1. Magic, sorcery and witchcraft.
a. Read Leviticus 20:26,27--26 You are to be holy to me because I,
Allah, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.
27 " `A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be
put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own
heads.' "
1) Because Allah is holy, what does he desire of his people?
2) What activities are forbidden in this passage?
3) What is to be the punishment for those who disobey this command?
b. Read Deuteronomy 18:9-12--9 When you enter the land Allah your
God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the
nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son
or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets
omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or
spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is
detestable to Allah, and because of these detestable practices Allah
your God will drive out those nations before you.
1) What activities are mentioned in verses 10 & 11?
2) What is Allah's attitude towards all such works?
Why does Allah hate and forbid any contact with magic, sorcery and
witchcraft? The main reason is because Allah wants his people to trust
in him and to depend on him only. Allah alone controls all situations
and happenings of the past, present and future. If we ignore Allah and
look to a fortune teller, astrologist, or palmist to tell us our future,
or to magic or witchcraft to change our situation, then we show that our
real trust is in those things rather than Allah. And we show that we
really don't believe Allah loves us and is able to lead us and bless us.
Rather, we make it clear that we want to have control over our own lives
and our own futures.
It is also clear from Scripture that Satan and demonic influences
abound in all aspects of magic and witchcraft. And Allah wants us to
stay totally separate from all contact with Satan and his forces. Thus,
to dabble in magic and such activities is to turn our backs on Allah and
to be seeking aid and special knowledge from Satan. Doing such may seem
to bring good results initially, but its final end is always very much
to our own harm. Those who turn to Satan for special power and knowledge
are inevitably led down the same path of evil and desruction that Satan
himself is on.
c. Which of the forbidden activities in Deuteronomy are practiced in
your area?
d. Have you ever personally done any of the things mentioned?
Describe briefly.
e. Are you presently involved in any of those activities? If so, what
do you feel you should do about it?
2. Evil Spirits.
a. Read 1 John 4:4-6--4 You, dear children, are from Allah and
have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the
one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak
from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are
from Allah, and whoever knows Allah listens to us; but whoever is not
from Allah does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of
truth and the spirit of falsehood.
1) Who dwells inside each believer? (See 1 Corinthians 3:16--Don't
you know that you yourselves are Allah's temple and that Allah's Spirit
lives in you?)
2) Who have overcome all evil spirits and the forces of Satan?
3) Through what means are they overcomers?
Since the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we should never fear evil
spirits and the forces of Satan. Rather than living in fear of them,
with Allah's help we are able to drive them away and defeat them.
b. Read Mark 5:1-17--1 They went across the lake to the region of
the Gerasenes. 2 When Isa got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit
came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no
one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often
been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the
irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and
day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself
with stones.
6 When he saw Isa from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in
front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you
want with me, Isa, Son of the Most High God? Swear to Allah that you
won't torture me!" 8 For Isa had said to him, "Come out of
this man, you evil spirit!"
9 Then Isa asked him, "What is your name?"
"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are
many." 10 And he begged Isa again and again not to send them out of
the area.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The
demons begged Isa, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into
them." 13 He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out
and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed
down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and
countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When
they came to Isa, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion
of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were
afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to
the demon-possessed man--and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the
people began to plead with Isa to leave their region.
1) What was the initial condition of the demon possessed man?
2) Whose command did the evil spirits obey?
3) What was the final condition of the man? (See vs. 15)
c. Read Matthew 10:1-- He called his twelve disciples to him and
gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease
and sickness.
What power over evil spirits did Isa give to his disciples?
d. Read Luke 10:17-20--17 The seventy-two returned with joy and
said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." 18 He
replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have
given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome
all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not
rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are
written in heaven."
1) Why were the disciples rejoicing?
2) According to verse 20, what does Isa say should be the disciples
cause for greatest rejoicing?
e. What attitudes and ideas do the people of your area have about
evil spirits and ghosts? For example, where do they live, what do they
do, how can we escape their attacks, etc.?
f. As a disciple of Isa, do you feel that such practices as wearing
an amulet or painting a black mark on a baby's forehead to avoid the
evil eye is proper and right? Why or why not?
g. Before becoming a believer what was your attitude to ghosts and
evil spirits? How has that changed since coming to faith?
TO MEMORIZE - 1 JOHN 4:4
4 You, dear children, are from Allah and have overcome them, because the
one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.