Consider for a moment the difference between the Gospel, and witchcraft. Between following God and following satan.

Satan offers power, control, the supernatural ability to make things happen, to force others to comply. All the way back to that fateful day in the garden, he encourages us to do our own thing, to make our own choices, to reject Gods laws and find our own path, to wield our own power, to be our own god. “You shall not die, you shall be like God!” Is his cry.

The Gospel, in contrast, is letting go of all selfish ambition. Rejecting our own wants. Refusing to force, to coerce, to overpower. The Gospel is found in quiet but total submission, in counting ourselves as slaves to our Master in obedience to His will over ours. The Gospel is in dying to self, to fame, to power.

Signs and wonders? They attract. They entertain. They entice. They feed our selfish desire to control things, to wield power. In witchcraft there are spells, procedures, rituals that make things or people obey our will. In the Gospel there is prayer, submission, humility, invitation.

“If you pray this way… God will do this” can become a hidden danger. It becomes a subtle manipulation by us of God. Shall we “do something” to influence the creator of the universe? Shall our actions force Him to act? Is God’s mighty power for sale to exploit for our own wishes? Is such not witchcraft?

No, the Gospel is not in signs and wonders, it is in humility, holiness, submission. The Gospel is seeking Gods path, not our own. The Gospel is serving, dying, it is not a way to get what we want.

Let us not seek signs and wonders. Let us seek truth, holiness, purity, selflessness, service. There is no secret ritual, no perfect prayer, no magic words. There is following the Holy Spirit in the moment so that we “only do what we see the Father doing”.

Signs and wonders do follow those who believe…so long as it is not signs and wonders that they seek.