EX-WORD OF FAITH TESTIMONY: Another Ex-Witch coming to terms with Word of Faith being Witchcraft

The following comment was left at the ExperienceInWordofFaith website.

The Lord just brought me to clarity on this point, within the past few days. I found your blog through a google to see whether the “revelation” that Word of Faith was witchcraft was commonly known. Because I’m still processing the idea. And it’s still very…unsettling to acknowledge, upsetting to confront.

I practiced (granted, not very “successfully”, according to the “wealth and success” practitioners like the Copelands manage to amass) witchcraft for a couple of decades (age 13-33), prior to being regenerated by the Holy Spirit, last year. This, even knowing Jesus was(is) real–He’d directly answered cries for help in times of crisis, in youth. But I turned to witchcraft, anyway, after experiencing the supernatural in Christ, being rejected by the church, then having no idea how to reconcile my experiences with “generally accepted” reality.

Much of what I ended up practicing was entirely in keeping with Word of Faith practice of craft–using words, faith, and intent, while using “sourcebooks” for ideas, but not for study or practice, merely for periodic affirmation and support. Same as they use the Bible for.

Again, I wasn’t necessarily “successful” according to what most folks might consider success, but…my efforts weren’t in vain. There was effect, there was progress, there was power–even if very minor, in the grand scheme. And it was purely, wholly evil. Completely against God. Absolutely in opposition to Christ, given that the mindset under which I operated maintained that God was real, accept that Christ was real, but simultaneously equated myself as somehow akin to them in terms of having sovereignty over my own life and sphere of being. Complete abomination, and I had no idea how much hatred I bore in my heart against Christ, until He began opening my heart and mind, last year. I believed I loved God, prior to being confronted with the unwavering truth of His sovereignty over me and all creation. Long-ignored resentment and loathing then became evident.

Word of Faith is like that–maintaining separate “sovereignty” apart from God. And for many months after regeneration, I remained a follower of those like Hagin and his cohorts. Believing that surely, as God is sovereign and omnipotent, and as He’s given us the Bible, then surely it’s acceptable to “hold Him to the promises” therein contained. As though, somehow, it’s reverent and humble to consider oneself capable of forcing God into compliance with one’s own will.

Even Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego acknowledged that though God was capable of saving them from the fire, He was no less good nor any less sovereign should He choose not to do so. They weren’t so arrogant as to insist that God was obligated to perform on their behalf, simply because He is capable of all things and is sovereign and worthy of the exclusive worship which their lives had been “sacrificed” on behalf of preserving. If those three weren’t arrogant enough as to “hold God to promises,” given their obedience and faith, far be it from anyone else. And their salvation from the furnace was grace. Not assured, not expected. Grace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s humility has helped a lot, these past few weeks, in terms of all this stuff with Word of Faith.

Realizing I’d still be in Word of Faith except that the Lord had such mercy as to provide clarity is so very humbling. I had no idea, whatsoever. Even having been a practitioner of witchcraft–or maybe because of that, as it was so “normal” to me–I still didn’t recognize it, till just this past week. So, praying now for those who are still there. I’m sure they absolutely believe themselves preachers of truth. Absolutely sure of that, given how sure I’d been that “Word of Faith” and Prosperity Gospel was true to the Gospel of Christ.

Many prayers for those false teachers and for those who listen to them, now.

And seriously–praise the Lord for giving us clarity to be free from delusion!, as to serve Him in spirit and in truth! I am absolutely certain, except for mercy and grace, we’d all be right where they are, even now.

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