Superstition and the occult

Superstition is the irrational belief that something will bring good or bad luck. Some superstitions are universal. So, more than 80 percent of high-rises building in the world lack a 13th floor; many airports skip the 13th gate; airplanes have no 13th seat, and hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13. All this proves there is an irrational universal fear that the number 13 will bring bad luck. Other superstitions are more local. The Chinese have many superstitions about brooms – it should not be used for three days after the New Year as it might sweep away all the good luck the New Year has brought. In England horseshoes bring good luck, but they must not be hung upside down, or all the luck runs out. And in Russia – it is good luck to break a plate, which explains why they all do it together at the end of some large functions.

For many superstition is just a vague irritation in their minds, so most people would not like to have a major operation on Friday 13th. However for Christians all superstition is wrong
because it is acknowledging there is another power at work in the universe, the power of ‘luck’. So if a Christian is superstitious they are in effect denying God. If a Christian goes into hospital for an operation, they are there as a part of the divine will of their sovereign heavenly Father. He will decide the outcome – not number 13!

So superstition is the enemy of true faith (see Maryam’s article/put link). But not only can superstition weaken faith, it can also lead people into the occult. For just as the taking of soft drugs like marijuana can lead to people taking hard drugs like heroine, so too an interest in superstition can lead to an interest in the occult.

Once you accept there is a power of luck that can impact your life, or tell you your future, then there is the inevitable temptation to try and get more access to this false power. And so people move on from being vaguely superstitious to engaging in practices which are directly linked to the occult and the demonic.

The occult literally means secret, not seen – so the word is used for all practices which require a secret knowledge or power. There are hundreds of occult practices, too many to list here, but they all roughly divide into three different types – divination, spiritualism and magic.

Divination is the attempt to try and understand and explore the future. It is this type of occult practice that is most commonly seen offered on street corners and at fun-fairs. It would include palm-reading (when someone looks at the lines on your hands and claims to know what your future is), astrology/horoscopes (when someone claims to know your future from the positions of the planets), and tea/coffee leaf reading (when someone claims to be able to look at the residue of your cup of tea or coffee and be able to tell you your future)

Spiritualism is the attempt to try and communicate with the dead and this would include Ouija boards, séances, and necromancy. Ouija Boards is the practice of putting the alphabet around a table with a glass in the middle which is then asked to move and so the ‘dead person’ can spell out messages; séances are when people go to a medium who claims to be able to make contact with the dead; and necromancy is the art of calling up the spirits of the dead by different methods such as making special blood sacrifices, or going to certain rivers or mountains.

Magic is the attempt to control the present and so is more sinister, for here the occultist can want to exert power over other people through the spirit world. This includes going to witch doctors for charms and curses, the wearing of amulets and charms, and again the use of the Ouija Board, but this time the spirit is asked to impact the present, not just predict the future.

All of these activities are inviting demonic influence, and tragically demonic power is real and very destructive (see Maryam’s second article). In short, occult practices are Satanic and those who get involved in them have enlisted in the devil’s army. They have moved from being unbelievers, to being active enemies of God.

The Bible condemns all of the above practices as abominations and promises to judge those involved in them.

"There must never be anyone among you who is a soothsayer, augur or sorcerer, weaver of spells, consulter of ghosts or mediums, or necromancer (who seeks oracles from the dead). Anyone who does such things is an abomination to God (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

I will cut off sorceries from your hand and you shall have no more soothsayers
(Micah 5:2)

Those who divide the heavens and who gaze at the stars who at the new moon predict what shall befall you – behold they are like stubble the fire consumes them. (Isaiah 47: 13-14)

Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists and make veils for the heads of person of every stature in the hunt for souls! (Ezekiel 13: 18)

That evening they brought to him (Jesus Christ) all who were sick of possessed with demons – and he cast out many demons. (Mark 1:31 – 34)

As a result of the preaching of Christ in Ephesus – ‘a number of those who practised magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all....so the word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily’ (Acts 19:19)

In Revelation, the last book of the Bible, there is a vision of the Heavenly City, where the saints will spend eternity. But outside – ‘are the dogs, and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Revelation 22:15)

Superstition then not only ruins your faith in God, it is also a path to the occult and the active enemies of Jesus Christ who will face certain judgment.

If you are superstitious, you need to repent of putting your faith in luck, and you need to put your faith in God and his salvation in Christ (see – show link).

If you have involved yourself in any occult activities, you need to publicly repent and you must destroy any items associated with such activity and claim the cleansing and victorious authority of the blood of Jesus which will set you free from all demonic power. And never forget, however dark a person’s sin, the blood of Jesus is stronger.