Should Christians seek psychic help?

Brent Cunninghamblog6 Comments

Psychic

Though obviously an overgeneralization, it does seem that spirituality is among the “in” things.  It has become both cool and lucrative.  The television is scattered with spiritualists like John Edwards, James Van Praagh, Sylvia Browne, and Char Margolis who claim psychic power to speak to departed human beings.  But as alarming as this movement may be in our broader culture, it’s most troubling that even many Christians are being duped into thinking that the practice of psychics can be squared with a biblical worldview.  The Bible’s prohibitions against necromancy (communing with the dead) aren’t given to keep us from gaining helpful information from the spirit world.  Rather, such prohibitions come to us to protect us from lies and deception.

Many followers of Jesus are perfectly aware that the Bible forbids believers to participate in spiritism or psychic attempts to communicate with dead human beings (Lev 20:25-27; Deut 18:10-13; 1 Chron 10:13-14; Isa 8:19-20).  However, we also need to know why God forbids His followers to engage in this practice, as well as be able to offer both a purer and more powerful way to connect with the spirit world.

Who’s the dead man behind the curtain?
When psychics claims to be speaking either to or on behalf of a departed human being, we can be assured that they are not.  According to the Bible, dead human beings are not available for psychic contact.  In his book, “The Truth Behind Ghosts, Mediums & Psychic Phenomena,” author Ron Rhodes distills the Bible’s teaching well on this issue when he writes, “At death, the believer’s spirit departs from the physical body and immediately goes into the Lord’s presence in heaven (2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:21-23).  The unbelievers’ spirit departs from the body, goes to a place of great suffering . . . confined until the future day of judgment (Lk 16:19-31; 2 Pet 2:9)” (p. 131).  So, what is really going on when a psychic gets information from a supposed “departed human being”?

There are two possible explanations for psychic practices of supposed contact with the dead: (1) fraud or (2) demonic contact.  Fraud occurs quite regularly as psychics research their subjects’ histories beforehand and/or simply engage in ‘cold readings’ of their subjects.  But I don’t believe that fraud is an exhaustive explanation.  The Bible is very clear that “Satan masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14).  Satan or any number of his minions are able to counterfeit themselves as departed human beings and communicate information that few if any humans would know (Acts 16:16).  The Bible calls these demons “familiar spirits,” because they are familiar with the situations and circumstances surrounding the individuals involved.  That is to say, a particular demonic being could have been around “watching” persons and events at any time in the past which happened “behind closed doors.”  Former psychic, Marcia Montenegro, who has become a follower of Jesus, suggests that we should not assume an either-or perspective when interpreting the work of psychics.  They may be both fishing for information through very natural means (prior investigation, cold readings, etc.), as well as having genuine contact with familiar demonic spirits. 

The real danger
So what is the real danger in tampering openly with the spirit world?  Think of it this way.  The Bible doesn’t tell us how many fallen angels or demons there are.  But let’s suppose, and I know I’m aiming extremely low, there are a million demonic beings (remember that one group of demons who call themselves “legion”—and that a Roman legion was made up of 6,000 men—possessed just one man as recorded in Mark 5:9).  If there are only a million malevolent demonic spirits, but only one Holy Spirit, this means that if you just unquestioningly open yourself up the spirit realm, you’re chances of getting true information are, so to speak, “a million to one”!  Now, I hope you understand that my intention is not to actually quantify a statistical percentage, but to emphasize the real and present danger of inquiring of information from the spirit realm apart from the guidelines laid out by God. 

A purer and more powerful contact
The follower of Jesus is assured by Jesus himself that as we pursue him in keeping his commands, the “skeleton key” to the trustworthy door into the spirit world will be given to us.  The Apostle John records Jesus’ words in describing this skeleton key to the spirit world like this:

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (Jn 14:15-17)

If there is an infinite personal God, who wove creation itself together (both the physical and spiritual worlds), why would anyone be content to seek answers to unrevealed mysteries from a supposed angelic being or dead person, when we can go directly to God Himself?  And this is precisely what Jesus offers those who become his followers.  Jesus, “who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him” (1 Pet 3:22), opens the door for each one of us to “approach [God’s] throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb 4:16). 

Therefore, aside from the dangers of seeking guidance from unknown spirits “to help us in our time of need,” it is a flimsy and weak source of knowledge when the Creator of the universe awaits our reception into the most intimate of relationships with Him, through His Son, and in the power of His Spirit.  Now that’s a purer and more powerful contact!  Why would anyone settle for less?

6 Comments on “Should Christians seek psychic help?”

  1. This doesn’t sit well with me. I have been very close to God since a small child. I have received messages from deceased loved ones that stopped the living from committing suicide due to depression from the loss of a child. Why would a demon help the living from committing suicide.

  2. I’m glad you posted on this topic Brent. One of my long time hobbies is as a “magical entertainer”. I do card tricks and small illusions; it has been my experience that the majority of “psychics” out there are most definitely fraudulent. Many other magicians have actually set out to expose psychics because they prey on peoples hopes and dreams.

    I am saddened to see Christian men and women seek out the help of psychics when they can heed the words of Carmen…

    “We don’t need to look to the stars for our answers when we can look to the very one who made those stars!!”

    Nathan

  3. I share the feelings of the first poster. This made me feel alienated. I too, have felt very close to God since I was a very small child and almost died but God let me know it wasn’t my time. Since then, I’ve received many intuitions and warnings that have quite literally saved my life and helped others. Not to mention the messages that have come through from people that have passed that have brought tremendous peace and healing to people still hurting from their loss. It’s never been something I’ve asked for, but with the utmost humility and reverence, I consider it a gift and a privilege to be in the presence of genuine emotional healing and comfort. These moments would not have happened without God. I wouldn’t still be here if not for God and this gift.

    This made me feel judged and that I won’t, or cannot be accepted and must hide some of the most amazing moments of my life, and instead judge or label them as something that just doesn’t fit, that feels hurtful.

  4. For the record, I am not subject Levitical law, as I am on THIS SIDE OF THE CROSS. Wake up, CHURCH! The REASON so many DARK arts and counterfeits exist and harass, is because you’re too freaking AFRAID to walk WITH YOUR GOD in a SUPERNATURAL, HOLY SPIRIT GIVEN AUTHORITY. You’ve reduced a Gospel of RESURRECTION POWER to “come hear our groovy music and enjoy great childcare as you hear a nice manger story.” You REFUSE to “set the captives free.” When you understand that what some call psychic is the SAME gift that some call prophetic, you’ll be on to something. CHURCHIANITY is impotent and controlling. FEAR and SHAME are their masters, which last time I checked, had nothing to do with Jesus. If the HOLY SPIRIT IS WITHIN ME? (and let me assure you… HE IS) then I am covered. PERIOD. BOUGHT AND PAID FOR. Where there is light, there IS no darkness. Yes, there is a spiritual realm. Jesus dealt with it, and it makes sense that I will have to, too. I don’t claim to KNOW everything, but at least I am not professing to carry God in my “pocket of MY UNDERSTANDING of him.” SHAME AND CONDEMNATION have nothing to do with Jesus, so nice try! God is sovereign, and I will allow him to use whatever he chooses…whether it donkey or a deceased relative, if necessary, to give me wisdom. If it’s NOT GOOD…it ISN’T FROM GOD. There’s no need to fear about “what spirit is talking to me?’ Here’s my litmus test. Feel free to borrow it: GOD = GOOD…..DEVIL= BAD. OK?

    It’s VERY easy for the Bible EXPERTS to bury their heads in the sand and criticize those who step out in faith. God backs up what he says with his word, and may even use someone else, (alive or dead…HE DID RAISE LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD, you know!) to do it. I don’t argue. Again, just because something hasn’t happened to you or with you, don’t just dismiss it as”unbiblical.” God is in ALL OF THE BIBLE, but the BIBLE is not ALL OF GOD. There are LOTS of things that are part of the abundant life that are not ever mentioned. if you would like to understand the prophetic voice, then perhaps you should PRAY to. Pray more….accuse and criticize less. Thanks for the 50 cent lecture, now out of my way, so I can do the work of God. You’re article is silly and rather limiting of the supernatural GOD you claim to love.

    Yes, Isabella, there is very little room for “offering our bodies (all of our senses) as living sacrafices” unto God, in the modern “Xtian” (yes, I took Christ out of it, because there’s no Christ IN IT, these days. It’s greed and power.) Church today. I reject their superstition and I trust JESUS completely with ME AND MY ETERNAL SOUL. I trust HE IS ABLE to keep me “slime-free” of the demonic realm, which is WAY more than i can say for 95% of what I see on “nice Christians” these days. One more thing, the bible also says I am seated in heavenly places, right NOW, with God. Really? But I am here on Earth, HOW can this BE? If I am in heaven, and also here, it makes perfect sense that someone who’s in heaven and USED to be here, can be in both places, too. It’s the glory of God to conceal a matter. It’s the glory of KINGS to seek it out . Maybe the accusers and naysayers should shut out the religious demon and step in to the supernatural power of the renewed MIND.

  5. I was reading the comments on this article and could sympathize with each writer as I too came out of the new age and the Church of Rome. It was normal during my childhood to be talking about spirit guides, native American shamans, Praying to specific angles and such. I remember thinking I had something better than all those stuffy Christians and their rules. Later in life after realizing what it meant to be saved my mind has been transformed from my original accustomed thinking about the spirit world to what God’s word has to say about the spirit world. I know first hand what is like to sit and talk with much missed and beloved relatives on the other side. I know what it feels like to enjoy a message of peace and love from the other side. But because these messages are good and warm and fuzzy and make us feel good does not mean they are from God, or from dead relatives.1John 4:1-4 tells us to test the spirits to make sure these are from God. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 condemns false prophets and those who harken to them. There are plenty of condemnations throughout the bible, but remember not to take these out of context. The things that are condemned in the bible are for our own good. God is a father that wants to keep us safe. All throughout the new testament Jesus says let no man deceive you. So we are to look to the scriptures to test all things. Believe me folks it is all in there.This being said I will agree that the church needs to wake up and address more issues like this one head on. The reason there is such a rise in occult activity is because we are in the last days before the return of Christ when evil doers will wax worse and worse. You won’t hear a lot of churches talk about this which saddens me and leaves people like us on the fringe. But be not angry with the church or your brethren in Christ for we have only one true enemy and that is the fallen angel lucifer. May I suggest some other sources of feeding from God’s word other than the social gospel, that we that have come from the new age can explore the world of the spirit from God’s perfect word. If I could make a suggestion if you are going to venture down this path in search of truth,get a King James bible. As the other versions have in my humble opinion have been corrupted and can mislead when searching spiritual matters. That being said please look into Chris Pinto, Russ Dizdar, LA Marzulli, Tom Horn, The future quake show on itunes, Brannon Howse, Chris Putnam, and PID radio network. These are just some of the authors and researchers that have opened up my world view and solidify my understanding and faith in the true word of God. God bless all who love the Lord.

  6. It si sad to see so much deception within person claiming to be Christian. I see the words, ‘I feel’ and ‘hurtful’ but it is going to seek counsel from demons (psychics, mediums, tarot card readers) that is really what is damaging. These people are attached to demonic spirits. Such spirits are assigned to people to follow them around and talk to them, ‘revealing’ to them, ‘great secrets’ from beyond. Although the, Lord does still t alk to, His people, you must remove the scales from your eyes and understand in what way the, Lord talks to us.
    The reason why, ‘mystics’ seem so real and authentic, although they are not, is because of familiar spirits.
    Small definition of a familiar spirit.
    Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27; and Deuteronomy 18:9-14 refer to “mediums and familiar spirits” and forbids being involved with them, as they are an abomination to the Lord. The medium was one who acted as a “go-between” to supposedly contact or communicate with the dead, but in reality they were contacting demons who convinced the mediums that they were “familiar” and could be trusted and believed. The practices associated with mediums and familiar spirits were banned in Israel, and the punishment for practicing such things was death.

    To this day, familiar spirits (demons) are under the control of their master, Satan. They influence people to spread lies and deceit in order to thwart the kingdom of God. Knowingly opening oneself to the work of demons is an evil thing: “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in [a] 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. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12a).

    So, Rainbo, yes, we are spirits trapped in physical form able to communicate with, God on deep, intimate levels, heal the sick, raise the dead and more, however, we do NOT speak to spirit guides, astro-project, hold seances, etc. even in the name of the,Lord as His word, His bible tell us NO. Instead of being petulant children, we must be obedient, holy as, Jesus, was holy and walk in, His light and not come under the deception of darkness. Part fo that deception is to think we MUST unveil that which the, Lord has chosen to conceal. This si the true deception that we are all, gods. We are not. We are heirs to the kingdom of, God, but we are not God.

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