![]() There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. They “traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. How are we to recognize the occult and those who promote it? An incident involving Paul and Barnabas in the early days of the church is a good place to start. The New Testament says that the rise of interest in the occult is a sign of the end of the age: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). The pagan nations that surrounded Israel were steeped in divination, sorcery, witchcraft, and spiritism, and this is one reason why God gave His people the authority to drive them out of the land (Deuteronomy 18:9–14). ![]() God strictly warned the Israelites against being involved with the occult (Leviticus 20:6). The danger of occult practices cannot be overstated. Occult practices are controlled by demons, who offer just enough information to keep their victims intrigued, while exerting more and more control over gullible hearts and minds. The astrologer gladly charts your future, the Ouija board and Tarot cards give you direction, and the psychic gets you in touch with your Aunt Esther who tells you all is fine in the afterlife. Another fascination of the occult is that it appears to offer quick and easy answers to life’s questions. Unfortunately, this type of involvement is akin to quicksand-easy to get into and difficult to get out of. Many who have experimented this way have found themselves going deeper and deeper into the occult. Many people who get involved in the occult begin with “harmless” practices such as playing with a Ouija board out of simple curiosity. There are several factors that make the occult fascinating to everyone, even in our age of technological and scientific advances.įor one thing, occult practices appeal to our natural curiosity. Occult practices and psychic phenomena have captivated millions of people worldwide, and this is not limited to the ignorant or uneducated. Human beings have always been interested the occult, from ancient times until today. The dictionary defines occult as “hidden, secret and mysterious, particularly pertaining to the supernatural.” Examples of occult practices are astrology, witchcraft (Wicca), the black arts, fortune telling, magic (both black and white), Ouija boards, Tarot cards, spiritism, parapsychology, and Satanism.
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