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OCCULT CONTINUED
 
 

Firewalking: This has been verified over and over again. People walk on super hot coals with no pain and no burns. Some of this may be a hoax for tourists, but many are for real.
 
 

I read once of a woman that was carrying her baby across coals. She was not fully prepared and dropped her child which died the seconds before they could reach it.
 
 

If everything the devil does is a mimic or copy of something God has done, what does firewalking copy? Try Dan 3:17-27 - read it.
 
 

Firewalking refuted: We are limited to natural laws. Heat causes burns which are painful to the human body. For this natural law to be laid aside we must have supernatural intervention. God or Satan. God intervenes in nature for his purpose and glory. There is no glory or purpose for God in firewalking, thus we can safely state that fire walking is of the Devil's power.
 
 

Transference: There are several ways mentioned in "The Devil's Alphabet" were something is transferred. You can transfer disease or a problem to someone in a casket and it goes away. This is done by saying a little saying beside a casket just before burial and then throw something of yours in. I have to wonder if this isn't part of the reason back in history when it became a part of the ritual of funerals to go up to the casket and "view the deceased."
 
 

Transference can come from the dead to the living. Someone seeing a suicide victim - suddenly the same feelings and fears associated with the other persons death become part of the viewers life.
 
 

One missionary dealing with a sorceress on her death bed for salvation - her son choked to death on a bean as the woman renounced the devil.
 
 

Put your family and yourself under God's protection when you deal with the occult.
 
 

Rod and Pendulum: What is it? We have mentioned the swinging of a ring over an unborn child to determine sex. Have you ever heard of a dowser or water witch? A forked rod or stick run by a man to find water.
 
 

They diagnose and treat ailments with this system. They even in color therapy move a pendulum over colored threads. The pendulum picks the thread color and that thread is moved over the affected area. This, by the way, can be done over the phone. Healing has resulted. You tell me where it came from.
 
 

Dr. Koch tells of a clergyman that can approach graves with a pendulum and tell the sex of the occupant with 100% accuracy. Even graves 100 years old.
 
 

Mediums: The Scripture is clear concerning mediums also. They are to die, Lev. 20:27; Anyone consulting a medium is to be driven out, Deut. 18:11.
 
 

Seances: The seance is a meeting of people interested in reaching the dead. There is usually one that is in charge. When the dead spirit is reached there is often voices and/or appearances. Sometimes unnatural things occur as well. Tables lifting, lights, etc.
 
 

The late Bishop Pike spoke with his dead son several times through mediums.
 
 

Mediums: The medium is the one that controls the gathering, and is the medium through which the dead spirit is contacted. Their voice at times becomes the voice for the dead spirit.
 
 

The thought of this occurrence is to gain knowledge from the other world. Isa 8:19 tells us not to seek advice from the dead. This should be enough to deter any believer from being involved with such things.
 
 

A couple of other references that might help in this area: I Sam 28:3-25 Samuel was brought back to talk to Saul; I Chr. 10:13,14 shows Saul was punished for seeking a medium instead of asking of the Lord for information.
 
 

Raising from the dead: Some believe that people can have the power to raise others from the dead. Those occurrences that have happened, are done through trickery.
 
 

Some religious people have taken the Bible wrongly and believed that they could raise someone to life. The problem is that they were not able to.
 
 

Letters of Protection: These are letters that are given that supposedly protect life and property. They were passed down from generation to generation with the property. I read of one in Germany that was written on parchment. It was a promise from Satan to protect the property. The account mentioned that within hours of the removal of the paper from the barn, the farm was hit by lightning and destroyed. This barn and farm were near a great explosion of a munitions train during the war, yet sustained no damage. The farm was about 300 years old, as was the parchment. Not only had it survived World War Two, but it had survived several other conflicts, and catastrophes as well.
 
 

Mental Suggestion: This is the ability of talking to people with sickness and suggesting to them that they are now well. The power is in the mind of the people involved.
 
 

Ghosts: The accounts of ghosts are common, even with believers involved. There seems to be an activity of spirits in this physical world. These probably are not the ghosts that he lost think of, but rather demons, having their fun. Ghosts are supposed to be the spirit's of dead people that seek to communicate with this world.
 
 

Meditation: Meditation is the art of being quiet and emptying your mind. A new business has been formed in some cities. It is called Mind Control. They will teach you to meditate. Big companies are sending their workers to it so they can learn to relax and get away from the stress of corporate America.
 
 

At the end of the course you are taught how to have two symbols of Divine Intelligence come upon you. They will give you advice in love, life and business. You can choose what intelligence you want. George Washington, Jesus or any other.
 
 

Transcendental Meditation: This is usually felt to be centered in Hinduism. It takes meditation one step further. It is an emptying of the mind so that a dead spirit can take over your mind and think through you.
 
 

I am told that it is taught in some public high schools at taxpayers expense. Something seated and produced by Hinduism is taught, while Christians can't even pray.
 
 

Meditation is something that the believer should be involved in, however it is not the meditation of the occult. It is thinking and considering the Lord and His Word, not emptying our minds for some other being to fill.
 
 

How do we meditate upon the word?
 
 

1. Feel the need. II Cor. 4:16-18 shows we should be thinking and meditating on the spiritual - the Word and God.
 
 

2. Enjoy the quest. Seek new things from the Word.
 
 

3. Take a paragraph and read it. State what it means. Memorize it? Think about it. Apply it personally. Commit yourself to doing it. Act on it. Pray for help.
 
 

Astral Projection: This is also termed Out Of Body Experience. It is something that happens at times, whereby a person exits his body and can view their own body from a distance. Some travel to other places, while others just view themselves and return. The close range O.O.B.E. experiences are often related to the person being very sick or injured, and they watch as the doctors work on them.
 
 

Some tell us that this is a Scriptural principle and offer as

proof Ezekiel's experiences of being transported. They also suggest II Cor. 12:2-4 as Scriptural proof of out of body experiences. Not so! Some also suggest that Christ wasn't really raised from the dead, but that he was one of the early O.O.B.E.'ers.
 
 

Astral Projection refuted: The very fact that they say Christ was an OOBE'er tells me they are out. I Cor. 15:12-15 says if Christ didn't raise from the dead then we are false teachers and our faith is in vain.
 
 

God has limited us to time and space. What Ezekiel experienced and quite possibly what Paul as well as other prophets experienced, may have been similar to this astral projection, in that the devil often copies from God. Indeed, little of the Devil's work is original, but most of it is copied as we've seen.
 
 

If it was God's first, we have some very important facts which don't hold true in the devil's phenomenon.
 
 

In Scripture they were of God's idea - they were involuntary. As far as the man was concerned - they were for revealing God's information for God's purpose. ALSO, if we could get out of our bodies to escape pain why didn't God teach us all how to do it so we could just have our body carried into the dentist or doctor for repairs while we fly to Hawaii.
 
 

May I suggest the following as some of the devils possible counterfeits:
 
 

 
THE DEVILS COPY OF               GOD'S ORIGINALS
 
 
----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
high priests                     pastors
 
 
witches                          Christians
 
 
walking on fire                  Shadrach, Mechach, Abednego
 
 
astral projection                Ezekiel, Paul
 
 
pendulum                         prayer and God's leading
 
 
divination                       prayer and God's leading
 
 
astrology                        prayer and God's leading
 
 
covens                           churches
 
 
clairvoyance                     discerning of spirits
 
 
demon                            angels
 
 
medium                           Holy Spirit
 
 
fortune tellers                  God's leading and prayer
 
 
palmists                         God's leading and prayer
 
 
tarot cards                      God's leading and prayer
 
 
Ouija board                      God's leading and prayer
 
 
transcendental meditation        meditation on the Word
 
 
seance                           prayer meeting
 
 
prophets                         God's prophets

Conclusion:
 
 

From my studies I find several things of importance.
 
 

1. Even in dabbling in the occult, people find themselves depressed - uneasy about the Bible and prayer.
 
 

2. When Christ faced the occult, it was stopped cold when He commanded. In other cases in the Scripture it was by command of an apostle, or by prayer.
 
 

3. Those in the occult that become Christians usually have a strong battle coming out, but they do have victory. They also lose their powers to do things that are not natural.
 
 

4. Many, many in the occult have horrible times sooner or later.
 
 

5. Many things of the occult have been covered up and have become acceptable to the world as a whole. For example: Ouija boards and pendulums for finding an unborn baby's sex.
 
 

6. Almost everything is enticing. It is pleasing and usually is desirable in some way.
 
 

7. Christians are often troubled by different parts of occultism but never does Satan have the final victory. The book of Job is our promise of that. Job specifies very clearly that the Devil's power over Job was limited by God.
 
 

8. Most of the time when people in occultism want help, or when people are plagued by problems linked with the occult, they seek help from the church. Interesting.
 
 

9. In reference to number eight, we might mention that quite often Catholic churchmen have been ineffective in helping people, but when a born again Christian is asked, help is available.
 
 

10. A question. How come the occult formerly was under cover but now is out in the open?
 
 

Fact. The occult is open where Christianity is at a low point. Voodooism is rampant in some South America countries where there is little religious activity. The U.S. is at a record low spiritually, and the devil is making hay while he may.
 
 

I might add one element. Drugs. They are used in most Voodoo and witchcraft. We need to know about these things for they are becoming more and more a part of our culture. The Occult is in the public school systems to a point. Some systems allow teaching in the area. There are many students that are involved in the occult as well, and they affect the other students.
 
 

I heard an ad from the public library just the other day about the witch that was teaching a girl witchcraft. Come to the children's library to see if this girl becomes a witch. It was an ad for children to come to the public library to hear a book read.
 
 

Television programs are pushing it. Toy stores are pushing it. The devil wants Christians involved in these things to ruin their testimony and lives, but remember we have the Holy Spirit within us and He is more powerful than Satan.
 
 

Consider Rev 9:19-21. Millions dead yet they hang on to these sins in the end time. Murder, sorceries, immorality, theft, and idolatry. Sounds like the occult will be rampant in the end.
 
 

Let's see to it that we keep ourselves and our families from these things. Separate yourself from it unto God for God's glory and your sake.
 
 

If the devil copies God's miraculous and everyday ways of working with man, why settle for 2nd best (the devil's), when we can get God's best.
 
 

I would like to list a number of terms with a short definition for each. This should help if you do any reading on the subject.
 
 

GLOSSARY:
 
 

AMULET: An ornament that has a spell or writing on it that wards off the evil spirits. It is worn around the wrist or neck.
 
 

ANIMISM: The belief that all objects have a soul. (Rocks, chairs etc.)
 
 

ASTROLOGY: The belief that the stars and planets control our lives, and the thought that our lives may be predicted on the basis of the universe.
 
 

AUGURY: The practice of divination.
 
 

BEWITCH: To cast a spell on a person or thing to bring about harm.
 
 

BLACK MAGIC: Witchcraft.
 
 

CHARM: A spell that has power to do things. It is also something that one wears that is related to the occult.
 
 

CLAIRVOYANCE: Predicting what can't be known.
 
 

CONJURE: To call forth a dead person or demon.
 
 

COVEN: Group of witches and/or warlocks. Often six witches, six warlocks and one priest or priestess. Thirteen total.
 
 

CRYSTAL GAZER: A person that predicts the future with the help of a crystal ball.
 
 

CURSE: Declaring evil upon a person, or the result of same.
 
 

DEMON: A fallen angel that is servant of the Devil.
 
 

DIVINATION: The predicting of the future by any means.
 
 

EXORCISM: The process by which demons are cast out of a person or dwelling.
 
 

E.S.P.: Extra-sensory perception. Knowing through mental powers.
 
 

EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION: Knowing something without senses, knowledge, or contact with a person.
 
 

FAMILIAR: A spirit that abides in an animal that serves and helps the owner.
 
 

FETISH: An object that primitives believe have power to ward off evil and bring good fortune to the owner.
 
 

FORTUNE-TELLER: Someone that predicts the future of a person. They use different means. (Crystal balls, palms, cards etc.)
 
 

HEX: A spell to ward off evil.
 
 

HOROSCOPE: A prediction of a person's future based on the stars. It is both a diagram for the predicting, and a prediction either verbal or printed.
 
 

INCANTATION: A chant or saying that is repeated to bring about certain things, such as a hex or some magical occurrence.
 
 

MAGIC: Power over forces other than natural, by the use of spells etc.
 
 

MEDIUM: Someone that is used to speak between a person and a spirit. The medium may just be a contact or may speak for the spirit.
 
 

NECROMANCY: Calling forth of spirits to attempt to foretell the future.
 
 

OCCULT: Those things relating to supernatural occurrences and powers.
 
 

OUIJA BOARD: A board with the alphabet and numbers on it. A pointed piece points out messages from the spirit world.
 
 

PALMISTRY: The foretelling of things by looking at the palm of a person's hand.
 
 

PHRENOLOGY: Telling the future based on the feeling of the skull.
 
 

POLTERGEIST: Ghosts. They are usually seen as fun loving ghosts that don't do harm.
 
 

PRECOGNITION: Knowing the future.
 
 

PREMONITION: A feeling of something that will happen in the future.
 
 

PRESENTIMENT: A feeling of something that is going to come to pass fairly soon.
 
 

PSYCHIC: Someone that is sensitive to the supernatural and forces related to it.
 
 

PSYCHIC PHENOMENA: Events or occurrences that are unexplainable by normal laws of nature and logic.
 
 

REINCARNATION: The process by which a soul comes back in this life numerous times, via different bodies or levels.
 
 

SATANISM: The worship of the Devil.
 
 

SEANCE: A meeting of a group for the purpose of communicating with the spirit world. A medium usually leads the meeting.
 
 

SOOTHSAYING: Foretelling the future.
 
 

SORCERY: The use of power obtained from spirits to do things.
 
 

SPELL: A word or words that have magical power when spoken or repeated.
 
 

SPIRITISM: The thought that the spirit world communicates with this world through mediums or objects.
 
 

TAROT CARDS: The cards a fortune teller uses to predict the future. There are twenty-two of them and each has a picture on it.
 
 

TELEPATHY: Communication between two people without speaking, hearing, seeing etc.
 
 

TRANCE: A condition where a person is not conscious of themselves or their environment.
 
 

VOODOO: A religion from Africa that is centered now in Haiti and the Netherland Antilles, based on spirit control and worship.
 
 

WARLOCK: A male witch. Usually they gain power from the Devil.
 
 

WITCH: A female witch. As the warlock, they gain power from the Devil.
 
 

WITCHCRAFT: The practice of magic accomplished with powers from the Devil.
 
 

WITCHES' SABBATH: The meeting of a coven for the practice of rites. This is at midnight.
 
 

MISC. INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HELP IN YOUR STUDY:
 
 

Deut. 18:10-13

I Sam. 15:23 lists divination as comparable to rebellion against God.

Isa. 8:19 Ezek. 21:21 mentions three items: a. Shakes the arrows: The arrows had names or places written on them and the arrows were shaken and dumped on the ground, or thrown in the air. They would follow the direction of the arrows, or go to the place written on the top one. b. Household idols. c. Look at the liver: They would cut the liver from an animal then split it open. They determined the message from the number of, or color of the rocks found inside. Others used the color of the flesh itself to determine the answer to their question.
 
 

See also Nu. 22:7; Nu. 23:23; II Ki. 17:17; Ezek. 12:24; Ezek. 13:6; Acts 16:16-21.