"The Lord God, He is good.
In Del Norte, Colorado
Topic: Divination, Shamanism, Fortune-telling, Mediums, Spiritism, Necromancy, Familiar Spirits, Wizardry, Seances, Channeling, Clairvoyance, Spirit-guides, Masonry.Consult the Living
“And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?” Isaiah 8:19
The Bible strongly warns people not to consult mediums and spiritists for the truth, but to inquire of God. Clearly, if those who practiced these arts have any power (beyond being great deceivers), it is not a gift from God (as some falsely claim).
God asks man, “Can the living find out the future from the dead?”
Please take a moment to read the following and weigh it. Thank you.
Divination, Shamanism, Fortune-telling, Mediums, Spiritism, Necromancy, Familiar Spirits, Wizardry, Seances, Channeling, Clairvoyance, Masonry, Spirit-guides are all practices that are condemned and forbidden by God. Divination and Spiritism were despised practices of the heathens. Scripture says that one of the reasons King Saul died was because he consulted a medium for guidance rather than God. The presence of a medium or spiritist among God's people of Israel was considered defilement.
All of these practices take people further from their Creator, the true and living God. There has been a great increase of these practices in our country.
There is only one Truth. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Encarta World English Dictionary defines ‘deceiver’ thusly:
de·ceive v
1. vt to mislead somebody or hide the truth deliberately
2. vr to convince yourself of something that is not true
Q. Why do people become deceivers calling themselves Shamans, Spirit-guides, and Fortune-tellers? Even more importantly, why have they rejected the Living God and turned towards familiar spirits?
A. I believe the fact of their deception ‘boils down’ to ego. People have, since the beginning of recorded history, desired to exalt themselves. Their platform for exaltation can spring from one of many possibilities. The feeling of superiority can come from a greater intelligence, greater physical prowess, recognized physical beauty, or greater spiritual powers. In short, everyone wants to be loved. Those who are deceived into rejecting the Living God for familiar spirits derive their feeling of being loved by offering something of themselves to others. Their motivation is to be loved and followed, even exalted by the recipients.
Biblical Principle: Herein lies the great distinction between the deceived and Christians: We exalt Jesus Christ, not any man nor any other spirit. The Christian has to let go entirely of ‘self’ and come to God with a humble and contrite spirit. The Bible says we must humble ourselves and God will lift us up. The Christian recognizes that apart from God we are nothing.
Q. Why do people follow these deceivers?
A. It is an age-old phenomenon. Just like the Israelites, people today also want to have a physically present god. Some want to be that god, others just want to be able to physically talk to that god and watch it perform their request. This seems pure laziness in that these people desire not to have faith in the Invisible God.
Biblical Principle: Believers have been entrusted with the Gospel and are called by God to carry it in love to the deceived.
Q. Some of the deceived will say, “I’m not deceived, I know this is real” or “Don’t you think you are being hateful or phobic?” and “I have literally seen the spirits respond to my inquiries.”
A. God has already answered this for mankind in dramatic fashion. We turn to the story of the prophet Elijah on Mt. Carmel in 865 B.C. The prophets of Baal called on their spirits from morning until noon. Nothing happened. Elijah called on the Living God with a three-sentence prayer and fire came from heaven and burned the sacrifice in front of everyone.
God also came to earth in the flesh. He is Jesus Christ. God has sent us a spirit, His Spirit, to dwell within those who are called by His name.
Biblical Principle: Agreed, there are spirits in this world that are not from God. The Bible does not deny that. People involved in any spirit practices other than worship of the Living God are consulting these spirits. These spirits are dead because they can offer nothing to man other than evil and death disguised as wisdom and enlightenment.
Q. Where does this discussion place us in relationship if you are one of the ‘deceived’ or ‘deceivers’? Do we Christians hate you or condemn you?
A. The Bible says we are to love you, not hate you. We will not participate in your practices, but we hereby invite you to come sit in the presence of the Living God. As beings created by God we have much in common with each other.
Like you, we want to love and be loved.
Invitation to You: Come experience the power of Love from above. Come experience Goodness. Let us walk in fellowship together and with 'He that created all'. There comes a day of judgement for everyone - those who believe in the Living God and those who don't. Let us stand shoulder to shoulder on that day as our names are found in the Book of Life.
