16/11/2025
WHAT IS THE OCCULT ?
One main channel through which demons gain access to humanity is the occult. If we do not understand the almost universal influence of the occult on the human race, we will not be able to deal effectively with demons.
Somewhere in every one of us is a deep longing to make contact with the unknown, with some "higher power"-something greater or wiser or more powerful than ourselves. This is true at all levels, from the teenage girl reading her horoscope, to the witch doctor in some remote tribe who has never seen a white man, to the scientist probing outer space and seeking to discover the secrets of the universe.
It was God who placed this longing within us, but His archenemy, Satan, has devised a way to divert seekers into deceptive, evil systems that bring them into bo***ge to himself. These deceptive systems can take countless different forms, but the generic name for them all is the occult. This raises the fourth question commonly asked concerning the realm of the demonic: What is the occult?
The word occult is derived from a Latin word that means "concealed" or "covered over." The power operating through occult practices or systems derives from Satan and is evil. But most people caught up in them do not know this. They have been enticed by labels or claims that make them appear highly desirable.
This is vivid to me because of my own experience. I was fascinated by all things connected with India, and at Cambridge I actually attempted to become a yogi. No matter how hard I tried, however, I could never attain the release or fulfillment I was searching for. This indefinable longing was finally satisfied when, by the grace of God, I had a supernatural encounter with Jesus, the Son of God.
Scripture calls turning away from the one true God to false gods "spiritual adultery." Thus the Bible's strong warnings against immorality and adultery also apply to all forms of involvement with the occult. The "strange [immoral or adulterous] woman" described in Proverbs vividly depicts the lure of the occult.
In Proverbs 5:6 we are warned against trying to study her ways, because they are "moveable" (KJV), "unstable" (NKJV) and "crooked" (NIV)-all of which apply to the occult. I have observed that as one deceptive error is refuted, two new occult practices or false religions rise up in its place. Rather than attempt to give a full list, therefore, I will point out ways by which they operate. Truth is the best defense against error.
The tragic end of those who permit themselves to be enticed and deceived by a "strange woman" is described in Proverbs 7:25-27:
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.
Scripture emphasizes that the victims of this "strange woman" are strong men. It is characteristic of these deceptive forces that they primarily target men with leadership capacity. Satan hates such men. Strong men become vulnerable when they place their confidence in their own strength and in their past successes.
The two main branches of the occult are identified in Scripture as divination and sorcery.
1. DIVINATION
Divination provides knowledge through supernatural means about people, events and situations. Frequently it predicts future events. The contemporary terms for this are fortunetelling, psychic predicting and extrasensory perception (ESP).A clear example is offered by the slave girl in Acts 16:16-22, who was said to be "possessed with a spirit of divination" (NKJV) or "a spirit by which she predicted the future" (NIV). Actually the Greek merely says "she had a python spirit." In classical Greek culture the python was often associated with the practice of divination or fortunetelling. The modern term for such a person is psychic.
2. SORCERY
The other channel through which the occult operates is sorcery. Sorcery can be considered the twin sister of divination, but it has its own special sphere of activity. It uses various means to make an impact on the physical senses. Some of its tools are drugs, potions, charms, amulets, magic, spells, incantations and various forms of music.
In speaking of the last days, Paul warns that "evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:13). The Greek word translated "impostors" means, literally, "enchanters," but because enchanting (incantation) is used in various occult rituals, it came to mean "wizards" or "sorcerers." Some contemporary forms of music, such as acid rock, fall into the same category and are used as channels of supernatural satanic power. This agrees with Paul's prediction that, as the age draws to its close, there will be a great upsurge of these occult forces.
- DEREK PRINCE ( They Shall Expel Demons )
- Spiritual Notes
