Number Of Witches Rises Dramatically Across U.S. As Millennials Reject Christianity (Newsweek, 10/7/22)
This alarming headline caught my attention today. Yesterday, I went shopping at a nationally known bookstore to find a new calendar/planner. I was shocked at the assortment of planners with a witchcraft/ occultic theme. What is going on?!
I am reposting the following article as a reminder during this Halloween season. Next Saturday, I will post another article about the dangers of the occult. Have a safe and blessed week! Love, Cindy
When I was a teenager, I participated in a seance with friends. They said there would be someone there who really knew how to do it. That night, I was overcome by an intense fear that I had never experienced before or since. I knew I was doing something I shouldn’t be doing.
I repented of this sin and I would never, never do it again. I learned my lesson well.
If you know someone who is troubled by unusual fear, make sure they are not opening the door to the occult in some way. If they are, they need to study the Scripture, pray, and repent.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 NIV
Every Christian should know that divination is an abomination to God. But do they?
1 Chronicles 10 is the story of King Saul’s last day on Earth. He is wounded by the enemy and then kills himself to keep from being captured. The next day, the Philistines stripped him and cut off his head. Verses 13 and 14 say,
“Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.”
There are many Scriptures that make it clear that all types of divination are a sin and an abomination to God. Here are a few.

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.” Deuteronomy 18:9-11 NIV

“I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.” Leviticus 20:6 NIV
“Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:31 NIV

God calls these things detestable. Yet people swarm to fortune tellers and psychics by the millions. According to an article by Paul Thagard, PhD in Psychology Today, “4 out of 10 people believe that psychics are effective and billions of dollars are spent yearly by people desperate to have psychics help them with their problems.”
Dr. Thagard explains the deceptive practices psychics use, but I’d like to point out that whether the psychics use trickery or not is immaterial. God says it is an abomination to consult them.
Christians should look to God for guidance, not demons. Consider these verses from Acts 16:16-18 (NIV):
“Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.”
The devil will entice God’s people to sin any way he can. One of his favorite ways is to make the sin seem innocent. (It’s just for fun!) But it’s not innocent fun, and sin has consequences.
Some methods of divination include psychics, tarot cards, ouija boards, reading tea leaves, astrology, horoscopes, zodiac signs, the occult, fortune tellers, drug use and others.

I believe that people can open a door to evil spirits by participating in these things. (Paul associates fortune-telling with demons in Acts 16 above.)
Remember, sorcery of any kind is not innocent fun. God’s Word is our guide.
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6 NLT
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 NLT
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 NLT
With Love, Cindy

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Paul Thagard, Psychology Today, Should You Believe in Psychics? April 24, 2019
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