The occult refers to hidden or mysterious practices related to the supernatural such as astrology, witchcraft, fortune telling, and communicating with spirits. While the occult fascinates many with promises of insight and power, the Bible strongly warns Christians against involvement with it. God commanded the Israelites to avoid mediums and spiritists and drove out occult-practicing nations from Israel. The rise of interest in the occult is a sign of the end times according to the New Testament. Christians should avoid the occult and recognize its characteristics, such as opposing the gospel and seeking to influence people away from faith, as seen in the story of Paul encountering a sorcerer. Believers are instead called to armor themselves with truth, righteousness, faith

1. The Occult – 14th
July 2016
“I will set my face againstanyone whoturns to mediumsand spiritiststoprostitute themselves by
followingthem,andI will cut them offfrom their people” (Leviticus20:6).
The dictionarydefines occultas“hidden,secretandmysterious,particularlypertainingtothe
supernatural.”Examplesof occultpracticesare astrology,witchcraft(Wicca),the blackarts,fortune
telling,magic(both blackandwhite),Ouijaboards, Tarotcards,spiritism, parapsychology,and Satanism.
Human beingshave alwaysbeeninterested inthe occult,fromancienttimesuntil today.Occult
practicesand psychicphenomenahave captivatedmillionsof people worldwide,andthisisnotlimited
to the ignorantor uneducated.There are several factorsthatmake the occultfascinatingtoeveryone,
eveninour age of technologicaland scientificadvances.
For one thing,occultpracticesappeal toour natural curiosity.Manypeople whogetinvolvedinthe
occultbeginwith“harmless”practicessuchas playingwitha Ouijaboardout of simple curiosity.Many
whohave experimentedthiswayhave foundthemselvesgoingdeeperanddeeperintothe occult.
Unfortunately,thistype of involvementisakintoquicksand—easytoget intoand difficulttoget out.
Anotherfascinationof the occultisthatit appearsto offerquickandeasyanswersto life’squestions.
These Occultpracticeshave a way of drawingeventhe mildlyinterestedpersondeeperintothe
quagmire. The astrologergladlychartsyourfuture,the OuijaboardandTarot cards give youdirection,
and the psychicgetsyouin touchwithyour AuntEstherwhotellsyouall isfine inthe afterlife. We need
to bearin mindthat these occultpracticesare not Godsways butcontrolled bydemons,whoofferjust
enoughinformationtokeeptheirvictimsintrigued,whileexertingmore andmore control overgullible
heartsand minds.
The danger of occult practicescannotbe overstated.Godstrictlywarnedthe Israelitesagainstbeing
involvedwiththe occult aswe readfrom Leviticus 20:6, “I will set my face againstanyonewho turns to
mediumsand spiritiststoprostitute themselvesby followingthem,and I will cut them offfrom their
people”..The pagan nationsthatsurroundedIsrael were steepedindivination,sorcery,witchcraft,and
spiritism,andthisisone reasonwhyGodgave Hispeople the authoritytodrive themoutof the land as
we can read from Deuteronomy 18:14, “The nationsyouwill dispossesslistento those who practice
sorcery or divination.Butasfor you, the LORD your Godhas not permittedyou to do so…”.The New
Testamentsaysthatthe rise of interestinthe occultisa signof the endof the age as we can learnfrom
1 Timothy4:1, “The Spiritclearly says that inlater times some will abandonthe faithand follow
deceivingspiritsand thingstaughtby demons.”
Therefore forthe Christianitisimportanttoknow as to how we are to recognize the occultandthose
whopromote it? We can learnfroman incidentinvolvingPaul andBarnabasinthe earlydaysof the
church as we can read from Acts 13:6–10, “ They traveled throughthe wholeislanduntil they came to
Paphos.There they met a Jewish sorcerer andfalseprophet named Bar-Jesus,7
whowas an attendant
of the proconsul,SergiusPaulus.The proconsul,anintelligentman,sent for Barnabasand Saul
because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8
But Elymas the sorcerer (forthat is what hisname
means) opposedthem and tried to turn the proconsul fromthe faith. 9
Then Saul,who was alsocalled
Paul,filledwiththe Holy Spirit,lookedstraightat Elymasandsaid, 10
“Youare a childof the devil and
an enemy of everythingthat is right!You are full of all kindsof deceit and trickery. Will younever stop
perverting the right ways ofthe Lord?”

2. In the age above account,we see several characteristicsof those involvedinthe occult.Theyare false
prophets(verse 6) whodenythe basicdoctrinesof Christianity:the deityof Christ,the fall of maninto
sin,heaven,hell,salvationandthe atoningworkof Christonthe cross.Second,theyseektoinfluence
otherpeople,particularlythose inpositions of power,toturnthemfromthe faith(verses6-7).Third,
theydo everythingintheirpowertokeepthe true gospel of Christfrombeingspread,opposingHis
ministersateveryturn(verse 8).Whenthe truthof the gospel iscurtailed,watereddown,orflatly
rejected,Satanandhisdemonsrejoice.
There isno mistakingthe factthat the occult inall itsforms shouldbe avoided.We are to“be self-
controlledandalert.Yourenemythe devil prowlsaroundlike aroaringlionlookingforsomeone to
devouras we can readfrom 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert andof sober mind.Yourenemy the devil prowls
aroundlike a roaringlionlookingfor someoneto devour”.The wayto beingself-controlledand alertis
beingwise toSatan’sschemes,butnotto delve intothe detailsof everyoccultpractice and
phenomenon.We are to understandthe devil’sultimate goal:Toseparate usfromour love forGod and
the destructionof oursouls.
Therefore we are toldprotectourselvesfromthe waysof evil by takingthe offensive,puttingonthe
“full armorof God. We can learnthisfrom Ephesians6:10–17, “.Finally,bestrong inthe Lord andin his
mightypower. 11
Put on the full armor ofGod,so that you can take your standagainstthe devil’s
schemes. 12
Forour struggle isnot againstfleshand blood,butagainstthe rulers,againstthe
authorities,againstthe powers ofthis dark worldand againstthe spiritual forcesof evil inthe
heavenlyrealms. 13
Therefore put on the full armor of God,sothat when the dayof evil comes,you
may be able to standyour ground,and after youhave done everything,to stand. 14
Standfirm then,
with the belt of truth buckledaroundyour waist, withthe breastplateof righteousnessinplace, 15
and
with your feet fitted withthe readinessthat comes from the gospel of peace. 16
Inadditionto all this,
take up the shieldoffaith,with whichyou can extinguishall the flamingarrowsofthe evil one. 17
Take
the helmet of salvationandthe sword of the Spirit,whichis the word of God”.Itis thiswaythat we
can strengthenourselvesthroughGod’spresence withinus,sothatwe can thenstand firmand
extinguishthe “flamingarrows”of the evil one!.