The Bible doesn’t tiptoe around the subject of witchcraft. From the Old Testament law to the New Testament church, Scripture speaks clearly and directly about practices that seek spiritual power outside of God. This isn’t a cultural relic or a minor issue tucked away in footnotes.
God addresses witchcraft because He cares about where we turn for help, guidance, and power. The biblical stance on witches and witchcraft reveals something deeper about God’s jealousy for our hearts and His desire to be our only source of spiritual authority.
What Does the Bible Say About Witches?
The Bible condemns witchcraft as a serious sin that involves seeking spiritual power, knowledge, or influence through means other than God. Scripture consistently forbids practices like sorcery, divination, and mediumship because they represent a fundamental rejection of God’s authority and an embrace of demonic spiritual forces that oppose Him.
The Old Testament Prohibition
God didn’t mince words when He gave Israel the law. Exodus 22:18 states, “Do not allow a sorceress to live” (NIV), a command that reflects how seriously God took the spiritual threat of witchcraft in a covenant community.
Leviticus 19:26 commands, “Do not practice divination or seek omens” (NIV), while Leviticus 20:6 warns that God Himself will set His face against those who turn to mediums and spiritists. These weren’t suggestions for the spiritually sensitive but commands for everyone.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 provides the most comprehensive list of forbidden practices. God tells His people that anyone who practices divination, sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, casts spells, or consults the dead is “detestable to the Lord” (NIV).
The severity of these prohibitions wasn’t about God being harsh or unreasonable. God was protecting His people from spiritual deception and bondage to powers that would destroy them.
Why God Forbids Witchcraft
Witchcraft represents a competing spiritual kingdom. When someone turns to witchcraft, they’re not just trying a different method; they’re seeking power from a source that stands opposed to God.
Every form of witchcraft is an act of spiritual adultery. It says to God, “You’re not enough, so I’ll find what I need somewhere else.” This is why God uses such strong language about practices that might seem harmless or merely cultural to modern eyes.
The practices God condemns in Scripture all share a common thread: they attempt to access spiritual knowledge or power through channels God has forbidden. Whether through spells, divination, mediumship, or sorcery, these practices open doors to demonic influence.
Think of it this way: if God is the legitimate king, witchcraft is treason. It acknowledges a different authority and bows to a different throne.
What Practices Does the Bible Define as Witchcraft?
Scripture identifies several specific practices that fall under the umbrella of witchcraft or the occult:
- Divination: Attempting to gain hidden knowledge or predict the future through supernatural means rather than God’s revelation
- Sorcery: Using spells, potions, or rituals to manipulate spiritual forces for desired outcomes
- Mediumship: Attempting to communicate with the dead or channel spirits
- Spiritism: Seeking guidance or power from spirits other than the Holy Spirit
- Spell-casting: Using incantations or rituals to invoke spiritual power
- Omen interpretation: Reading signs in nature or circumstances as supernatural messages outside of God’s revealed will
These practices weren’t just religious ceremonies in ancient cultures. They were real attempts to access real spiritual power from sources that oppose God.
What Happens When God’s People Practice Witchcraft?
King Saul’s Fatal Choice
First Samuel 28 records one of Scripture’s most sobering examples of a believer turning to witchcraft. King Saul, desperate for guidance and abandoned by God due to his disobedience, sought out a medium at Endor.
Saul disguised himself to consult a witch after he had previously banned such practices from Israel. The irony is thick: the king who knew God’s law well enough to enforce it broke that same law when he felt desperate enough.
The encounter was real, not a trick. Samuel actually appeared, but his message brought no comfort, only the confirmation of Saul’s coming death and the loss of his kingdom.
First Chronicles 10:13-14 explicitly states that Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and consulted a medium rather than seeking God. His decision to turn to witchcraft sealed his fate.
King Manasseh’s Abominations
Second Kings 21:6 records that King Manasseh “practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger” (NIV).
Manasseh’s reign became a case study in spiritual corruption. His involvement in witchcraft and the occult led him to sacrifice his own son and fill Jerusalem with innocent blood.
What started as dabbling in forbidden spiritual practices escalated into horrific evil. This pattern repeats throughout Scripture: witchcraft never stays isolated but opens doors to increasing darkness.
The Church in Ephesus
Acts 19:18-19 shows what genuine repentance from witchcraft looks like in the New Testament. When people in Ephesus came to faith in Christ, they openly confessed their evil practices and burned their sorcery scrolls publicly, even though the scrolls were worth fifty thousand drachmas.
These new believers didn’t keep their occult materials “just in case” or justify them as cultural artifacts. They destroyed them completely, counting the cost as worth it to follow Jesus without compromise.
This public bonfire of expensive magical texts demonstrated that true conversion means total renunciation of witchcraft, no matter the financial or social cost.
How Does the New Testament Address Witchcraft?
Witchcraft as a Work of the Flesh
Galatians 5:19-21 lists witchcraft among the “acts of the flesh” alongside sexual immorality, idolatry, and hatred (NIV). Paul warns that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The New Testament doesn’t soften the Old Testament stance. If anything, it clarifies that witchcraft is incompatible with life in the Spirit and excludes people from God’s kingdom.
Notice that Paul doesn’t categorize witchcraft as a “minor sin” or something believers can dabble in. He places it in the same category as sins that characterize those who don’t know God.
The Danger of Deception
Second Thessalonians 2:9-10 warns that the coming of the lawless one “will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie” (NIV).
Not all supernatural power comes from God. Satan can produce counterfeit signs and wonders that deceive people who refuse to love the truth.
This is why Christians can’t evaluate spiritual practices simply by whether they “work” or produce results. The question isn’t “Does it work?” but “What is the source of the power?”
Simon the Sorcerer
Acts 8:9-24 introduces us to Simon, a sorcerer in Samaria who amazed people with his magic. When Philip preached the gospel, Simon believed and was baptized.
But Simon’s conversion proved shallow when he tried to buy the Holy Spirit’s power with money. Peter rebuked him sharply, saying, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!” (NIV)
Simon’s story warns us that simply believing facts about Jesus doesn’t automatically transform a heart shaped by occult practices. True conversion requires genuine repentance, not just adding Jesus to a collection of spiritual tools.
What About “White Magic” or “Good Witchcraft”?
Some people today distinguish between “white magic” (supposedly good) and “black magic” (admittedly evil). They argue that using spiritual power for healing or helping others can’t be wrong.
The Bible makes no such distinction. God condemns all attempts to access spiritual power outside of relationship with Him, regardless of the stated intention.
The issue isn’t whether someone means well. The issue is the source of the power and the authority being acknowledged. Even “positive” witchcraft operates by principles that reject God’s exclusive right to be the source of spiritual power in our lives.
Deuteronomy 18 doesn’t say, “Don’t practice bad witchcraft, but good witchcraft is fine.” It forbids all forms because all forms access spiritual realities God has placed off-limits for our protection.
Modern Applications: What Does This Mean Today?
Contemporary Occult Practices
The same spiritual realities that operated in biblical times operate today, even if the packaging looks different. Modern practices that fall under biblical prohibitions include:
- Tarot card reading and fortune-telling
- Astrology and horoscopes
- Ouija boards and séances
- New Age channeling and energy work
- Wicca and neopagan witchcraft
- Spell-casting and ritual magic
- Consulting psychics or mediums
- Reiki and other forms of “spiritual healing” that invoke non-Christian spiritual forces
These aren’t harmless games or cultural traditions. They’re modern expressions of the same practices Scripture consistently condemns.
The “It’s Just for Fun” Excuse
Many people engage in occult practices casually, insisting they don’t really believe in them. Checking your horoscope, playing with a Ouija board at a sleepover, or getting a tarot reading “just for fun” might seem innocent.
But spiritual realities don’t become harmless just because we treat them flippantly. Playing with practices God forbids is like playing with a loaded gun and insisting it’s safe because you don’t really believe in bullets.
First Peter 5:8 warns that “your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (NIV). Satan doesn’t need you to take him seriously; he just needs you to open a door.
Entertainment and Media
What about books, movies, and shows that feature witchcraft? This question trips up many sincere Christians who want to honor God but live in a culture saturated with occult themes.
Scripture doesn’t give us a verse that says, “Thou shalt not watch Harry Potter.” It does, however, give us principles to apply.
Philippians 4:8 instructs us to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. We need to ask honest questions: Does this entertainment glorify practices God calls detestable? Does it present witchcraft as neutral or positive? Does it shape my thinking in ways that contradict Scripture?
There’s a difference between a story where evil exists and is portrayed as evil, and entertainment that presents witchcraft as heroic, desirable, or morally neutral. Wisdom requires discernment, not legalistic rules that Scripture doesn’t give.
Why Christians Must Avoid All Occult Involvement
You Cannot Serve Two Masters
Matthew 6:24 declares, “No one can serve two masters” (NIV). Either Christ is Lord of your life, or something else is. There’s no middle ground.
Every occult practice requires allegiance to spiritual powers other than God. You can’t hedge your bets by following Jesus while also consulting horoscopes or practicing divination.
James 4:4 warns that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God. This includes friendly relationships with spiritual practices that God has forbidden.
The Invitation to Demonic Influence
Occult practices don’t just violate abstract rules. They open doors to real demonic influence in your life.
First Corinthians 10:20-21 makes this explicit: “The sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too” (NIV).
When you engage in witchcraft or occult practices, you’re not dealing with neutral spiritual energy or harmless superstition. You’re inviting interaction with demons who seek to destroy you.
God’s Jealousy for Your Worship
Exodus 20:5 reveals that God is jealous. This isn’t petty human jealousy but the righteous jealousy of a husband who refuses to share his bride with another lover.
God created you for relationship with Him. He redeemed you at the cost of His Son’s blood. He will not tolerate rivals for your spiritual affection and allegiance.
Every time you turn to witchcraft or the occult, even casually, you commit spiritual adultery. You tell God He’s not sufficient and that you need something more than what He offers.
How Should Christians Respond to Witchcraft?
Complete Separation
Second Corinthians 6:17 commands, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” (NIV). Partial separation doesn’t exist in God’s vocabulary.
If you have occult materials in your home—books, cards, charms, crystals used for spiritual purposes—destroy them. Don’t sell them and pass the spiritual danger to someone else. Don’t keep them as curiosities. Destroy them completely, just as the Ephesian believers did.
This includes digital content. Clean out subscriptions, apps, and saved materials that promote or normalize witchcraft and occult practices.
Repentance and Confession
If you’ve been involved in witchcraft or occult practices, genuine repentance means more than feeling bad. It means confessing the sin specifically, renouncing it completely, and turning to Jesus for forgiveness and cleansing.
First John 1:9 promises that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (NIV). God’s grace is sufficient even for serious occult involvement.
Some people benefit from confessing to a trusted, mature believer who can pray with them and provide accountability. James 5:16 encourages confession to one another for healing.
Filling the Void with Truth
When you remove occult practices from your life, you must replace them with truth. Jesus warned in Matthew 12:43-45 that when an unclean spirit leaves a person, it will return with seven other spirits if it finds the house empty.
Fill your mind with Scripture. Colossians 3:16 instructs, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly” (NIV). Replace time spent on horoscopes with time in God’s Word. Trade divination for prayer.
The Christian life isn’t primarily about what you stop doing but about who you become in Christ. As you grow in knowing God, the appeal of counterfeit spiritual experiences fades.
Standing Firm in Spiritual Warfare
Recognize that leaving occult practices often triggers spiritual opposition. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (NIV).
Put on the full armor of God daily. Pray consistently. Stay connected to other believers who will support you and hold you accountable.
Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). The power of Christ in you is infinitely greater than any demonic force you’ve encountered through occult involvement.
The Superior Power Available to Believers
Why People Turn to Witchcraft
Understanding why people turn to witchcraft helps us offer the better alternative found in Christ. People seek occult practices because they want:
- Knowledge about the future
- Control over their circumstances
- Healing and relief from suffering
- Spiritual power and significance
- Connection to something transcendent
- Answers to life’s mysteries
These desires aren’t wrong in themselves. The problem is seeking to fulfill legitimate needs through illegitimate means that bypass God.
What God Offers Instead
Everything people seek through witchcraft, God offers in better, purer, and more powerful forms through relationship with Him. Consider what Christ provides:
Instead of divination, God offers guidance through His Word and the Holy Spirit. Psalm 119:105 declares, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (NIV). John 16:13 promises that the Spirit will guide believers into all truth.
Instead of spells for control, God invites us to prayer. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (NIV). Prayer accesses the power of the God who controls everything, not manipulating lesser spirits.
Instead of sorcery for healing, God offers genuine wholeness. James 5:14-15 instructs believers to call for the elders to pray and anoint with oil, trusting God who heals according to His perfect will.
Instead of occult power, God gives the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 promises, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (NIV). This power raised Jesus from the dead and transforms lives completely.
The Gospel Is Sufficient
People don’t turn to witchcraft when they’re satisfied with what they have in Christ. The prevalence of occult practices among professing Christians often reveals a poverty in our understanding of the gospel’s fullness.
Second Peter 1:3 declares that “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (NIV). Everything. Not some things. Not most things. Everything.
When you grasp