At one point in my growing-up years we got hold of a ouija board from somewhere. We thought it was a toy, but half way believed it would really reveal some great mystery to us, like the identity of a future love. When it refused to tell us anything very useful, we soon tired of it. I'm not sure what happened to it, but we didn't have it long.

I was fascinated with horoscopes dor many years. I didn't follow them faithfully, but when the opportunity arose, I was curious to see what the stars had in store for me. Sometimes the predictions seemed to come true, and the description of my personality based on my astrological sign fit me perfectly, I thought. It all seemed like innocent fun to me, just like ouija boards.

As I matured as a Christian, I read things, in the Word and elsewhere, that convinced me that these and other occult matters were neither innocent nor fun. I read in Deuteronomy that witchcraft, divination, fortune telling, and astrology, among other practices, were an abomination to God (Deuteronomy 18:9-12). Stories and books I read told of deep spiritual bondage that came upon people because they did some of these things. Often, they, too, thought it was all in great fun, only to find that the fun ended all too soon.

Today, some occult practices have taken on an air of legitimacy, even becoming a matter of scientific study. Universities and government agencies spend large sums of money studying ESP, psychokinesis, even clairvoyance. Some police departments use the services of mediums and clairvoyants to help solve difficult crimes. Many of these practitioners attribute their talents to some innate mental ability, but others freely admit to seeking the assistance of a spiritual guide.

The spiritual realm holds an endless fascination for our culture. From The Exorcist to The Sixth Sense, hit movies have explored the realm of ghosts and demons. Horror flicks deal with malevolent spirits who return from the dead to take revenge, or with monsters in the guise of human beings who inflict unspeakable torture or commit hideous murders. Psychic hotlines are big business. Horoscopes are vastly popular, and so are presumed prophets of the dire future, like Nostradamus or Edgar Cayce. The majority of Americans believe in the existence of aliens from outer space, and some even believe that human beings were planted here in some long ago alien experiment. The New Age movement glorifies angels, but not the God who created them.

In an age where alternate lifestyles legitimize everything the Bible condemns, and freedom of religion increasingly includes every religion but Christianity, we should not wonder that demonic activity increases constantly. Witches are now out of the closet in some places; satanists can't be far behind. We've all heard stories, frightening stories, of young people involved in vampire cults, some from right here in Pike County. Not only young people are involved, though; I recently saw a story about David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam killer. David said he was a member of a Satanic cult which practiced ritual murder both as an initiation rite and as means of paying homage to Satan. He said that other members of the cult actually carried out some of the murders attributed to him in that terrible New York summer. From time to time stories of animal sacrifices, ritual abuse, and even of human sacrifice surface.

Many Christians believe that we live in the time leading up to the great Tribulation, the end times. Scripture indicates clearly that the level of demonic activity will increase in those days, but it says as well, "….where evil abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20)." At no time in history has the opportunity to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ been as great as it is now. With instant communication and lightning transportation at our disposal, the only obstacle besides the Devil's resistance is our own reluctance to obey the call of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

Satan knows this as well, and will use every weapon at his disposal to destroy our witness. A Christian can not be demon-possessed; no evil spirit can inhabit the same body as the Holy Spirit of God. It is possible, though, for Christians to be tormented or oppressed by demons. Any dabbling with the occult in our lives, past or present, provides an open door for attacks of the enemy. No Christian should follow horoscopes, play with ouija boards or tarot cards, or consult psychics or mediums. Neither should we seek out spirit guides, or give any glory to angels that belongs to God. We shouldn't play, or allow our children to play, games that glorify evil or occult practices.

If we do, or have done, any of these things, we need to name them specifically before God, repent of them, and rebuke the spirits behind them. As the old saying warns, play with fire and you can expect to get burned. Participating in occult practices can be bad even if done innocently; doing so deliberately, with full knowledge, is deadly. Don't be afraid of demons or of the Devil himself; God has given us authority over them, and Christ has already triumphed over the works of the Enemy. At the same time, don't fall into Satan's traps, and risk destroying your witness as a servant of Christ.

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JESUS IS the Bridge Ministries

Beneath His Wings Devotionals - Vol. 1