Bewitched

Temple Baptist Church - 4-29-09

Galatians 3:1-7

Introduction:

A. One of Satan’s greatest tactics is that of confusion. There is one thing that we know for certain concerning confusion:

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

B. The Holy Ghost uses the word “bewitched” in verse one to describe the condition of the Galatian believers.

BEWITCHED - from Old English wiccian, from wicce, witch, or wicca, sorcerer. enchanted, charmed, transformed, fascinated, entranced, possessed, captivated, enthralled, beguiled, ravished, spellbound, mesmerized, enamoured, hypnotized, enraptured, under a spell.

C. Satan uses many “devices” in order to confuse both sinners and saints.

2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

BEWTICHING DEVICES

1. He has blinded the minds of those who believe not - 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

2. He has gotten good called evil – 2 Peter 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Satan always attacks truth and makes it look evil.)

3. He has used the testimony of carnal believers - Romans 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: (Not to live God’s Word causes others not the believe God’s Word.)

4. He has introduced satanic versions of God’s Word – Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Watered down “bibles” grow anemic “Christians.”)

5. He has flooded the airways with false prophets - 2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (Saved people thrive on the preaching of doctrinally impure and compromised preachers. Television and radio are great tools for both true and Carleton preachers.)

6. He uses shallow, ear tickling preachers - 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (If you do not like strong Bible preaching, just take your pick. There are churches all around where things are “smoother.”)

Isaiah 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

7. He uses believes who refuse the strong meat of God’ Word - Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. (Many are comfortable with the spiritual plane that they are on and refuse to go any farther.)

8. He has reproached God’s men through sons of Belial - Ezekiel 33:32-33 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. 33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.

3 John 9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. (Disassociate from those who speak against or contrary to your Pastor.)

9. He has filled the churches with “tares” - Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (Churches are full of unsaved members who will not receive the truth.)

2 Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

10. He has used the apostasy of the multitudes to bring about “political correctness” - 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (We live in days where those who “buck” the philosophy of the world are labeled fundamentalist, divisive, narrow minded, non-conformists, bigots, etc. It is peer pressure to become politically correct.)

11. He has used the destruction of the family to cause believers to compromise - Matthew 10:34-36 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. (To believe right causes household division.)

SEVEN QUESTION FOUND IN THESE VERSES TO BE ANSWERED

1. Vs. 1 - Who hath bewitched you? Who are you spending time with? Who are you listening to? What are you listening to?

2. Vs. 2 – Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? How did you get saved: by works or faith?

3. Vs. 3 – Are ye so foolish? It is foolish to revert back to the Law which cannot save! It is foolish to think that we can somehow merit favor with God outside of Christ! It is foolish to think that we are good enough to go to Heaven! It is foolish to think that we deserve God’s blessings!

4. Vs. 3 - Are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Sanctified? We no longer sin? We now seek to do the perfect will of God in every aspect of our lives? We have apprehended where Paul could not?

5. Vs. 4 - Have ye suffered so many things in vain? These Galatian believers paid a high price for their confession of faith! They were persecuted for their faith in Christ.

Hebrews 11:24-27 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

6. Vs. 5 - He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? What does your pastor teach? Does he teach you works for salvation or to keep salvation? Once again, who are you listening to?

7. Vs. 7 - Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham? Those who believe are “children of Abraham.” Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. We have believed God and that is all that is necessary in order to become “righteous.”

How To Guard Against Being Bewitched

1. Stay right with God! Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (Stay close to God and the Holy Spirit will guide you into “all truth,” not part truth and part error!)

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

2. Make sure that you are faithful to church! Sunday School, Sunday Morning Worship, Sunday Night Service, Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting, and Revival Services! Thomas was not with the other disciples and missed the Lord! (These services are not to wear us out physically. They are to pull us out of the world for a while and saturate us with a godly surrounding where there is praying, testifying, preaching, and God’s children. To be other than faithful is to “sin willfully!” To sin willfully brings about chastening.)

1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

3. Read, Study, and Believe your King James Bible! 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

4. Listen to your Pastor’s teaching and preaching! Ephesians 4:11-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

5. Learn to STAY away from those who are of contrary doctrine. Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (Some people know so much more than God! Pastors can preach this until they are “blue in the face” and some people will just smile, go home, and turn these false prophets right back on. It amazes me! I have no desire to listen to a man [or woman – Joyce Myers in particular] who do not believe this Bible, the doctrines of this Bible, and affiliate with others of the same “cut of the cloth!”)

Conclusion: The believers at Galatia were “bewitched” because of their poor spiritual condition. We live in days of confusion like the world has never known so we must beware of Satan’s devices!