COVERED in PART One:
Teaching #1 – The Dangers of the Occult
Teaching #2 – Christians Should Abstain from Halloween
COVERED in PART Two:
Teaching #3 – Divination, Witchcraft and Nature Worship
Teaching #4 – Demonic Influences on Sinners and Saints
COVERED in PART Three:
Teaching #5 – Spiritual Warfare in the 21st Century
Teaching #1 – The Dangers of the Occult
The word “occult” means hidden, that is, “a secret”. This divides people into two groups: those who know the secret and those who don’t.
This ‘secret’ knowledge began in a way in the human race when Adam and Eve took part in the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Later this knowledge grew at the Tower of Babel. “Babel” means, “gateway to the gods”. It wasn’t a tower, but more likely a ziggurat (a pyramid like structure), that wasn’t intended to reach up into the clouds like some of our highest skyscraper buildings, but to make contact with those in the heavenlies (fallen angels that were believed to be gods, which they were no doubt promised by Satan – just as he promised Adam and Eve: “you shall be as gods”. (GEN 3:5)
The angels (before the rebellion) were around to witness the creation of the physical universe (JOB 38:4-7). These incredibly intelligent beings could possibly see “how GOD did it”: how He created the laws of nature and physics, the cellular (DNA information), the molecular, even the sub-atomic structure; maybe even the quantum realm. This could have conceivably resulted in certain abilities that they employ when interacting with our physical universe.
GOD’s abilities are supernatural – He can circumnavigate around the natural law and suspend them in order to do what only He can.
Man’s abilities are natural; we employ the use of our intellect and our knowledge of the physical universe to accomplish things that impress humanity – but not GOD.
I believe the angels have abilities that are less than supernatural, but more than natural; they have preternatural abilities, that is that which is above and beyond the natural.
I believe at the Tower of Babel, the fallen angels imparted some of this knowledge, and along with no small amount of deception and demonic influence, esoteric, mystical knowledge began to be accumulated by fallen man, codified in secret societies and esoteric brotherhoods.
But GOD saw that “the people were one” and if left alone, nothing would be impossible for them (GEN 11:6-8). So He scattered them by confusing their languages. People grouped together and established geo-political regions that developed into nations. Within each of them, there were core groups of priests who were the keepers of esoteric and, or secret society knowledge, access and privileges.
Whatever the occult discipline – whether you’re talking about astrology, astral projection, Brujeria, Celtic and pagan traditional nature worship, Druidism, Eastern Mysticism, Goddess Worship, New Age/Spirituality belief system, Psychic Phenomenon, Satanism, Santeria, Shamanism, Transcendental meditation, Theosophy, Ufology, Voodoo or Witchcraft – they all come with the promise of empowerment, the so-called ‘gift of godhood’, a sense of purpose and destiny that contradicts the will of GOD!
As it once was said about sin itself, so too with the occult:
“[It] will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay”. It doesn’t start out that way, however. When one understands that the occult has real power and senses these spiritual forces working in and through one, it’s like a drug: it’s euphoric!
Henry Kissinger once said of power, that “it’s the ultimate aphrodisiac.” This is especially true of occult power because the spirit that works in us comes in unity with us and eventually overwhelms us, dominates us, but then enslaves us.
Satan’s pattern in preying upon people is always in this order: “firstly deceive, secondly use, thirdly trash.”
It’s a tragic irony that people who seek after, even lust after occult power, find power, but eventually rather than controlling that power, that power controls the practitioner – again, not overnight, but eventually, even if it takes the course of an entire life time. Satan is a patient spiritual sniper.
Here in the West we’ve come under the delusion that psychic/spiritual/occult powers are inherent within the human person, that they are a part of us that has fallen into disuse.
In other nations, many of them Third World nations, they’ve always understood that if they ever acquire spiritual power, it’s because they are “blessed” with a spirit.
I believe the latter perspective is the truth.
This is why GOD forbids us from seeking after such power, because whatever occult discipline you’re interested in, it all comes from the same source: Satan.
It’s like, whether you’re talking about ham, bacon, pork chops, pork sausage, rump roast – it all comes from the same pig!
Despite what practitioners of magick may believe about Satan, or Lucifer, or “the Great Architect of the Universe” he loves no one but himself and has a decided interest, even a passion for the perversion, the ruination, the destruction of humanity, because we were created in the image of GOD, and his hatred for his Creator is so all-consuming that while he knows he can’t defeat GOD (though perhaps he is so psychotic, that he’s deluded himself into thinking he actually can win a war against GOD, even after the death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven, and seated with all power at the right hand of the Father, being LORD of heaven AND earth (MATT 28:18)) he can hurt those GOD loves: us!.
As any psychedelic drug is dangerous due to its addictive nature and will consume the user until there’s nothing left to consume, so will any sin, including the occult – it will breed paranoia, fear, anxiety, violence, hostility, an inability to enjoy life, and most importantly, if nothing else, a terrible pride along with desperate blindness to the light of GOD’s truth.
LEVITICUS 17:7, 10-14 speaks of the eating of blood; this is a relatively common practice among practitioners of the occult. “The life is in the blood” and we are not to eat blood because we aren’t to partake of the life-force of other creatures.
Vampiric entities are demonic, and because these spiritual beings, as well as fallen angels are rejected by GOD the Author of life, I believe they’re suffering a spiritual deadness that they can only partially slack through the life force – the blood of others.
DEUTERONOMY 18:9-14
9 "When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 "or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 "For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 "You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 "For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.
I’m sure ancient Canaan had their own esoteric priesthoods, their inner circle of iniquity, and secret societies just as any of the nations that were scattered at the tower of Babel, and all of the practices mentioned in the above verses include demonic influences and dominations. Occult power and demonic influences are inseparable; they are two sides of the very same coin. You can’t acquire psychic power and divest the demonic from them.
Other verses that forbid or at least mentions these practices: DEUT 4:19; 17:2-5; 2 KINGS 21:3,5; JER 8:1-2; 10:2; 27:9-10; DAN 2:1-4; 4:7; 5:7-9; ZEPH 1:5; also ACTS 16:16; 19:19.
Any who practice such things are considered detestable to the LORD – because we are interacting with His enemy, the one who rebelled against His holy and sovereign rule, and the LORD has far, far better to offer us that brings blessing, not bane, that brings life not death:
EXOD 7:11; LEV 20:27; DEUT 18:10-12; 2 KINGS 21:6; ISAIAH 47:12; EZEK 13:18,20; MICAH 5:12; ACTS 8:11-24; REV 9:21; 22:15.
The occult promises power, and you’ll get it, but then the power will get you; demonic enslavement and perdition and ultimately condemnation to eternal torment due to unrepentant sin – which all unrepentant sinners will suffer, not just occultists (REV 21:8)!
Those involved in the occult may believe that these powers are positive, good, gifts from GOD because after all, don’t psychics help Police find missing children; psychic healers cure people that modern medicine can’t touch (Johanna Michaelson’s book The Beautiful Side of Evil documents this perfectly).
Satan knows he will attract people better with honey than with vinegar, so of course he’ll put himself and the power he offers in the best light possible, but it’s a false light! And it’s all spiritually speaking sugar coated arsenic!
It’s a sad irony that in seeking power, people will settle for second best, when real power comes through Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, the Creator of all things, the LORD of Heaven and Earth! (including Lucifer, the once holy cherub)!
Two excellent sources: KINGDOM of the OCCULT By Walter Martin and OCCULT INVASION by Dave Hunt.
Teaching #2 – Why Christians Should Abstain from Halloween
Why is it that Christians should have nothing to do with Halloween? The short answer is that as children of GOD, we’re to have nothing to do with darkness. Halloween is the traditional Celtic Day of the Dead – it’s when the sunlight began to decrease (Fall Equinox) and the days grew shorter, the nights grew longer. Winter came quick and all nature seemed to go to sleep – or die, only to “spring” back to life after winter (every pun intended).
EPHESIANS 5:5-11
5 For this you know that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
It was a time of harvesting the last of the crops and endure that rigors of icy cold weather, which was far more difficult to endure in those days than now.
Samhain is the Celtic name for this festival holiday, when the “Lord of the Dead” would lead the procession of deceased souls through the veil that separated the living from them (that veil was supposedly at its thinnest during this time).
Offerings were left on door steps or thresholds for the purpose of satisfying ghouls who would otherwise bring a curse on any household that failed to do so (hence the slogan, “trick or treat”).
Let me make this clear: I partook of Halloween as a child, for many years, well into my teens. I didn’t become a Satanist as a result. I think the majority of kids didn’t delve into any occult practices as a lifestyle as a result of celebrating Halloween – but for some, on the occasion of Halloween, they may have participated in a séance, used a Ouija Board, attempt to summon the spirit of “Lizzie Bourdon”, or some of the more adventurous types might even contributed to participating in an occult ritual – but “just for fun”.
That was then – this is now: the difference? The world of the occult is far more vibrant and active today than it was in the 60’s and 70’s – though the resurgence began quietly about then. Because of this “Satanic Renaissance” as it’s now being called, the amount of demonic activity has increased sharply.
The chances of attracting some unwanted attention by some naïve children or teens is far greater today than at any other time in our American history. With such higher probabilities, why take an unnecessary risk?
Besides the which, we need to address “gateways” or “portals”.
Consider Lucifer after he and a third of the holy angels rebelled against GOD’s rule; he then took the rebellion to Earth. He couldn’t seize control of the world by force – GOD gave Adam stewardship over His creation.
If Satan were to take this planet, he would have to do it legally. When Adam and Eve obeyed Satan rather than GOD, the devil then took over as ruler of this world (2 COR 4:4) on a legal basis.
Demons have been doing the same ever since.
When your child or teen decides to “play” with a Ouija board – something that Occult adepts and highly experienced witches are leery of doing (that’s how dangerous this “game” is!), they are opening a gateway through which a demonic spirit has legal right of entry.
One child did this very thing, and he was immediately in touch with a demon that referred to itself as “Captain Jack”. The child suffered terrible demonization and priests were hard pressed to free this poor soul. We all know the story from the film, The Exorcist, based on William Blatty’s book, itself based on true life documented cases!
Whether the child is treating their occult involvement as “just a game” – getting their palm read by a fortune teller, having an astrological reading done, a séance performed while at a sleep over at a friend’s house – it’s no game to the demon. They diligently seek out and persuade unsuspecting souls to open these gateways to their souls, and thereby gain access into their lives.
“But,” one might ask, “what does all this have to do with Halloween?”
Nothing directly; but Satanists and witches observe this day as sacred; they perform rituals and ceremonies, invoking the spirits to go forth and invite the curious into their dark realm, and once entered by “playing games”, they are snared, helpless to free themselves, and this can lead to the most serious consequences including unearthly visitations that ruin home life, psychiatric/emotional break down, manic depression, attempted – or even successful suicide.
As one that dabbled in occult activities, I can attest to the “charged air” that felt electrified in the days surrounding October 31st, and most particularly on the day itself! That ‘energy’ I sensed was most certainly demonic trafficking!
What about a “Hallelujah Party” instead where children dress up as their favorite Bible character and play games and acquire sacks of candy? As much as I can sympathize with parents who don’t want their children feeling deprived, I must say, that if it wasn’t for Halloween, the idea for such a replacement party would never occur to Christians.
Can we see the apostles writing letters to grant permission for congregations to celebrate the pagan festivals of Rome (and the Roman Empire was rife with all sorts of pagan feast days, about one in four days)?
Are we not simply mimicking the world? And when did our LORD ever instruct us to mimic the world? The Word tells us that we are not to “learn the ways of the heathen” (JER 10:2).
It’s true that children will be expected to sacrifice what in their eyes would be considered fun. But parents can use this opportunity to explain to their children that the Christian life is often about sacrificing “fun” for obeying GOD. And that the LORD always blesses obedience!
I know some churches that put on presentations that explain the dangers of the occult, and why Halloween – or recognition of any pagan holiday – should be avoided. Such fellowships will often use this as an opportunity to call for a prayer vigil on behalf of uninformed souls that might endanger themselves by participating in such practices.
The SEDUCTIONS of SAMHAIN aka HALLOWEEN.
Also: OUIJA BOARDS: PORTALS LEADINGINTO PERDITION (Link to PART ONE: SAY NO, NO To OUIJA included)
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