Church Beating Death..are YOU guilty?

A church in upstate New York has come under fire this week for the beating death of a young man and assault of his brother.


Reports state that the young man admitted to practicing witchcraft and threatened the pastor along with other members of the church.


This allegedly resulted in an hours-long beating session, ostensibly to beat the demons out of this boy.


They tried to handle a spiritual matter physically.


The weapons of our warfare aren't carnal... (2 Corinthians 10:4)


Their fists shouldn't have been their weapon; the sword of the Spirit would have won the battle.


There were no winners here. The parents are facing jail time; a supposed Christian church has incited a media frenzy, and the pastor is under fire for his methods.


Yet how many times do we do the same?


We tackle a spiritual matter in the physical realm.


Anger: Punching your pillow may be a great de-stressor but when you rebuke that anger that dwells inside you with the Word of God you will experience a true and lasting release.


Addiction/Alcoholism: Sobriety chips and Twelve Steps will help you stay clean but if you want to free from the bondage you cannot just be RECOVERED, you must be DELIVERED.


Abuse: Past traumatic abuse causes us to put up walls to protect ourselves. Some speak out as a way of healing; others hide it even deeper. But for some those strongholds remain, even serving as  fuel to survive. God wants us to pull down these strongholds and be free.


That's just the A's...


Reports also say that the church members were unsettled by the man's admission to practicing witchcraft.


I understand. Many are uncomfortable with the literal interpretation of preaching deliverance to the captives. (Luke 4:18)


But God says that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. (1 Samuel 15:23)


Have you never been rebellious? Manipulative?


Even in my Christian walk I find myself manipulating my husband often when I don't get my way. It's not something I laugh about. I know how the Lord sees it and I've worked on this for years.


But I still do it.


So just because I'm not sticking pins in voodoo dolls doesn't mean I'm not just as guilty of practicing witchcraft.


Often when I make statements like this, people will jump in to try and make me feel better.


"Yeah, but you are doing this..." or "But you aren't trying to hurt someone..."


But the Lord says that whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of breaking it all. (James 2:10)


I know where I fall short.


And I don't need to think it's okay.


I'm no different from those on the streets.


Or this man in the church practicing witchcraft.


I know he was under the influence of the evil one.


I don't know why this pastor chose a physical approach. Maybe he was scared. Maybe he was misguided. Maybe he was under the influence of Satan as well.


I can't answer the questions as to why this happened.


I can answer this.


Have I ever tried to deal with a spiritual matter physically?


Yes.


Have you?