Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Deu 18:12 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.
Exo 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
I was actually talking to someone about this very topic not to long ago... Oftentimes, individuals that espouse a humanistic view about the access to spirtual power like to disparage Christians by saying they are looking for God externally... Many will say "God is within you", you don't need to look outside... And what they say is correct, God is in us...
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
However, they miss the fact that the spirit inside of us is still God's... It is "his" spirit, and even though there are ways to access the power of the spirit without invoking the name of Jesus (i.e., Pharaoh's magicians, prophets of Baal, etc.), the owner expressly commands that we do NOT use these methods... Especially considering the fact, that oftentimes, access to this unsanctioned power, must be gained by using the help of fallen spirits... This type of access has been labled as abomination... The definition of abominations can only be found in the Old Testament, and using the spirit in these ways is in fact abominable...
Jesus states that there are different levels of sin (John 19:11), and there is no question that abominable sins are the worst... Yes, using the power of the spirit can be used to bring forth amazing works, but if your maker has not endorsed its use, then you are on the wrong side of judgment and choice...
There is nothing wrong with learning about God's spirit within as long as you do it God's way. In finding out about God through "his" word and his "holy" spirit, you will learn more about who you are and your purpose and the plan he has for all his repentant children that choose him.
The secular world's teaching on how to know self/God is not the way God teaches us to know him... See Psalms 119 (i.e., Psalm 119:100 and Psalm 119:93)... David says by studying God's word with the help of God's holy spirit, he has learned how God quickens souls and he knows more than those in antiquity... The people that lived in the days of Noah (like many today), had a high-level of knowledge, but they used it in opposition to their creator. They thought ungodly thoughts all the time (as in today) -- Psalms 2:1-3, and they chose to use God's power for purposes he did not intend for his children to use it for...
What you will find is that the secular world's perspective on learning about self and acquiring powers of the spirit are different than the biblical view -- the former does NOT need Jesus, while the latter does. Always test the spirits (1 John 4:1-3 -- key word Christ/"THE" Messiah) and be sure they are communicating the same Gospel that Jesus spoke (i.e., kingdom of God and Jesus' death for our "sins" unto everlasting life for those who truly believe)... God knows that without his guidance, man will use his power improperly that is why Adam was cast out of the garden... If we cannot be patient to learn and acquire God's knowledge and power by his means, then he deems us unworthy to live forever... Jesus said we will be as holy angels of God (Joshua 5:13-15)... This means that God's holy angels are only obedient to his way... God expects the same from his saints. If we love him, we will keep his commandments (John 14:15)...
The secular world's (i.e., new age, secret societies, etc.) use of God's power is analogous to that of Satan's. They use it how they see fit, and do as they will... This is a recipe for disaster, and those who follow this path are destined to be detached from the source of all power forever... God has an incredible future for his saints. No mind has ever conceived what he has in store for us, but it is only promised to those who are patient enough to follow his way...
One last point about David's passion... Please don't let anyone tell you that since Jesus died we do not have to see things David's way because we are not under the law. This part is true, we are NOT under the law. We are under grace if we are in Jesus. BUT grace IS under the law.
Do not think about David's passion for God's commandments, precepts, and statutes as a way to achieve salvation (it is not). David (the prophet) knew even before Jesus' time that he needs God's mercy (Psalms 119:41) in spite of his zealousness for his way. Again, David's passion was centered around his love of God and the knowledge and power that can be found in his word NOT salvation. Salvation can only be found in Jesus (John 14:6).
Remember, that after over 3 years of learning directly from God/Jesus, Jesus called the disciples his friends. He said they knew what he knew... They were ready to receive the power of the spirit because God knew they would be responsible with it... They still had to wait until after his ascension, but they were ready because they did it his way!
First off I want to thank you for putting the Scripture Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." (John 19:11) in the thread. I argue a lot that not all sin is equal to G-d. All men sin equally but not all sin is equal and we know this by G-ds laws He gives some sin monetary value and others the death penalty. And not all murder is the same. For an accidental death there is a city of refuge the offender can run to and live. But most people say the OT has passed away and all sin is equal in G-d�s eyes (they cannot see the forest from the trees) but now I have a NT scripture to prove �I�m right��.;)
I know so many people who want to have a massage and get rocks laid on them to take away bad karma or talk to a psychic. What they don�t realize is some, not all witches, psychics are real. In the Torah, King Saul went to the witch of Endor and she called up Samuel from the dead. And Samuel and the King had a conversation. It�s as true of a story as Y-shua dying on the cross and raising from the dead. The difference the witches� power is demonic and Y-shua well�. G-d�.
Any way to invite any of it into our lives is inviting Satan into our lives. G-d destroyed Saul His chosen who really thinks G-d is going to play around with them. (1 Samuel 28)
Yes, that is a good one for illustrating that point. What the witch from Endor did is abominable to God. She was a necromancer, and brought things of the dead into the world of the living.
Death is an enemy of our God of life, and it is finally vanquished in Revelation 20. Anyone that brings death into the land of the living is an abomination which in fact is in the upper echelon of sin.
Nothing abominable will have life -- nothing...
Rev 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
This final king of the world which gets his power from the dragon (the god of this world 2 Cor 4:4, Joh 12:31, Joh 14:30, Eph_2:2) will or is bringing death into the world in dramatic fashion, and it will only get worse.
Rom_6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
