Occult is a very diabolical word which draws an unsuspecting person under its influence and into the control of the powers of darkness. Fortunetelling, sorcery, divination, necromancy, magic, spiritism, false religious cults and teachings, and many more are all strictly forbidden by the scriptures. And, the Bible plainly tells us there will be a great increase in these sort of activities in the last days.

"Oh, come on now. You're just take'n me on a witch hunt aren't y'a? Nobody deals with that kinda stuff today, and if they do they aren't serious. I mean, there is no such thing as ghost and the like. I know there's good and there's evil, but don't give me that spooky stuff. Next thing, ya'll be jumping on Halloween and Santa Clause."

Hey, I didn't make this stuff up. God's word says it's real. Here's a for instance: "When you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is an object of horror and disgust to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God.. The people you are about to displace consult with sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things." Deuteronomy 18:9-14

"Yeah, well that was a long time ago: what about now?" 

Want to know more?  Read on 

Webster defines Sorcery as: Use of power gained from assistance or control of evil spirts; especially for divining; divination by black magic, necromancy, witchcraft. Witchcraft is defined as: The practices or art of witches; sorcery; enchantments; intercourse with evil spirits. Webster classified Occult Science as sciences that relate to the supposed action of influence of occult qualities, or supernatural powers, as alchemy, magic, necromancy, and astrology. Occult is defined as: Hidden from the eye or normal. A further definition of occult is to hide from sight, conceal. Necromancy is: The art of claiming to foretell the future by alleged communication with the dead; black magic. Divination is defined as a world-wide practice resting upon the assumption of the active cooperation of unseen powers in divinatory rites.

Never before has the need for warnings concerning the dangers of being involved in the occult been greater. Multitudes of people, Christians and non-Christians are seduced into believing they are only playing with it. 

"I'm not really serious," they say. 

Yet, they find themselves suffering untold illnesses both physically and mentally, many which can be traced directly back to playing with the occult; as a child eventually gets burned when playing with matches, grave consequences can occur.  The same applies to playing or dabbling with occult. The whole process is so deceiving that few people even realize they are ensnared until it seems to late and all manner of bondages are set in effecting their life, their families, their job performance, and even the organization or church they belong to. 

None of us are a little island in and of ourselves. We belong corporately to a body, like a peach tree in an orchard, we all can bring good or bad to each other through our association.

Have you ever been in anyway involved with the occult practices? Whether innocent or not there are many scriptures that deal with the dark side of the spiritual world. Has a fortune teller ever read your palm or told your fortune, by using cards, tea leaves, crystal ball, Ouija board, or other forms. 

Out of curiosity have you played with the popular occult games of today, ESP, telepathy, Kabala, horoscope, clairvoyant, voodoo, and others? How about divining for water, oil, minerals, underground sewer and water lines, by using a forked stick or other methods of ancient occults such as water witching or dowsing?

When you were ill as a child were you treated through magic charming, powwow, spiritism; Christian Science; or by anyone who practiced psychic, spirit or metaphysical healing, or hypnosis, pendulum or trance for diagnosis or treatment? 

Have you read or possessed books or literature on any of the above mentioned practices, including reincarnation, dreams, astrology, self-realization, yoga, handwriting analysis, or works from authors such as Edgar Cayce, Jeane Dixon, Arthur Ford or Ruth Montgomery? What about attending meetings of Rosicrucians, Masonic Temple, Mormons, Unity, Baha'i, Theosophy, Inner Peace, Spiritual Frontiers, Assoc for Research and Enlightenment, Unitarians, Jehovah's Witnesses and other occult of similar nature?

Any such practices are an abomination to God and carries condemnation from Him unless you repent and seek His forgiveness (see below). 

Whether your involvement in such abomination was innocent or not you opened the door to oppression and to the powers of darkness. Even if such activity was years ago, before you became a Christian, you may be feeling the effects of such even today. You still may be the victim of occult bondage and oppression having forgotten the episode, unaware of the source and cause of your problems, whether physical, mental, spiritual, marital or otherwise.

You may be suffering from feelings of oppression, vexation, depression, deception, being bound and afflicted by abnormal talking, indifference, chronic doubts, hatred, blasphemous thoughts, loudness, muttering, shunning others, unkempt appearance, glazed eyes, sullen, perverse or defiant facial expressions, strife and discord. All these things CAN be the results of occult involvement.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FORBIDDING SORCERY

AND OTHER FORMS OF THE OCCULT

FORBIDDEN: Leviticus 19:26-28,31; 20:6; Deuteronomy 18:9-14, Isaiah 8:19

PRACTICED BY: Egyptians: Isaiah 19:3; 3:11-12; Magicians: Exodus 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18; Jezebel: II Kings 9:22; Ninevites: Nahum 3:4-5; Babylonians: Isaiah 47:9-13; Ezekiel 21:21:32; Daniel 2:2, 19, 27; Belshazzar: Daniel 5:7,15; Simon Magus: Acts 8:9, 11; Elymas: Acts 13:8; Vagabon Jews: Acts 19:13; By the damsel at Philippi: Acts 16:16; Sons of Sceva: Acts 19:14-15; Astrologers: Jeremiah 20:1; Micah 3:6-7; False Prophets: Jeremiah 14:14; 27:9; Ezekiel 13:6-9; 22:28; Matt 24:24

SATANS USE OF: 11 Thessalonians 2:9-12; II Corinthians 11:13:15

MESSAGE OF: (false) Ezekiel 21:29; Zechariah 10:2; II Thessalonians 2:9

DIVINERS SHALL BE CONFOUNDED: Micah 3:7; Daniel 2:27, 28; Daniel 4:7

BELONGS TO WORKS OF TIlE FLESH: Galatians 5: 19-21

WICKEDNESS OF: I Samuel 15:23; Il Kings 17:17-18; 23:24

VAINES OF: Isaiah 44:25; Daniel t: 17, 20; 2:27, 28; 5:7,8

PUNISHMENT FOR: Exodus 22:13; Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 13:5; 1 Ch. 10:13-14; Isaiah 47:9-15; 57:3-13; Malachi 3:5; Revelation 21:8; 22:15.

DIVINING: By familiar spirits: Leviticus 20:27; 1 Chron. 10:13; II Chron. 33:6; Isaiah 8-19, Isaiah 19:3; 29:4. By Entrails: Ezekiel 21:21. By Astrologers: Isaiah 47:13- 14 Daniel 2:2

SAUL CONSULTED THE WITCH OF ENDOR: I Samuel 28:7-25; 1 Chron.13-14.

BOOK'S OF, DESTROYED: Acts 19:19

WARNINGS OF INCREASE IN THE LAST DAYS (in which we are now living): Matthew 24:24; II Thessalonians 2:9; I Timothy 4:1, II Timothy 3:17, 13; Revelation 16:14

God never leaves us without a way out of our bondage and sinful nature and He will do the same for occult sins and lifestyles. However you must earnestly desire to change.

If you are not a Christian now click here.  If you are already a Christian and need to purge yourself from the involvement of the occult continue on.

1.) Ask God's forgiveness for your occult sins with a repentant heart; confess your faith in Christ making Him the Lord of your life. Without this confession, there is no serious or permanent liberation, only a gradual decline back to where you were. Confess your sins specifically, naming them out. (I John 1:9) and claim His forgiveness. He will not withhold it if you are sincere.

2.) Renounce Satan and command he depart, this is not a prayer, it is a direct command in the name of Jesus Christ! In faith renounce him and all his works in your life. Now renounce each involvement you had in the occult situations that come to your mind, even those you have forgotten, in the power of the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

3.) Stand in the assurance of God's word, claiming the cleansing Power of Jesus' shed Blood to wash away the sins that you named.

If you have been or are heavily involved in occult activity, you should seek strong Christian Counseling. Contact The Gospel Truth Ministry if you are in need and we will recommend a church or Christian counseling center near you.

For further references and warnings read Spiritual Warfare by Michael Harper; The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin; A Manual for Spiritual Warfare by Don Basham; and Morris Cerullo on our website at: The Occult

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