Strategy in Occultism Ministering and Bible Study
Strategy in Occultism Ministering and Bible Study
Preface
Occultism is a teaching or knowledge about occult, magical, mystical or the power of darkness. Therefore to make a strategy in ministering we need to first know the truth or deep principle about it. Often, before the Gospel is preached the teaching of occultism was already there passed to from generation to generation. And those who first brought the Gospel to that area did not say firmly or frankly that it is wrong. Normally the reason is because it gives benefits and help like: success, healthiness, and they said it doesn’t oppose to the teaching of Christianity.
Mark 7:8-13
You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! ....
As the one who bring the gospel, we enter into this condition which is not easy. We need maturity, fully submited to the Holy Spirit so that all the secret of darkness can be exposed.
Now let us see the strategies we will use
First Strategy
Explain or indicate that Occultism is wrong
Everything which is excepted as truth, good and exceptable in one area, we need to be cautious and wise. Normarly they will defend themself by saying, even our leader didn’t say anything about it, didn’t say it’s wrong.
We need to minimize our own word, but using pure God’s word. Invite them to see what God said in the Bible, without putting their leader down, this is to avoid them rejecting God’s word.
Deutoronomy 18: 9-10; 2 Kings 17:17
When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,
Hold on to the word of God, not to what people say. Try to find things which is similar with what is said in the word of God. Ex: In one village, they don’t sacrifice their children in the fire but they bring and offer them to the spirits in that village, to ask for blessings, prosperity and health, this is just the same. It is different in every area, often the children would receive sign or colour on their forehead to show that this child is now belongs to that spirit or power of darkness. They normally do this when the child is first brought outside of the house or taken for a bath to the river.
Here it would be good to make clear the difference between ‘culture’ and ‘belief’.
‘Culture’ is the customs or traditions of a particular group of people, passed down from generation to generation. These things have nothing to do with belief.
However, once customs or tradition is linked with a spiritual belief, this is not merely just culture. This has now become something spiritual. When belief and culture is mixed, it is known as ‘Animism’. Those who have grown up in this culture may not always easily recognise the difference.
For example:
When a person plans to get married, they may ask someone who has ‘knowledge’ such as a witchdoctor if they are compatible – and even what day or month or year is best for the wedding. If the witchdoctor feels they are incompatible, they will cancel the wedding. This is not a ‘culture’ but a ‘belief’.
Deutoronomy 18: 9- 14
Fortune-teller , charmer, witchcraft etc, are all practices forbidden by God for the Israelites - because the LORD is their God.
In the area where I used to live, I saw people consult about their future; when to get married, when to start planting the field, enter a new house and other things through a person who is using cards, staff, mirror, star divination/horoscope, using the numbers of letters in their name, birthday date, etc.
Do not turn to the spirits of the dead and do not seek familiar spirits to become unclean by them. I am the LORD your God. - Leviticus 19:31.
Some of the ways people ask/consult the spirit of the dead include:
· Playing certain music of a certain sound.
· Offering the dead food to eat.
· Visiting certain places, which are believed to be sacred places.
· Jailangkung - Indonesian folk ritual of communicating with the spirit of the dead.
Try to find and identify the ways people do these things in the area where you live.
Do not turn to the spirits of the dead .....
The Bible is consistently clear in its condemnation of seeking to communicate with the dead. .... for I am the LORD your God.
You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you the LORD God has not allowed you to do this.
Jeremiah 2: 27.
They say to a wooden idol, ‘You are my father.’
They say to a stone image, ‘You gave birth to me.’
.......
These things are called ‘amulets’ - a piece of wood, a stone made or carved by human hands.
How can a piece of wood and a stone carved or decorated, become a father, or give birth? Surely there is power behind it, this is the power of darkness, the devil, demonic spirits. - Revelations 16: 13-14.
The Bible consistently says this is an error, this is wrong. - Jeremiah 10:1-11.
Judges 8:24-27. Gideon’s Ephod.
Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family. - vs 27.
There the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it. So it is important to be aware of heirloom items that are passed on to us from our ancestors so they do not become a snare to us and to our children as the ephod did to Gideon. For example: ring, belt, knife, clothes, that are passed on to us. When we see it as something more than its everyday function, or something that can give blessings etc -it needs to be demolished or destroyed.
Other things which are similar to Gideon’s ephod include the bronze serpent of Moses.
Numbers 21:9; 2 Kings 18:4.
So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it.
When the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, the LORD told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole, and anyone who looked at the bronze serpent lived. In the end this bronze serpent object became a snare to them, because they burned incense to it.
Compare with John 3:14-15.
Acts 14:8-15.
Paul and Barnabas were treated as Hermes and Zeus.
In Philippi Paul met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means and her owner received great profit by her fortune-telling. - Acts 16:16-18.
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
In Thesalonica Paul encountered many idols. As he preached the gospel, people turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.
Acts 17:22-24.
In Athens Paul saw that the city was full of idols. He reasoned with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. He said to them: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god’.”
These people worshiped idols. So here we see that even well-educated people may worship idols, not only uneducated or backward people. With this in mind, we should not be surprised if a well-educated, official man has an amulet. It is also no suprise if witch doctors moved to big cities.
Acts 19:18-20; 34-37.
Paul in Ephesus.
During Paul’s time, Ephesus was a major city and the capital of the province of Asia, the largest city in the Roman Empire. It was a centre for trade and culture and a great temple of Artemis was there.
Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known. Large numbers of those who had practiced magic, collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. - vs 18-19
With this the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail.
Therefore the teaching of Occultism is not a new teaching, it was even described in the Old Testament time. During the time of Paul’s missionary journeys, he encountered occultism in almost every place. As we preach the gospel we need to be alert, so we do not sow the seeds in the field that are full of thorns, lest the seed is wasted. When we encounter them as Paul did, we need to destroy or burn them, so the people can grow in faith.
One of the things God warned the church in Thyatira is occultism.
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. - Revelation 2:20.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
1 John 5:21
The Second Strategy.
Exposing the negative results of being involved with Occultism.
Often at the beginning, people get involved with Occultism because they need help, they fear something, or they just follow what other people do. Yet all of these have detrimental effects both now and later on down the line. We need to explain these effects in order to open their spiritual eyes.
1. Abnormal sex
Romans 1:18-32.
In this passage, it is said that although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him v21. Instead of worshiping God, they worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator v25. They exchanged the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things v23. The effects for those who practice this is found in v 24: ‘abnormal sex’ – “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.” v24
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones”. v26
Often they are not faithful to their spouse, which may lead to divorce and remarriage.
We see another effect in v28: God gives them over to a reprobate mind, to do what should not be done.
They knew God but they didn’t honor him as God or give thanks to him, so they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened.
In summary, the effects listed above are:
· abnormal sex
· reprobate, depraved mind.
2. For their children.
Exodus 20:5-6
“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. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
In my community, I have seen that within families where the parents worship creatures or idols, there may be children who are unwell or have mental health issues such as depression or suicidal tendancies. As Jeremiah says,
“The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”
3. Prayer is not answered.
Jeremiah 11:11-14.
Pray! Ask! That’s what Jesus taught. But perhaps we never receive what we ask for or what we pray for. Why? - in the book of Jeremiah, it is due to their involvement with occultism.
“Therefore, thus says the LORD, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they can not escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them.” v11
“For your gods have become as many as your cities, O Judah, and as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to shame, altars to make offerings to Baal.” v13
Vs 11-13 shows there is a relationship between occultism and our prayer not being answered.
In other words, one of the things that hinders our prayers from being answered is occultism.
4. Cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Revelation 21: 8, 27.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” v8
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. v27
5. Cannot understand the word of God.
When we preached the gospel, the word of God is being sown. The word of God was preached, the congregation was listening, but there was no growth. The seeds of God’s word in this case is like a plant which does not reach the point where it bears fruits. This is because when the seeds were sown, the devil immediately took them away. What is wrong? The soil in which the seeds were sown still has many things that hinder the seeds from growing. For example: the old belief of having relationship with the dead and other kind of occultism is still present. The soil needs to be ploughed before it is planted.
Luke 8:12;
Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
2 Corinthians 4:4;
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they can not see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Jeremiah 4:3;
Yes, the LORD has this to say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
“Like a farmer breaking up hard unploughed ground,
you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning;
just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted,
you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your life.
Break up the hard and unploughed ground, clear away the thorns and then we can sow the seed.
2 Kings 18: 4b.
“..... He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan).”
For up to that time the Israelites had been offering incense to the bronze serpent that Moses had made. Moses’ bronze serpent became a trap for the Israelites because they worshipped and burned incense to it.
Question:
Where did the healing really come from? Is it from the bronze serpent or through faith in the LORD God?
The LORD God demolished all idol worshiping among the Israelites including the bronze serpent.
Question:
Is there something like this bronze serpent and Gideon’s ephod (Judges 8:27), that has become a snare to us in these current days?
Hezekiah removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden images and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; (2 Kings 18:4) He did what was right in the sight of the LORD .... v3.
For these all are abominations in the sight of the LORD.
Proverbs 28:13-14.
“The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper,
but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.
Blessed is the one who is always cautious
but whoever hardens his heart will fall into evil.”
Jeremiah 51:17-19.
All idolaters will prove to be stupid and ignorant.
Every goldsmith will be disgraced by the idol he made
For the image he forges is merely a sham
There is no breath in any of those idols - v 17.
This passage talks about the idols or images which are worshipped and made by human hands. However, these have no breath, and when the time of judgement comes, both the idols and their worshippers will be destroyed.
Isaiah 42:17
Those who trust in idols will turn back and be utterly humiliated,
those who say to metal images, ‘You are my gods’ .
In the Old Testament there were many passages that addressed occultism, especially before the people of Israel entered the land of Canaan, where the inhabitants were practicing it. The LORD God strongly warned them not to follow what the Canaanites did. We see again and again the LORD God reminded them not to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there - Deuteronomy 18:9.
Now let’s have a look at the New Testament Churches, where the Gospel was preached in places that practiced occultism.
Example:
Acts 13:7-12
In Cyprus, Paul met with a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus or Elymas, who was seeking to turn the proconsul away from faith in Jesus.
In Lystra, Paul was referred to as ‘Hermes’, and Barnabas as ‘Zeus’ – ‘gods’ who had come down from heaven. They did this because Paul had previously healed a man crippled from birth.
Occultism causes spiritual blindness, so that one cannot understand the word of God. For the devil will try to stop people from understanding the Bible. Therefore the devil will twist the word of God (like in Eden) so that mankind will not believe what God has said. That is why there are some people who long to be taught and understand the Bible, but are never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. They are men of ‘depraved mind’ (2 Timothy 3:7-8). This can be a problem within the congregation which causes them to never come into maturity in faith. This will lead them into the state of being ‘lukewarm’, for it is impossible to grow in faith while at the same time continuing to worship idols or practice occultism.
The Third Strategy.
Tell them about the promises that God has for those who belong to Him.
1. Numbers 23:23a
No curse can touch Jacob;
no magic has any power against Israel.
This is the word of God concerning Israel and God’s children. So do not have fear of curses, magic, charms or divination.
2. Luke 10:18-19
Jesus gives power to His disciples:
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurts you”.
Jesus said this to the seventy when they returned with joy from preaching the gospel. They reported to Jesus: “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
This is a proclamation of victory for those who believe in Jesus! The people we minister to can see that in Jesus’ name demons are subject to the disciples. This is important because often the reason they are involved in occultism is because they fear demons. But now, since they follow Jesus and demons are subject to His name, they no longer need to fear. Instead, they have rejected and renounced demons and occultism, because they now belong to Jesus. When the devil attacks them, they too can take a stand in the name of Jesus to rebuke and resist the demon, and the demon will flee. However, we do not rejoice at this taking place, but rather we rejoice because our names have been written in heaven.
3. James 4:7
There is a guarantee or assurance of victory.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
After we become God’s children we have a new enemy, the devil. Therefore we need to be alert and watchful.
In this verse we can see that the devil is still trying to persuade or deceive so that we follow him because in the past he used to be our boss. Therefore we need to resist him frankly and firmly. We now expose the secrets of his evil schemes.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Put away all doubts and humbly submit to God.
By submitting to God and resisting the devil we have the guarantee of victory over him in this spiritual warfare.
4. 1 John 4:4
The Spirit of God is greater than the evil spirit.
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Deception cannot persistently occur in Christian faith, because the Spirit of God who dwells in a Christian is greater than the spirit that is in the world. The Spirit of God in a Christian is greater than any spirit in this world -even those said to be most terrifying and fierce. We need to accept this and believe the word of God. Let’s pay attention to each time Jesus drove out the evil spirit from a person. The evil spirit obeyed Jesus in fear and trembling and could not do anything but leave the person. And now, you have this same Jesus in you!
Question:
If there is a person who claims to be a christian but has an evil spirit in him/her, how can this happen?
Romans 8:9
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course you fail the test?
From these two verses we know the answer for the question above. It is because they do not have the Spirit of Christ in them. They might be known as a Christian or go to church, but inside they do not have the Spirit of Christ.
Let us come before the Lord and in His light, examine ourselves.
Those who have the Holy Spirit in them cannot be entered by an evil spirit. Jesus explained this in Mark 3:27 - “But no one is able to enter a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house”. This is also found in Matthew 12:29-30.
Spiritual lukewarmness causes God’s children to doubt what He has promised. Some people believe that if the enemy comes from this world we need to face it the same way. These people teach that if the attack comes from the power of darkness, we need to face it with the power of darkness too. Therefore they encourage people to seek help from a witch doctor or similar. Is it possible that the devil chases out the devil?
Jesus said in Matthew 12:25-28: ...... “it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons”....
If we see a witch doctor drive out demons, this is just the way of darkness trying to draw or drag people into deeper involvement with occultism. There are two ruling kingdoms: God’s ruling kingdom in heaven and earth; and the kingdom of darkness.
Who do you seek for help?
The 4th Strategy
Explain to them what God’s word says about spiritism
Spiritism is a practice based on the belief that a dead person can still have relationship with the living or vice-versa. They believe people can see evil spirits, and unconsiously say something, as the dead manifests or speaks through the person.
They also believe that the spirit of a living person can go astray and be taken captive by an evil spirit.
In order to understand the hidden secrets of Spiritism we need to first understand clearly:
A. What does death mean in the Bible?
B. When a person dies, where does their spirit go?
C. When a ‘dead person’ speaks through a living person, who is actually speaking?
A. What does death mean in the Bible?
1. Death = The body and the spirit are separated
Ecclesiastes 12:7
And the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
When someone dies, their spirit is separated from their body.
(Psalm 104:29-30; Zechariah 12:1).
This dead person we call a corpse, and eventually it goes back to the dust of the earth. The body returns to the dust and the spirit returns to God his creator. (Genesis 3:19; Psalm 90:3).
In Spiritism it is said that the spirit and the body can be separated while a person is still alive. Or the spirit of a person can be taken captive by the evil spirit while that person is still alive. When this happens normally that person gets sick, and they may seek a person who has ‘special knowledge’ like a witch doctor who will call back their spirit and reunite it with their body.
In light of God’s word above, we know that this is not true. This is only the deception of the evil spirit. (Ephesians 6:11-12).
2. Death = separated from God
Genesis 3:9-11
But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”[a] 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
When Adam disobeyed God he was afraid to meet with God. God called him and he hid himself. Adam no longer had fellowship with God in terms of place, holiness and way of thinking.
Ephesians 2:2
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course[a] of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience”
That is why Paul said to the people of Ephesus: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1). How do we make sense of this, since they were still physically living? No doubt, what Paul meant here is that in the past, they were separated from God - not knowing God because of their sins. Yet in Christ they were made alive and again have fellowship with God (Ephesians 2:4-5). So death means being separated from God our Creator, but in union with Jesus we are made alive and reunited with God.
3. Death = being thrown into hell
Revelation 21:8
“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Therefore after the resurrection, the body and spirit of a person will be reunited and thrown into the lake of fire, this is the second death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23)
Matthew 13:41-42
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This means when Jesus comes back again for the second time with all His angels, He will throw those who cause sin and do evil into the blazing furnace.
B. When a person dies, where does their spirit go as mentioned in the bible?
In the Bible we see there are a several passages that mention where people go after they die. However, the important thing here is to emphasise that the spirits of the dead are no longer in the cemetery or in the tomb. They do not linger around to give blessings or to harm the living. They cannot help, they cannot harm, they are no longer able to interact or communicate with family or friends. As we see from the passage below:
(Job 7:9-10).
“As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. 10 He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more”.
This is why at Christian funeral services, it is often said: “The thing that came from the dust of the earth returns to the earth, and the thing that came from God returns to God.”
Ecclesiastes 9:6
“Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun”
Ecclesiastes 12:7
“…and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it”
Let us see now see what the word of God says about where our spirit goes after we die:
1. ‘Abraham’s bosom’
(Luke 16:22)
“So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom”.
Abraham is the father of all those who believe. This shows that people who believe will gather in one place. Perhaps we can ponder how Lazarus was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom after he died.
2. ‘Hades’
(Luke 16:22-30)
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
According to the passage above, the rich and the poor will all die one day. After they die they will either go to Hades or Abraham’s bosom according to whether they have repented and believe. We can also ponder the condition of this rich man, being in torment in Hades.
3.’Paradise’
(Luke 23:43)
“ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”.
We remember Paradise or Eden where God and man have a good relationship. However, because of sin this beautiful relationship was broken. Yet through the death of Jesus on the cross, man can return again to a restored relationship with God. When Jesus was on the cross he said to the thief on the cross next to him: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise!”. Paradise is where Jesus is along with those believe in Him. Paradise is where Jesus is. That is where the spirit of those who believe in him go to.
4.’To be with Christ’
Philippians 1:21-23
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
Paul said, ‘my desire is to depart and be with Christ’. For Paul, to die means to be with Christ.
In summary from the above passages, there are only two places where our spirits go after we die:
1. The place for those who believe in Jesus.
2. The place for those who do not believe in Jesus.
Resurrection.
All the dead will one day be resurrected. Some are raised in order to enter heaven, and some in order to enter eternal punishment in hell.
The nature of the resurrection body:
a. For those who believe in Jesus:
- Raised in glory 1 Corinthians 15:43
- Raised in power 1 Corinthians 15:43
- Can eat and drink Luke 24:43
- No more suffering Revelation 21: 4-5
b. For those who don’t believe in Jesus:
- Body soul and spirit suffer in the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14-15
- Suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the
presence of the Lord and from His glorious might 2 Thess 1:9
c. Condition of resurrection body for those who believe and do not believe
- It has flesh and bone Luke 16:23
- Can be recognised/ known Luke 16:23; 1 Corinthians 13:12
- Can feel pain, can enjoy something. Luke 16: 25
- Can no longer die. Luke 20: 36
- Have no more gender. Luke 20: 35; Matthew 22:30
- No longer in need of food and not limited by physical boundaries
d. In heaven
In hell
C. So who is the spirit that return in spiritism
2 Corinthians 11:14
“ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”.
The question is, whose spirit is it that speaks? And often the voice of the spirit that speaks through the witchdoctor or medium is just like the voice of the dead person. Also the habitual or favourite staff is just like the habit or the favourite of the dead one, and it says that he is their grandfather that has pass away.
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
So it is clear that the spirit that speaks through the medium is not the spirit of their dead one but the evil spirit or Satan disguises himself and tells a lie.
John 8:44b
“Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies”.
It is true that the devil also can-do miracle and wonder. As the magician in Egypt. Exodus 7:8-12.
The Lord sai] to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Do a miracle,’ and you say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ it will become a snake.” 10 When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, they did so, just as the Lord had commanded them—Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants and it became a snake] 11 Then Pharaoh also summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the magicians of Egypt by their secret arts did the same thing. 12 Each man[l] threw down his staff, and the staffs became snakes. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
Moses staff that turned into snake conquered and swallowed up the staff of magician of Egypt that also turned into snake. Therefore we also who belong o God are the children of God and can conquer the evil one.
1 John 4:4
“You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”.
The Fifth Strategy
The way to help those who are bound by Occultism.
1. Introduce Jesus to the person who is involved, and lead them to receive Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord.
- John 1:12 – “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”.
2.Repent and confess their sins to Jesus - it is good to confess the type of occultism in which they were involved in, as far as they can remember.
- Jeremiah 3:13 –“ Only acknowledge your guilt—you have rebelled against the Lord your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,’” declares the Lord”.
- 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”.
3. Burn or destroy all the things that relate to occultism practices.
- Acts 19:18 –“ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly”.
- Judges 6:25-27 –“... Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole[b] beside it …”.
4. Give the promise/word of God from the Bible to them in order to strengthen them.
- Isaiah 43:25 –“ “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more””.
- 1John 4:4 – “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”.
- John 10:29 - “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand”.
It is important to encourage them to read their own bible, build fellowship with other believers and to tell others about what Jesus has done in their lives.
Warning: Matthew 12: 43-45
“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
They needs to be filled by the word of God. Beware of the danger of being ‘empty’. It is good to memorise the word of God together with them.
The Sixth Strategy
By prayer and fasting.
Matthew 17:21
“However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”.
Mark 9:29
“He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer””.
It is important to pray for them, so that Jesus will deliver them and set them free from the power of darkness. It is good to have a persistent prayer team who humbly and with one heart come in prayer before the Lord, so that the spiritual battle can be won. The battle here is that they may see the light of the Gospel which has the power to rescue them from the oppression of the occult.
What to pray for:
Pray so that as we minister to those bound by the occult, that there will be no confusion in us – and that we will have wisdom and an awareness of what is going on.
Pray also that there may be no dis-unity amongst the team.
Pray also that God highlights particular passages that we can hold on to in order to combat the enemy – just as Jesus did with Satan in Matthew 4:1-11
Pray also that we would confess our sins if the Lord reminds us while we minister, so that the power of God can flow through us.
Note: It is important to understand that even though we may feel empowered, it is not about our emotion, or how loudly we cast out the devil – it is about Jesus Himself who has the power to win the battle.
Once the person becomes conscious and the evil spirit is no longer controlling them, lead them in a prayer to confess their sin of involvement with occultism. It is good to name which kind of occultism. Lead them to confess their sin specifically to the Lord Jesus, so that they can be sure their sin has been forgiven by God. This helps them to stand firm in the forgiveness they have received in Christ.
It is also good to create an environment where Jesus is worshipped and honoured by praise and worship songs and bible reading. Lead them in a short prayer by (1) confessing their decision to follow and obey Jesus as their Lord and (2) renouncing the evil spirit and any forms of occultism.
Bible Studies
Study I: The cunning scheme of the devil to deceive mankind.
(Genesis 3:1-13)
Foreword: Before we continue, we need to see and learn the way the devil
deceived mankind- especially the first Adam in the garden.
As we see in Genesis 3 :1-13, the devil persuaded Eve to
doubt the truth of the Word of God and led her to believe what he said.
Therefore, in this ministry, we need to clearly understand the word
of God as the truth and be able to expose the deception of the devil.
In order to understand this better, discuss and answer the questions below:
1a. What is the command God gave to Adam and Eve in verse 3?
(Also in Genesis 2: 16,17).
1b. Why did the Lord God give this command?
(Deuteronomy 10:12-13 and 11:1)
2a. Describe in your own words the happiness and joy Adam and Eve had at
the beginning, before they disobeyed God.
2b. What was it like after they broke God’s command?
3. Explain the strategy of the devil in order to destroy Adam and Eve
(verse 4 and 5).
(see also Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
Things to ponder and think through:
How the devil destroyed Adam and Eve by deceiving them. But even so, God restored them and all humankind by sending Jesus Christ into the world.
Let’s memorize this verse. 1 John 3: 8b :
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the work of the devil”.
Study II: Examples from the Bible of ministering to those involved in occultism.
Here we will see people who are involved with occultism in the Bible. These examples from the Bible can be helpful for us when we ourselves are confronted by occultism in our ministry. Let us see and discuss each part below:
1. Luke 11:14-23. Jesus and Beelzebul.
Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
- What did Jesus do for this person who was mute because of the demon? vs14.
- After seeing what Jesus says in the passage above, is it possible for a demon to cast out a demon? (see vv15-22)
2. Luke 10:17-20. The disciples’ experience of having Jesus’ authority over demons
- What is the testimony of the disciples in vs 17?
- What did Jesus say to them in vs 20?
3. Acts 19: 13-16. Paul’s experience with the sons of Sceva.
- What do you think is the difference between the sons of Sceva and Jesus’
disciples in Luke 10:17-20?
In 2 Corinthians 4:13 we read:
“But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak”.
-Paul said: “I believe, and so I speak”, and for us who are ministering, we too need to be sure that we speak what we believe. This is the foundational faith we need to have in order to help those who are involved in occultism.
Take time to reflect and share with each other your experiences in helping people who are involved with occultism. Are there areas which need correction like the sons of Sceva did? (They dared to use the name of Jesus that Paul preached, but they themselves did not belong to Jesus)
Let’s memorise this verse.
Luke 10:17 :
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!
Study III:
Each road has an end, just as life has an end. In this section we will see the end of the road for the devil and those who follow him. In these current times we see the devil is still at work, which shows us that it is not yet the end time for the devil.
Matthew 8:29
They cried out, “Son of God, leave us alone! Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
John 10:10.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
1 John 3:8b
“… For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil”.
Discuss the questions below:
1.What is the end of the devil according to Revelation 20:10?
2.What is the end for those who follow the devil in their lives?
(Matthew 25:41)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!
(see also Revelation 21:8)
3.We know a person by what they do…
- What did God do to Job?
(Job 1:10).
“Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
- What did satan do to Job?
(Job 1: 12-13)
“The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
- What was the purpose of satan in bringing Job into temptation?
(Job 1: 11)
“But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face”.
After seeing Job’s experience above, each of us can decide who we want to follow or surrender our lives to.
4. Jesus and the devil.
Luke 13:10-13
“On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God”.
-What did the devil do to this woman?
- What did Jesus do for her?
Let’s memorise this verse:
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
From the schematic above we can see that angels are under the authority of God, and humans are under the angels. Therefore, humans can be overpowered by the angels, whether it is the angels of God or the angels of the devil. This is why sometimes people can be ‘possessed’ by demons. Even so, the One who is above it all is still God alone.
For those who belong to Jesus Christ and have Him in their life, were previously below the angels, however now they are children of God and sit above the angels with God. In other words they cannot be possessed by demons any longer.
Let us reflect on some passages found in God’s word about this:
1. Matthew 28:18
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”
2. 1 John 4:4
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”
3. Luke 10:17-19
“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”
4. James 4:7
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”
Reflection:
From the passages above we now know that God is the one most powerful above all, and those who have received Jesus receive the Holy Spirit who is more powerful than any other spirit in the world. This is the promise for those who have received Jesus.
Questions and Answers:
Question: Can a person who believes in Jesus be possessed by a demon?
Answer:
Here we need to clarify what it means to believe in Jesus. Let us see what God’s Word says in regards to this:
1.Colossians 1:13
“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,”
To believe means:
There is a rescuing taking place, which moved us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the dominion of the Kingdom of God. The person who believes in Jesus, who has Jesus as their King has been rescued and released from the power of darkness. Therefore, who or what can take them away?
John 10:27-29
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand”
2. Ephesians 2:4-5:
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved”
To believe means:
To be made alive again with Christ, by the power of God. The same power which raised Jesus from the dead, raises us up to life. Those who believe in Jesus are set free from the power of sin that had previously brought death. What does it mean to be made alive? -No longer enslaved to follow the evil spiritual powers that rule in this world, instead having the power to be able to resist and grow up in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”
3. Romans 8:9
“ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ”.
To believe means:
To have the Spirit of Christ living inside of the person! This Spirit is what truly transforms the person and enables them to overcome the power of sin and darkness.
-Ephesians 1:13-14:
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory”.
-This means:
That the Holy Spirit is now within us forever
-Galatians 4:4-6:
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.””.
-This means:
Can the devil possess us again?. Certainly not, for we been redeemed.
-John 14:15-16
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever”
-This means:
That the Holy Spirit is inside us now. Of course it is impossible to be demon possessed!
4. Ezekiel 36:26-27:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws”
To believe means:
Having a new heart from God to obey Him. We obey Him not because of the fear of hell, but because we have a new heart that likes to follow and obey God. If a person has this new heart in them, can that same person continue in sin? Of course not! They may fall, but they will not stay and continue in their life of sin.
Summary
To believe means to be rescued from the dominion of death and darkness, to be made alive again, having the Holy Spirit living inside, and also having a new heart that wants to follow God.
If this is what it means to truly believe, - then it is impossible to be possessed by the devil again.