All that gliters is not gold: Dt:18:10-14

"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so." (Deuteronomy 18:10-14)

We live in a time when there is much interest in the realm of the supernatural. One has only to walk through a book store to see the plethora of books dedicated to the topics of angles, crystals, and the latest holistic new-age healing remedies. For some, their insatiable thirst for the supernatural has caused them to open up their spirits to everything that is spiritual and supernatural. Regardless of its source, or the genesis of its power, anything supernatural and spiritual is accepted and received as good and desirable. If it is supernatural, it must be good; if it is spiritual, it must be light.

The scriptures, however, depict the spirit realm quite differently. The spirit realm is a place of both light and darkness; of the holy and defiled; of indescribable love and unimaginable evil. Just because something is spiritual doesn't mean it is good.

In the very beginning, evil was present in the garden to deceive those whom God had made in His own image. "And the woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'" (Genesis 3:13) While the serpent appeared to Adam and Eve to be wise and knowing, his temptation lead to the introduction of death to the human race. The serpent concealed his true nature to deceive and trick Adam and Eve into sin. Paul reminds us, "for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14) From that day till today, Satan continues to deceive and tempt mankind into sin. Peter reminds us, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

The reality is that the spirit realm can be a dangerous place. That is why God expressly forbids the pursuit and involvement with various forms of spiritism, witchcraft, divination, and the like. So how are we to engage the supernatural without opening ourselves up to the dangers that lie within? The answer is to seek and pursue God rather than the supernatural and the spirit realm. God lives in the supernatural, if we abide in God then we will abide in the supernatural. If the Spirit of God lives in us, then the spirit realm lives in us. The key is to make God our focus and not all things spiritual. If we pursue the supernatural by pursuing God, then we will not be in danger of being deceived and led astray. Consider what Jesus said, "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish ; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:11-13) If we pursue God, then we will inherit the things of the spirit, and that without harm or danger. In the end, it is not about angels, supernatural power, or spiritual insight, its about Him.

David Robison

supernatural, spiritual, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, David Robison

Powered by ScribeFire.