Breaking the Spell

Galatians 3:1-9，6/22/2025; BCBC/IOUC; Brother Mike Lei

Peace brothers and sisters. My message today is Breaking the Spell. We will be reading from Galatians 3:1-9. This is my 5^th message in Galatians.Lets read Galatians 3:1 together. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publiclyportrayed as crucified.(ESV)Lets pray before we begin.

In the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the king of Rohan King Theoden came under the control of his corrupted advisor Grima Wormtongue, who is an agent of the evil Wizard Saruman . Under Sarumans spell, King Theoden looked so old, like he was dying. His kingdom was crumbling and his people were suffering attacks from evil creatures. He has been reduced to a puppet of his advisor Grima, standing next to him. The leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf , who has great power, tried to break the spell over the king, by saying to the king: Theoden, Son of Thengel. Too long have you sat in the shadows. Harken to me ! I release you from the spell. However, King Theoden replied in the voice of the evil Wizard Saruman, You have no power here Gandalf the Grey. Rohan is mine!

Like Gandalf, Paul also found the Galatians in a bewitched state, so that he is trying with all his might to break the spell over them. Today, we will see how Paul breaks the spell and what it means for us. Here are the 3 points today: 1) The bewitched Galatians 2) 5 questions to break the spell 3) The sons of Abraham revealed.

1.The bewitched Galatians (3:1)

NET (New English Translation) translates bewitched as cast a spell on you. The Galatians had come under the spell of the Judaizers , who were saying they knew of a better and more complete way to be right with God. Like the evil advisor Grima, they were whispering in the ears of the Galatians, Pauls gospel is not complete. Faith in Christ is not enough! You need to follow the laws of Moses and be circumcised. Paul pointed out to the Galatians that in the gospel, the Son of God, Jesus Christ has been so clearly and publicly portrayed as being crucified before their eyes. Why are they not seeing this?  The gospel that he preached to them is that only through Jesus being crucified can they be saved. If they can earn their own salvation, why would Jesus need to be crucified?

In the bible, we see casting a spell  is mentioned and it is forbidden. Deuteronomy18:10-11 says，There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. (NASB 1995) The magic spell in the bible also symbolizes things that seduce and lead people astray. Revelations 18:23d says of Babylon the Great, which is a symbol of the evil things that would seduce the world in the end-times: By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.  (NIV)

Today, drugs can also cause people not to think clearly, like being under a spell. In fact, the word for magic spell in Revelations 18 is pharmakeia, which sounds like pharmacy or drugs.

For example, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (website https://nida.nih.gov/) listed these effects of Marijuana :

• altered senses (for example, seeing brighter colors)
• altered sense of time
• changes in mood
• impaired body movement
• difficulty with thinking and problem-solving
• impaired memory
• hallucinations (when taken in high doses)
• delusions (when taken in high doses)
• psychosis (risk is highest with regular use of high potency marijuana).

The website says: Marijuana also affects brain development. When people begin using marijuana as teenagers, the drug may impair thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions.

Many people are aware of these dangers of drugs. However, we need to continue warning people of these dangers. We need to warn people that anything that cause us not to think clearly will lead us to do foolish things, things that we wont do if we are thinking clearly.

However, we dont need to be under the influence of drugs, but we can also be under a spell today. The spell is anything that is a deception from the enemy, the devil, anything that leads us away from God and His will, anything that makes us not able to think clearly and see what is right or wrong in our life. What spells could you be under today? Are you under the spell of fear and anxiety, worried about your future and what people will think of you? Are you under the spell of bad influences, not able to discern the influences they might have on you? Are you under the spell of pride, consumed with how much better or how much worse you are compared to others? Are you under the spell of the flesh  addicted to all its cravings? Are you under the spell of busyness, worldly pursuits, or unbelief? Like the bewitched Galatians, we need to be set free from our spells.

2. Five questions to break the spell (3:2-6)

Paul asked these 5 questions to break the spell over the Galatians:

1. Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? (vs. 2)
2. Are you so foolish? (vs. 3)
3. Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (vs. 3)
4. Did you suffer so many things in vainif indeed it was in vain? 4(vs. 4)
5. Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness? 56(vs. 5-6)

For Question #1, what should be the answer? Did they receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? They did not receive the Holy Spirit by observing the OT laws, but by hearing with faith the gospel Paul preached to them – that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, loved them and died for their sins on the cross, and was resurrected on the third day to show that He has victory over sin and death, and they can be saved and receive forgiveness of sins by grace through faith, when they receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

For Question #2, are the Galatians foolish? Yes, they are so foolish to doubt the gospel which they heard from Paul, after Paul had provided them all the proof that they need a crucified Savior. However, should Paul be calling the Galatians foolish? Didnt Jesus say in Matthew 5:22，I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, You fool! will be liable to the hell of fire.

Jesus is speaking of things we say to others out of anger, pride, and contempt, and not out of love. Jesus Himself used the word You fools to warn the Pharisees (Matthew 23:17) and gave parables about the foolish (Matthew 7 & 25).

The word for foolish Paul used is also different from the one Jesus used in Matthew 5:22. Jesus said the word moros , which we get the English word moron. It means dull, stupid, brainless. This word is attacking a persons image. Jesus is saying dont attack people with these words. However, the word Paul used for foolish means: not understanding, unwise. The Galatians are not understanding the gospel and being unwise by listening to the Judaizers. Therefore, the rebuke is necessary. While we should not attack people with words, we should also not fail to lovingly rebuke when necessary.

Question #3 Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Paul is asking the Galatians, Didnt you start your relationship with God by faith in Christ, which is through power of the Holy Spirit? Why do you think you can start this spiritual journey by the power of God and finish it by your own power? How often, in our Christian life, we try to live by our own power and not by Gods power?

One time we did evangelism at a local Chinese shopping center and Chinese Christian business people paid for our lunch. After we ordered the food at the counter (In-N-Out Burger), my church Pastors wife would swipe her credit card to pay for it. Now, if I decide when I go up to counter I will say, Oh, dont be so polite. Let me pay with my own credit card, then I would have missed out on enjoying the grace of these generous Christians, and it also shows my pride in not accepting peoples kindness, because I think I can pay for it myself. In the same way, as Christians, do we get uncomfortable about depending on Gods grace? Or are we more comfortable relying on our own efforts? God has already paid the price for us through Jesus Christ. Let us accept His generous gift. Amen?

Question #4 Did you suffer so many things in vainif indeed it was in vain? Think about the things the Galatians gave up when they believed in Christ? They need to turn from their idols, leave their old ways to believe in the one true God  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They need to publicly declare their faith before others, while Christians were a persecuted group at the time. The word suffer  used here can also mean positive experience. Think of all their positive experiences of receiving salvation, receiving forgiveness, receiving love, joy, and peace from God. Why would they throw all these away to go back to try to earn their way to heaven, which is impossible to do as sinful human beings? For us, when we go back to live a life that is not based on the grace of God, but based on our own efforts, we are also throwing away all the blessings we have received and experienced in our salvation. However, as Paul pointed out, the salvation that the Galatians experienced is not in vain. The salvation that we experienced is also not in vain. We have been so blessed and we must not throw away all these blessings to live a life apart from Gods grace.

Question #5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness? Think about all the transformation and miracles the Galatians experienced. Think about all the transformation and miracles you have experienced. Arent they all experienced by hearing with faith and believing in Gods power? When you first trusted in Christ, you are willing to believe everything you were told. You are willing by faith to test out Gods promises and step out in faith. When you hear the pastor or speaker tell you a promise from God, you are willing to believe it and pray for it. When the pastor or the speaker tells you to do something by faith, you are willing to do it. However, maybe as you lived the Christian life, you experienced some unanswered prayers and some disappointments. You start to doubt the miracles God can do. You are less willing to take more steps of faith. When you pray, you pray with little faith. When you hear a faith challenge to step out of your comfort zone, you say its not my calling. Brothers and sisters, lets return back to that child-like faith again, to believe in God and pray with faith, expecting to see God answer our prayers. Lets be like Peter again, willing to step out on the water when Jesus calls him to come to Him. Lets break the spell of unbelief and complacency. Amen?

3.The sons of Abraham revealed

7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all the nations be blessed. 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

In vs. 7 Paul reveals who the sons of Abraham are. It is those of faith in the living God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who are sons of Abraham. Therefore, through faith in Jesus Christ, you have become the spiritual children of Abraham! When God said to Abraham, In you shall all the nations be blessed , God is preaching the gospel that the Gentiles will be saved by faith. Therefore, Abraham heard the gospel, more than 2000 years before Christ came into the world! So, all who have believed in Christ are blessed with Abraham, and are part of the covenant God made with Abraham. Abraham is a man of faith. The word faith can also mean faithfulness. Through the Holy Spirit, you can also be a man of faith or a woman of faith, a faithful man of God or woman of God. Amen?

Like Gandalf saying to King Theoden: Theoden, Son of Thengel (Thengel was the previous king of Rohan). Too long have you sat in the shadows. Harken to me! I release you from the spell. Paul is saying to the Galatians, Galatian believers, sons of Abraham. Listen to the gospel! Be released from the spell of the Judaizers! I also want to say to Brothers and sisters here: Believers in Christ, sons and daughters of Abraham. Children of God Almighty! Listen to the gospel and to Gods word! Be released from all the spells of the enemy! Be released from the spell of fear and anxiety, worries about your future and what people will think of you, because your Heavenly Father loves and cares you and will provide all you need! Be released from the spell of bad influences! By the Holy Spirit and Gods word discern the deceitful influences they have on you! Be released from the spell of pride! You dont have to compare yourself with others because you are chosen by God to be holy and blameless before Him! You are free from the fear of rejection because you are fully loved and accepted by God. Be released from the spell of the flesh, from all its cravings, for your old self have died with Christ on the cross and your life is now hidden with Christ! The power of sin has been broken in Christ. Be released from the spell of busyness, worldly pursuits, or unbelief! You have been crucified to the world and the world crucified to you! You are dearly loved by God, Christ is all you need! Like the bewitched Galatians, be free from all your spells!

Not to give away too much, but after Gandalf broke Sarumans spell over King Theoden, here is Gandalf sitting with King Theoden in his right mind discussing kingdom business. His face has color now. He looks much younger. He looks alive again.

You will also be like King Theoden when you have the spell broken in your life. You will have Gods energy in your life. Your face will reflect the peace and joy of the Lord. Your inner being will be youthful again, full of the life of the Holy Spirit. Your face will look alive again, shining with the glory of the Lord. You can sit with the Lord discussing kingdom business with Him. You can sit with brothers and sisters discussing how to serve the Lord in church, in your family, in your work, in all the places God has called you. How joyful this is?  Have you seen someone who had been changed by Christ? Dont they look so alive, so joyful, full of energy?

Brothers and sisters, through your faith in Christ, you are sons and daughters of Abraham, and even more you are children of the living God. Be alive today to all the promises of God! Lets also be a blessing to the Jewish people, since they are Gods chosen people who shares in the promises of God. Lets bless them by showing the love of Christ and sharing the Good News with them so that they may be saved.  You will be a blessing to all people because Christ lives in you. Have great confidence in the Lord! Spread the fragrance of Christ everywhere! Set others free from the spells of the devil! Amen? Lets pray.