Witchcraft: what is it, Biblically?

[King Shining Heaven]

Hi, everyone. So, earlier today, I was reading over a conservation some people were having on Youtube. A topic which came up is that Christians should be careful about watching certain shows because they promote witchcraft. We are warned multiple times against witchcraft, but what is witchcraft, Biblically speaking? Is it ever described what constitutes witchcraft? My understanding is witchcraft is forbidden because it involves calling on the devil or demons to receive power, and, obviously, this would not be something God approves of. If this understanding is correct, should one be concerned about shows, games, etc. involving supernatural powers if it's clear said powers seem to be inborn or hereditary and not demonic? If my understanding is wrong, please correct.  

[Ratsah]

Forget the verse(somewhere in proverbs), boils down to rebellion and sin is likened to stubborness.  

[Raixa_Phantasy]

This could be an example of witchcraft.

My teacher told to the class that his ex-girlfriend was a witch. She read his mind; her mom even verified it to him.

Exo. 8:7 “And the priests did so with their secret arts. And they brought up the frogs on the land of Egypt.”

1 Sam. 28:8 “And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes. And he and two of the men with him went; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, I beg you, divine for me by necromancy, and bring up to me him whom I say to you.”

Ezek. 21:21 “For the king of Babylon shall stand at the mother of the way, at the head of the two ways to practice divination. He shall shake arrows, he shall ask household idols; he shall look at the liver.”
(Note: Nebuchadnezzar was at a crossroad to either go to Rabbah in transjordan or to Jerusalem. He used divination to decide by marking arrows and placing them in a shaker and choosing one. The king used the occult by the marks and color of a sheep’s liver to decide.)

If watching a program causes you to sin, then cut it off.

I’ve watched the Youtube channel Vigilant Christian, and I do not want to be involved in any secret occults. I’ve been avoiding programs of A-list celebrities.

This might helped with the warning that you have overheard.


2 Peter 2:21-22 “For it was better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having recognized it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But the word of the true proverb has happened to them: “The dog returns to his own vomit; also the sow that was washed, to wallowing in the mud.” (Prov. 26:11)”


I’m not sure what you meant “said powers seem to be inborn or hereditary and not demonic."  

[real eyes realize]

On top of what has already been said, there's still so much to say:

Witchcraft is considered to be an act of the flesh too.

Galatians 5:19-24 (NIV)

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Witchcraft is a very "sensual" craft—the senses of the body are entertained by the false act. Some witches dance naked under the moon (useless, but entertains and excites the eyes, the sense of sight). Some make very nice smelling potions (enticing the sense of smell). Some mumble and whisper during incantations, which sounds nice and relaxing (enticing the sense of hearing). They all tend to have an "artsy" aesthetic, the pretty crystals, they're covered in rings, bracelets. There's an "air" of seduction about witches and witchcraft in general, the hand movements, their hair (the outright naked dancing lol).

So not only does it make you walk in the flesh (which is not our goal as Christians), all of it is useless showmanship, in and of itself, unless some demonic spirit is involved to lend its power. YHWH condemns both aspects of this: the uselessness and the demonic activity. He doesn't want people wasting their time with either of them because both can be detrimental (none actually lead to salvation; both leave people in their sins, in their hatred of YHWH and man, and may even lead people into sexual sin; a Christian is not being loyal to God if he/she allows this to be an outlet of divine revelation because it goes against everything YHWH stands for: not to mention, you have a spirit on the side that is not him).

I will say, demonic activity is not useless (like Raixa mentioned; Pharaoh's magicians used them); there is power there that works. Also evidenced by:

Acts 16:16-19 (NIV)

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.

... so, despite demonic power being "useful", it doesn't save you from your sins, the corrupt human nature that we're all born with, nor saves us from hellfire.

Revelation 21:8 (NIV)

8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Witchcraft also involves casting spells:

• Micah 5:12 (NIV)

12 I will destroy your witchcraft
and you will no longer cast spells.

• Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (NIV)

10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.

I use to have a book with all sorts of spells about how to invite fortune and prosperity into your life, keep you from having accidents, keep yourself safe by placing a penny in a certain spot of the house, "influence" a person to fall in love with you. A spell for each day of the year. lol. In my process of repenting, that book was burned.

Acts 19:19 (NIV)

19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.[a]

Footnotes:

a. Acts 19:19 A drachma was a silver coin worth about a day’s wages.

In light of what Raixa said about divination: I wouldn't be so quick to label all divination as witchcraft; I am aware of only two acceptable forms in the bible (none involve animal entrails, so that is a difference).

◘ The Urim and Thummim in the Old Testament (which were located inside the Priests' ephod)


• Exodus 28:30 (NIV)

30 Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.


• 1 Samuel 14:41-42 (NIV)

41 Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault,[a] respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42 Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

Footnotes:

a. 1 Samuel 14:41 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have “Why … at fault.


• 1 Samuel 30:7-8 (NIV)

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, 8 and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”




◘ Casting Lots in the New Testament (despite having the Holy Spirit as guidance already):


• Acts 1:24-26 (NIV)

24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.



Note: in John 20:22, prior to the feast of Pentecost, Jesus had already breathed the Holy Spirit on them. This (John 20:22) was after Jesus resurrected.

These forms of divination were used to consult YHWH (one form was actually commanded in the Law; Moses received instructions for the creation of the Urim and Thummim back in Exodus 28). And they prayed to YHWH beforehand, both in the Old and New Testament.

So, I would say "witchcraft" is trying to consult spirits, receive revelation, or manipulate a situation, in a way that YHWH's commands say not to because it's either (A) useless [thus, won't actually work] or (B) is demonic (spiritually dangerous and has you cheating on YHWH; we're not suppose to have other spirits as our guide, nor as the source for our divine revelation).

Thus what Ratsah was saying about the sin of rebellion.

1 Samuel 15:23 (NIV)

23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
    and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
    Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
    he has rejected you as king.”

We rely on the word of the Lord. Not the words, revelation, guidance, help of any and all spirits, as if we were some spiritual whore (which I use to be; I wanted contact from anything, even if it was dangerous and not seeking my well-being; I learned the hard way). I came from a spiritually-adulterous family that worshiped anything and believed all sorts of superstitions. If it's not YHWH, or commanded by him, chances are, it's witchcraft.

edit: it was implied, but I'd like to explicitly say: trying to map out your life, foretell the years and days that you will be prosperous or not, (fortune-telling) is witchcraft too. Personal astrology / zodiac signs to describe your personality, who you should marry, what career you should choose, what friends you should make, etc... is witchcraft and idolatry. The Word of God guides us in those decisions, not the stars. The celestial bodies were made to tell time (Genesis 1:14-19). Nothing more Well, they're witnesses / evidence that there is a Creator; they tell of his glory. Witchcraft (like all the other sins) often perverts the real function that God gave a thing.  

[Krazed Demon]

Question: What is witchcraft, Biblically speaking, and is it ever described what constitutes witchcraft?

Answer: Yes. Witchcraft involves the manipulation of the demonic host, through incantations and the casting of spells. Witchcraft can also involve communication with demonic spirits impersonating the dead.

The Bible clearly teaches that the dead cannot communicate with the living as there is a great chasm separating the dead from the living (Luke 16:26). As discarnate spirit entities, these demons possess knowledge regarding the activities of humans and have a limited ability to foretell the future.

Here are a few of the scriptures regarding witchcraft:

1 Samuel 15:23 - For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.

Acts 19:19 - Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all [men]: and they counted the price of them, and found [it] fifty thousand [pieces] of silver.

Leviticus 19:31 - Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.

Exodus 22:18 - Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Leviticus 20:27 - A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them.

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 - When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

Leviticus 20:6 - And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

Isaiah 8:19 - And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

“The Lord has rejected you because you welcome foreigners from the East who practice magic and communicate with evil spirits” (Isaiah 2:6). “Crawl into the caves in the rocks and hide in terror from his glorious majesty, for the day is coming when your proud looks will be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted. On that day the Lord of Hosts will move against the proud and haughty and bring them to dust…All the glory of mankind will bow low; the pride of men will like in the dust, and the Lord alone will be exalted. And all idols will be utterly abolished and destroyed” (Isaiah 2:10-18 ).

Paul in Galatians 5:19-21 ascribes witchcraft as a deed of the flesh. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” It is interesting to note that Paul’s warning is to the churches of Galatia whose members are already Christians. They are warned that by engaging in sinful conduct they would not inherit the kingdom of God. The warning is to those who have accepted Christ. The modern day Christian who is entertained or allows his or her children to be entertained and/or participate in the works of the flesh, which includes witchcraft, should give serious heed to this warning.


The Bible asserts that only God has the right to understand the realm of the supernatural ( Genesis 40:8 ). Under Old Testament law, intrusion into the realm of the occult made one worthy of death ( Exodus 22:18 ). 1

Interestingly, several Greek words in the New Testament that are translated “witchcraft” and “sorcery” have the root pharm, from which our words pharmacy and pharmaceuticals are derived. This root refers to “drugs, potions, and poisons.” Those who are familiar with the practice of sorcery, both among primitive tribespeople and modern occultists, know that psychoactive drugs are often used by shamans and sorcerers 2 to induce dramatically altered states of consciousness that provide supernatural knowledge or contact with spirits.

White magic and black magic are not acceptable in Christianity and there is no such thing as “cheap grace”. Christ died on the cross to forgive us for our sins, yet there is no excuse to take sin lightly. Engaging in any sin including sorcery opens one to demonic oppression and with persistent sinful conduct possession.

One cannot rationalize that one is not engaged in witchcraft but merely being entertained by books or movies whose characters participate in witchcraft, even though the protagonists are “good” witches.
Christianity teaches that witchcraft, even charming, candy coated witchcraft, is evil and that redemption only comes through Jesus Christ and certainly not from the occult. Communication with the dead is actually communication with demons or “fallen angels.” Casting spells is prohibited.

In Christianity, salvation does not come through witchcraft but by accepting the Son of God. Good is what is of God and comes from worshiping Him. “Innocent” or “mechanical” witchcraft is still witchcraft and as such dark. Exposing one’s children to a heavy dose of the supernatural, even if portrayed through the activities of appealing characters, is not acceptable. The siren call of the occult in children’s movies and cartoons can be appealing. Poltergeists, ghosts, flying broomsticks, werewolves, vampires, witches, giants, bats, goblins, haunted hallways may be captivating but they can instill a spirit of fear. They can certainly be “dark and heavy” and exposure to the occult can be addictive. This writer is a case in point having been involved in séances, palmistry, astrology and eastern meditation prior to accepting Jesus Christ. Interest in the occult started with late night “Chiller” movies and supernatural comic books.

Aside from a dark supernatural dimension there is the good supernatural dimension represented by the Heavenly Kingdom (God, His cherubim and the angelic host). For the most part this good supernatural dimension is rarely portrayed in the media or recent popular literature.

Parents have a responsibility to screen what their children watch. Studies have shown that children and adults who watch regular violence and evil on the screen become desensitized to it. The same applies with intensive exposure to the occult. Jesus said, “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin” (Luke 17:1-2).

Question: What can be said of the Christian entertained by witchcraft?

Answer: Those who deal in darkness will be engulfed by it. Poison is poison. A little recreational poison can be as lethal as a lot of poison from the hand of an assassin.

God is not an evil God. He is not vengeful, but in the Bible he has given us a mechanic’s manual for our well being. If we insist on placing lemonade in our engine instead of oil we’ll destroy it. Witchcraft may be very alluring and comforting for some. It may give them success and power. It may give people the “warm fuzzies.” Nevertheless, it’s evil and dangerous just as the serpent was to Adam and Eve in the Garden.

In the 1950’s, Science replaced God. There was an ensuing spiritual hunger, which sought expression in the counterculture of the 1960’s and 1970’s through drugs, Eastern religions, and sexual promiscuity. This led to materialism and the cult of the self of the 1980’s and 1990’s. None of these substitutes can replace man’s deep spiritual hunger. The absence of God can only be replaced with the presence of God, and certainly not by a counterfeit such as witchcraft. Witchcraft is like illicit sex, it may offer thrills and gratification for a time but only a personal relationship with the God of the Universe through his Son Jesus Christ will satisfy, bring joy, and life eternal.

Question: "Should a Christian watch/play scary;horror,demonic;witchcraft related shows/games?"

Answer: I would not advise it, but it's is your decision to make. Be careful what you allow into your consciousness. Films & games are powerful mediums, they have a profound impact on culture. And the sad truth is that many games/shows these days are completely antithetical to Christian values or at the very least are at odds with God’s divine standard of holiness. As for most horror movies, their “entertainment” value often lies in their ability to titillate our youthful desire to be scared witless. The gruesome means by which movie makers attempt to shock our consciences usually involves an abundance of carnage and bloodshed. The problem is, however, that it takes more and more to shock seared consciences these days, which means the level of depravity is continually on the rise to accommodate our increasing desensitization to hard-core gore and evil.

All things considered, many Christians would likely find it difficult to enjoy the majority of today’s evil related games and shows.
However, it should be noted that there are some Christian game/film makers who actually feel responsible to make a film/game that accurately depicts the reality of the dark forces of evil with which Christians’ constantly struggle. If such a film/game could help the audience appreciate the depth of our worldly struggle between good and evil, then that could be congruent with a Christian paradigm. Better yet, how beneficial it would be if such a game/movie could point people closer towards our need for a Savior?

In deciding what to play/watch, perhaps it would be wise to heed the words of the apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians: “Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you?” (2 Corinthians 13:5 emphasis added). As Christians, we of course know that the Spirit of Christ resides in our hearts (Romans 8:9). He is with us wherever we go. What if, however, rather than occupying a place in our heart, Jesus Christ walked beside us so that we could literally see Him every moment of the day? What effect would this have on our behavior? What if when we went to the movies, for example, we saw Jesus Christ sitting beside us – watching the movie that we took Him to? Knowing the divine character of our holy and sinless Savior, and knowing the sanctity He places on the very life He died to give us, what sort of show would we feel comfortable watching with him?

Let’s consider the witchcraft/horror shows that delve into the supernatural realm with a particular focus on demonic activity. Scripture makes it clear that our earthly struggle is “against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Christians are keenly aware of the evil reality of demons and how every moment of their very real existence is spent trying to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10) or to otherwise separate us from our Savior. As such, this is a subject that should hardly be taken lightly; neither should it be considered a form of “entertainment.” If something would offend Jesus Christ, it should offend His children in whom His Holy Spirit resides.

As we mature in our Christian walk, sin and evil should bother us more and more all the time. We are to be beacons of light in an ever-darkening world, striving to live a life that is holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:12). Scripture tells us to be moral and pure, abhorring what is evil and to have our minds focused on things which are noble and pure, lovely and admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8 ), and that “whatever [we] do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). These verses should guide us daily in everything we do, including the movies we choose to see. How can it be possible to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) when we are watching and playing horror/witchcraft games and movies laden with murder and mayhem, essentially being entertained by the very sins that Jesus Christ died for?  

[real eyes realize]

Yeah, like Krazed Demon said, sin becomes difficult to enjoy after being saved from it. As the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, we become beacons of light that direct people away from sin, instead of leaving people (yourself included) in sin and the enjoyment of it. A lot of entertainment has been cut out of my life because they glorify sin as the "solution" to a problem or as "the source of comfort" (sexual immorality, vengeance, lying, etc... including witchcraft)—things I know are not a solution at all, but that actually create the problems instead; no matter how "good" the show wants to portray it, that's not reality—thus, they're misleading the audience. I can't spend time watching people hurt themselves, be led astray, and feel good about it anymore.

Superhero shows and movies I've cut out because they become idols in my heart. Intellectually, I know they're not gods, but subconsciously I start modeling myself after them, how they speak, I start quoting them (instead of God). Attitude-wise, they tend to give me a desire to resolve everything myself (I want to be a superhero, this the power I would have, so that I can do this, and save the unsavable) without relying on God, without invoking him into a situation, or relying upon him and his commands, nor making a disciple out of the sinner—no, all the glory is on me, or the idol, instead of God. Instead of wanting God to be glorified, I'm putting someone else in the spotlight and on display. They influence me to make an idol out of myself, or the superhero, even if it's just in my daydreams. Having idols even in our mind is not godly, noble, pure, admirable, or praiseworthy. It's not the good we should be focusing our thoughts on. Not to mention how most of these super heroes use vigilante justice instead of submitting to the legitimate means of pursuing criminals (righteous government). The Super Hero becomes "the divine being" the town resorts to when the police / earthly authorities fail (when really, they should be turning to the living God with fasting and prayer, turning away from their wicked ways for good—away from their witchcraft, away from their idolatry, et. al).

The vicious cycle of most entertainment is this: without sin, without transgressing God's Law, they wouldn't have the conflict that creates the next episode or the sequel—ergo, the neverending gossip, lying, petty vengeance, injustice, sexual immorality, greed, and portraying that behavior as good instead of evil, portraying it as the solution that brings the happy ending. If you can find entertainment that doesn't encourage the pursuit of sin, by applauding the protagonists' sins (directly, or indirectly by comparing it to the outright evil character and making it look "not as bad"), but correctly labels it as evil, then it would be safe to watch, as Krazed Demon alluded to (portraying the spiritual warfare we as Christians face).

Needless to say, I avoid witchcraft, even in my entertainment, for the same reasons: I can't tolerate being entertained by false ways of "salvation"/spirituality, nor do I want to invite the prideful attitude within me, of doing things my own way, instead of humbly submitting to God and his way. So it's not simply the content you should watch out for, but the attitude the entertainment is nurturing in you.

Just the other day, I downloaded an app: and I've noticed that it has already conditioned me to want "instant gratification" and to do things quickly instead of waiting, taking the time to think things through, sufficiently (I didn't even answer your question thoroughly yesterday; I left out the entertainment part of the question because I only read over what you asked once. And I had typo's I just noticed today). That is antithetical to:

• James 1:19 (NIV)
  
  19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
  
  
  
  
• Proverbs 19:2 (NIV)
  
  
  2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
  how much more will hasty feet miss the way!
  

The nature of the game is to give simple missions/quests that you complete almost immediately; so that gave me an "on to the next one, quick" mentality (somebody had asked me a question and I was zipping through here before getting to it). Thus, I was treating "in real life" situations as another mission/task—subconsciously reacting this way, and all the more because I associated this behavior with rewards (because of the game). Another negative influence: I didn't like the app the moment it made me an accomplice to a pirate (who, when you think about it, is a murderer and a thief—not a hero, and not someone you stay close with if they refuse to repent of their crimes). The game is very cartoony-looking, so people might look at it as an innocent thing they just did, but in spirit you're helping a murderer and a thief to continue his killing and theft, who is using the sword out of his greed for treasure, not dealing out justice impartially and eliminating evil.

As for the "collecting" aspect of the apps, apps which I've had in the past, I totally ignore, because that's inviting a spirit of greed to takeover and settle in. And in order to collect all the trophies/awards/items, you would have to invite objects based on paganism (yin and yang achievement, holiday achievements). I don't want that in my collection. Can't get rid of the ones I earned prior to being convicted of this truth (so either I delete the game/account or stop trying to acquire new ones based on paganism/pagan ways). Not to mention the time you would have to dedicate towards the game in order to collect everything: that is time you could better allocate and dedicate towards godly things, things that lead to people's salvation from their sinful ways and the lake of fire. It's not the most responsible stewardship of the time God has given us.

Beware of all sin, not just witchcraft, in your entertainment. Spending time enjoying the presence of sin on TV shows, movies and games, is no different than hanging out with sinners for the fun of it, instead of hanging out with sinners to heal them and correct them. They're fictional characters, you can't correct them (so unless you're correcting the fandom, you're wasting your time and endangering your spiritual well-being). They will contaminate your heart and attitudes. And all sin starts at the heart.

• Mark 2:17 (NIV)
  
  17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
  
  
  
• Psalm 38:3 (NIV)
  
  3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
  there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
  
  
  
• 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)
  
  24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
  
  
  
• 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)
  
  33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”[a]
  
  Footnotes:
  
  a. 1 Corinthians 15:33 From the Greek poet Menander
  
  
  
• Matthew 15:18-19 (NIV)
  
  18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
  
  

The very thought is evil. Don't even sympathize with witchcraft or try to make it good. Because there's nothing good about it, or about relying on one's own super powers so you don't have to rely on God.

What Krazed Demon said about entertainment influencing beliefs is very true. When I first started investigating spiritual beliefs on my own, I gravitated towards new age mysticism and the occult because I grew up watching, and became very fond of, movies like "Practical Magic", "Casper the Friendly Ghost" and "Ferngully". And I watched them over and over again. None of the acts of kindness and metaphors representing "good" made me think "let's start with Jesus" nor did they give glory to Jesus. If anything, they stole YHWH's loving, kind, and righteous nature and ascribed it to things which, in reality, are anything but. Thus misled me about the real nature of those spirits and the dangers of witchcraft. And if I'm not careful, the shows and games I play bring these sins back—only now it's all the more dangerous because there's a false sense of security in being able to distinguish good from evil: just because I can accurately define it, it doesn't automatically mean I'm not falling for it (i.e. Eve in the garden when responding to the snake: she recited the command accurately enough, she knew what was right, but in practice, she then proceeded to violate it).

• Genesis 3:2-3 (NIV)
  
  2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
  
  
  
• Genesis 3:6 (NIV)
  
  6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
  
  
  
• 2 Peter 2:20-22 (NIV)
  
  20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”[a] and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
  
  
  Footnotes:
  
  2 Peter 2:22 Prov. 26:11
  

Many a time, I'm watching something, and the person I'm rooting for is actually doing something evil according to God. But by the time I realize it, I've already defiled myself with the evil thought. We shouldn't speak approvingly of sin nor applaud it.

• Romans 1:29-32 (NIV)
  
  29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
  
  
  
• Proverbs 27:21 (NIV)
  
  21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
  but people are tested by their praise.
  

Whatever you find yourself "praising", or speaking well of, that is indicative of what values you actually hold, what you really worship / hold in high esteem. Don't let it be witchcraft and self-reliance instead of God's power and his definition of righteousness. And if you're not careful, you will subconsciously start modelling yourself after these characters; whatever you spend your time around the most, for lengthy periods of time, is what you become and who you start modelling yourself after.