okay guys so acts 8 and the part of it I want to focus on begins in verse 9 acts
8 verse 9 where it says and there was a certain man called Simon which before
time in the same city you sorcery and but which the people of Samaria giving
out that himself was some great one okay so before time is for a long time
and what is this sorcery that Simon used well interesting he's not referred to as
a sorcerer maybe he was maybe he wasn't but he's using sorcery he used
sorceries now the first use of sorceries the word sorceries isn't until Isaiah 47
and that's prophesying about Babylon's multitude of sorceries and great
abundance of enchantments but the first use of the word sorcerers is in Exodus
chapter 7 so if you don't know Exodus chapter 7 and verse 10 Exodus 7 10 and
this is Moses first going into Pharaoh this is and Moses and Aaron went in
unto Pharaoh and they did so as the Lord had commanded and Aaron cast down his
rod before Pharaoh and before his servants and it became a serpent then
Pharaoh also called the wise men the sorcerers now the magicians of Egypt
they also did in like manner with their enchantments for they cast on every man
is rod and they became serpents but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods okay
so we've got wise men here sorcerers and magicians now it might be they're being
used interchangeably I think it looks like they're separate people either way
the the dictionary definition of sorcery is magic enchantment witchcraft
divination by the assistance of evil spirits or the power of commanding evil
spirits okay now what about witchcraft notice one knows is witchcraft witchcraft
is the practices of witches sorcery enchantments intercourse with the devil
and number two power more than natural okay now a sorcerer is either a conjurer
an enchanter or a magician so what about a conjurer conjurer is one who
practices conjuration one who pretends the secret art of performing things
supernatural or extraordinary by the aid of superior powers an imposter who
pretends by unknown means to discover stolen goods etc hence ironically a man
of shrewd conjecture a man of sagacity okay so think about some of those
definitions there some of those because again it changes in the Bible it does
actually make it really clear exactly which one is which so just think about
some of those different definitions a conjurer there the sorcerer witchcraft
okay now say for example I invited I know so I invited brother max over there
I invited brother max around to my house and I had some dried special plant
leaves yeah from a foreign country I soaked them with lime water or other
alkaline liquids I extract it with kerosene and metal drums I then use
sulfuric acid to extract the dissolved extract and form a liquid solution which
has lime added leading to a precipitation of a paste yeah I then add
acid and I don't know if anyone's still with me here but some of you chemist
buffs ago okay I then had acid and potassium to remove impurities followed
by a bicarbonate to cause the base to separate okay the base is further
dissolved in the solvent like acetone and then soaked again in acid finally
the pace is filtered through a cloth to separate then dried okay now I tell you
now tell max that a small amount of the resulting dried powder will almost
immediately make him feel euphoric energetic talkative mentally alert
hypersensitive to sight sound and touch maybe it can also temporarily decrease
the need for food and sleep might even help him to perform simple physical and
intellectual tasks more quickly okay now say that process I just went through
didn't have any of the scientific names say you had no idea what I was doing
you were just watching me getting all these different things mixing them
together okay imagine never heard of processes like that okay imagine you had
no idea of any of that sort of thing okay and now add to it the whole time I
make it I'm focusing on my god with a small G mammon money yeah just think
about the money I'm gonna make from this would it be fair wouldn't it be fair to
maybe call that witchcraft sorcery maybe call me a sorcerer or conjurer based on
some of those definitions I gave you I'll go over a couple of those again
okay especially when you learn that they're also serious drawbacks to the
potion that I made so the short-term physiological effects include
constricted blood vessels dilated pupils increased body temperature heart rate
blood pressure large amounts can also lead to bizarre erratic and violent
behavior often feelings of restlessness irritability anxiety panic and paranoia
you may also experience tremors vertigo and muscle twitches severe medical
complications can that can occur to summarize frequent a cardiovascular
effects disturbances in heart rhythm heart attacks neurological effects
including headache seizures strokes coma gastrointestinal complications abdominal
pains nausea rare instances sudden death can occur on the first use so
unexpectedly thereafter okay the the related deaths often result cardiac
arrest or seizures long-term repeat exposure the brain starts to adapt so
the reward pathway becomes less sensitive to natural reinforces at the
same time circuits involved in stress become increasingly sensitive leading to
increased displeasure and negative moods when not taking it which assigns
withdrawal these combined effects make the user more likely to focus on seeking
instead of relationships through to other natural awards okay with regular
use tolerance may develop so high doses so that higher doses more frequent use
or both are needed to produce the same level of pleasure and relief from
withdrawal experience initially at the same time use can also develop
sensitization which less is needed to produce anxiety convulsions or other
toxic effects tolerance to reward and sensitization to toxicity can increase
I'll keep going just quickly users take it in binges in which it is used
repeatedly and increasingly higher doses this can lead to increased irritability
restlessness panic attacks paranoia and even a full-blown psychosis in which the
individual loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations with
increasing dose or higher frequency of use the risk of adverse psychological
and physiological effects increase right you may guess that the particular
sorcery or witchcraft I'm talking about is a particular drug anyone want to
guess what that drug is noted Ben okay yeah yeah cocaine okay that's cocaine
and that was cocaine now cocaine is in the top three of illegal drugs consumed
in the UK but the story that story I think I could have gone through that
with pretty much you know with most recreational drugs okay with most
recreational drugs and the process they're made as well and the title of
my sermon say is a sorcery of recreational drugs the sorcery of
recreational drugs now remember like I said witchcraft number two was power
more than natural and there's nothing natural about it and this is the thing
is it a lot of these drugs people look at well it's a natural product it's like
they're just chewing on the cocaine leaf but that but they're not look at the
process it go that's the usual price it goes through to become what we know of
as cocaine powder that sold obviously all around the UK and consumed in
massive massive amounts now like I said a sorcerer is also a conjurer one who
practices conjuration one who pretends the secret art of becoming of performing
things supernatural extraordinary by the aid of superior powers there are some
superior powers going on there to be able to make that aren't there it might
be the use of things which originally were in the natural world but there's
nothing natural about and once they start getting put together hey does it
sound too far off does that sound too far off okay why am I preaching this
sermon well I started thinking about a lot this week so I had a bit of a crazy
week and this week I drove over to a family member's house where their drug
problems have basically got really out of control and the place was an
absolute hellhole first time I've been there the place of hellhole the family
member was an absolute mess the door had been smashed at the front one of the
reasons I went there to fix that as well that I mean the dramas the emotion yeah
the emotion like just around like just even talk to that person and just just
the whole thing but what was funny yeah they were so bewitched by this drug so
bewitched by it and it got me thinking about it and considering our common drug
uses in this country in the world there is a strong you there's a strong chance
isn't there that some people in this church are going to be at the least
tempted at some point maybe tempted at some point maybe they've already opened
that door of sin before as we know when that door of sin has been open it
doesn't ever shut fully tight again does it okay now there are we've got many
kids in this church as well and you know it's we probably see no chance my kids
are being raised as Christians maybe their homeschool maybe they're not maybe
they're reading the Bible every day whatever it is no chance well first
Corinthians 10 12 says wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed
lest he fall okay and we have to be aware of this because it is massive that
and I'm not just going to talk about that one particular drug cocaine now you
might be thinking well no chance cocaine is for people in bars pubs clubs drinkers
my kids ain't gonna be I won't let my kids go to anything like that well like
I said the story is similar with most drugs the story is similar with most
drugs and I'm gonna include cannabis to that as well I include cannabis to that
now what but cannabis is so natural oh it you know we're literally just growing
something that God made for us you know just smokey it nothing wrong with that
or God gave us these things to enjoy you've you heard that stuff before with
people why would God have made cannabis if you can't if yeah it's so good for
you or you see all the videos don't you online half them are so fake where you
got someone literally like this till they smoke a joint and again all that
does is just constantly just just reinforce that it's okay it's good you
know the medicinal use of it is is so much less isn't it people tell
themselves they need it what about have you ever heard this one and I had this
one before years ago that Jesus made one of the healing balms he made had
cannabis in it okay so I'd heard this one as well and it obviously people
who've never read the Bible but um yeah one of them one of the ingredients where
do you get this junk from yeah but but the propaganda is out there and they're
trying to push it on people now turn to first Peter chapter 1 1st Peter chapter
1 and verse 13 okay the Bible says this wherefore gird up the loins of your mind
be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at
the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children not fashioning
yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance but as he which hath
called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is
written be ye holy for I am holy now whether you want to call it sorcery
witchcraft or not there is nothing nothing biblical about smoking cannabis
nothing at all clearly there's nothing holy about sitting around getting stoned
okay nothing at all and anyone that tries to claim that it's okay oh yeah
well it's not drinking alcohol is really evil that's not they either haven't read
their Bible or their incomplete denial or they've been bewitched by it okay
verse 13 he says here wherefore gird up the loins of your mind okay that means
to basically to secure your mind he then says to be sober so anything secure and
sober about smoking weed no hundred percent not verse 14 he says as obedient
children not fashion yourselves according to the former lusts in your
ignorance so you may have done these things before in your ignorance and many
people I'm sure got a background of all sorts of things and sin here most people
here like we've said before we're saved later on in life but but now you're not
ignorant anymore verse 15 says but as he which has called you is holy so be ye
holy in all manner of conversation that's holy in all your behavior not
just not just you're talking that's conversation talk about your behavior
okay first Peter 5 a you know it says be sober be vigilant because you
adversary the devil is a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour
and you know what it ain't like cocaine yeah we you know I would say most people
here understand that that's pretty serious you're getting involved with
that but it's like cannabis I've seen so many lives ruined by it and I've seen so
many people so many people being devoured by the devil after getting
involved in smoking weed and it it just it really like it opens your mind to all
sorts anyway for starters and when you you're not girding up your mind when
you're not being sober when you're not being vigilant there's nothing vigilant
about sitting there maybe you might be twitching the curtains a bit in a
paranoid state although not everyone's like that there's nothing nothing sober
about it okay well let's look at whether you could call cannabis sorcery just
quickly okay how about let's just do what I did earlier yeah so just say I've
got some special highly bred seeds yeah and they've been bred and bred and bred
to get the strongest most potent seeds you can I grew them indoors with really
special equipment real controlled conditions as well okay I'm usually
usually I'm growing these with a load of chemical fertilizers and pesticides I
have to flush these through with lots of water in the last few weeks of their
life yeah okay after I flushed them through I've cut them down I've dried
them for a week sometimes more okay I've spent hours trimming the leaves and
everything else yeah then eventually I crush it smaller sprinkle it into a
paper a pie and usually let's be honest nine times out of ten if not more mixed
with another highly processed and refined plant tobacco and then smoke it
is that really and is that is that how that plant was intended is that a
natural natural use it now people will go well no no no you know maybe they
only smoke the most natural it's only only made without you know chemical free
chemical free they're still using real control conditions 600 watt lamps all
stuff that you're not getting that outdoors outdoor it's completely
different completely different especially in this country anyway okay
now that's the most common and I'm not talking about the refined oils that
people make and everything else out of it what are the effects let's see what
the effects are short-term effects when a person smokes marijuana THC quickly
passed from the lungs into the bloodstream the blood carries a chemical
to the brain and other organs throughout the body the body absorbs THC more
slowly when a person eats or drinks it in that case they generally feel the
effects after 30 minutes to one hour and that's pretty rare by the way not
hardly anyone's eating it the THC acts on specific brain cell receptors
ordinarily react to natural THC like chemicals these natural chemicals play
a role in normal brain development and function right marijuana over activates
parts of the brain that contain the highest number of these receptors this
causes a high that people feel right other effects include altered senses for
example seen bright colors altered sense of time changes in mood impaired body
movement difficulty with thinking problem-solving impaired memory
hallucinations when taking the high doses delusions when taking the high
dose psychosis risk is highest with regular use of high potency marijuana
long-term effects okay it affects brain development and people begin taking it
as teenagers a drug may impair thinking memory learning functions affect how the
brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions okay
research is still studying some of this how long it lasts or whether some
changes may be permanent for example a study New Zealand conducted it it goes
on to say basically that it reduces IQ points between the eight if you start
smoking between the ages 13 and 38 8 IQ points the lost mental abilities didn't
fully return in those equipped marijuana as adults those start smoking as adults
didn't show as notable IQ declines though physical effects breathing
problems increased heart rate problems with child development during and after
pregnancy intense nausea and vomiting now this is a regular so regular
long-term marijuana can lead to some people to develop cannabinoid it's
called hyperemesis syndrome so this is people they get regular cycles of severe
nausea vomiting dehydration sometimes requiring emergency medical treatment
mental effects long-term marijuana has been linked to mentally honest some
people such as temporary hallucinations temporary paranoia worsening symptoms in
patients with schizophrenia as we know is described by the world as a severe
mental disorder symptoms such as hallucinations paranoid disorganized
thinking very similar to what the Bible describes as being possessed with
marijuana use has also been linked to other mental health problems such as
depression anxiety and suicidal thoughts among teens however study funds have been
mixed is it addictive so a lot of people oh it's not addictive funny that a lot
of them smoke all day every day it's how many people do you know like if they
were drinking like that everyone would be saying they're having a problem
people who literally get up in the morning and smoking smoking from
mornings through to a night oh that's just what they do oh it helps them stay
calm whatever the other excuses marijuana use can lead to the
development of substance use disorder medical illness which the person's
unable to stop using even though it's causing health and social problems in
their life okay so severe substance use disorders also known as addiction
research suggests that between 9 and 30 percent of those use marijuana may
develop some degree of marijuana use disorder people who begin using
marijuana before age 18 are four to seven times more likely than adults to
develop a marijuana use disorder kids I hope you're listening many people who
use marijuana long-term and are trying to quit report mild withdrawal symptoms
that make quitting difficult these include grouch in a sleeplessness
decreased appetite anxiety cravings okay I'm not forcing you to accept it as
sorcery I don't know you know I'm not really dogmatic about that but either
way why would a Christian touch that why would a Christian touch it and when we
go soul winning it stinks everywhere doesn't it
absolutely I mean that is probably the most common smell you smell isn't it we
go so winning it's marijuana and and and I'll tell you what since the lockdown I
think that's worse hey because a lot of people are basically getting paid to sit
around at home and we talked about this before when you're not doing anything
and I reckon drug use probably gone really really high with the lockdown
okay what about addictive you better believe it's addictive now these are
well it's mentally addictive becomes a physical addiction as you know because
your body starts and having withdrawal symptoms from the effects of it and and
you see it like I said you see people all day every day with it now there's a
similar story with all these substances so I've just gone for one which some
people call quite extreme that's still very commonly used heroin maybe not as
common with a cocaine obviously crack crack cocaine is a much worse version of
that or much stronger but but this is what what so many people and I would
hazard that I hope not in here but there are Christians that would think that's
that smoking cannabis is all right it's not it's not that bad it's not it's not
a big deal it's not it's not outlawed in the Bible oh it only talks about
drinking and you know it's a lot of people that smoke cannabis a lot of the
time you know it's drinking that's the devil that's the demon that's the
problem you know why you know why why have they made cannabis illegal okay so
okay everything begins natural but it's either misuse altered refined and
everything every substance in the world begins natural doesn't it okay it's all
being refined to some degree and change and like I said misused as well and of
course God you know there are things which don't need to be refined to be
really bad for you obviously and there are things which don't need to be
refined to have severe hallucinogenic effects you but God has given us a
choice isn't he in life he's given us free will like at the very beginning
with it with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and we have that choice
but regardless when it goes through these sorts of processes for me like
that's going up even beyond that isn't it just having that choice now back to
Acts chapter 8 back to Acts chapter 8 okay and in verse 9 like I said there
was a certain man called Simon which before time in the same city used
sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria giving out that himself with
some great one okay am I saying that Simon was some sort of drug dealer the
kingpin of Samaria okay well I believe that there are many types of sorceries
just some off the top of my head when I was writing this there are people
obviously that practice things like black magic and other weird occultic
stuff on there and there's probably more than you realize that do that but there
are there are people that do that stuff obviously there's obviously and some
people like to say it all is but there are modern medicines there are
pharmaceuticals I mean when you look at some vaccine ingredients that's some
pretty bizarre stuff isn't it there is some bizarre stuff and what's the spirit
behind that going into that so when you talk about you know like aborted fetal
cell lines and bovine serum and and green monkey kidney cells and and the
right I mean it's like something out of a bad movie isn't it okay and and again
just Wow amazing isn't it amazing that the majority of people in this country
it seems if we're to believe the reports are just queuing up queuing up foot for
vaccines okay now with that with the pharmaceutical thing people like to go
back to the Greek here and show that it's a Greek word pharmacare that's
translated as sorcery and then say that all pharmaceuticals are sorcery which I
think is a bit of a silly angle to take but it is interesting nevertheless that
the word pharmaceutical has come from the Greek word pharmacare for sorcery
witchcraft substances such as that it is an interesting point okay but then what
happens is a lot of these people they go so far the other way and then get
involved in all this New Age Health stuff where they're doing all sorts of
bizarre and I'm not just talking about using natural products I'm talking about
when they start you know basically communing with devils and doing weird
body testing and all sorts of stuff which which I have some knowledge of for
many years ago as well there's some crazy stuff that people do and stuff
that that is weird as well and people go the other way they go I'm not gonna
touch a pharmaceutical drug and then they're there you know with people doing
weird sort of you know New Age stuff with them okay you've got the food
industry as well what about the mind-altering concoctions in many foods
the flavoring companies I preached on this a while back and wow look at the
stuff that goes into that and again you've got aborted fetal cell lines
going into certain flavoring company additives that they just put as a
package on the side of the thing that just says flavoring and shoved into your
food and what's what does that again it's worshiping money isn't it to get
people addicted to the food it's to get people wanting to come back with more
for more okay television and movie industry some sorcery going on there
isn't there television and movie industry music industry too Wow and the
imagery with that and the stuff that gets in people's heads now either way
sorcery is definitely still common in the last days isn't it if you turn to
Revelation chapter 18 Revelation chapter 18 and this is talking of end times
Babylon here and in verse 23 18 23 it says and the light of a candle shall
shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride
shall be heard no more at all in thee for thy merchants were the great men of
the earth for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived okay that sorcery is
plural and all nations are deceived by them and again I'm not saying that is
necessarily all drugs are all one of the things on my list but there's
something there isn't there or maybe there's a mixture of different types of
sorceries revelation 21 8 gives this list of things that we can all pretty
much relate to fearful unbelieving abominable murderers whoremongers and
sorcerers who are these sorcerers what's the sorcerers it's talking about there
again it's an interesting thing to think about isn't it okay so without knowing
exactly what the sorceries were in acts 8 we can still learn I think some things
from the story of Simon in acts 8 I think we can learn some stuff from here
about sorcery and I'm gonna relate it to like I said I'm gonna relate it to
recreational drugs but I think you can relate it to many things and I'll show
you you'll probably you'll see why as we go through okay so my point number one
is the bewitching power of sorcery the bewitching power of sorcery look at acts
8 and we're just going to read from 9 to 11 okay but there was certain man
called Simon which before time in the same city used sorcery and bewitched the
people of Samaria giving out that himself was some great one to whom they
all gave heed from the least to the greatest saying this man is a great
power of God and to him they had regard because that of long time he had
bewitched them with sorceries okay so if we continue the comparison with the
world of drugs you could do that with a lot of the examples I just gave there as
well okay if we continue that verse 9 it says here that himself was some
great one so he was giving out that himself was some great one verse 10 he's
saying it says that they all gave heed yeah thought is a great power of God
this man is a great power of God and verse 11 they had regards okay and it
says because for a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries now I was
thinking about this I think you could see that high regard for example your
average drug dealer gets now I know like we can you know there's a picture
painted but if you've ever seen or been around people that get involved with
this sort of stuff I mean they act like this guy's like some sort of celebrity a
lot of the time now it's such a good person to be friends with what what what
a great you know what a great person it is because they ticked basically they
gave them something that they don't have to pay back for another month two months
a lot of the time they got to pay him back double the amount inside you know
it's really nice for them that they're almost begging them for stuff and it's
the bewitching power isn't it that causes that like I said they get treated
like a celebrity even though really they're scum aren't they absolute scum
and and and the thing is you know you look at it and you think what evil
people but people that get involved and get bewitched by sorcery such as drugs a
lot of the time will end up at that point of selling drugs because they've
been so bewitched by it and but they are scum regardless you know we can give
them excuses they are scum and like I said long time no role models I knew a
guy who was so into this sort of stuff who would literally talk about these
people he wished he was there he would love that he basically made some of
these drug dealers like an idol they're so respected they've got money they have
as much drugs as they want etc etc it's really sad and and it's not just amongst
a real low down-and-outs this stuff goes on you get you go up there's a lot of
middle-class drug use there's a lot of middle-class middle-class cocaine use
crack use as well and a lot of these guys they're looking at these people and
thinking wow well they want to buddy up with them they want to be best friends
with them it's sad and why it's a sorcery it's a sorcery of it because it
because this is a thing a lot of those people when you when they get to this
real to the point like I witnessed the other day but this stuff has resorted
them to filth to squalor to debt to begging a lot of the time and this
person wasn't but I know someone else who and I tell you what when you go out
on the streets and those people on the streets the vast vast majority are at
that point aren't they where drug addictions got them to the point of now
begging on the streets and a lot of them aren't homeless some of them are a lot
of them that's that's what they do they go out to beg they have they might have
still have accounts flat they haven't been kicked out for what's going on in
there and guy and being sold out of there and everything else and then a lot
of them are then and then going out getting begging in the day to come back
and get whatever it is usually crack and heroin by that point in this country
particularly and here's a point with that anyway when you're giving money to
those people and trying to virtue signal and I don't I don't know what
people's views are without there and trying to tell everyone and show people
and in front of everyone get you're not helping anyone at all with that you're
not helping them at all giving them money give them the gospel I give them
money okay it's crazy but okay but what what they do is then these people
they've been resorted to this but they still won't blame the drug even then
it's not the drug it's the stress it's what I see any other stress they've been
through all the emotion the stress of whatever it is some crisis some breakup
some the death of a loved one whatever else so they'll black that people are
always blaming something else is the excuse it's it's it's a stress or this
is a friend who an old family friend who sadly passed away from from from a drug
overdose and his excuse he used to always say that he he just naturally has
low serotonin he's got low serotonin that's why he needs to take drugs that
that's the excuses because he can't if only he was happy like I am he'd be
alright so it's not his fault it's a low serotonin or you hear the addictive
personality and amongst all the recovery people for them it's like everyone's an
addict and they're just more of an addict than other people and everyone's
just an addict and it's human that you know that's the way it is everyone's got
some addiction and for them they've just got an addictive personality but it's a
sorcery that bewitches them to constantly blame something and and what
happens is they won't then blame the drug so I had this bizarre conversation
in the week where I'm saying to this family member I'm saying you like what's
your plan you've got to cut this out and they're basically saying no well it's
that and it's this and it's that I've got this isn't that's the drugs not the
problem that the drug ain't the put the crack ain't the problem it's everything
else and oh no well it's caused a problem with alcohol and it's caused a
problem with with Ben like basically Valiums it's caused a problem with this
and that but it ain't the crack nothing like still you know that no problem yeah
I still get high that's all right you know just just need to cut it down a
little bit yeah and how bewitched you have to be to get to that point where
you're literally in that state and and okay and you might be sitting well why
are you preaching this at us because it's the same with all these different
drugs and substance abuse where people are just constantly finding excuses
cons and because they've they're bewitched by it they've been which by
that drug because you know people will don't get me wrong people feel good
taking that at the time but then they can't then evaluate the reason they feel
so rubbish the rest of the time is because they're getting so you said
lifting themselves up with whatever drug it is whatever substance it is okay turn
a revelation chapter 9 turn a revelation chapter 9
okay so from verse 18 we've literally just had the scorpion locusts I mean
well they sound pretty scary don't they amen we're not going to be there for
that they've just had the scorpion locusts then the 200 million fire
breathing horses okay now look at verse 18 by these three was the third part of
men killed by the fire and by the smoke and by the brimstone which issued out
their mouths for their powers in their mouth and in their tails for their tails
were like unto serpents and had heads and with them they they do hurt and the
rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repenting not of the
works their hands that they should not worship devils and idols of gold and
silver and brass and stone and of wood which neither can see nor hear nor walk
neither repented they of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their
fornication nor of their thefts so they've literally just been through some
absolutely you know just whatever you want to call it apocalyptic things aren't
they yet they're still not repenting of their
sorceries that is some bewitching power isn't it now you could also say these
people may be a lot a lot of them are reprobates at that point as well but
regardless it's still not repenting of those sorceries and which kind of leads
me on to the next bit though is it point number two sorcery still doesn't stop
salvation okay sorcery and using sorceries I don't think still stops
salvation if you have a look at acts 8 and verse 12 so back to acts 8 and verse
12 but when they believed Philip preaching the things concerned the
kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and
women then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized he continued
with Philip and wondered beholding the miracles and signs which were done okay
so they're being bewitched for a long time they've been bewitched by the
these source fees for a long time but they still got saved the power of the
gospel okay first Corinthians 1 18 says for the preacher of the cross is to them
that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is a power of God
it's a power of God okay so they couldn't because they could flood our
nations with drugs and they do don't they and when I say they I'm talking
about there's some high there's some people with power that flooding our
nature with drugs they can rise up sorcerers they can bewitch the masses
but we can still get them saved we can still get them saved you know that
cocaine only grows in a particular region just back to cocaine again yeah
it's a quite a small region in comparison with the rest of the world so
it's basically it's coca plants in South America on the ridge of the Andes
mountains in lowland jungles such as those found in Colombia okay the vast
majority of cocaine production because in Colombia Peru and Bolivia as those
countries the main place where the coca plant could be growing naturally and in
sufficient quantities to produce massive amounts cocaine takes a lot to produce
cocaine yeah okay they reckon that British people consumed a hundred and
seventeen tons of cocaine in 2019 117 tons okay that's a hundred seventeen
thousand kilograms how on earth did that get here how on earth did that get here
we're an island the I amen the guv that there are some people hi there's some
people in power aren't there there's some people in power that shipping over
that junk that rubbish into our country that sorcery into our country and it's
amazing isn't it and like I say there are some there's some powerful people
involved yeah oh sorry wrestle not against principalities of powers you
know it's against so we wrestle not against fresh blood against
principalities of powers against the rulers of the dancers of this world
against spiritual wickedness in high places and and there is some spiritual
wickedness in high places now Romans 1 16 says for I am not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ for it is it is a power of God unto salvation to everyone that
believeth to the Jew first and also to the group to the Greek okay it's a power
of God unto salvation now the reason I'm saying that is that ideally we want
people sobering in their right mind don't we when we're giving the gospel to
people ideally but how often is that how common with that like I said the place
you go you're smelling weed everywhere aren't you stinks and how many people
are we giving the gospel to that are under the influence to some degree I
would say probably quite a lot and probably a lot of the time you probably
might not even realize maybe some people are a bit more tuned into that maybe
some people aren't but it doesn't mean they can't get saved yeah it might make
it harder sure if someone's literally out of there out of their head if they're
not understanding anything you're saying then yeah there's there is probably no
point going on is there but I don't think that's the case a lot of the time
and I think sometimes maybe we can look at people and just say no chance they're
off their face or they're still giving the gospel it's the power of God think
the gospel can't get people saved they can't cut through the sorcery I think
it can if I know it can and I was thinking about this because the other
the other day I was with brother brother Dorian and a guy pulled over in his car
on Thursday evening when we're so winning and he got out of the car and he
was literally like this all he's talking to me you know he's as high as a kite and
but I didn't get him saved yeah and in the end it turned that I was trying to
just keep him away because his friend in the car who just happened like everyone
around there seems to be was Romanian brother Dorian is you know he's in the
middle of a gospel presentation with him while I'm talking to this guy got out
and seemed interested but you know what he did still understand quite a lot he
rejected he did reject but he did still understand and he it would have been
easy to have looked at him just saw no chance no chance even though he's driving
but still no chance but and I think you know there is a risk there is a risk
that maybe we see people we see people that look like they're they're off their
face or something you just think don't even bother but it's the power of God
under salvation these people in acts they've been bewitched for a long time
by so do you think they're all sober every single one maybe they were maybe
it was a different type of sorcery but whatever they were under the influence
of whatever sorcery it was it had bewitched them into thinking Simon was
the great power of God and everything else they were still able to get saved
weren't they they were still able to get saved and we see that obviously in verse
13 there now because in verse 13 it's even the person dishing out the sorcery
that gets saved then Simon himself believed also when he was baptized he
continued with Philip and wondered beholding the miracles and signs which
were done okay so that's the person giving out a sorcery and I would
imagine that he's partaking in whatever sorcery it is as well now it doesn't
actually call him a sorcerer you could maybe say was maybe wasn't it's
interesting that bar Jesus a sorcerer in acts 13 he's a false prophet too and is
therefore reprobate because if you remember Paul calls him doesn't he Paul
calls him a child of the devil but so there is a contrast there and he is
actually called a sorcerer I don't know but this guy at the least he's whatever
it is he's bewitching the people of Samaria with with sorcery but he still
gets saved he still gets saved and and regardless unless they're reprobate
people can still get saved and again it's easy for us isn't it we sometimes
look at me we don't know about this one and and as much as we try not to we
do don't we people will judge a book by its cover we'll look at people think no
chance they're under the or maybe they're that for example in fact that
Thursday as well there was a guy saying that he was some sort of Satanist wasn't
he he was saying but he didn't know did he really know what he meant but it
would have been easy to just think forget that but you don't know do you
okay he didn't get saved you don't know really how far you don't know if he's
reprobate unless it's blatant blatant there's certain things which make it
blatant when someone's a reprobate as we all know okay okay point number three
salvation doesn't automatically stop sin does it salvation doesn't automatically
stop sin look at Acts 8 and verse 14 now when the apostles which were at
Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God they sent
unto them Peter and John who when they were come down prayed for them that they
might receive the Holy Ghost for as yet he was fallen upon none of them only
they were baptized in name of the Lord Jesus then laid they their hands on them
and they received the Holy Ghost and when Simon saw that through laying on of
the Apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given he offered their money saying give
me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost
but Peter said unto him thy money perish with thee because thou has sought that
the gift of God may be purchased with money thou has neither part nor lot in
this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore of
this I wickedness and pray God if perhaps a thought of thine heart may be
forgiven thee for I perceive that thou art in a gall of bitterness and in the
bond of iniquity then answered Simon and said pray ye to the Lord for me that
none of these things which he have spoken come upon me and they when they
testified and preached the word of the Lord returned to Jerusalem and preached
a gospel in many villages of the Samaritans okay so Peter and John come
and they're praying for them to be filled with the Holy Ghost now I believe
that's an outward showing is what they're praying for here so ever since
Jesus resurrected and the disciples were indwelt with the Holy Spirit believers
are indwelt the moment they believe okay Ephesians 1 13 in fact turn there
quickly Ephesians 1 13 Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13 says talking about Christ in
whom you also trusted after that you heard the word of truth the gospel of
your salvation in whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that
Holy Spirit of promise okay after believing they were sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise okay so I think in acts 9 it's talking about it's basically
being filled like like at Pentecost in acts 2 and it's for that outward showing
for that Holy Spirit to come upon them like for example we're all indwelt with
the Holy Spirit but there are times when you're gonna show the Holy Spirit where
you're gonna be indwell it's going to come upon you like it came upon people
of old as well the Old Testament and like it does in the New Testament so
whether or not you're in dwell you can still be filled and have the Holy Spirit
come upon you so verse 16 there so it says for as yet it's fallen upon none
them only that they were baptized the name of the Lord Lord Jesus Christ so
they're saved and sealed but I think not filled with the Spirit at this point
okay verse 18 and when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands
the Holy Ghost was given he offered them money okay so this guy is tempted again
isn't he to have power control over people and you can imagine if he's
bewitching them with saucers and back to you know the kind of drug illustration
if this was some sort of you know high-flying drug dealer you could see
what sort of mentality these probably gonna have to get to that point and he
wants that control he's offering money he obviously knows that money gets it
you know money I'd imagine again in in my analogy here money's gonna gonna
really really make things happen for him and money's gonna be what what what what
what the big currency is isn't it and what what people are offering it and
and what he's probably got rich from if he's held in high record he's a great
man it said earlier didn't it that he giving out himself with some great one
it said earlier in in verse 9 okay so verse 20 to 23 Peter rebukes him okay
you can't purchase God's gifts with money and oh when I read this a while
back I had a note in one the Bible's and I was preparing for this and I just had
next to it about Bible colleges maybe need to hear that but you can't you
can't purchase the gift of God with money and it's not about just just going
and spending a lot like these like we've said before these kids that just got a
Bible College and has any idea what they're suited to what their ability is
none of it at all let alone that they're not even biblically qualified and
they're just basically throwing a load of money how many I'll be interested in
stat how many get failed at Bible College I bet it's really really low
amounts because it's a business because you don't want to be going somewhere
where there's a 50% 40% chance or whatever it is you're gonna fail so
these people are throwing money but anyway so Peter rebukes him doesn't he
verses 20 to 23 where he says thy money perish with thee because thou has sought
that the gift of God may be purchased of money thou is neither part nor lot in
this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore of
this I wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may
be forgiven for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the
bond of iniquity so in verse 22 I think he's he's helping him here he's saying
repent therefore this I weakness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine
heart may be forgiven thee so he's basically helping him avoid chastisement
isn't he's helping him to avoid chastisement in verse 23 says for I
perceive thou in a gall of bitterness in the bond of iniquity so although
he's saved he's still in the gall of bitterness in the bond of iniquity and
just because you're saved doesn't mean you're suddenly gonna be okay does it
doesn't mean oh yeah no I'm sorted now I've got so and and the foot you know
the false churches of false teachings they would look at a person if a
Christian was involved in drugs they would they would assume that no way is
that person saved no chance could they be saved and I've had people that you
assume you hope they're saved a pastor a church not long ago is sake yeah these
people call themselves Christians you should hear the way they swear hello
they save time this is what he was saying for swearing how could they be a
Christian if they use a swear word and this is what and again this guide I
don't know and and a lot of them we know they're not saved but there are there
are people that are maybe just being deceived by that sort of doctrine that
maybe are saved and just being deceived into thinking that when you're saved
you're just going to automatically that's it especially certain sins well
what or drug use or or whatever types of sorcery you want to call it maybe not
the sorcery of the TV because a lot of them don't seem to have a problem with
that but other things now what what's goal goal is basically bile something
extremely bitter and I don't know if you've if you've ever known people
involved in those sorts of sins you sit with alcoholism as well there's a lot of
bitterness a lot of bitterness with them I don't know if it's a bitterness of
just knowing that they're basically you know a real addict and that causes
bitterness but if you've ever been around alcoholics and drug addicts as a
they just have this bitterness for other people bitterness for all sorts of
things other than the substance that they're bewitched by the sorcery that
they're bewitched by now okay if you've been involved in these sorts of sins
okay salvation doesn't suddenly mean that you won't have to battle it anymore
okay that does it if you're if you're still battling the odd temptation I
doesn't mean you're not saved like I said with a room this size and there's
bound to be people that have been involved to some degree maybe they're
not battling it maybe that's another sin they are John first John 1 8 says if we
say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us
okay we all have sin we all have sin and some of us have opened doors to some
sins and some to others and we still we still have to resist those now like I
said there might be someone in here battling with that sort of temptation
there might be people in here that eventually go on to do so and I really
hope not and I really hope this is a good reminder of just how destructive
that sort of thing is but look you know you you might you might even be sitting
here just thinking yeah no that is sorcery to me maybe you're craving
something still maybe a craving so things which are which are like that and
first Corinthians 10 13 if you turn to first Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13
says there has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is
faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will
with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it
okay there is a way out there's a way out from anything you don't have to you
don't have to think I'm bound to eventually or once you're involved with
that no I can't get out of it there is a way he does make a way to escape the
temptation Psalm 50 verse 15 says and call upon me in the day of trouble I
will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me so look if you if you're if you find
the temptation for things like this and it might be something else it might be
some other form of sorcery that I mentioned or something else you might be
sitting there thinking yeah like I could see that with something else you might
be thinking it's got nothing to do with sorcery it's just sin either way there
is a way out you can resist yeah I don't believe in that and like well to a
degree maybe I think there are personality ties people say you know
once an addict always an addict don't they and you've heard that before haven't
yeah once an addict and again I've heard that a lot of the in sort of rehab this
sort of once an addict always an addict type attitude that you know that's it
you're done you're gonna be battling this the rest of your life and yeah I
believe once you open a door to sin that's going to be harder for you to
resist and someone who maybe never has but have a look turn to first if you in
first Corinthians just go to chapter 16
chapter 16 of verse 15 okay Paul says I beseech you brethren you know the house
of Stefanus that it is that it is the first fruits of a chia and that they
have addicted themselves to the ministry of the Saints addicted themselves to
the ministry of the Saints if you really if you're sitting in fact to say
look I am a right addict yeah I just can't find I'll just get addicted so
many things yeah I just can't resist I'm an addict that's the way I am well you
know what addicts can make great Christians can't they that's the one
place in the whole Bible the word addicted or addicts used and it's
talking about being addicted to the ministry get addicted to the ministry if
that's you use use that use that part of your personality get addicted to read
your Bible addicted to soul-winning addicted to work at the church addicted
to tall addicted to pray to a prayer life you know addicted to all of it
addicted to meditating on the Word of God just there's so much isn't there so
much in the ministry that you could get addicted to how about the whole ministry
right you know make use of it make use of it you'd be a useful addict yeah be
useful addict but you don't have to go back you don't have to just spend your
life just going from one thing to the next oh well maybe this one I don't see
this one as sorcery so I'm just gonna keep my addiction to that on and lots
of people do don't know they'll replace and replace and you don't have to or you
do you can do it but if you do it replace it with the ministry replace it
to the to the work of the ministry replace it with addicted to two things
of God well I think that would be a great way to be Romans chapter 13 says
but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to
fulfill the lusts thereof so put on the Lord Jesus Christ and you won't be
making provision for the flesh okay don't make provision for the flesh if
you've got to be wise don't you if again if that's someone here or someone
eventually is you look back and think about this put on the Lord Jesus Christ
don't make provision for the for the flesh stay in the Word of God stay stay
in church stay in it you know make sure that you're in your Bible that those
times when you'd be tempted whether it's evenings weekends round certain
people be wise about that avoid those people avoid those people that make sure
that if if if addictions a problem that you do you replace it with a good
addiction then but a proper addiction a good addiction like the Word of God
turn to Galatians 5 16 Galatians chapter 5 and verse 16 and it so often it comes
back to this isn't it this I say then walk in the spirit and ye shall not
fulfill the lust of the flesh and it's when you're in the spirit isn't it when
you're in the spirit filled with the spirit you can resist much easier can't
you you can resist much easier and like I said if you're if you battle with this
sort of thing then make sure get in the spirit get in the Word of God get in the
spirit and you don't then you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh how much
easier is it to resist sin when you're in the spirit does that stuff even cross
your mind when you're just in the spirit your soul when you read your Bible you're
just feeling you just feeling that that being filled with the Holy Spirit are
you really then thinking about whatever addiction it is that's been a problem
for you or whatever whatever issue that whatever form of sorcery that maybe we
mentioned there I don't think so but yeah for me look I believe that that you
know we're a you know this is a growing growing Church there's going to be
people there might be now there's going to be in the future people that will
battle and have battle with this sort of thing and sadly there might be people
that go back into this sort of thing I really hope and pray that doesn't happen
but we've just got to be you know I think we've got to be understanding
about that as well and not just just because it's easy to just for example
that particular drug wicked terrible but you hang around with people that are
smoking weed every day or whatever else and and for me it's all wicked it's all
wicked we want to be understanding obviously we're not going to have
drunkards in the church and and I think that covers as well people that are
under the influence of drugs as well but on the flip side when we're out
soul-winning though we need to be understanding we need to we need to be
caring and loving and know that the the power of God the gospel will cut through
that as well and and know that that for those that are struggling with it get in
the spirit get in the Word of God get addicted to the ministry and with that
let's pray Heavenly Father I thank you thank you for your word thank you thank
you for the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit that can just help us overcome all these
obstacles all these hurdles in our life I pray that if there are people here
that are battling with these sorts of things battling with addictions the
temptation I pray that you'll help them help them through through your word
through this sort of preaching I pray as well for for those for their kids in
this church that they'll avoid the pitfalls of that sort of sorcery drug
abuse drug use I pray that they'll be wise pray that they'll think about think
about how clear you make it that we need to live soberly we need to resist the
devil and he will flee from us I pray that we have a great day now a great day
going out preaching the gospel gets people saved Jesus name Ahmed