Accomplished magician here. I know quite a bit about it, but I'm not deep enough involved to say with absolute certainty what is true or not in the big picture. All I offer to you is my perspective.
I used magick to some degree for 15 years, but I was not careful enough or virtuous enough and did the wrong things with the power. I ended up suffering personally & mentally for what I had done, and only in the last 2 years have been recovering my humanity/soul.
What I would say about embracing magick to fight the black-magicians.
It is possible, but is dangerous. Everyone already uses magic, every day, but in an unfocused undisciplined way. Intentionally practicing magick takes your normal power and amplifies it X1000
In the magical community, the black magicians are defined as those who let their egos in control of their actions. The ego is considered a demonic entity that can be forced by your true will (soul) to obey. Magic is the process to establishing control of your inner demons so they work for you.
I believe in Jesus and have abandoned magick. I was attracted to magick to do good works with it, and I did. But now I just trust in Jesus now.
I should also add, I see a lot of hate about Alister Crowley here; and I believe it is misplaced. Crowley said he was fighting off the black-magicians that wanted to learn his secrets, and the books where he wrote about child sacrifice were tongue in cheek humor, where he later referenced that work and said if a person actually followed the spell literally they where a moron. The spell formulas are actually sex magick metaphors for raising your energy levels via coitus to then harness that energy for casting of whatever your desires are.
"Child sacrifice" is ejaculation
"Blood" is semen
etc etc
I studied Crowley a little, he was very degenerate though life, he was not my role model in any way. But at this moment, I dont believe he was evil, the opposite in fact; but its really hard to maintain these beliefs when I see what these occultists are up to, and how they operate.
Maybe all magick dooms your soul. I really dont know.
But Jesus save your soul, that much I do know.