chinedu chikezie

One of the most pressing questions in the mind of many...I was asked again last week “Sir, can a Christian be bewitched?”—referring to Paul’s sharp rebuke in Galatians 3:1. Before answering, I told them this: You cannot isolate Galatians 3:1 and build a mystical doctrine on it. You must read it in the context of the whole epistle. The book of Galatians is not a fragmented letter—it is a full, robust defence of the gospel of grace against the infiltration of legalism and false doctrine. Then I read the verse out loud: “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” — Galatians 3:1 (KJV) Let’s be clear: The bewitching here is NOT altars, NOT ancestral cycles, NOT village spirits, NOT covens, and NOT demonic sieges. Paul is not talking about a shrine in your village—he’s talking about your theology! This is not a mystical attack—it is a doctrinal drift. The bewitching is in NOT OBEYING THE TRUTH. It is in abandoning the gospel of grace for the works of the law. It is in turning away from Christ crucified to embrace human effort. Paul says the gospel—the cross—was publicly and powerfully preached. It was evident, clear, and vivid. But the Galatians walked away. That is the real bewitchment. Not demonic candles. Not ancestral thrones. But rejecting the revelation of Christ. Every time you disobey the truth of the gospel, you step under a spell—not a shrine spell, but a spell of self-righteousness and religious performance. That is why Paul shouts, “O FOOLISH GALATIANS!” You don’t need a demon to fall—just a false teacher with a nice voice. This is warfare in your theology. Not a night battle, but a belief battle. The worst spell you can fall under is a gospel that has no cross. BUT WAIT—THERE'S MORE. We must also be balanced. Because Scripture does not stop there. Witchcraft is not only theological—it is also behavioural. Paul lists witchcraft (Greek: pharmakeia) as one of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:20. That means there is a practical, flesh-based witchcraft—manifested in control, manipulation, domination, intimidation, and emotional coercion. You don’t need a spell book to operate in witchcraft. You just need to start using fear, guilt, or false submission to control others. When spiritual leaders manipulate followers, when spouses control each other with fear, when people hijack your choices by emotional bondage—that is witchcraft in operation. It's not mystical—but it is fleshly and destructive. AND YES—IN SOME CONTEXTS, THERE IS PRACTICAL WITCHCRAFT. Let’s not be naïve. In some cultural and spiritual environments, actual witchcraft—through spells, incantations, rituals, sacrifices, and altars—is real. It exists, and Scripture doesn’t ignore it. But we must not elevate it above Christ. We must not make it the centrepiece of our gospel. We must not reduce every issue to a shrine or a generational curse. Jesus is greater. The blood speaks louder. The cross is final. No Christian should live in fear of witchcraft. So here is the full picture: Theological witchcraft—rejecting the truth of the cross. Behavioural witchcraft—manipulation, control, and soulish influence. Practical witchcraft—real but defeated, never greater than the finished work of Christ. So, can a Christian be bewitched? Yes—but not in the way many think. You are bewitched when: You replace the cross with effort. You abandon grace for law. You manipulate people instead of walking in love. You fear darkness more than you trust light. You allow the works of the flesh to dominate your relationships. The greatest spell is not cast in darkness—it is cast when truth is abandoned. The person who asked me replied: “Thank you sir, I now understand.” And I said: “God bless you!”