Over the summer, Pastor Eric and I were courageous (or was it crazy?) enough to do our first-ever Bible study on the book called Revelation. It was an adventure we won’t forget!
Aside from containing some very vivid imagery about the End Times, Revelation is a book that offers essential reminders about God’s plan for humanity. Every time I read it, I’m reminded about the power of God’s love, and about His mercy and justice, which have remained steadfast since the beginning of time. I’m reminded that God is relentless in His desire to be in relationship with us, and He will never stop pursuing us until the end of time. God is always finding ways to bring us back to the fold.
Two of the stern reminders we receive in Revelation are warnings against idolatry and the occult. I’m writing on these two topics today because one of the popular questions submitted for the current “Ask Me Anything” sermon series was: Can faithful Christians also trust astrology, crystals, psychics, and other spiritual/mystical practices?
The Bible’s answer to this question is a resounding “no” (Revelation 21:8, Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 4:19, 2 Kings 17:35, etc.). But what are the reasons behind God’s stern prohibitions of these practices? It has more to do with the condition of our hearts than with the occult.
It should go without saying that not everyone who visits a psychic or reads their horoscope intends to become a satanist, to worship the devil, or even to reject God. But the truth is that these practices can easily distract, deceive, and mislead people away from God and toward lesser, lower gods. They lead people to put their trust in “created things” instead of the Creator.
A simple misconception that many people have about the occult is that it is not a full-fledged religion. This is false. Many occult practices like astrology, crystals, psychic consultations, ritualistic use of psychedelic drugs, tarot readings, sweat lodges, and transcendental meditation, among others, have the power to convince people that God can be manipulated to offer them special treatment, or even to “play God” themselves by claiming supernatural control over their own destiny or the destiny of others. I really like how author and speaker, Jackie Hill Perry puts it:
“One of the appeals of idolatry is that with it, creating our own version of god means we can tame it. A created thing can only do what we allow it to do unlike the true God who isn’t manageable. He can’t be put on a shelf or told to hush. We want to worship what we can control.”
Biblically speaking, the spirits that people encounter during New Age/spiritualist rituals have nothing to do with the Holy Spirit of God, but with forces of darkness and, in some cases, demons.
Another dangerous belief that some of these practices cultivate in people is that we can be “like God.” That was the original deceit orchestrated by Satan in the garden of Eden: “…in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4).
These rituals can steer us away from the saving work of God through Jesus Christ by making us rely on created things rather than the Creator. They destroy our concept of awe and wonder towards God, while appealing directly to our sinful nature and pride. These types of practices trick us into thinking that we can attain God’s knowledge or power by way of our own machinations.
The transition from full reliance on the power of God’s saving work through Jesus Christ into a state of what is referred to as “Christ Consciousness” is something I often witness from people who practice the occult. “Christ Consciousness” is a philosophy promoting a utopian vision that we are all on a journey to connect with the “universe” or to discover our own “higher selves,” and that this spiritualist journey is the only way to discover our unity with God or the Divine. It misleads people into thinking that we can be “saved” by discovering our “higher self” instead of surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ. Scripture radically rejects this notion, and it often reminds us that Jesus is God’s one and only plan of redemption for the world:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
We should also recall the first of the Ten Commandments:
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them;
for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…”
Exodus 20:3-6
As we mature in the faith, one of the things that God requires from us is full reliance in Him. God rejects all spiritual decoys and idols, and He doesn’t require any other sacrifice from us other than us becoming “living sacrifices”:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God
—this is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is
—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2
If you’re ever tempted to rely on occult practices instead of God, it is best to sternly reject those practices in the name of Jesus, and to instead present yourself as a living sacrifice to God by surrendering your life to Him. Rely on what God is speaking to you through scripture instead of practicing rituals that open a door for Satan to take control of your destiny. What you will discover is that God is faithful and true, and that even when you face many adversities in this life, He will even use those difficult circumstances for your good.
