Sorcerers claim they possess supernatural abilities and knowledge that allows them to perform various signs and wonders. Their displays of power, however, are made possible by evil spirits. Not surprisingly, the New Testament offers us examples of those who indulged in the black arts!
* Simon the Magician *
The New Testament's first notorious sorcerer is Simon Magus. Simon's frequent display of devilish power earned him both the respect and fear of those in Samaria.
"But there was a certain man named Simon, who had from earlier times been practicing sorcery in the city and astounding the nation of Samaria . . .
"To him they had all given heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God." Now they were giving heed to him because he had for a long time bewitched them with sorceries" (Acts 8:9 - 11).
Simon Magus was personally rebuked by Peter when he foolishly tried to purchase the authority to give people the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:18 - 23).
* Paul's First Miracle *
The first major stop on Paul's first missionary journey was Cyprus. During his evangelism, he runs into Elymas the sorcerer while preaching the gospel to the island's governor. Elymas' effort to thwart the governor from becoming a Christian leads Paul to both rebuke him and cause him to be blind of a season!
"O full of all guile and all craftiness, you son of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the straight ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13:10).
* Money Maker *
Paul, while visiting Philippi, encounters a slave woman "possessed with a spirit of divination" (Acts 16:16) who made her owners quite wealthy! Her constant pestering of the apostle, however, leads him to cast out the demon that possessed her. The loss of income causes her owners not only to have Paul and fellow evangelist Silas beaten with rods but also thrown in prison (verses 19 - 23)!
* Pretenders *
It was common, in the first century A.D., for traveling Jewish exorcists to use various charms, incantations and so on to pretend to perform wonders. A prime example of this behavior was the seven sons of Sceva who attempted to cast out a demon. Their feigning of the spiritual authority required to perform such an act led the irritated demon to brutally beat the brothers and cause them to flee naked (Acts 19:15 - 16)!
* It Will Happen Again! *
Jesus warns us that in the end time many people will produce demonically powered signs and wonders for the purpose of deceiving people (Matthew 24:24).
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