In the Book of  Numbers the Bible speaks about a prophet who was asked to curse the people of God. The scripture says that Balaam sought to use "enchantment" on them.  As the story goes, on his way to meet Balak, (meaning waster or annihilator) he almost lost his life as an angel of the Lord  stood in his path to slay  him.  The name Balaam means, not of the people, foreigner.  The scripture used the word, diviner, which is witchcraft..  The word enchantment used here means  to hiss, whisper, a magic spell.  Balaam sought to use a magic spell in  order to curse the people of God.

It has been said that witchcraft is nothing to fear, and it indeed is not to the submitted saint of God.  We see as the story progressed that the Lord caused Balaam to bless the people, even to letting the Spirit of  Prophecy come on him to do it.  The Lord so amicable protected his people.  However, in the next chapter we read  "afterward, the people began to commit  whoredom".  This suggest that before that time the people were not committing  whoredom.  Whoredom means, in the case of the children of God, to go into willful idolatry, the worship of other Gods.  For use today, this would include our own will.

In Bible days, the Lord allowed the enemies of God's people to devastate them if they were found unfaithful.  If Balaam's curse, or magic, would have had no effect on the people of God,  the Lord would not have sought to kill him for it?  If witchcraft had no power, would our Lord constantly warn us to have nothing to do with it?  The truth of the matter is that, though a defeated foe, Satan's power is real.  His waves of enchantment, and familiar spirits are missiles that he uses to destroy God's image creature.  Why would our Lord warn His people to have no dealings with those who havefamiliar spirits, and not suffer a witch to live, if familiar spirits could not touch or harm us.   In  1John 5:18,  the scripture says if we  "keepeth" ourselves, the wicked one toucheth us not. 

If  we  rebel against God, and the SERVANT OF GOD that God has sent to us, continually, then that wicked one can touch us.  The word keepeth,  in that scripture means,  to guard from loss or injury, to fulfill a command.  We are commanded to be in submission, only submission to the will of God will guard God's true people from the devourer.  We are commanded to PRAISE THE LORD.  Praise Him for who He is.  Be thankful to Him, loving Jesus, and His kingdom, first.  Then will our LORD pitch His tent beside our hearts, and Satan is defeated.  As we praise Him, He makes His home with us, dying daily from our sins,  no magician, diviner, witch or dealer in familiar spirits can have any power over us, or the things that we possess.  Only by a person own decision, or the lifestyle of his parents, can Satan hope to plunder us in any way.   The Jews asked our Lord, for whose sin was a certain blind man, made blind, for his own, or for his parents?  This includes demon possession.   God will always lift up a standard to deliver His people.

However, by our own rebellion, we commit witchcraft ourselves, and invite the manifestation of Satan's powers in our lives.  "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft."  The book of Proverbs states that a curse commeth NOT without a cause.  If we therefore, submit wholly to God, we can then resist the devil.