I'm sure many eyes will read this post. We're all in a different place on our walk in life; depending on where you're at will be how you view the contents. But what I want everyone to know is that this is written from someone who lived on both sides of the fence... and she's here to expose the darkness, uncover the deceit.
I come from an occult background... I was talking with spirits at age five. I was inducing trances in neighborhood kids when I was just eleven years old. I was holding seances at thirteen. I was making a living by reading Tarot cards by eighteen. In my twenties I was hosting a smorgasbord of spiritism, divination and magik methods. By thirty years of age, I was involved with Wicca and leading a paranormal investigation team. I've pretty much done it all. But only by the grace of God was I delivered from the strongholds that held me tight and kept me in the darkness. By the age of thirty-one, I had found what I was always seeking: truth. And my purpose in life.
I tell you with all surety there absolutely is a supernatural realm. And there are two opposing sides in that realm. You and I are in the middle of that battle. That is why God gives us Ephesians 6, to explain it.
So, I write this post not just with Scripture, but with experience and knowledge on both sides: the dark occulted side and the side of truth and light. I do not write this for debate or argumentative purposes. Please understand I won't engage in either. And any comments as such will be deleted. Although I am happy to discuss God's Word, I don't squabble over it, nor do I defend my personal experiences. If you have any questions, I encourage you to email me and I will be glad to discuss your thoughts and views. But this post is to shed some light (expose the darkness, Ephesians 5:11) and give others knowledge and information so they can research these subjects themselves and make an educated decision on where they stand in this spiritual battle (Ephesians 6, Joshua 24:15).
What is THE OCCULT?
Please refer to my post Examples of the Occult for more information on that generalization.
This post will break down types and dangers. But in layman's terms, the occult is anything dealing with the supernatural, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or phenomena which do not derive from God.
It's important to note that God does embody the supernatural and He is the ultimate source of all things. He certainly relays spiritual gifts to people and performs miraculous, phenomenal events, but the occult is a label for those things which come from the opposition of God- mainly the adversary, the devil and practices deemed abominations in the Holy Scriptures.
But I tell you- what lurks in the unknown is a darkness you do not want to seek out.
THE DESIRE
When the Lord created Adam and Eve, He placed them in a perfect setting: the Garden of Eden. It is said in Scripture to have been a place of pleasure, beauty and bounty. The Bible says Adam and Eve walked with God daily and had not a care or true need. Yet, Eve was still somehow tempted by satan.
Our human nature will always fail us, no matter what the circumstances. This is important to understand, because we need to be aware of our weak mortality and simply accept that. I feel there is not enough self realization in this world- be it lack of confidence or too much. But we are all human, and our flesh fights struggles daily. None of us are perfect, nor will we ever be, and to fully grasp that allows room for growth and compassion. We are nothing without God. The need to be dependent on the Almighty Creator and the ability to do so is an amazing blessing in itself. We cannot get through life without Him. We cannot do it on our own, nor should we try.
In Genessis 3 we read the exchange between Eve and the serpent, satan:
satan asks her, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
Eve replies, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
What's important to notice here is that Eve was confused. It's not clear as to why. But the Lord never said they could not touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil- just that they could not eat of it.
And what does the serpent say in response? "You will not certainly die. For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
You will have knowledge and power.
Know temptation is always in us. We are flesh, We're weak. And needy. And when we are given the right lie(s) and allure, we can fall.
For whatever reason, that brief conversation between the enemy and Eve was enough for her to be disobedient to the Lord's command. And then it was revealed that the serpent lied, was shown to have no power to give, and how God did in fact speak truth: that day Eve died. Spiritually. She would no longer be immortal but she would live in the flesh and eventually die a physical death.
The desire? We all long to understand the unknown and to hold power. Let's be honest.
No matter how well things are with us, we will always have a desire to know more and be better.
Knowing that and accepting it can help us fight against it.
THE DECEPTION.
The goal of satan's deception is the same: take from God. The deceptions themselves will vary from person to person.
The adversary has no power over the Great I AM, but He can hurt Him by hurting those the Lord loves and taking them from Him.
God is omnipotent. Ultimately, He has full power and control. satan cannot do anything without God's authority (as we see in the Book of Job). But God also gave us free will, because He wanted us to choose for ourselves who we want to serve and what we want to love. That's a Catch-22, because in that, we can also choose not to believe in or live for God. And the Lord says if we're not for Him, then we're against Him (Matthew 12:30). And only those who do His will, will make it to Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23).
Choosing to live for the Lord means knowing His Word and adhering to it and following Christ's teachings. Our flesh does not like to have authority over it, nor does it fancy the unknown. We do, however, crave to be in charge of our own lives (and for some, in charge of others) and everyone seeks answers to things unknown, unexplained and unexplored. So, our flesh fights submission to God. Yet, the Bible says when we do, we can resist the devil. That's exactly why the spirit of rebellion is a key tactic of the devil. If he can get us to sway from God's Word, then we do not know God's will, much less care, and we are an easy target.
Enter in that age-old scheme of telling people if they have this knowledge or do that method, they will have the answers and be like God. This is a lie.
All power and authority is our Sovereign God's, and His alone. It is His to give (and ONLY His) for His will and purpose. And even is often given for our will and our purpose. God does impart spiritual gifts onto people. And even supernatural talents. But we must have His Holy Spirit, and unless we do, the ability is not coming from God.
THE DANGERS
There is a reason the Lord puts up boundaries for us; rules, of you will.
Just as a caring parent lays down a set of rules to their children, it is to protect them and help them be disciplined and strong.
Just as many horse trainers place blinders on horses to keep them focused on what is in front, rather than be distracted or spooked.
The new era would have us believe what's best for us is being able to do what you want, when you want. No restrictions. But, if everyone has a right to anything, then there are no wrongs. And that is a dangerous concept.
We know there is an opposite to all things: up to down, slow to fast, high to low... and yes, darkness to light, evil to good. So, we must not continue to try to create gray shades to suit our wants or move the lines that are in place to adapt to our needs. Taking control of our life means to choose wisely, not move what's set in place to equip your every whim.
We do not know everything, but our loving Father does, and He is keeping us safe by commanding we do not dabble in spiritual things we're unaware of. To pull us out of a dark pit is much more difficult than it is to fall in. Just stay away from it altogether and chances are you'll be safe. Accept on the side of caution is better than to risk being in err.
So when the adversary, God's enemy and the enemy of our soul (the devil) prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, he may sift you as wheat because he desires to have you. He will come as a wolf in sheep's clothing. He will be clever. He will lie. He will confuse you. All like he did with Eve. Do not believe his tactics, or you may lose your eternal home.
Now, the DARKNESS...
In Genesis 1, the very first thing God does in creation is separate the light from the dark.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
These two cannot mix together. So, when I hear people say they love God and do "His work" through means such as Tarot cards and hear from angels; or when mediums call out to speak to deceased loved ones... these things unequivocally cannot be God. It goes against His very Word.
For many years I thought I was a Christian while practicing elements of darkness. Sounds crazy, right? But what is a person did not know what was dark? What if they were under a strong delusion that spiritism, divination and magik could in fact be through God? That's what I did. And what many do.
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. -Matthew 6:24-26
But it is impossible. These things are an abomination to God. If you practice these things, then you are not of God but you belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. (John 8:44)
Lucifer, once the angel who brought in God's glory every morning, led a rebellion against God. He was prideful and wanted to reign. That rebellion prompted God to cast lucifer and all the rebellious angels out of Heaven and they were put into the earth... and they are deceiving people (Revelation 12:9). No, they're not in hell, as many think, but they are in our realm. And they will use any means necessary to lead them astray from God... distraction, temptation, causing pain, creating confusion, coming as an angel of light...
The allure of power is a strong one. Offering you the "gift" or "ability" or "talent" to see into the future, know the unknown, have power to manipulate circumstances or people... these are deep and dark tactics of the devil. Darkness is an evil that deceives and devours and eventually destroys.
Behind every "spirit guide", behind every pendulum swing, behind every Ouija planchette move, behind every psychic reader- is a familiar spirit. An unclean spirit. A demonic spirit. No, they are NOT from God. And if you read the Bible you will see that.
The day the Lord gave me a glimpse into the spirit realm- was the worst (and best) day of my life. I was horrified (to say the very least) that I has been deceived and involved with such darkness, and ashamed I did not know. But I also was grateful and overjoyed I was given the chance to turn away and ask for forgiveness, that I may live in spirit and in truth, not seek spirits for answers.
As in the post Examples of the Occult, there are different types of the occult in which God mentions:
DIVINATION, SPIRITISM, SORCERY and NECROMANCY. The chart in the Examples of the Occult post will help you differentiate and decipher my below list:
Divination - When you use supernatural means to explore hidden things, you are putting the power in your hands, seeking ways to know hidden things through tools and methods not of God. THE REASON THIS IS WRONG is because you are putting your trust in another source other than God, and not giving Him your faith. You are handing over your faith and giving the authority to something other than Holy Creator. Examples are: Ouija board, pendulum reading, tea leaves, chakra, palm and aura reading, Tarot cards, astrology, dowsing, automatic writing, ruin stones. |
Spiritism - When you practice spiritism, you are attempting to bypass what God has set as a realm barrier and communicate with the dead or with a spiritual entity (such as an angel or demon or other entity self-labeled like god, goddess, guide, master). THE REASON THIS IS WRONG is because when you put your faith in a spirit other than the Holy Spirit, you are opening pathways for evil to enter in your life and our realm. Your faith alone can open those doors. This in conjunction with seeking assistance by another spirit other than God. Examples are: seances, channeling a spirit, ghost hunting (using ghost boxes, EVPs, etc.)., Ouija boards, astral projecting. |
Sorcery/Witchcraft - The use of power gained from spirits or a spiritual force is an attempt to play God. Invoking your own authority and power through supernatural means IS WRONG BECAUSE you are trying to break the natural process God has laid out for us and manipulate God's order. This is a great sin. High, low, or natural magic, white magic or black magic- it is all the same. Examples are: Spells, incantations, rituals, Alchemy, Voodoo dolls, Wicca. |
Necromacy - Communicating with the dead is also considered a form of divination, but God does list it separate at times. We can speculate as to why, but maybe some try to speak with the dead -not for power- but perhaps due to pain of losing a loved one, in desperation in grief. But the effects are still the same- allowing spirits (demons) authority and rendering you vulnerable to attacks. When used as a part of foretelling future events is engaging in divination. THIS IS WRONG BECAUSE the barriers between realms are set and ruled by God, no one else. Examples are: Psychics/mediums communicating with those passed on, ghost hunting (trying to talk to dead spirits), automatic writing, shamanism, etc. |
Yes, some of these seem harmless. Often, we think lightly of the acts. To many they are games, hobbies or merely an afterthought. But the actions still can cause harm.
And many times, people feel a draw to these practices and ways. That is the lure of darkness.
Your soul is most definitely meant to interact spiritually. We are to rise to a supernatural level of our existence- but with GOD. Jesus. To no other and by no other ways than those He's set before us.
It is for our protection we listen.
All of these are wrong because they are commanded by God not to partake in, therefore it is sin to do so. These are the sins of witchcraft and rebellion.
All these are dangerous because they open up spiritual doorways to which we're unaware.
All these are equally dangerous because you are allowing power and authority of demons to come into your life (even if unknowingly) and to your bloodline (your children, great grandchildren and their children).
These are all acts which will cause great mental illness, physical sickness, and spiritual separation from God. The latter will in turn could cause you to miss out on salvation/Heaven.
Below are just a few Scriptures for Biblical reference as to God's thoughts on these practices.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12: “There shall not be found among you anyone who…practices divination, or a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.”
Leviticus 19:31: “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them”
Leviticus 20:6: “And the person who turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.”
2 Chronicles 33:6: “And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.”
1 Samuel 15:23: “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
Jeremiah 14:14: “Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.”
Also know that even if one does not host or directly do the act themselves, but shares in the act by being present, they are still susceptible to a spiritual/demonic attack and held accountable by God for the sin.
The Lord says people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Well, I will give you the information and I hope this will enlighten you and help you shed the light for others.
And remember- God is quick to forgive. And He also forgets.
"For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.” –Psalm 86:5
1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
And yes, even when we're not aware that we've sinned against God, we should still confess and repent. Turn away from those things and devote your life to finding out who God is and what His will for you is. What you receive is far greater than anything the things below offer.
God bless you in your quest for truth. May this information help you in any way it can. All glory to God!
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