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PREMISE
When Christian Believers are looking for information or answers concerning the realm of the Cults, the Occult, or any aberrant belief system the first place we should always seek information is the Bible. Whatever the Scriptures reveal about the Paranormal and issues like ghosts should be the final word and the only arbiter for us. But this isn't always the case. Confusion appears to be a main factor concerning this topic and that's just how the Devil likes it.
A seemingly endless supply of motion pictures and various television programs focus on the paranormal and feature psychics allegedly contacting the dead and those attempting to communicate with ghosts - or hunt them down. In fact, just about every category of occult weirdness can be found through the ever-increasing volume of New Age and Occult media, books, and teachers vying for our attention today. Christians need to know what we believe and why we believe it so when these subjects come up in our everyday life we can speak factually - and biblically.
NOW, ABOUT GHOSTS...
Are they real? While someone might be predisposed to believe in the existence of ghosts or may have had an experience with an entity, it is NOT with the disembodied spirit of a departed human speaking from the afterlife that has left to do or say whatever they like.
Though these experiences may seem completely authentic to the one it’s happening to, the entire concepts of Ghosts runs counter to what the Bible tells us.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:6 "when we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord." Paul clearly qualifies this in reverse in verse 8, "...to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
WHAT ABOUT NON-BELIEVERS?
GotQuestions.org explains it this way.
“To be ‘absent’ from one’s body simply means to die because, at death, the spirit is separated from the body and moves into its eternal abode—either heaven with the Lord or hell, separated from God for eternity.” (https://www.gotquestions.org/absent-from-the-body.html)
Once we decide to follow what the Scripture tells us then it is much easier to reject all other propositions. Its case closed.
But Satan is a master deceiver and certainly wants people - believers or not - to become convinced that Ghosts are real.
It is much the same as when a spirit allegedly converses with people in a seance or via a fortune teller of occult practitioner (a practice often referred to as “channeling”) and gives out specific information from some departed person in an attempt to entrap the unsuspecting into believing that a disembodied spirit (i.e. a ghost) is communicating from the grave. Such an instance goes against the summation of teaching from the Bible.
We are instructed to only attempt to communicate with God, in the name of His Son Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit!
Deuteronomy 18 is the clearest reference we have in Scripture. It’s found in verses 9-12 in what I refer to as “The Nine Forbidden Practices.”
9 When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
This passage indicates that even the ATTEMPT to contact the dead (i.e. necromancy) is forbidden.
DECEIVED BY EXPERIENCES
When we hear of Christians talking about what they think are ghosts and they talk of an entity appearing to them or that a ghost of someone deceased appeared (someone they have known in life, such as a relative), I always wonder why they don’t seek REAL wisdom from the wisdom-giver, King Jesus? By trusting experiences first, many have become convinced of a lie because of the experience itself.
We can safely say that in every instance like this it is actually manipulated by demons who can easily masquerade as a deceased person. When asked about these cases, I simply point out what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5 about our disposition after we leave this earth.
Satan orchestrates elaborate scenarios to deceive people into either believing the information they receive from such entities or simply believing that they exist. It's all rooted in the demonic and no matter what face they put on or how they paint it up, the eventual outcome is always the same – and in the end it’s not good!
Remember, the information received from demonic entities may have some modicum of truth in it but it never leads to the fact that there's only one way into eternity with God and all other paths lead to the same place which of course is hell.
I'm not saying that at least some of the experiences that people have with what they believe are ghosts are not actual experiences, for some of them certainly are. But such experiences do not involve the spirits of the dead but demonic forces in disguise.
The Father of Lies cunningly engineers scenarios where demonic spirits masquerade as if they were someone who once lived here on Earth, speaking like them, sounding like them, maybe even appearing somehow as the deceased. Any of this kind of thing is always designed to deceive those to whom the experiences occurs.
Demons can be very convincing and people may be persuaded that the experience they've had is absolute fact but one thing that should help discern any situation is was God glorified in the process? Remember, God does not find glory in something He expressly forbids. So, let’s ask ourselves, has an entity from such an experience clearly pointed to the fact that Jesus Christ is God and there is only one way to be saved?
God's disdain for necromancy has certainly not changed for us New Testament believers. Again, the bottom line for me is that we are forbidden to even attempt to contact any being in the spirit realm except God the Father in the name of his Son Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Any other attempt of such contact, let alone having actual contact with any spiritual entity, is out of bounds.
CAUTION: DECEPTION AHEAD
Most people who reveal that they've had these experiences have been deceived into such practices. As more paranormal events continue in someone's life (because they have opened the door and invited the demonic to continue this activity), I've seen that people begin to base their entire identity on the fact that they've had these encounters. I encourage Christians to cut off every avenue of communication that Satan can use to take advantage of them. Deuteronomy 18: 12 uses the strongest condemnatory language in the ENTIRE Bible concerning any topic when God calls the practices found in verses 10 and 11 an abomination.
OPENING THE WRONG DOORS
One thing I can say with certainty - there is a lot of uncertainty in the spirit realm but we have the absolute assurance of what God's word says about this arena.
Doors into the realm of the occult are opened for people to believe and place trust in this kind of activity. Also, residual bad outcomes often occur in other areas of life when people become convinced in either the communication with spirits or what the spirits are saying.
A common question is – “What about King Saul and the Witch of Endor” (1 Samuel 28)?
- Saul took his fear and concern (about facing the Philistines) to God but because God was silent, he resorted to consult a witch, a medium instead.
- Was the apparition that appeared as Saul met with the witch actually Samuel and sent by God? There is great disagreement in theological circles about this. However, it was a “one off” and NOT a signal that God endorses something His Word disdains. Also note that God confounded the witch as she was as taken off guard as Saul was when Samuel appeared. So, the occasion presented a message from God to Saul and also to the occultist.
- There is no disagreement about the result of King Saul’s unwise visit to the witch. He was judged for his forbidden actions and both the King and his sons died in battle the next day!
DON'T CONFUSE YOU WITH THE FACTS?
It can be emotionally disturbing for some when unnatural experiences they've had are challenged such as I am doing here. Spiritual experiences can be a very powerful thing and for a person to have such it is often very hard to explain to them that, in reality, it’s very likely to have been a negative or demonic experience. People often - and tragically - trust their experiences along these lines without fully understanding and it's hard to explain to them the negative side of it.
Satan endeavors to do little more than counterfeit anything and everything concerning the truth of God. Demonic spirits that masquerade as something neutral or benevolent often place information within what they communicate in order to lend validation to the whole experience that a human might be having with them.
Satan surely understands that if one believes they are having communication in the spirit realm it is a powerful thing that in itself can, in many cases, prey upon the vulnerable and unsuspecting. As I already said the Enemy can use these occasions to convey ideas to rival the truth of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
We should also point out that many CULT LEADERS throughout time have been led into the various false teachings around the world because they've had spiritually experiences that they based their false beliefs upon. Eastern religions are awash with necromantic experiences and a prime example of this here in America is Joseph Smith and the teachings of Mormonism. In Smith’s alleged “first vision” or “the Sacred Grove” (1820) he claimed God the Father and Jesus the Son physically appeared to him. Whether Smith actually had such an encounter or not, because of what the Bible indicates we can deduce it was with demonic entities and not God or Jesus. From this experience Smith developed his new religion eventually pronouncing that it was "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" eleven years later (see Doctrine and Covenants 1:30).
THE BOTTOM LINE
The bottom line on what we are to do concerning all of this is referred to in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil." We are to “prove” or test all things through the pages of the Bible. No matter how convincing an experience is or the one who's experienced it may be in relating their story, TEST IT and reject anything that does not wash with God’s Word!
NOW WHAT?
Wondering what to do if you’ve been involved with any occult or paranormal practice or if you’ve realized that you’ve been trapped?
- Release all guilt and know that Satan is the most skilled deceiver in the universe. He’s had lots of practice. Remember, Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
- The next thing to do is to acknowledge that you need God’s help and His forgiveness. He’s just waiting for you to ask.
- Most Important… If you are not a Christian, invite Jesus Christ to come in and take control. Install Him as Lord of your life and then go on with God at the controls.
Listen to Eric discuss Ghosts and the Paranormal on "The Plumb Line" broadcast with host Jay Rudolph.
"Ghosts and the Paranormal - Episode 1"
CLICK HERE
"Ghosts and the Paranormal - Episode 2"
CLICK HERE
(* Ignore any 'pop-up' notice about "file association" if one comes up and just close the notice box. It should take you directly to the episode. To begin listening just click the arrow in the green circle.)
Turn up your speakers and tell your friends!
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