When we are in prison God deals with us concerning the practice of magic arts. I never thought I would live to see the day when Satan was worshiped in the United States. But I was wrong.

There have been many recent incidents of young people going on a rampage of murder. Sometimes the newspaper gives hints that Satan worship, the burning of incense, or a similar practice is associated with the murderers. You would think the public would wake up and realize the worship of Satan results in vicious criminal acts.

But I guess our worship of the god of free speech prevents our taking effective steps to prohibit the worship of Satan.

The idea of being a witch, or having spiritual power, appeals to people, sometimes to Christian people who want to control other people with their "words" or their dark, mysterious utterances.

There is a definite place in the Christian assembly for prophecy and words of wisdom and knowledge that come from the Spirit of the Lord. But these are to be administered in a down-home fashion, as plain and ordinary as your muddy work shoes. We are not to stir the pot, mutter incantations, or peep and mutter.

Speaking creative words, the word of faith, imaging, and so forth that have become fashionable are too close to the practice of magic arts to be comfortable. We do not bring the Lord's will to pass by imagining what we want or by making positive statements. We are to ask forthrightly in Jesus' name and look to the Lord for the answer. We are not to have faith in faith but in God!

At some point we may have expressed "faith" and a miracle occurred. Then we are put in prison and the miracles stop taking place. This is God's goodness to us so we do not get in the habit of trying to use spiritual principles in this manner and thus depart from a close fellowship with the Lord.

When we are in prison God deals with us concerning idolatry. As we said previously, God is over Christ who is over us. Any relationship, thing, or circumstance that has a hold on us is an idol. Only Christ, no one and nothing else, is to be our Lord, our Head. All else that we worship must be brought down and put beneath our feet. Much of the Christian experience consists of the Lord casting down our idols and putting them beneath our feet.

Physical lust is an American idol.

Romanticism is an American idol.

Trust in money to keep us safe and bring us happiness is an American idol.

Food is an American idol.

Professional sports are an American idol.

Education is an American idol.

Violence is an American idol.

Witchcraft is an American idol.

Entertainment is an American idol.

Material goods are an American idol.

Comfort is an American idol.

Sometimes children are idols; on other occasions they are murdered.

All of these stand between us and Jesus. When we are put in fiery prisons these gods are burned out of us—that is, if we respond in our prison with prayer, faith, and steadfast faithfulness.

To be continued.