Curious Arts

Acts 19:13-20

                After an encounter with evil spirits, “fear fell” on the folks at Ephesus and “the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified”. Believers confessed and shewed their deeds. “Curious arts” or magic was renounced. The end result was that “so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed”. Most of the time we must encounter first hand witchcraft (curious arts) in our life before “fear” will fall upon us, confession with repentance is made, and THEN the word of God will prevail in our lives. It sounds crazy that any of us would come near witchcraft, magic or curious arts. It is more real than you are aware.

[Gal.5:19-21] The works of the flesh… witchcraft! It is easy to confess that all the other sins mentioned in this passage are truly the works of the flesh, but witchcraft? Yes, it is manifested as a work of YOUR flesh.

[Deu.18:9-15] This is a list of abominations that they were not to learn to do (books of these curious arts probably existed then)

1. Son or daughter pass through the fire [Lev.18:21] and [Jer.32:33-35] Sacrificing your children to a false god. Don’t willingly allow your children to be seduced by this wicked world. Don’t allow them to be sacrificed because of your seduction to the world.
2. Divination – fortune teller(cookies)/ prophecy/ card reader/ wigi board / lotto tickets [Prov.13:11]
3. Observer of times – Astrology/Horoscopes – moon, stars and planets
4. Enchanter – incantations / hypnosis (meditations – yoga/ mind over matter)[Ex.7:11,22]
5. Witch – spells/ sorcery/ uses concoctions (essential oils, magnets, copper bands, etc.)
6. Charmer – snake handler (the use of music, the devil is charming you with his music)
7. Consulter with familiar spirits – one who seeks knowledge or wisdom from devils or demons
8. Wizard – one who practices magic/ magician (Pharaoh’s)
9. Necromancer – one who contacts the dead [1 Sam.28] the witch of Endor

[1 Sam.15:23] All of these things are “Rebellion” from the word of God (you are not trusting in God)

[2 Tim. 3:1-7] Just as the Lord knew that the children of Israel would learn to do these abominations, Paul was instructing Timothy that in the last days we would also have “a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof:” and that we would be “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”

So, how do you stop your curious arts? Back to [Acts 19:17-20]

Verse 17 – Allow the Lord’s name to be magnified

Verse 18 – Confess and shew your deeds

Verse 19– Renounce – Quit the foolishness

Verse 20 – Allow the word of God to prevail

Be very careful with the things above. Curious arts work or folks would not give them any attention. But, by what spirit do they work? Not our Lord Jesus Christ.