Amanda loved going to church. Each Sunday, she would sit in her favorite spot. The pretty, colored windows made rainbow patterns on the floor. The hymns made her happy, and she had lots of friends there. Church always felt like a safe, peaceful place.
But lately, something felt different. Strange things were happening that made Amanda worry.
She noticed that her church friends were acting weird. They obsessed over getting rich and having power, not Bible stories. The new pastor seemed to have a special way of making people do whatever he wanted. It reminded Amanda of those magic shows she saw on TV—except this didn’t feel like fun and games.
Some people were holding secret meetings in the church basement after hours. Amanda, who taught Sunday school and knew a lot about church stuff, thought this was super strange. She started writing down all the weird things she saw, like a detective solving a mystery.
Could someone be using real magic in her church? Amanda knew that sounded crazy—like something from a spooky story. But something wasn’t right, and she needed to figure out what was going on.
Could this be witchcraft in the church? Join me as I explore seven signs of possible witchcraft in a church. They will help you tell truth from deception and strengthen your faith.
Key Takeaways
- Be alert for manipulative leaders who control people versus guiding them in love. Avoid churches that curse those who leave.
- Gossip and slander have no place in the body of Christ. Leave churches that promote disunity.
- Reject false prophets interested in enriching themselves. They don’t represent Christ.
- Flee idolatry and worship God alone. Human leaders should not be venerated.
- Rampant, unrepentant sin without accountability indicates witchcraft.
- Leaders who stifle spiritual gifts are being used by the devil to hinder God’s work.
- Dry, ritualistic worship lacking sincerity is a sign of spiritual decay and deception.
1. Manipulative Leadership
A major sign of witchcraft in the church is manipulative and controlling leaders. A pastor may threaten those who want to leave or visit another church. He would say that leaving would bring a curse upon them.
But Scripture tells us that we find true freedom in Christ alone:
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1 (ESV)
A godly leader guides with love rather than through control. They point people to Christ, not themselves. As 1 Peter 5:3 says, leaders are to be “examples to the flock.”
When leaders claim sole access to your miracle, beware. It’s a sign of witchcraft. Our help comes from the Lord alone, as Psalm 121:2 (ESV) declares:
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
The Church belongs to Jesus Christ, not to any human leader. Beware of any pastor who tries to control your relationship with God.
2. Division and Gossip
A church plagued by gossip and slander displays an ungodly influence. It hurts innocent people and can drive them away for good.
Jesus issued a stern warning against causing division in the Church.
“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.” – Luke 11:17 (ESV)
When the pastor gossips and divides people from the pulpit, it’s especially destructive. As John Chrysostom said, “The road to hell is paved with the skulls of bishops.”
Gossip is a work of the flesh that should have no place among believers, as Galatians 5:19-21 makes clear. We must choose to build up rather than tear down God’s Church.
3. False Prophets
False prophets, motivated by greed and deception, claim to speak for God. One way to identify them is if they ask for money in exchange for “powerful” prayers or prophetic words.
The Bible allows financial support for ministers (1 Timothy 5:18). But true prophets do not operate like hired fortune tellers. Their aim should be to draw people to Jesus, not to enrich themselves.
The Lord warned us about false prophets. They disguise themselves as sheep but are ravenous wolves inside (Matthew 7:15). We need the Holy Spirit’s discernment to detect pretenders who infiltrate the church.
1 John 4:1 (ESV) teaches:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
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4. Idolatry
Idolatry is anything we put in the place of God. One form of idolatry in the church is the cult of personality around human leaders. It may involve things like praying in the pastor’s name rather than in Jesus’ name.
Idolatry includes bowing to statues, worshiping ancestors, and other occult practices. So do “Christianized” forms like praying over candles, holy water, or healing oils.
Scripture says idolatry provokes the Lord to jealousy (Deuteronomy 32:16). It also opens the door to demonic deception. We must direct all worship to God alone.
The Lord issued a direct command in Exodus 20:3-5 (NLT):
3 “You must not have any other god but me. 4 You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.”
5. Lack of Accountability
Accountability promotes godly order and discipline. But witchcraft hates exposure and thrives on secrecy and rebellion.
A lack of accountability may allow church members to sin openly, uncorrected. Some may treat the house of God casually. They may even steal, sleep around, and do as they please.
The Bible warns, “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft” (1 Samuel 15:23, NKJV). Scripture says to treat unrepentant sinners like pagans (Matthew 18:15-17). If there is no repentance after many rebukes.
This maintains the holiness and integrity of the Church. Ignoring sin compromises believers and quenches the Spirit.
6. Suppression of Spiritual Gifts
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers. They are for ministry and to build up the church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). But the devil wants to suppress these gifts since they destroy his works.
He uses jealous leaders. They resent others’ gifts that attract followers. Instead of nurturing the gifts, they try to stifle and attack them. But Scripture exhorts us about spiritual gifts:
“Do not neglect the gift you have” (1 Timothy 4:14, NIV) and “earnestly desire the higher gifts.” (1 Corinthians 12:31, ESV).
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The best weapon against the enemy is to let God’s gifts and callings flourish among us. This advances the Kingdom and brings glory to Christ.
7. Absence of Genuine Worship
Where witchcraft is present, worship loses its depth and sincerity. It becomes a dry performance rather than a supernatural encounter with God.
Such services may look lively but lack spiritual substance. There’s no conviction, repentance, or desire for holiness. Sermons focus on carnal desires like fame, wealth, and power.
But Jesus said true worshipers “worship the Father in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23, ESV). We must desire to meet with God, rather than perform the actions in a mechanical manner.
The Lord warned that dead religion without sincere devotion is useless, saying:
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” – Matthew 15:8 (NIV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How can witchcraft enter the church?
A. Witchcraft enters through deception. Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14, NIV). It creeps in through compromise and the acceptance of sin. Leaders must stay alert and exercise discernment. Members also have a role in testing questionable teachings against Scripture.
Q. Should I leave a church that I suspect practices witchcraft?
A. Seek the Lord in prayer for wisdom. In severe cases of manipulation and sin, it may be best to leave. This is especially true if leadership resists correction. But also beware of the accuser sowing offense. Approach leadership with humility. Then, intercede for the church.
Q. What’s the solution when witchcraft is in the church?
A. Repentance is the starting point. Leaders must be humble, transparent, and accountable rather than defending their power. The church should cry out to God to purify His Bride from all contamination. We must rely on the wisdom and cleansing of the Holy Spirit to root out deception and restore the fear of the Lord.
