North Americans have been caught up in a reality TV show craze. One particular series began with a couple of dozen people isolated on a remote island. Through a series of competitions and events they were either rewarded or voted off the island. The final contestant would win one million dollars. What began as a game quickly became a microcosm of real life. In the end one of the most methodical manipulators won. To the astonishment of the viewing public the least deserving individual was the last man standing. How could the island participants have allowed this to happen? Given a chance the viewing public would never have voted this way. Unlike the participants, the viewer had an insider look into the plotting and deception. Thus, they had a more accurate perspective of the man. Unfortunately, the participants themselves could only see those parts he chose to reveal. This meant that the one most gifted in deception and illusion was able to win the game.
Even though this was a game, it is a picture of the scenario being played out in the market place each and every day. In the pattern of survivor, skillful manipulators charm their way through life, reaping many rewards they do not deserve. In the game called life, illusion is everything, and reality becomes what we can convince others it is. Whether they know it or not, those who excel, are actually navigating in principles native to the kingdom of darkness. What they are engaging in, is a level of witchcraft which brings success by supernatural means.
If the Christian community wishes to have influence in the market place, it must somehow bring clarity into the work place. There must come an expression of light which makes everything self-evident and renders deception powerless. When people are wandering in the darkness they can make themselves out to be anything they wish. But when the light is turned on no one is deceived. This is what we are called to do Ð to suspend the fog-like illusion which makes the world go around. When we can successfully do that, we will have brought an expression of the rule of God into the market place.
The Advancing Kingdom
The believing community is aware that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will fill the earth. What we may not know is that the knowledge of the Lord is the light which makes things clear. The judgment seat of Christ for example is described as a time when 'all things will be clear' (1 Corinthians 3:13). This is why Jesus declared Himself to be the Light of the World. He was bringing an expression of the Father which exposed the hidden things. In His presence the Pharisees, who were exceptionally gifted at hiding, could no longer conceal themselves and were revealed for hypocrites. In turn He challenged them with the words, 'Which of you convinces me of sin' (John 8:46). In other words I welcome you to bring a greater clarity to my life than I am already walking in. They could not and would not. As a result of this power working through Him, He impacted every sphere of society.
Likewise the Church is called to move with an authority which reaches into the market place. It is an authority based on our willingness to walk in the light. Even now a new threshold of combat between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness is brewing. We are being challenged to discover the authority given by God to His offspring. When we have it, we will be empowered to take the fight against our enemy with a new comprehension of our spiritual weaponry. Instead of always being on the defensive we will advance. The fight we bring is not with human strength, but a manifestation of the glory and power of the kingdom of God. We have not come to fight darkness with our passions and desires, but by the simple clarity found in truth. As Paul wrote, by the manifestation of the truth we commend ourselves(2 Corinthians 4:2). While the world seeks to commend itself through deception, we will walk in the light as He is in the light.
We might think of this in terms of gospel preaching and miracles, which certainly is one component of the kingdom's advance we want to see increase. But there is another expression of the kingdom which is more subtle but amazingly effective. It does not always require words because it consists of being and not doing.
Jesus distinguished Himself from the Pharisees by being real. This is a part of what it means to walk in the light. The best way to show a forgery is to possess the real item. Likewise the best way to make clear what is fake is by being real. This is what the Lord is doing in and through us. Making us so real and transparent, and yet filled with His love, that everything else pales in comparison. Since deceivers are busy pretending to be something they are not, and thereby gaining favor they do not deserve, the manifestation of the real will suspend this form of injustice. Today, unrighteousness is rewarded because it is concealed behind a mask of deception. When unrighteousness is seen for what it is, it will no longer be rewarded.
The question we need to ask ourselves is 'how much light do we carry?'. We can spend countless hours cursing the darkness and bemoaning the lack of righteousness in the world. But if righteousness is measured in light and we have become the light of the world, who ultimately is responsible. Our primary orientation must be a quest to be so much like Jesus that our impact is identical to His.
The Nature of the Battle
If we have understood the present state of creation, we know there is a continual wrestling for influence. The world is ruled by spiritual forces and the only question is which one presently dominates the situation we find ourselves in. Ultimately of course, we know we win, however, until that time there are continuous expressions of the kingdom of darkness which must be confronted. One of the characteristics of that influence is found in the absence of justice. We don't have to live very long before we discover life is not fair. People get things even when they do not deserve them. That's not sour grapes, it just happens to be true. The question is how and why does this happen, and what can we do about it?
Paul tells us that our warfare is not against flesh and blood, and that we have spiritual weapons with which to fight(2 Corinthians 1):3-4). We need spiritual weapons because we battle a mystical source of influence which determines who succeeds. It is prevalent throughout the whole of creation and is therefore just as relevant in the board room as it is in the prayer room. Commitment, hard work and talent are important keys for advancement, but it would be naive for us to think they are sufficient. The true source of victory is spiritual in nature and come from the spheres of light or darkness.
Consequently the market place is dominated by the principles of darkness driven by the lust for control. The expressions of this quest for power takes many forms. Some are obvious while others are less so. It might surprise some to know it is the least obvious which are the most dangerous. The real challenge are those devices which appear good on the surface. These are the ones which rule the most powerful arenas of life. The ability to deceive and passively manipulate have therefore become the world's most treasured commodities. This is not limited to what we might think are the uncivilized portions of the world. It is the unwritten law which governs every sphere of society in every nation of the earth. In fact, darkness takes on its most deceptive forms under the shadow of relative military and political calm.
Nevertheless, it is presently under siege. The book of Revelations declares 'the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ'(Revelation 11:15). Increasing inroads are being made as the promise to the meek begins to be fulfilled. 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth'(Matthew 5:5). But how then do the meek supersede the ambitious? How can the gentle overthrow the violent? It will take a greater but opposite force. Simply put, "our weapons are not carnal and mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds"(2 Corinthians 10:4).
Since the world we live in is ruled by power, it will take power to overcome it. Not physical strength; not the power of money; not good looks, but a higher form of power, which is capable of displacing or negating all other influences. Possibly with this in mind Paul wrote that 'the kingdom of God is not in word or deed but in power'(1 Corinthians 4:20). It is not what is said or what is done which counts. It is the power within those things which makes the difference. This is the reason two people can use the same arguments with identical words, yet with extremely different outcomes. It is not the words we use but the amount of power behind them. Words are mere containers empowered with a degree of either light or darkness.
Surely we have witnessed or ourselves been the victim of someone who could immobilize us with a phrase. Afterwards you can think of twenty things you should have said, but at the time, it was as though temporary paralysis set in. This is not the work of mere words, this is the product of spiritual power. Those who move in this power will have dominion.
Pagan peoples have known about this for eons. Unlike us enlightened westerners - a term I use in jest - they regard people in terms of their 'magic' or 'juju'. The scoffing intellectual, who may wish to dismiss this as vain superstition, is only parading his ignorance. While there is no doubt that there is a great deal of meaningless dribble passing itself as cultural wisdom, the premise of a world governed by magic or power is accurate.
Natural Witchcraft
As usual though, all things are not as they would appear. For while the average western intellectual would not admit to a belief in magic, the truth is he is a believer. Western society operates on a similar framework of understanding and is no different than less technologically advanced societies. We also measure people by their spiritual power, we have simply called it something else. We use words which sound more earthy but which, in the end, will prove to be entirely the same as magic and juju - words like charisma, charm, and star quality. The fact that we use a different vocabulary cannot change reality.
Even the word charm carries a spiritual tone. After its initial definition of 'to affect by magic' it means, 'to please, sooth or delight by compelling attraction'. I dare say the enticement to sooth or delight with compelling attraction is almost the motto of our western society. Indeed, several industries are built around it.
Now some may think the ability to produce 'compelling attraction' has something to do with appearance. Honestly speaking, having an attractive appearance cannot hurt. But it is the ability and disposition to 'sooth and delight by compelling attraction' which determines ones power. Those who yearn very deeply to have this power, will at some point make a deliberate exercise of 'charming', in order to gain favor. This is the middle ground in the journey towards systematic witchcraft.
To understand the insidious nature of 'seeking to delight with compelling attraction' we only have to consider what is behind it. Question: Is it open, clear, truthful and honest? The answer is too obvious. At its root it is deceptive, selfish and insincere. It is not only a lie, but an incredibly calculated and deliberate effort to beguile. In fact the ability to appear aloof, professing a lack of design or desire is a significant part of the game. The more one can appear disinterested the better. All of which, by strange coincidence, happens to be rudimentary components of the kingdom of darkness. James who wrote, "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there"(3:16). Envy and the exercise of selfishness are the root of many other expressions of darkness. Those who choose to give expression to their ambitions are in fact invoking powers of darkness. Systematic witchcraft and the occult are simply the expression this same darkness takes once it has come to a place of maturity.
But why is it difficult for us to consider it magic or witchcraft? The answer is found, to some degree, in our ignorance of the nature of witchcraft. Regardless, natural witchcraft is present whether we choose to recognize it or not. And when we use words like charisma or stage presence, we are indirectly referring to an unusual power some people carry. It is a substance which cannot be isolated or defined because it has spiritual origins. In the end it is this influence, which rules the world.
Contemporary Examples
Competitions on every level make use of magic at least as much as they do ability. This was evident and clearly depicted on a local television program recently. The program was a contest for young women, competing for a position in a musical group. Each of the contestants were gifted singers and performers, several dozen of which had sufficient ability to fit the role. However, when making the final determinations, the judges selection criteria shifted to a peculiar place. Once it had been determined that each of the finalists were suitable in terms of talent, the selections began to take on a more ethereal flavor. All of a sudden they began to use words like charisma, energy and star quality. While skill was a factor, the feature which made the difference between success and failure, was a mystical quality which some had in abundance, others had a limited supply.
I had not seen the previous programs but in discussing it with someone who did another interesting fact came out. During a previous critical rehearsal one of the young ladies performed terribly. According to the structure of the contest she should then have been passed over, but was not. The judges chose her to move on, not because of her demonstrated abilities, but because they 'believed she possessed something'. That 'something' is exactly what we are talking about. It gives one the power to have favor where others do not. The favor comes from outside the boundaries of merit and actual performance. How does one gauge this ability? What is it and where does it come from? Clearly it is not natural. As was stated earlier - the world is ruled by spiritual power.
Recently after sharing some thoughts on this with a friend he related to me a similar story. His daughter had been competing in a speech contest for her school. She had made it to the finals and seemed a clear winner. Other students and adults who heard the finalists assured her she had won. To most onlookers there was a great gap in the quality of speaking between her and the other finalist. The strength of her delivery was better and the content was much stronger. In fact, while his daughter had delivered her speech flawlessly, the other girl, lost her place several times and was obliged to restart. However, she possessed a certain charm and stage presence, which seemed to negate all questions of merit. Against all odds she won.
What power is this which seems to be able to set aside rational thinking? How do we define a mystical ability which can cause people to forget defects and remember only occasional moments of greatness. Whatever we may wish to call it, it apparently acts as a cloak, enveloping an individual so as to conceal their faults. This is a component of demonic glory - a counterfeit to the glory we share in with Christ.
It is a spiritual power which comes from knowingly or unknowingly engaging in the practice of deception. Granted, some seem to be born with copious amounts of it. But is also something which is deepened by exercise. Whether done in ignorance or with active consent, it relates to principles which empower darkness. In effect it brings one increasingly into alliance with the father of liars.
But is it something we might encounter only very occasionally? To answer that we have but to consider how often we have heard abstract language; 'I don't know what it is, but there is just something about him'. People commonly refer to a non-specific, invisible quality which some possess in greater quantities than others.
Our reluctance to consider it spiritual is a virtue of the blindness which comes from intellectual pride. Magic is exactly what it is! There may not be potions or incantations, but that is not what defines witchcraft. The word 'witch' is designated as one able to 'influence or beguile with allure or charm'. Witchcraft is said to be, besides the use of sorcery, 'an irresistible influence or fascination, enchantment'. At its root witchcraft is composed of two things: Illusion and the need to control or be the center. And while one may consider it only human to want to affect the environment one lives in, the question is one of means. Which brings us again to the circumstance we face in the world - an invisible tension between two spiritual domains.
Understanding Our Source
These two domains both deal in power but differ in nature. One relies on a reality rooted in truth while the other emerges from deception. When a lie is sustained unrighteousness is empowered. Conversely, the empowered delivery of truth(light) is the kingdom of God. This is why John records the coming of Jesus as light shining in the darkness. "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it"(John 1:5) The word 'comprehend' can be translated as 'to seize, or lay hold of', suggesting darkness is powerless when truth really shines.
Thus the two kingdoms are known by the source from which they come. It is not the label which counts but the substance within. Are we of the light or of the darkness? Knowing what behaviors belong to which domain is critical for the believer seeking a purer expression of God. We must become aware of what spirit we are moving in if we mean to be effective for the Lord. When our works are tainted by a form of deception, it suggests a need for change. Either we must change the label or change the substance. Satan is called the 'father of liars' making him the master of both the lies and the liars. This means that one of the first orders of business for believers is becoming free from those things which belong to darkness. Only then can we hope to fight an effective battle.
If the believing community wishes to have more than a marginal impact in life, we must begin to compete in the realm which counts the most Ð the spirit realm. An emphasis on excellence and integrity is a great beginning, but to really influence our world we must walk in a market place anointing. Without flowing in kingdom principles there will continue to be a lot of effort, followed by frustration. Bringing a knife to a gun fight will put one at a clear disadvantage. Dominion requires kingdom authority operating not only in the context of intercession or church worship, but as a feature of our day to day business dealings. For what we have called the 'secular world' is subject to either the kingdom of God or the kingdom of darkness. By either the absence or presence of light we determine which one comes into play. Beginning now, we must begin to see the world not as Satan's playground, but as the Lord's inheritance, prepared for and purchased by Him.