spiritual deception
Any Greek or Hebrew translations are quoted from
New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D.
Thomas Nelson Publishers 1990 edition
A person is deceived regardless of who they are when they think they can spiritually control or take charge of God’s Holy Spirit. They are also deceived when they try and use Him for their own personal gain. It is not God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit) that is operating through that individual, but it is an evil spirit that is directing and trying to control them. Isaiah 30:1: Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin. Ezekiel 13:3: Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Satan’s evil seducing spirits will try and deceive the mind, will, and emotions of an individual by using the person’s lust or desire (which are a part of a person’s soul) to be in control. Proverbs 18:12: Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. This is the same way Satan deceives and works through a psychic. All psychic power, by the way, is witchcraft! Some psychics desire and even think they control the source of their supernatural power, not realizing Satan and his evil spirits are working through them and controlling them. They think they them self, or even God, is the source of their power. Though all psychic ability is witchcraft, there are some psychic’s who think their supernatural power comes from God. They are deceived. They may even use Christian terminology! But, God’s Word plainly says that using any type of divination or witchcraft is an abomination to God. Deuteronomy 18:9-12: When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, and that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Leviticus 19:31: Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 20:6, 27: And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them. Isaiah 8:19: And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead. Isaiah 8:19 New Living Translation reads: So why are you trying to find out the future by consulting mediums and psychics? Do not listen to their whisperings and mutterings. Can the living find out the future from the dead? Why not ask your God? Isaiah 19:3: And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to wizards. Jeremiah 27:9: Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers… I John 4:1-3: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (See my other documents about the dangers of experimenting with ‘necromancy’; ‘familiar spirits’; or ‘ventriloquism’. Ask me for a copy of these documents.)
These same type of evil spirits of control and deception can also deceive a Christian. Yes, even a Christian can give Satan and his evil spirits permission – through hidden lust and desire for control – to lead their flesh and their soul (their mind, will, and emotions), and the person thinks it is God’s Spirit leading them. Lust and desire are a part of the soul. The Hebrew word for ‘soul’ in the Old Testament is “nephesh, neh’-fesh; …sense… appetite… breath… desire… greedy… heart… life… lust… mind… pleasure… will”. The Greek word for ‘soul’ in the New Testament is “psuche, psoo-khay’; …breath… heart… life… mind”. The Greek terms “exactly correspond respectively” to the Hebrew. This is not saying a Christian can be possessed by an evil spirit. But, when we are following our own hidden desires and fleshly feelings instead of following the Word of God we can be influenced by an evil spirit and not even know it. We can unknowingly listen to evil seducing spirits that are directing our mind through our soul and our flesh – although these evil spirits cannot possess a Christian’s spirit because we are saved. Remember, being possessed by evil spirits, and being oppressed (weighed down, troubled, or influenced) by them are one source but two different things. See my important document called ‘The connection between soul and spirit’.
As Christians, when we do not understand or do what the scripture teaches to drive away evil influence from our minds, “casting down imaginations” and evil seducing thoughts and temptations, then we allow our own self to be led astray. II Corinthians 10:5: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
There are some people who perform supernatural miracles and many think it is being done through the power of the Holy Spirit, but they are deceived. It is an evil seducing power that comes from the same supernatural source as the miracles that will be done by the anti-Christ in the book of Revelation 13:12-14: And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. This same power is even now deceiving many people through false doctrines, cults of every kind, Satanism, New-Age, Eastern Religion, etc. People are receiving physical healings that come from sources other than Jesus Christ, and because of their deep desire to be healed people are not thinking of the spiritual consequences. Matthew 16:26: For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Save a life, but lose a soul in the process! Not to say it is bad for a person to desire to be healed, but we must be careful by what means we are seeking to receive a healing, or miracle! Satan is the one who places sickness on us and he can surely remove it – giving the appearance of a healing. If you do not believe this is possible then what about in Revelation where the beast will be healed of his deadly wound – God surely will not be the one responsible for that healing! Revelation 13:12: And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. People need to be careful of the healing methods they are trying, or in the end they may wind up in a worse condition, both physically and spiritually! Jesus Christ (the only Begotten Son of God) is our only true healer, and Jesus is the only way to God and His Holy Spirit. You cannot find God through false religious methods, practices, or décor. Note: You cannot get to God using a picture of Jesus or any other religious imagery! Many people are claiming healing from religious imagery, and they become missionaries of encouragement bidding others to revere these supposed holy statues and images. Isaiah 42:8: I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. It is only through Jesus Christ (the real Jesus Christ) that true and lasting miracles can be received, bringing healing and eternal life – Jesus Christ can save your life and save your soul/spirit. Remember, that the greatest healing miracle of all is salvation through Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Matthew 6:33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Something most people may not know is that psychics also operate in the same type of supernatural power as those in false religion, receiving guidance from an evil spirit. See important comment on next page regarding psychics! Just because someone has supernatural ability does not mean that ability comes from God! We, as Christians, had better be careful or we will also be deceived. The Bible says that even the “very elect” will be deceived. Matthew 24:23-25: Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before.
Many will argue that the spirit directing them cannot be evil because it tells them good things (at times, even quoting scripture). However, regular communication with this false (evil) spirit will lead the person to trust in it (increasing the spiritual blindness of that person) and then the spirit slowly lures them to do evil. They are being deceived by an evil spirit guide!
(Also see my document on ‘necromancy’)
Additional comment regarding psychics: Many people believe that psychics get their supernatural ability from God, when in reality they are guided by evil spirits. Some people may question this by saying; how can psychics be bad when some of their information is accurate and they are using their ability for good? An example one may try and use is when police departments rely on psychics to show them the location of a missing person. The truth is, the psychic they are relying on is receiving their information from an evil spirit. Of course it is the same evil spirit who was responsible for the abduction and/or death of the missing person in the first place, and therefore it knows exactly where the person is placed! Some people try and defend the use of a psychic by saying that at least the person’s loved ones now have closure and do not have to wonder what happened any longer. But, though they may have received some closure they have in exchange opened themselves to Satan’s realm for guidance, subsequently inviting his evil influence into their own life. By depending on a psychic for guidance they have gone directly against God’s Word and have been led down a dark spiritual path. If they relied on this method as a means of information once they will rely on it again in the future; instead of relying on Jesus Christ who is the only One who can save them. God’s Word plainly says that relying on evil spirits for direction will lead to spiritual destruction, and most important – an eternity without God! Today more and more people are relying on this psychic method of witchcraft for direction; when the Bible specifically warns us against these evil practices in Deuteronomy 18:9-12, Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, Isaiah 8:19; 19:3, Jeremiah 27:9-10, and also Galatians 5:20-21. In Acts 16:16-18 there was a woman possessed with an evil spirit of divination who was a psychic and she followed the apostle Paul around (for many days). She wanted the people (who apparently were some of her followers) to believe she too was led by the same spirit as the apostle Paul. Then after they departed she, being led by Satan, would have led the people astray just as she had done before! So because she did not want to lose the people she followed Paul and Silas everywhere they went and pretended to be with them, telling the people “these men are servants of the most high God which show you the way of salvation”. You may wonder how this is possible; but Satan will do anything to deceive people, even if he has to use a psychic who is pretending to be a Christian, hoping people will follow them instead of following the Word of God. Satan will empower them to tell you some truth in order to gain your trust, and then use the same person to lead you astray. Remember, Satan knows scripture and he even used it to try and tempt Jesus in the wilderness; Matthew Chapter 4, and Luke Chapter 4!
