popular Halloween custom is the wearing of masks, (false faces) such as, witches masks, devil masks, cat masks, bat masks, monster masks, and the list goes on. People hide behind all sorts of 'masks.' Some hide behind 'hats' and still others, including many of today's youth, and others, hides behind dark sunglasses.

From earliest times, people all over the world have worn masks for all sorts of reasons . . . droughts, epidemics, or other disasters. They hoped that the demons who had brought the disaster would see the mask and think they were demons, too, and be frightened off. In imaginative primitive societies, a mask was more than a means of changing one's appearance; it was a link with the world of the spirits, a channel by which men could tap the forces of the supernatural. The wearing of a mask was believed to change a man's identity and personalties, for the assumed appearance was believed to affect the wearer's inner nature and to assimilate it to that of the being represented by the mask.

During the middle ages, witches often put on masks or smeared their faces with soot and paint. People of nobility attending a witch's Sabbath would always arrive 'masked.'

Masks can be divided into two categories, the religious and the profane. Masks are worn by the dancers in the religious ceremonies of West African Tribes. The theater of ancient Greece is an example of the secular use of the mask. The use of the masks enabled actors to double and triple the number of parts they could play during anyone performance.

Protection against supernatural dangers is a function of masks worn in certain ritual situations, such as at funerals. This is done 'in order to avoid recognition by the souls of the dead.' Masks are sometimes worn by 'warriors' to symbolize a superior power by identifying themselves with this force. While there are civilizations where the mask plays an important role in ritual activities, there are regions of the world where the wearing of a mask is unknown.

Masks are worn in some initiation ceremonies of certain organizations. The wearer of the mask partakes of the power of the divinity or spirit which the mask symbolizes. Thus, the wearer of the mask is believed to be elevated above the common mass of the uninitiated.

PAGANISM OCCULT

History traces to the ancient religion of the Druid, a religion so evil that Rome forbad its practice. The American Peoples Encyclopedia explains, "The origin of Halloween customs antedate Christianity when the Druids (members of pagan orders in Britain, Ireland and Gual) Festival of Samhain. It was a night of ghosts and faeries, in which bonfires were built and futures were foretold and witches rode through the sky."

Superstitions linking cats with reincarnation made them special objects of notice on Halloween. Numerous legends surrounded the holiday, but two significant things supposedly occurred on that night:

First, it was believed that the dead would rise out of their graves and wander the countryside, trying to return to the homes where they formerly lived. Frightened villagers tried to appease these wandering spirits by offering them gifts of fruits and nuts. If not placated villagers, feared that the spirits would kill their flocks or destroy their property. This the origin of our present day Trick-or-treat! In a custom born out of superstition, and pagan superstition at that!

Also, it's a blasphemous perversion of the Christian belief in the Resurrection, in a glorified, immortal body. In Druidism, the dead are raised as horrifying creatures of the night, hideous monsters, decaying skeletons, vampires, etc., they received not glorified bodies but grotesque ones; not immortal bodies but inhuman ones.

Second, Samhain was the supreme night of Demonic jubilation. This was a celebration of the beginning of 'Winter and Darkness,' as day light grew noticeably shorter, and night lengthier. The hoards of hell would roam the earth in a wild celebration of darkness and death, all in honor of Samhain! The poor mortal forced to travel on such a night! The only thing the superstitious people knew to do to protect themselves on such an occasion was to masquerade as one of the demonic hoard, and hopefully blend in unnoticed among them! This is the origin of Halloween masquerading as devils, imps, orgies, and other demonic creatures.

STATEMENTS OF WITCHES IN MODERN TIMES

Bats . . . Brooms . . . Witches . . . Ghouls . . . Ghosts . . . Goblins . . . Skeletons . . . Jack o' Lanterns . . . every type of gory, ugly thing that can be imagined and people dressed as creatures of the world of the dead or the unknown world of hobgoblins and devils.

The modern sophisticate, who does not realistically face the evil and danger surrounding this time of year, may say, "Witches are for Halloween. It is a time for children to visit the neighborhood to get candy and apples. There is no harm in celebrating Halloween with its witches and devils." To some, 'witches' are figments of the imaginations of the superstitious seventeenth century Salem primitives.

If witches are for Halloween - a thing of the past, then why are so many young people and older ones alike being swept into the grips of Satan by 'dabbling' in those things which relate to him?

Anyone informed about witchcraft would tell you that there are certain rituals and spells that can only be cast on Halloween night. That is the night when the "veil" believed to separate the living from the dead is thought to be the thinnest and futures are easier and more accurately foretold by diviners.

Those who oppose Christ are known to organize on Halloween to observe Satanic rituals, to cast spells, to oppose churches and families, to perform sacrilegious acts, and to even offer blood sacrifices to Satan. Last year, newscasters in numerous cities warned their viewers to guard their animals on Halloween nights.

Dogs and cats are thought to be the most often sacrificed animals on Halloween. In rural communities it is not uncommon for farmers to awake to find the mutilated remains of their farm animals (cows, calves, chickens, even horses) that were ritualistically slaughtered in Satanic sacrifices. The practices that accompany such rites are almost too revolting to believe-the drinking of animals (or human) blood and urine, the digestion of entrails and orgiastic rituals, substance abuse becoming more frighteningly common across the U. S., as is human sacrifice.

Paulus Grillandus said of the practice of witchcraft: "Those witches who have solemnly devoted themselves to the Devil's service, worship him in a particular manner with ceremonial sacrifices, which they offer to the Devil, imitating in all respects the worship of Almighty God, with vestments, lights, and other ritual observance, so that they worship and praise him, just as we worship the true God."

THE HALLOWEEN WITCH

If you thought Halloween was a time for cornstalks, pumpkins, apples, and apple cider - a time for children dressed in cute costumes of witches, goblins, ghosts or devils to knock at you door call "trick or treat," you had better wise up. There is more to Halloween . . . much more! Halloween is not children's play. It is an abomination in the eyes of God!

The Halloween Witch is a strange-looking female in black cloak and peaked hat riding a broomstick along with her symbolic cat. Her name is derived from the Saxon word wica, which means "wise one."

Artists of the Middle Ages often showed witches preparing to fly off to one of their Sabbaths. It was believed that angels and devils were supposed to be able to fly, so it was easy to believe that witches, too, could fly. The broomstick, originally made from a stalk of the broom plant with a bunch of leaves at the head, was said to be used by poor witches who went on foot. The broom or pole was used to vault over brooks, streams or thorny patches. Due to its use as an indoor cleaning tool, the broom became the symbol of women. Before setting out for a Sabbath, witches would rub 'Sacred' ointment called 'unguent' into their pores. One ingredient in the ointment confused the mind. Another speeded up the witch's pulse. Still, another numbed the feet. This gave them a feeling of flying. If they had been fasting, the ointment seemed to make them feel even giddier. Bat blood was another ingredient in that ointment. In England, during initiation ceremonies, new witches were sometimes blindfolded, smeared with the unguent, then placed on a broom.

The pealing of church bells was believed to be a defense against aerial witches. In the Slav countries people used to fire muskets at the clouds, screaming as they did so, "Curse, curse Herodius, thy mother is a heathen damned of God," while other laid scythes and bill hooks on the ground, edge upward, to assure that the witches would not have a safe landing.

The black of a witch's cloak reminds us that Halloween is a "festival of the dead."

TRADITIONS OF WITCHES

Trick and Treat is the fun time of many unsuspecting children and adults, but the "trick" is really on the one who is playing right into the trap of the devil. Halloween is a day of celebration for the devil and his worshipers.

The cauldrons are boiling; potions are brewing; the yule logs are blazing; the forces of Satan are in their height in rituals and ceremonies. The powers of the demonic world are loosed and they are running around crazily seeking bodies to enter.

Real witches held high revels on All Hallows' Eve and this was one of the ways in which they preserved pagan customs. The witches of Aberdeen in 1596 said that they had danced round the market cross at midnight on Halloween and also round an old grey stone at the foot of the hill at Craigleuch, the Devil himself playing music before them.

MODERN WITCHES HAVE KEPT UP THE TRADITION

In 1963, for instance, a journalist watched the Halloween festivities of a coven of witches at St. Albans. The high priestess, naked except for a string of beads and watched by the other 12 members of the coven, drew a circle on the ground with the point of her magic knife. A candle burned in each quarter of the circle, with a fifth candle on an altar in the middle. The reporter did not reveal the details of the ceremony but he did record a remark of the high priestess. "We are not anti-Christian, she said, we just have other means of spiritual satisfaction. It's hard to describe that satisfaction."

WITCH GIVES INSIGHT TO MODERN RITUALS

Rev. Irene A. Park, gives insight to modern rituals. Secret ceremonials, rituals, obligations and covenants are being kept by cultists and Satanists on particular days and nights. Multitudes are gathering in worship, prayer, and sacrifices to the god of the world, Lucifer.

Family spirits gather like a family reunion or holiday celebration in the natural or earthly realm; only these are the demon spirits of the departed dead that gather for rituals and sacrifice, (not ghosts but devils). Some of the demon spirits gather for rituals and sacrifice, some of the demon spirits present at the celebration come from embodied living clans or tribal members, (demons who lived in these people while they were alive).

These are the ones that are vying for the powers. Some come just to celebrate the traditional gathering and festivity's.

Sometimes the assignments that the demon spirits receive bring about rebellion in the supernatural Satanic realm. The spirits want to continue to control the area they are in, whether body, nation, society, system or whatever control they received for their obedience to Satan. They do not want to be dislodged. They like to continue to embody members of the same family; they prefer humans but will settle for animals.

Millions of people are vying for power, supernatural powers of evil to work curses, hexes, spells, power to manipulate, controlling power over lesser forces of darkness and power to control this present world system!

A reformed witch once told me that vying for power meant that a supernatural battle ensues between the other covens. Whosoever demonstrated the greatest power won the control of certain areas, such as seas, cities, etc. Satan would give the witch a part of all illegal finances collected in her area. For instance, Laura Cabot has political control over Salem, Massachusetts and maybe over the entire state. Recently when Jeff Fendhold visited her occult book store, within thirty seconds the policemen were on the scene driving police cars with the symbols of a flying witch on the side. Then the Attorney General of that state called Jeff saying that he was wanted by the law for "harassing witches!"

Christians had better wake up and begin old time prayer meetings for this nation!

Dr. Parks writes, "Many of the people are saturated in demonology with demonic spirits and are already in control of government establishments, militaries, religious organizations, financial systems, educational institutions, etc. These spirits are superior and receive their origin in Satan and are under the powers of the familiar spirits (spirit guides) that work divination and will only impart power to those totally yielded to obedience and in every obligation required by Lucifer.

Witches, druids, wizards, magicians, sorcerers, pagans of every breed are in high mass, tribe and clan leaders are calling a reunion in the supernatural realm. These are Sabbaths to the worshipers of Satan, "people in the occult," and they take these days very seriously.

Christians should begin to pray for their families, church leaders, and cover the children with the blood of Jesus and the protection of God during these days. There is no question that human sacrifices are occurring. Bind the powers of darkness and lose the power of God according Matt. 18:18. (There are more than two million children missing every year. Many too young to run away. At least 7,000 are found dead every year).

Dr. Parks says, "The highest Sabbath mass is the eve of October 31. This a time of proclaiming powers for control and leadership in the Satanic realm world systems. There are blood sacrifices offered up to the god of Baal worship, the sun god Ra, and to the goddess of fertility Diana.

Christians should begin their defensive spiritual warfare weeks before Halloween. Witches begin their preparation on the 18th day of October.

"On the 18th day of October, faithful followers of evils spirits gather for 13 days before the eve of Halloween of Sabbath. During this time they offer sacrifices (human or animal) to the god of the spirit world, Satan. These sacrifices are to obtain spiritual power. All the followers must give a blood sacrifice; some give their own blood, others offer an animal's blood, the more power they want, the greater the sacrifice.

"There is every conceivable type of orgy happening from the 18th until 31st October. Disembodied spirits loosed from the bodies of animals are being vied for by spiritualists, witches, druids, wizards and Satan worshipers. All of the corrupt evil wickedness and vile filth one could imagine is happening. Something is happening in the open, but most of the spiritual activity is well guarded from every corner of the earth at the command of the Lord Druid. "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." Ephesians 5:1, 11.

Accept God's Word that He loves you and wants to give you an abundant life.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life," (John 3:16.) "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly," (John 10:10.)

1. Accept God's word: that you are a sinner; and this separates you from God: that you must truly repent or "turn away" from sin. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23). "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord . . . " (Rom. 6:23.) "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," (Rom. 5:8.)

2. Accept that Jesus Christ is our only contact with God. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:5).

3. Receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord by your personal invitation. "But as many as received Him to them gave he the power to become the sons of God," (John 1:12). "Behold I stand at the door and knock; If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into Him . . . " Christ speaking (Revelation 3:20.)

Do you feel Jesus moving in your heart right now? This is how He knocks. Jesus wants in!

Will you receive Christ right now? You can be saved in seconds! Open the door and Pray:

Dear Father, I'm a lost sinner. I repent. Please forgive me and come into my heart and save me. Thank You for saving my soul! In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you are backslidden, say the same prayer. The Lord loves you and will forgive you.

Obedience is the practical acceptance of the authority and will of God, including both the inward submission and the outward expressing of actions, reactions, words and thoughts.

Disobedience is evidence of rebellion and distrust in God, preference to self will and the lack of surrender to and desire for the will of God in all things. God expects obedience (Deut. 11:26-28). To choose Christ is to choose obedience, (John 14:15, 21). To become disobedient is to sin or rebel against God's expectation and rights (I Sam. 15:22,23)

"Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known," (Deut. 11:26-28).