The Prisoners Next Door

My friend lives next door to a group of witches. They're white witches, which doesn't mean that it's "always winter and never Christmas"...  Instead, white witches claim they only use their magic to do "good".

Sometimes at night my friend can hear the witches engaging in voodoo practices. Their satanic ceremonial chants penetrate the wall that separates their townhouse from my friend's townhouse, sending eerie chants ricocheting throughout her living area.

Occasionally, these witches parade about, clad in white ceremonial garb as they make sacrifices to the spirits. Their pure white gowns and "good" intentions have blinded them to the fact that they are prisoners in the kingdom of darkness. They have no idea that Satan is prowling around like a lion, hoping to devour them.

Or maybe they do know.

Awhile ago one of the witches, a young mother, knocked on my friend's door late at night. Her white gown was torn and spotted with blood and she appeared to be intoxicated. In a trance-like state, she confided in my friend, spewing out the details of their Satan worship.

As she talked, she began to come out of her trance-like state and grew embarrassed. She picked herself up off her chair and hastily asked my friend if she would babysit her three kids later that week. "I know my family could watch my kids," the mother hesitantly motioned to the witches' house next door, "but I know in my heart my kids will be safe with you." Her eyes pleaded with my friend.

Does this young witch know she's a prisoner? Is she hoping someone will break her heavy chains and free her from the powers of darkness?  As she plunges herself into Satanic worship, does she worry about the destinies of her children?

Several weeks ago her family sacrificed a lamb in their garage to the spirits. That dead lamb will not free her from her bondage.

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" John 1:29

"You were rescued from the useless way of life that you learned from your ancestors. But you know that you were not rescued by such things as silver or gold that don't last forever. You were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent lamb. Christ was chosen even before the world was created, but because of you, he did not come until these last days."
1 Peter 1:18-20

Last week the white witches spent 6 consecutive hours chanting, calling upon the name of Satan.

"A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.'" With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:21-30

"At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split." Matthew 27:31

When was the last time we spent 6 hours calling upon the name of Almighty God, praying for the salvation of people like the white witches?

"But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen!'" Mark 16:4-6

This week I keep picturing the white witches standing in a circle, looking down at at their dead and bloodied sacrificial lamb, hoping his cold corpse will appease the spirits, while the Risen Jesus stretches his scarred hands toward them and calls them by name, offering them Hope.

Will you join with me in praying that this young mother, her children, and her family members experience the power of the King of Light and entrust their lives to the Perfect Lamb?
 "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:14