The Battle of the Minds--Practical Guidance on How to
Discern Spiritual Error
by Tricia Tillin
This article by Tricia Tillin of Banner Ministries was written
in 1988, and came out of her concerns about the infiltration
into the churches of new-age and other esoteric beliefs. Since
that time, the contents of this article have become even more
relevant. It explores some key issues relating to false
prophecies, mental manipulation and the danger of receiving a
counterfeit anointing. It also provides scriptural keys to
discerning between true and false leadings of the spirit. (This
version contains a small amount of new material)
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PART ONE
The Battle of the Minds has begun! Probably the greatest satanic
strategy since the tower of Babel is now in operation, and its
aim is the capture of your mind. At least one false messiah of
this age, the Maitreya of Benjamin Creme, says he soon plans to
overshadow all mankind in order to implant thoughts of love and
peace into our minds, to prepare us to accept a new age of
global harmony on the earth.
What will that entail? And is it similar to what the Bible calls
"the mark of the beast" which is received in the
forehead - the site of the psychic third eye? Gurus all over the
world are now seeking to awaken this inner eye of wisdom in
order to harness its powers for the coming new age. THEY WANT
YOUR MIND!! One book written to guide our 'inner growth' puts it
this way: "before we can think about the universal or
collective unconscious, we must conquer the individual
unconscious."(1).
Another writer says:
"In order for us to return to God's pure light, we must be
lifted back up into the Spiritual Mind...the Rainbow Angel's
ministry is coming to reveal more of God's nature, the Light and
Identity of Life. There shall be no more delay, the Mysteries
are open...The new heavens - THE NEW MIND - is descending into
the Mind and Nature of those who receive Him, and gives
substance to our New Earth, causing immortality to
begin..." (2)
These words were written by a Christian who calls herself a
'teacher to the teachers of the Kingdom'! Other influential and
well-known Christian leaders are also urging believers to
receive 'the new mind' - but this is nothing less than an
initiation into the satanic lie!
THE SATANIC STRATEGY
In Eden, the first satanic temptation focused on man's latent
ability to DISCOVER and to USE for his own ends certain
paranormal principles, now called the 'wisdom of the ancients'.
Satan's aim was a selfish one: he planned to co-ordinate man's
use of these powers in order to overthrow God and bring about
satanic world dominion. (Things don't change, do they?).
The serpent hasn't altered his approach very much over the
years. Once more, as in Eden, a plan is afoot to encourage men
and women to develop psychic abilities; to open their minds to
mystical experiences; to believe in the human potential, and by
the unity of minds to bring about a New Age of spiritual
dominion! The most dangerous of the new techniques are those
which create blankness or passivity in the brain and throw open
its doors to direct demonic control.
One ex-cult member says that those caught up in the cult
"choose neither to make decisions nor to exercise their own
personal free will...they accept as their thoughts everything
suggested by the teachers...they try to empty their minds so as
to be void of thought."(3)
The gods of mythology (demons) are often pictured using arrows,
spears, lightning bolts or swords. Likewise, today's modern gods
- the heros of the animated movie - use light- lasers,
power-rays or magic swords. All these weapons represent one and
the same thing - psychic power to zap other people's minds.
These are the psychic powers which anyone involved in the occult
is trained to use. By many techniques now becoming available,
(meditation, trance-states, spell-casting, etc.) men and women
ally themselves with demonic forces to unleash devastating
spells and curses upon an unsuspecting public.
When you see a picture of Cupid aiming his cute little bow, you
should understand that it is a fiery dart of the enemy he is
about to loose. And where will such a dart lodge? Most probably
in your MIND.
THE GOAL OF MIND-CONTROL
Satan is not working in a haphazard and aimless way. No, he is
working out his 'Master Plan' for world take-over. The first
step was taken in Eden, when Lucifer secured the co- operation
of fallen man in ruling the world system. Later he brought
mankind into oneness at Babel and except for God's intervention
he would have achieved world dominion at that time.
Today, his plan is the same: he is re-programming the minds of
men and women in order to build himself a visible earthly
empire, his "kingdom". His followers have received
guidance from spirit beings about the establishment of this
kingdom, some of which appears in a book called 'The Keys of
Enoch'. [Not the apocryphal Book of Enoch].
The writer explains that one calling himself 'The LEFT Hand of
the Father' (as opposed to the Lord Jesus, who sits on Father's
RIGHT hand) will seal mankind for the New Civilisation by
REMOULDING AND RENEWING MAN'S MIND AND SOUL so that he becomes a
divine personality. Another writer states: ..
" We stand at the threshold over which a quantum leap in
consciousness is possible. Cosmic consciousness, a blending of
mind with Universal Mind, is being achieved and demonstrated by
more and more people... " The Great Oneness calls all its
errant parts to blend and harmonize again...(this) free and
dedicated consciousness of evolved mankind is the instrument for
which a new society and a new world is to be formed, for God [ie.
Lucifer] needs man as much as man needs God [to] help establish
the bridgehead. "
The method Lucifer is using to bring mankind under his control
in the end-times is mind-manipulation. Christians are slow to
realise just how vital is this demonic preparation, for even
satan himself is not permitted by God to carry out his evil
plans without permission. That permission must first be won or
extracted by deception from a sufficient representative number
of mankind - what the New Agers call the 'critical mass' or the
'hundredth monkey', the moment when enough members of mankind
have harmonised their minds with the Mind-god (satan) to allow
his MANIFESTATION to take place:
"It is valuable to learn how we can make our wishes come
true...so that we can finally create and MANIFEST...the MASTER
IMAGE...so that we can at last be one with all of life, part of
a mighty international organisation".(5) (emphasis added)
As more and more join together to seek a new dawn for
civilisation, the numbers of those trained to use their minds
against God grows, and the day of 'critical mass' draws closer.
Many MILLIONS worldwide, during a series of Harmonic
Convergences beginning on Dec 31st 1987, united to concentrate
their mind-powers on calling down the New Age Christ, and to
defeat the God of the Christians.
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PART TWO
THE MIND IS FALLEN
Can YOU be deceived? Don't answer too quickly! Though we are
prone, in our arrogance, to consider ourselves immune to
deception, we are actually like ploughed fields just waiting for
the seeds be sown - for our natural thought processes are
usually foolish, ungodly and vain.
The mind is part of fallen human nature - earthly, self-centred
and proud. What God intended as a SERVANT has become the MASTER
of man; it has broken free from humble dependence on God, and
sits ruling on a man-made throne of fleshy education and natural
wisdom.
The mind is a fertile breeding ground for satanic suggestions,
because from its early days it is trained to think according to
the wisdom of the world. The Bible describes the natural, fleshy
mind as:
Selfish (Eph 2:3)
Alienated from God, at enmity with God (Col 1:21/Rom 8:7)
Blinded (2 Cor 3:14/4:4)
Earth-bound (Phil 3:18)
Debased, defiled (Rom 1:28/Tit 1:15)
Vain, false, futile (Eph 4:17)
Puffed up, prideful, self-exalting (Col 2:18)
Argumentative towards God (2 Cor 10:5)
Corrupt, wrong-thinking (2 Tim 3:8)
CHRISTIAN MINDS ARE NOT INFALLIBLE
When we are born again, our minds wake up to reality. They are
released from the blinding power of the 'god of this world' and
enabled to grasp the things of God. But - and this we often
overlook - our minds are still capable of wrong thinking. They
remain earthly and fallen, even though our spirits have become
full of light.
As Christians, born-again by the Spirit of God, we desperately
need to be re-educated in our thinking and for our minds to
become transformed to line up with God. The process can take
many years, and is never perfectly achieved. This means that our
minds are still prone to deception - we are still able to be
misled. Thus, the satanic battle for control of a Christian
takes place in the arena of the mind.
Before we examine specific attacks on the mind and ways to
combat these, let's take a quick look at what the Lord instructs
with regard to the mind. The Bible urges us to:
Gird up the loins of your mind, don't be lazy in thinking (1 Pet
1:13)
Love God with ALL your mind, involve God in your thinking (Matt
22:37)
Meditate on the things of God (Phil 4:8)
Be transformed in your thinking by God's truth (Rom 12:2/Eph
3:23)
Be united in thought with spiritually-minded believers (1 Cor
1:10)
Be aware of the limitations of the human mind (1 Cor 2:5,14)
Commit your mind-powers to God's rule and protection (Is
26:3/Phil 4:7)
Be sober and careful in thought, avoiding rashness (Tit 2:6)
Be spiritually minded, not thinking according to the flesh (Rom
8:5)
THE MIND IS NOT THE SPIRIT
Let's get this clear at the outset: the mind is NOT the spirit
of man. These are made distinct in scripture. The mind is a
God-given instrument of thought and wisdom, but it is part of
the flesh, and is not spiritually attuned.
The mind is geared to natural things, not the wisdom of God, and
it rarely grasps spiritual concepts first time round. We do not
naturally think according to God's will. On the contrary, God
sometimes has to overthrow our merely human powers of reasoning
to achieve His will for us. We bar the way to God's blessing
because of our shallow thought-life.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways
My ways, says the Lord; For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts
than your thoughts." (Is 55:8,9)
Our minds, no matter how pure, will never be completely
reliable. Some believers seem to think their minds are
infallible, and blithely follow every little suggestion as a
command from God. How foolish! How dangerous! It is satan who
puts many thoughts into our minds. That is how he brings the
work of the Lord into disrepute, destroys fellowship and wrecks
the faith of Christians.
Think of a denomination that began well, but has now sunk into
deadness and liberal beliefs, and you will see the work of those
who raise human wisdom and education above the Word of God.
Think of a Christian who has sadly 'gone off the rails' and you
will remember the 'words' and 'guidance' this person was
receiving mentally.
Think of a sect which began, perhaps, in the will of God but
which has long since followed an occult path. You will see the
suggestions of satan which have been accepted by the minds of
the deceived.
Now think of yourself, and you will admit that the times you
missed the will of God were those times you listened to the
thoughts of your own mind instead of the 'still small voice' of
God in your heart.
Once we accept the fact that our minds are fallible, earthly and
largely unspiritual, we will be wary of accepting any old
'leading' that flashes into our minds. We will know how to
distinguish between true words and false prophecies; we will not
be thrown by powerful commands to believe this or do that,
whether they come from our favourite Minister, our
prayer-partner, or from the depths of our own minds.
True guidance from God originates in the spirit and is imparted
by a spiritual prompt; it is never disruptive of His work, nor
is it foolish, fruitless or self-exalting.
On the other hand, satanic 'guidance' "does not descend
from above, but is EARTHLY, SENSUAL, DEMONIC." (James 3:15)
This scripture shows plainly that demonic leadings take place in
the mind and not in the sanctified spirit of a Christian, for
the word translated 'sensual' is 'psychikos', meaning 'soulish,
animal, natural'. Satanic leadings are PSYCHIC, not SPIRITUAL!
Our greatest safeguard against satanic suggestions is to learn
AND PRACTISE the difference between spiritual leadings (from
God) and natural inclinations (from our own desires, from other
people and from demons):
TRUE GUIDANCE AND FALSE IMPRESSIONS
One passage in the letter of James (Chapter 3, verse 17) teaches
us how to know 'the wisdom from above': It is
PURE (it is not mixed with sin or worldly wisdom)
PEACEABLE (it does not disturb our inner calm or fellowship)
GENTLE (it does not push, hustle, threaten or condemn)
YIELDING (it does not lead to an unbending, know-it-all
attitude)
MERCIFUL (it does not make us hard or unsympathetic towards
others)
FRUITFUL (it does not result in calamity or disappointment)
IMPARTIAL (it does not favour just the 'good' and 'clever')
GENUINE (it does not give a false veneer of wisdom or
spirituality)
Sadly, there are too many examples today of teachings based on
false guidance (or, the wisdom that James describes as demonic.)
Judging by the list above, we can identify ministries that
dominate, hustle and condemn, and ministers with prideful,
unyielding spirits as MISGUIDED. Whenever a minister tells you
to act without reflection, hastily, mindlessly, urgently and
without waiting for inner peace, you can be sure you are being
led in the WRONG direction. "Just give in" they say!
"Go with the flow". That's the moment to reply - I am
not giving in to anything without testing it first, as the Lord
commands.
We can also check our own mental impressions against this list:
If we feel a sense of hurry and haste pushing us to act; if we
are led to feel specially chosen and super- spiritual, or
perhaps to feel condemned and useless; if we are being urged to
do foolish and fruitless things 'for God' - then the chances are
that these impressions are demonic. In Paul's words, "if
anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he
ought to know."
Let's be humble and sensible enough to doubt the thoughts of our
fallible minds and to develop a firm habit of checking out our
stray thoughts with God and His Word.
RIGHTMINDED AND WRONGMINDED
WRONG: God requires the mind to be empty and passive to receive
His will
RIGHT: God cultivates, stimulates, educates and renews our minds
WRONG: God speaks by voices, words, pictures etc. in the mind
RIGHT: God speaks to the spirit, which inspires the mind
WRONG:God impels, pushes, controls and commands in the mind
RIGHT: God prompts, checks, urges and guides in the spirit
WRONG: God compels action by urgency, threats, fearfulness,
force, or direct mind- control
RIGHT: God presents a course of action for us to consider
WRONG: God implants in the mind facts previously unknown
RIGHT: God calls us to gain wisdom and understanding by study
WRONG: God covers the mind automatically to protect it from lies
RIGHT: God keeps the mind when it is 'stayed on Him', full of
the Word
WRONG: God's truth is received, understood and acted on in the
mind
RIGHT: God sends spiritual revelation of the truth to inspire
our minds
WRONG: God presents to the mind new, strange and unheard of
ideas
RIGHT: God adds to the truth already perceived and never
contradicts it
WRONG: God condemns sin persistently, publicly, urgently and by
a sense of mental anguish
RIGHT: God convicts of sin gently and peacefully by inward
revelation
WRONG: Prayer and worship originate in the mind, and are then
offered to God
RIGHT: Prayer and worship arise from a spiritual communion with
God
WRONG: Waiting for God to lead is done by opening up to mental
impressions
RIGHT: Waiting on God's leading is active co-operation of mind
and spirit
SOME RESULTS OF RECEIVING MENTAL SUGGESTIONS
Fears and torments, usually illogical and not based on fact.
Doubts and confusion about God and His Word.
Condemnation over imaginary sins or past sins that God has
forgiven.
Pressure to 'do things' to try to please God.
Resentments and irritations against others, usually unfounded.
Divisions and arguments over trivial matters in fellowships.
False prophesies and leadings supposedly 'from God'.
False burdens to begin ministries that are supposed to be
'world-shaking'.
Despair that one's life or work 'will never be right'.
Pressure to accept oppressions, inexplicable suffering and
adverse circumstances as 'from God'.
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PART THREE
SATAN'S THREE-PRONGED FORK
Why all this attention focused on the mind? Why is satan
interested in what we think? Three key concepts provide the
answer: Perception; Power; Passivity.
(1) PERCEPTION
One of the oldest beliefs of occultism is that life is an
illusion, a dream, and that reality is just a figment of our
imagination.
In the Hindu religion this is called Maya. New Age thinking has
adapted Eastern mystical religion for its philosophy, and has
caused Western religion, psychology, art and even science to
accept that the mind creates its own reality.
Some eminent scientists have agreed that "John von
Neumann's rigorous formulation of quantum mechanics showed that
physical reality was a figment of the human imagination, and
that the only true reality was thought..."(6) and Nobel
Laureate Max Planck says "I regard consciousness as
fundamental and matter as derivative from consciousness"
This concept, that the mind is capable of creating and
manipulating its own reality, lies behind most of the New Age
mind-sciences today. Since they see the world as a temporary and
illusory creation, simply the product of the 'collective
unconscious' of the 'global mind', then not only individual
lives, but the entire planet could be changed by 'an altered
state of consciousness'.
VIRTUAL REALITY
Today it has become possible - either by the use of
mind-altering drugs, techniques such as sensory deprivation or,
even faster and more effectively, by technologies such as
virtual reality headsets - to present a person with an entirely
new world which is perceived to be just as "real" as
ordinary reality. Indeed, new-agers believe that this virtual
reality IS just as genuine as what we see around us!
Virtual worlds, whether conceived under the influence of drugs
or in a computer simulation, are presented as genuine and
believable. The places people go, the people they meet, what
they see and do and what they learn, is all supposed to be as
truthful and life-enhancing as genuine reality. So, imagine the
consequences of meeting up with demonic entities on one of these
journeys and accepting their version of the truth as reality.
Imagine encountering a computer-generated "Jesus" who
tells you things that contradict the Bible. In this virtual
world, how are you to know the truth from the lie? In the new
virtual universe, there is no empirical standard of truth or
reality, just a series of illusions, each one as valid as the
next.
As one prominent New Ager writes: "there are as many
realities as there are persons..." and we are to prepare
ourselves for "a world without solid basis, a world of
process and change...in which the individual mind...CREATES the
new reality." (7)
Another says:
" We are learning that energy follows thought, and
through...mental programming we can move through altered states
of consciousness and experience new interactions with our
realities."(8)
In the East this so-called 'higher consciousness' which opens
the door to a changed reality is achieved mystically - through
techniques such as yoga and meditation. However, the
'scientific' Western world has been presented with a whole range
of mind- expansion theories, such as Silva Mind Control, Erhard
Seminars Training, Biofeedback, Scientology, hypnosis and guided
imagery or visualisation (now often used in schools). The effect
is just the same, whatever the technique. [TT1]All these
techniques are, in the words of Theosophist Dane Rudhyar,
"breaking open doors of the mind and the usual ego-defenses
built by our traditional culture..."(9)
And, according to this statement from the Psychosynthesis
Institute, they make us "capable of transcending the
worldly order, of participating in eternal life and in the
energy of the super-celestial...liberated from the bonds of fate
itself." (10)
The Theosophists, Hindus and New Agers all seek to loosen the
conscious control of their minds in order to create a 'higher
reality' - actually, this turns out to be plain old- fashioned
demonic possession! Satan's new 'reality' is a supernatural
delusion, in which man thinks he has progressed into higher
realms of spiritual wisdom while in fact he has descended into
deepest bondage to lying demons.
CHRISTIAN MIND CONTROL TECHNIQUES
But Christians are not safe from these fantastic teachings, for
the Church has accepted a christianised version of the lie.
Christian teachers all over the world are leading their
followers into the very same activities! They are encouraging
Christians to expand their minds and to develop mind-powers. One
very influential Christian leader believes that the Holy Spirit
has taught him to 'incubate his dreams':
" ...if you have not visualised clearly in your heart
exactly what you hope for, it cannot become reality to you...we
have taught our people how to visualize success...through
visualizing and dreaming, you can incubate your future and hatch
the results."(11)
Richard Foster's widely accepted book 'Celebration of
Discipline' teaches that through visualization a Christian can
transcend time and space and ascend to the very Presence of God.
Foster assures Christians that this is no mere fantasy of the
imagination, but reality created by the mind. (12)
While the occultist teaches that "visualisation is
something you MUST master if you are to make any progress at all
in magic...it is our only means of affecting the etheric
atmosphere.."(13) the Christian Minister teaches that
"only through the use of images in our meditation can we
actually open the door to the inner world and walk through it to
experience the riches available in spiritual reality."(14)
While many Churches now accept yoga, meditation techniques and
self help therapies as part of their ministry, VISUALISATION has
become the foremost technique amongst Christians for achieving
health, wealth and a positive self-image. It has become so
popular that books about positive thinking have become
best-sellers almost overnight. Some ministers even use
positivism and visualisation as the cornerstone of all their
teaching.
THE POWER OF IMAGINATION
The power inherent in the imagination of man, to manipulate
reality and to influence the future, is a power satan needs to
achieve his coming kingdom. Who would have thought that
Christians would be so eager to help? By their thousands,
Christians are learning creative visualisation, and in so doing
are opening their minds to demonic control.
What has brought this about? Vulnerable Christians who are
seeking a quick painless route to inner health are falling for
the lie that mental manipulation is all it takes to change their
lives. They are being taught that visualising their needs brings
answers to prayer! The Christian author of a popular 'success'
book, M.R. Douglas, writes "form a picture of what you
desire to achieve...it's yours the minute you visualise
it."(15)
Is this what Jesus meant when He taught us to pray to the Father
for our needs? As Christian expectation of wealth, happiness and
worldly enjoyment has increased, so has dependence on positive
thinking and visualisation to obtain easy instant answers to
prayer.
What has been lost is the most vital and central part of the
Gospel - that our well-being entirely depends on our obedience
to THE WILL OF GOD. It was our own natural desires that first
put us out of fellowship with God - and indulging them will do
the same today, even for born-again believers!
We focus on our needs, and expect God to dole out whatever we
desire, regardless of His will. God has become our servant! He
is portrayed as a benevolent old chap dishing out the goodies as
we imagine ever more delightful ways of indulging our flesh. His
promises are taken as the starting point for our demands, not
the by-product of a walk in obedience to His Word. Yet the only
disciples Jesus recognises are those who "continue in My
Word". (John 8:31).
ABIDE IN HIM - THE ONLY WAY
God the Father brings us to salvation by incorporating us into
His Son, Jesus Christ. Now, think about this point a little,
because it is vitally important. On this point founders all the
self-centred teaching of today. Human nature - your nature
without God - is utterly depraved and hopelessly lost. God will
not improve it. No, He REMOVES it by putting it to death in
Jesus, our Substitute.
So, in what nature do you now live and have blessing? Why,
simply the Nature of Jesus Christ! Your old self has died! It is
no use looking for anything at all outside of Jesus Christ,
because God has condemned it. Anything you are or have now is
BECAUSE OF JESUS.
If you need health, finances, provision... you'll find it
abundantly provided IN JESUS. He IS our Health, our Provision,
our Life completely, and all these blessings flow freely into
our lives as we walk with Him. But outside of Jesus lies nothing
but ruin, defeat and sin (even if it is dressed up to look
attractive). If you go to your natural mind-powers to achieve or
to gain anything, you have gone down to the Egypt of the flesh.
You have stepped outside of God's will. That self-seeking
attitude, when allowed to run the whole course, will cause a
spewing-out from God! (Revelation 3:15-19)
CREATIVE POWERS OF THE MIND
The principle behind creative visualisation is a simple and
tantalising one: a picture of the desired result is formed in
the mind, and by a concentrated effort of 'faith' (will-power,
rather) over a period of time, this picture becomes a reality.
Although couched in Christian terms, this sort of mental
exercise is little short of witchcraft - in fact, occultists
testify that it will lead to witchcraft EVEN FOR A CHRISTIAN.
Visualisation always has been, and remains, the foremost
occultic practice for influencing circumstances. Rosicrucians
train their disciples to concentrate on wealth and possessions
until they come into reality; satanists use their minds in a
similar way to effect curses. They believe that they are using a
higher realm of the human psyche, by which thought actually
takes on substance and lives in reality.
The hugely successful Positive Thinking promoter, Bunny Marks of
Amway, puts it like this:
"...the first thing we must do if we wish to achieve and
live the life of success, the life of plenty and happiness, is
first of all to visualise it. We actually create reality by what
we visualise...the picture you hold in your mind will develop
the same way a film develops..."(16)
Note that he says, we actually *create reality* by what we
visualise. God alone reserves the right to be Creator. Satan
longs to be 'as God' - and he tempts mankind to follow in his
footsteps. Visualisation 'guru', Shakti Gawain, says that
"creative visualisation is the technique of using your
imagination to create what you want...you are the constant
Creator of your life."(17) But Pastor/Author C.S. Lovett
said much the same: "Imagination is the key to creation.
Everything God does he first sees in His mind. And so it is with
men made in His image..."(18)
THE LIE OF EDEN
Agnes Sanford also taught that man was a creator, like God. And
she explained that this power would work for Christian and pagan
alike, because it is a law of the Universe. Yonggi Cho said the
same thing on pages 39-41 of his book "The Fourth
Dimension":
"The spirit is the fourth dimension. Every human being is a
spiritual being as well as a physical being...so men, by
exploring their spiritual sphere of concentrated visions and
dreams in their imaginations, can brood over and incubate the
third dimension [the material realm], influencing and changing
it. This is what the Holy Spirit taught me. Yoga people and
Buddhist believers could explore and develop their human fourth
dimension, their spiritual sphere; with clear-cut visions and
mental pictures of health they could incubate over their
bodies...God then taught me that since we can link our spirit's
fourth dimension to the fourth dimension of the Holy Father -
the Creator of the Universe - we can have all the more dominion
over circumstances. praise God! We can become fantastically
creative, and we can exercise great control over the third
dimension."
What works for pagans will work for us [out of God's will]
because in the "fourth dimension" things are
controlled by the psychic powers of the mind, empowered by
demons. I am not going to argue that such things are not
possible. All kinds of wonders and powers have been demonstrated
by unbelievers. However, this kind of power in the hands of
fallen man can lead to nothing but destruction - and that is why
God closed the door to Eden and put these universal mind-powers
firmly OUT OF BOUNDS.
There are certain legitimate uses of the mind - and also no-go
areas which God has forbidden. We can use our imaginations in
all sorts of acceptable ways - to plan house decorations, for
example, or to rehearse what we are going to say at a meeting;
and imagination can save us from danger if we think ahead to the
outcome of our actions. But when we enlist the power of the will
and mind to influence a friend to come to church, perhaps, or to
create money for a ministry, we have overstepped the mark. This
is not because such powers will not work - but precisely because
they DO work
It is useless to deny what occultists have said for centuries -
that the mind of man has amazing latent powers of perception,
communication and manipulation. Watchman Nee argues in his book
"The Latent Powers of the Soul" that these powers may
well have been available to Adam before his fall, but they are
now strictly forbidden: no power outside of God leads to
blessing, only to destruction. Those who develop such powers
think they can prosper without God's help; they seek to save
themselves and their world from destruction. But they are led
astray by the age-old temptation - self-government. God alone is
perfectly righteous and wise enough to make the decisions that
govern our earth and our lives. What we reason with our minds
may seem good, but if it is not in accord with God's will, it
will bring chaos. Therefore, because of His love for us, God
forbids us to develop mental (psychic) powers and commands us to
rely on Him for all things.
GIFTS - SPIRITUAL OR PSYCHIC?
A number of Christians have argued that the miraculous gifts
spoken of in the Bible, such as prophecy and tongues, are latent
natural talents common to all men. Mike Fearon's book about the
Toronto Phenomenon explores this subject, citing the gifts of
"prophet" Paul Cain, and quoting Mike Bickle and David
Pytches in support of the psychic origin of his gifts. He
discusses the gift of power, saying that non-christian healing
might be explained by people tapping into their latent natural
ability, and Christian miracles are therefore caused when the
Holy Spirit "releases the untapped natural potential, and
enables the person to become the supernatural being he or she
was always capable of becoming". (See Endnote)
On page 198 of his book, "A Breath of Fresh Air",
Fearon claims that "many Christians believe that these
phenomena essentially involve the use of latent natural gifts
which have been drawn from dormancy by the Holy Spirit". He
then quotes Tom Houston (World Vision/Lausanne Committee) saying
the gifts are "programmed into us at birth and thus can be
used neutrally, for good or evil".
He even supports his argument by drawing from Episcopalian
priest and psychologist, Morton Kelsey. (Kelsey, a friend of
Agnes Sanford, claimed as his mentor a man called Roberto
Assagioli, a prime mover in the Theosophist Movement and New-Age
movements, who trained many people in mediumship, telepathy and
clairvoyance. )
Morton Kelsey writes in his book "The Christian And The
Supernatural" that "there is nothing intrinsically
evil...about psi [psychic] power or its use...psi experiences
themselves ...are simply natural experiences of the human psyche
which mankind shares with other living things and which can
sometimes be developed... When people have deep and abiding
experiences of God, ESP (extra-sensory perception) experiences
often occur. Clairvoyance, telepathy, precognition,
psychokinesis, and healing...this is the same kind of psi power
that Jesus himself had."
Kelsey in "The Other Side of Silence, A Guide To Christian
Meditation" makes no bones about his belief that
"religious experience is found by turning inward and using
one's imagination to contact the spirit world." He says
"This can be learned by most people with a little
determination". He has also written that:
"Christ was and is the ultimate shaman. He was the god/man
who restores to human beings their connection to the
divine...and the Christian shaman needs to have an understanding
of psychic phenomena and of his and her own unconscious depths.
In a real sense, every Christian who allows the Spirit to move
in him or her is a shaman. ("Transcend", Element Books
1991)
How muddled and dangerous this teaching is!! The Bible is quite
plain that the spiritual gifts given to a Christian are of the
Holy Spirit and not latent natural powers. Therefore no
unbeliever, pagan or witch can be drawing on the same power to
perform his lying wonders. If any man or woman does
"develop" mind-powers he/she can be sure they are
counterfeit and not sanctioned by God.
No, the power and gift of the medium and pagan is demonic, and
it enters through the physical portal. Since the psyche
(emotional and mental realm) is part of the natural life, or
"flesh" of man, it means that psychic gifts (whether
in the Christian or unbeliever) are clearly not of God. We have
to be suspicious of those who, like Paul Cain, are said to have
had the gift of second sight from birth, inherited from members
of his family.
Today the Holy Spirit is increasingly being made impersonal. He
is "the power", "the flow", "The
anointing" or even just "it" - and "it"
can come into or upon anyone without discrimination, for good or
ill. How are we to distinguish, therefore, between psychic
powers - which may be great and overpowering, and may seemingly
bear "good fruit" - and the gifts and manifestations
of the Holy Spirit? Well, by asking about their origin - do they
arise in and utilise the FLESH (mind, soul, emotions) or the
re-born SPIRIT of a person? The Apostle Paul states that
"in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing (Rom
7:18) but "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that
the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Cor
4:7). I see no support in the Bible for the neutrality of
psychic powers.
A CHURCH WITHOUT GOD
The enticing doctrines of positivism and visualisation are
presented to Christians with biblical quotes as if they were in
line with scripture. But they are, in fact, the antithesis of
God's commands. A Christian knows he ought to forsake
selfishness, and be guided by God alone. But having been taught
by his leaders that God is willing to grant anything at all, he
fails to see the danger of producing results by imagination.
Where is the wrong? he says. God is not so mean, he argues, as
to deny me all my desire. But once he has learned successfully
to over-rule God by the power of his mind, he is hooked. The sky
is the limit!
If this scheme were adopted by the whole Church, God would no
longer be NEEDED by His own people, because the desired result
could be achieved mentally. God would become a mere figure-head
like Buddha or Mohammed, while His followers used 'universal
laws' to run their own lives. The Bible says we become 'like
Him' by an on- going walk of union and obedience to God, and by
continually denying ourselves the indulgence of our own selfish
whims. On the other hand, Positive Thinking says we become like
the Bible Christian by reading the Word (even dryly) and
picturing ourselves as the Word describes - even if we are not!
The mental picture will ensure the end result, we are told. What
need is there of repentance or self-denial here?
The Bible says that faith is a quiet and restful trust in the
Father revealed by the Word, and a dependence on His love to
continually guide and provide.
Positive Thinking says that faith is a power that is governed by
universal laws. This means that anyone - sinner or saint - can
operate faith in the same way as a light switch, if the laws are
properly understood. This 'faith' is not dependent on the will
of God. It is an act of will in brain-washing oneself to accept
whatever one might imagine.
The Bible says we receive answers to prayer by taking our
requests to a loving Father and trusting Him to care for us. If
we have faith that His love covers every need, then even hard
times and correction can be accepted as part of His overall plan
for blessing.
The way of Visualisation says we get what we see. We only have
to hold in our minds a picture of the desired result and 'speak
it into being' with complete assurance that our will is
supremely powerful to create the reality of what we imagine.
For example, the formula for answered prayer in one positive
confession work-book seems to have little to do with the will of
God:
Decide what YOU want from God
Search for scriptures to support your request
Ask God for what you want, quoting the scriptures you have found
Believe you receive it - "eradicate every image, feeling or
thought that you will not receive. Never permit a mental picture
of doubt."(19)
This system appears scriptural at first glance, but there is a
serious error at the heart of it: that God is obliged to answer
any prayer for which there exists a word of scripture - however
obscure. In fact, though each promise of God is perfectly
dependable, God retains the right to apply His Word
individually, and differently in each circumstance - or maybe
not at all if there is sin to be dealt with first. It is only by
the QUICKENING of a specific Bible promise that we know God's
will - the Holy Spirit will bring to our attention every
scripture which applies to our need, and with the quickening of
the Spirit will come a divine faith to receive the promise. The
Holy Spirit is our sole Guide and Counsellor in prayer -for we
do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
Himself makes intercession for us...Rom 8:26
JESUS, THE SPIRIT GUIDE?
Johanna Michaelson, a former New Ager who became a Christian,
writes in her autobiography 'The Beautiful Side of Evil', that
she learned visualisation through a Silva Mind Control course.
She pictured a radiant 'Jesus' figure and invited him to be her
special guide, but on his second visit he appeared as a
blood-drenched were- wolf! Johanna later suffered a terrible
struggle to eject this impersonation of Jesus from her mind.
This demonstrates the awful danger of conjuring up a mental
image of God as Comforter and Guide. Christians who would not
knowingly invite demonic spirit-guides into their souls, are
accepting them under the guise of Jesus-pictures! And they are
taught to do so by visualisation and guided imagery, so popular
in positive confession and inner healing ministries today.
Demons care little how we imagine them. They are fully prepared
to manifest as 'angels of light' or even as a sort of
picture-postcard 'Jesus' if that is what we want. But whatever
the appearance of an imagined being invited into the mind to
guide and control, the result will be the same - bondage to
demonic powers. It seems incredible, but Christian teachers are
urging their followers to get involved in this sorcery:
"...try to imagine God; keep searching in your mind to form
an image of God. When the image is there, you will know it...you
may have to fine-tune it by focusing on each part of the image
and visualising yourself with that image...eventually it will
speak to you..."(20)
Instead of praying to our Father in Heaven, whom none can see
because He dwells in unapproachable light, we are encouraged to
create a mental god and receive its guidance..."eventually
it will speak to you", are words that should strike a chill
into any true Christian's heart!
By this (occult) method of visualisation, we can have a little
Jesus-god at our beck and call, ready to be summoned whenever we
choose. We are told that it matters not how we picture this
'Jesus' - in robes of white or jeans and tee-shirt :"The
most noble and glorious purpose of the imagination is giving
reality to the unseen Lord...the Lord doesn't care ONE BIT how
we visualise Him...Picture Him any way you wish..."(21)
Richard Foster, another follower of Agnes Sanford, assures us
that this imaginary picture is "more than an exercise of
the imagination - it can be a genuine confrontation. Jesus
Christ will actually come to you."(22) Certainly SOMETHING
will come, but WHAT? A demonic spirit guide contacted in this
way will begin to control the mind with his suggestions - if the
guide is thought to be Jesus, the information will be received
uncritically, as if from God. How much of the new teaching now
coming into the Church is based on such guidance?
INNER HEALING
It was Agnes Sanford who did much to introduce the healing of
the memories into the Church - and others have followed in her
footsteps. But as one of its advocates states: "a central
technique of almost all inner healing is
visualisation."(23)
Past wounds, in this ministry, are recalled to memory by
imagination and a picture of Jesus is summoned to be present at
the scene to heal and comfort. Some Christians have testified to
dramatic changes in their lives after such a healing - yet it
has brought many into contact with lying demons who give a false
sense of comfort to the soul while blinding the heart to hidden
sin.
Much inner pain and distress is caused by the refusal to
forgive. God's Word does not describe visualisation as a healing
technique, but it does command us to forsake anger and to
forgive anyone who hurts us. A deep relationship with God, in
Jesus, coupled with a desire to repent and to forgive WILL lead
to a lasting peace. God does not reject any who come to Him for
healing - but He never suggests that we imagine Jesus reliving
the trauma in our minds. God's healing MAY involve the recovery
of painful memories, but His ministry gives much more than
comfort - He ministers to the spirit as well as the memory by
cleansing and renewing.
However, by creating a mental image of Jesus, we fall into the
occult visualisation snare - we come to depend on such a mental
'god' to give comfort and advice. We come to a place where the
imagined Jesus is more real than the true God of Heaven. It
takes time, dedication, and self-sacrifice to relate to the God
of Heaven and to know His healing and comfort. Visualisation
offer a quick and easy route to healing, with a cardboard
"jesus" who can be anything we want. We look for love
and belonging, and sensations of physical comfort - and there is
a spirit-being who will provide all these things, in the guise
of an imagined Jesus who is as far-removed from the real Son of
God as Mickey Mouse is from a real rodent.
Unable to relate to God without some kind of physical or mental
stimulus, we end up depending on the soulish comfort of a lying
demon. God intends for us to trust and love Him without the aid
of our senses. God is unchanging. He can be trusted in any
circumstances, whether we FEEL His Presence or not. But with a
mental image of God, there is no need to develop trust in God -
even worse, we can fall away from knowing God at all because of
the enticing presence of another god.
When the Lord spoke out against idolatry, he made it clear that
ANY IMAGE - even of Himself - was to be forbidden. Those who
speak of the need to "create in our minds God's unseen
world (and) the Christ"(24) have erected an idol of the
imagination, and worshipping it is a blasphemy. If idols of wood
and stone are incarnate demons, [1 Cor 10:20] how much more so
is an idol of the mind which has power to move and speak?
Why do we not recognise the power of the imagination, and its
dangers? The Hebrew word used for 'imagination' - YETSER -
describes more than just a mental picture. It means to fashion
or form, and is used of God's creation of man (Genesis 2:7) and
of the earth (Psalm 95:5). When God condemned the imagination of
pre-flood mankind, and of the builders of Babel, His
condemnation was not of their minds, but their creative
visualisation!
Now mankind has learned again to form idols with the mind, and
Christians are participating by visualising images of God!
THE IMAGE THAT LIVES
At the end of the road signposted Visualisation stands a glowing
image (Gk. EIKON - likeness) TO the Beast [not necessarily OF
the Beast - Rev 13:14]. Could this have been materialised by the
corporate imagination of man, formed like a hologram, and
actually given breath [the word in Greek is SPIRIT] by the False
Prophet?
This is a blasphemous re-enactment of Genesis 2:7. But is this
possible? Can man bring into the real world something that he
thinks? A satanic source-book for establishing the New Age
Kingdom, 'The Keys of Enoch', which was dictated by demons,
describes how man must be taught to receive 'light-pictographs'
that take the form of living things.
These are sent "as a system of pulsating light waves
directly from the Higher Intelligence on the Throne (!) into the
third eye of man."(25) (This third eye is supposed to be an
organ of spiritual sight and power located in the forehead. It
is developed by mental exercises such as meditation and
visualisation. The caste mark on the forehead of an Asian
indicates the third eye.
The next step would be to MATERIALISE these light-pictures sent
from satan. And scientists and occultists agree that this can be
done. Since the mind is an energy source, it is quite capable of
creating matter, some claim:
"We eat an apple and it becomes energy, it becomes mind.
Why is it so difficult for some to grasp that the thought is
capable of becoming an apple again? Not an imagined apple, but a
real one...materialisation is possible."(26)
Annie Besant, (the successor to Madame Blavatsky, founder of the
Theosophical Society), wrote a book called 'Thought Forms' There
she states: "the creation of an object is the passing out
of an image from the mind and its subsequent
materialisation...which becomes for the time being a kind of
living creature..."(27)
The method of projecting this mental image into reality is said
to be the SPOKEN WORD. An early New Age primer explains,"
It is not enough to have opened the Third Eye...This knowledge
of the universe must be linked with the highest creative force
within the body before creative activity can begin. The seat of
this creative force is in the throat...the highest expression of
the power of the throat centre lies in the spoken word. God
spoke and created the world. Christ spoke and called the dying
to arise and walk..."(28)
Notice how God's creation of the world is used to illustrate
this power of sound. Charles Capps, the Christian teacher
agrees. He says that "words are the most powerful thing in
the universe," and teaches that "words are
containers... they produce after their kind." (29)
His book, 'The Tongue, a Creative Force' suggests that God
materialised the image of creation in His mind by speaking the
Word, and that we are capable of "operating in the same
kind of faith", and bringing to pass what we imagine. (30)
Will it be by so-called prayer and chanting that the image to
the Beast is formed and energised? And how many Christians are
already practising this technique by mindless chanting of
scriptures and futile 'confessions'?
A RIGHT UNDERSTANDING
The biblical answer to all this is plain - whereas occultists
teach that life is an illusion changed at will, the Bible
teaches that God and His Word are unchanging and eternal. In
every circumstance of life, even in mental confusion or
insanity, God's Word remains the same, and it is the objective
application of His will which alters the situation, NOT OUR
MINDS.
New Agers - and now scientists as well - would have us believe
that all our experience of life is subjective. That is, what we
call 'reality' is simply our brain's interpretation of energy
fields or vibrations, and each man's interpretation is unique.
If this were so, each man's GOD would be a unique creation,
rather like the various forms of 'Jesus-god' summoned up by the
mind - each unique god being equally valid. Under this system,
what we call God is just a collective Energy Source which each
person interprets differently. Thus the Christian cultural
experience of the Biblical God is only another way of
interpreting the Buddhist or Aboriginal myths of God.
But God is not an Energy Source - He is a Person. Nor is he
different for each individual, but each person must come to see
Him as the One True Unchangeable I AM (or not at all). Nor is He
just a power-source resident in every cell of the Universe - as
New Agers say - but dwells in the Third Heaven, inaccessible,
unapproachable and Ruler of all.
Does this make God and Heaven seem remote to you? Well, the
truth is - THEY ARE! Nobody would stand a chance of getting
anywhere near the Holiest of God without the redemption that is
in Jesus Christ. It is in Jesus, by God's grace, that we are
lifted to the Third Heaven. We do not belong there, nor do we
deserve to live there, but God has made a way - praise be to
Him! The Bible teaches that God the Father dwells in the Highest
Heaven, far above the supernatural principality of the air,
which is satan's domain.
But Christians like Yonggi Cho have taught that God is part of
the 'fourth dimension' of the spirit, along with the human
spirit, angels and even demons. (31) This 'new' teaching makes
God accessible by dragging Him down to our own level, saying
that just beyond the doorway of the mind is the supernatural
realm where we can find an experience of God. However, since God
is not present in our natural minds, what god will we experience
there?
(2) POWER
The second major area involved in mind-control is that of
PSYCHIC POWER.
Satan's temptation was not confined to 'wisdom' - he wanted man
to develop the ability to control his environment and to protect
himself from harm. He knew that within man were latent powers
which could well serve his own ends, and these - supplemented
and controlled by demonic power - are still his aim today.
Mystics tell us that coiled at the base of the spine is a
'serpent power' which can be released by spiritual exercises.
Once roused, it travels up the seven power-centres of the body
to the third eye on the forehead, its organ of communication.
One who has trained his third eye to operate in the supernatural
realm can not only receive guidance but transmit terrible power
to bind others to his will. Naturally, no one can develop these
powers without becoming demonically controlled.
It is no co-incidence that the focus of power is located in the
forehead or brain of man. God's power is of the spirit, not
natural mentality; the Christian spirit, infused by the power of
God, fills his entire personality. But the power of satan
concentrates on the SOUL, located in the MIND. Its centre is the
physical brain and the subconscious mind of man. The third eye
will be used by satan to complete his Master Plan for world
take-over. The satanic New Age 'bible' "The Keys of
Enoch", says that the eye of Horus serving the 'father of
creation' is placed on the third eye region of the 'elect' and
this divine eye brings wisdom, unity with the 'divine
hierarchy'.
Lucifer plans to speak to man directly through his opened soul-
eye. Through the hook- up of his mind to spiritual forces, the
image of light has the ability to speak. The message it brings
speaks of the Great Infinite Way and our role...these codes of
light extend through telethought communication."(32)
The advert proclaiming that "The Christ Is Here" in
1982 did indeed promise that the Christ would speak to every
member of the human race by telepathic communication, and there
is no reason to doubt satan's ability to do so. What is more to
the point is the preparation going on at this moment to
condition us all - even in the churches - to accept his words.
CHRISTIAN MIND POWERS
A very important section of scriptural teaching has, it seems,
been lost to the Church. This is the foundational knowledge of
the differences between soul and spirit. Those Christians who
know instinctively that their 'hearts' warn them of evil and
commune with God, while their minds often err, are given no
practical teaching to back it up. It has become a woolly area in
the Church and now satan has taken advantage of our ignorance.
He is presenting powers of the mind as spiritual gifts of God.
In the 19th century, a section of the wisdom teaching of the
ancients surfaced (probably intentionally). It came to be known
as the 'New Thought' and it led to the formation of cults such
as Christian Science based on the absolute power of THOUGHT. New
Thought also led to some new religious thinking, and influenced
the founders of the Positive Thinking groups (perhaps
indirectly). Instead of the Christian mind being a tool
submitted to God, it was elevated nearly to godhood. New Thought
said that, by the power of thought and speech, we could change
our lives and alter the course of history. If we had been taught
the scriptural place of the intellect - inferior to the redeemed
spirit of man - we would never have been caught out by this
delusion.
As it is, we have plenty of Christian material leading us to
trust in the power of our minds. C.S. Lovett writes: "Would
it shock you to learn that God's healing power is available
through your own mind and that you can trigger it - by
faith!...If you had direct access to your unconscious mind, you
could command any disease to be healed in a flash. That's how
much power is at hand..."(33)
There are terrible dangers here. It is true that great powers
are available through the mind, but these are NOT the powers of
God. And, these mind-powers are ungoverned by God's purity and
wisdom - the power of the Holy Spirit is at all times subject to
the will of the Father [see John 16:13-16], but the mind is free
to follow its own natural inclinations.
The miracles produced by mind-powers are undoubtedly great; they
are impressive and persuasive. But they are the product of a
mighty deception. The whole basis of the Human Potential
Movement, inside and outside the Church, is that at the deepest
levels of the unconscious lie untapped and unlimited powers.
Agnes Sanford wrote of "a vibration of very high intensity
with tremendous healing power, caused by spiritual forces
operating through the mind of man..." (34)
It needs to be said again, that the only forces which operate
through the mind are demonic ones! Satan knows that the Church
is not going to accept blatantly pagan and occultic powers, so
he dresses them up with scripture. He presents psychic power as
spiritual gifts. The deception is that God's spiritual gifts DO
NOT operate through THE MIND.
A recent documentary on TV showed a group of native
idol-worshippers singing in tongues by the power of their god!
We know that spiritualists can give a 'word of knowledge' and
psychics can 'heal' very effectively. Yet these are not the
gifts of God. They are mind-powers energised by demons! Satan
doesn't mind what label is on the bottle, if only we drink the
poison it contains. Christians, too, if they are unguarded and
foolish and seek after mind-powers can receive a counterfeit
gifting of tongues or healing, prophecy or any other counterfeit
of a genuine spiritual gift. It is easy to fool the Church these
days, apparently, for so many do not know the true from the
false.
Undiscerning Christians everywhere are drinking the poison of
demonic power by developing mind-powers. Not everything labelled
'sign and wonder' is of God. Be warned! The scripture tells us
that satan is capable of great power, and his coming will be
marked by signs and wonders so great that almost all the world
will be deceived.
How can we know the difference? By coming close to God and
getting to know His ways, first of all. Spend time developing
your relationship with Jesus, fellowshipping intimately with
Him.
Secondly, by understanding the differences between Godly and
satanic ministry: Satan's methods are those of the flesh - they
are sensual, thrilling, dominant, overwhelming, glorious and
delightful to the arrogant nature of man. They elevate self, not
God. God rarely manifests Himself in a visible, audible or
tangible way, but satan loves to do so. His ministry is marked
by sensations and visions and signs.
Beware of those who claim to have long conversations with a
visible Jesus, or an angel. Such ministers hear inward voices or
see pictures to guide their ministry. They often claim to feel
tingling, heat or other sensations as they work.
Also, remember that the Holy Spirit is the Presence of God in
the Body of Christ, not a spirit-guide who manifests himself as
a 'presence' in the room. This sense of 'presence' is often
claimed to be the proof of God's blessing, but before accepting
it as the anointing of God we must 'test the spirits to see if
they be of God'. God's power leads to humility, conviction of
sin and subsequent freedom and heart-felt joy.
Demonic power will operate indiscriminately, irrationally and
irreverently. That is, this power will work in any
circumstances, even in frivolity or outright sin. It leads to
hilarity, not praise. It brings fleshly enjoyment, not joy. It
condones sin instead of condemning it. And after the feelings
have dies down, there is deep depression and the inability to
commune with God.
Demonic power happily works in the presence of rebellion and
sin, working wonders on unrepentant sinners. It rarely brings a
consciousness of unworthiness or an aweful sense of the holiness
of God. Quite the reverse - it leads to jollity and happiness,
and contentment with the status quo.
This power is encouraged by all sorts of soulish worship such as
jumping, shouting, clapping and repetitive chanting of words or
songs, and it comes to those who look for a tangible
supernatural 'presence'. God's power, on the other hand, can
never be 'worked up' by the flesh. What a danger there is in
being unsubmitted to the One True Holy God and Lord!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) PASSIVITY
One principle lies behind all the many methods and techniques
used in the New Age, in psychology and in false religions - it
is passivity. It is the loosening of conscious control of the
mind to enable demonic interference to take place. When New
Agers speak of an 'altered state of consciousness', they mean
that a person's mind and will must be suspended to allow
Lucifer's plan to take shape there. If this is allowed to
proceed, the deluded person will no longer resist satan's plan
for world dominion and will become of one accord with the Devil.
Union has taken place. It is the exact opposite of a Christian
conversion, when a believer becomes one with God in Jesus. This
is the so-called 'Luciferic Initiation' so coveted by New Agers,
and which is planned for every member of the human race. All
mankind is to be brought into one mind and one heart with
Lucifer, just as at Babel, and sealed not with the Holy Spirit,
but with the Mark of the Beast.
GOD CREATED OUR MINDS
Since God Himself created us with the ability to think, remember
and learn, He obviously has a use for the human mind.
Our thoughts do not hinder God; in fact, He encourages us to use
our minds to the full. The more education we have - of all sorts
- the more is available to God for His use, and those who
practise and teach the emptying of the mind are in league with
satan. We should never be afraid of KNOWING a thing. Indeed, it
is those who are afraid to know who soon fall prey to
deceptions.
God gave us minds to test the reality around us. And He gave us
the power of independent choice based on a mature assessment of
the facts. But satan's desire is for man to be like an animal
without thought or will to resist. For demonic rule to begin in
a person's life, there first must be willingness to submit to
such a rule. But the problem is that satan is never honest about
his intentions, and may win this willingness by deception. In
other words, even Christians may be deluded into accepting the
influence of evil powers, if they are unwary and ignorant of his
devices.
Those who fall prey to religious cults often explain that
"we were given no time to think." They speak of
relentless pressure to work, chant, sing or learn, never leaving
them a moment to doubt the doctrines of the cult. This is
satan's way. What he most fears is our ability to decide, and
our free will to reject his plans. This method, of filling our
days with anxiety and pressure, is one of the least of satan's
armoury today, He has brought into play a whole range of
techniques, both religious and scientific, for blanking out the
powers of mind and will.
THE PERILS OF PASSIVITY
For an examination of the perils of passivity, the book which
Jesse Pen-Lewis wrote in collaboration with Evan Roberts in the
aftermath of the Welsh Revival (when deceptions took hold in
much the same way as today) can hardly be bettered. There she
writes: "The chief condition for the working of evil
spirits is passivity, in exact opposition to the condition which
God requires for His working. God requires co-operation with His
Spirit, and the full use of every faculty of the whole man. The
powers of darkness aim at obtaining a passive slave or captive
to their will...the powers of darkness would make a man a
machine, a tool, an automaton; the God of holiness and love
desires to make him a free, intelligent sovereign in his own
sphere - a thinking, rational, renewed creation after His own
image."(35)
Mrs Penn-Lewis goes on to detail the various forms of passivity
affecting a Christian's will, mind, reason, conscience, body and
spirit and why these come about. In brief, she teaches:
WILL - passivity of the will may come about through a false
understanding of 'surrender to God', in which a Christian
believes he must stop choosing, determining and acting of his
own free will. He progressively loses the ability to make
decisions and relies on others to help and guide. Eventually,
evil powers move in to force their own decisions on the
'surrendered' will. God never wills INSTEAD OF MAN, but requires
him to be responsible for all his actions and decisions.
MIND - far from asking for the non-working of the brain, God
encourages us to educate, exercise, stimulate and properly use
every part of the mind. An intellect truly submitted to God is
not non- active, but very active in the service of God. However,
demons seek for an inactive brain in which to plant their lies.
BODY - passivity of the body slowly comes as a result of
prolonged passivity of the mind and will, allowing demons to
interfere with the normal consciousness. Irrational habits,
speech and actions then appear. However, the sad fact is that
these days bodily passivity can be achieved almost
instantaneously through drugs, alcohol or mystical practices.
Some of the many routes to bodily and mental passivity follow:
WAYS AND MEANS
There are three main categories of mind-blanking opportunities:
CHEMICAL:
Drug and Solvent Abuse
Alcoholic Excess
Hallucinogenic substances - 'magic mushrooms', LSD etc
One of the reasons for the huge increase in drug abuse is that
New Agers know drugs are a quick route to loss of conscious
control. The Bible suggests that drug-taking will lead to a
terrible judgement from God: The word used in Revelation 9:21
for 'sorceries' is in Greek 'pharmakeia', or the use of drugs
for magical and religious purposes.
PHYSICAL:
Yoga and relaxation exercises coupled with meditation
Head-banging, shaking, convulsive dancing etc
Whirling, as with Dervishes
Loud repetitive music, especially rock music
Flashing Lights
Drum beats with rhymthic jumping, clapping and/or chanting
Obsessive TV, Video or Computer screen viewing
Hypnotism, altered states of consciousness
Sensory Deprivation of various kinds
Electric Shock Treatments
Such methods have been in use for centuries. In the account of
Elijah's battle with the Prophets of Baal, we see the
idol-worshippers leaping or dancing round their altar, shouting
with loud voices and cutting themselves with knives to make the
blood of their sacrifice flow. (1 Kings 18:26-29) The indigenous
peoples of America and Africa do much the same. The object is
simply to create a state of unconsciousness in the brain whereby
demons can enter (and speak, in the case of the prophets of
Baal). Anything repetitive, or loud or mind-blowing enough will
do. The teenagers who walk around plugged into blaring
heavy-metal music, and the cultists chanting to the beat of
their drums are achieving the very same effect as the Baal
worshippers of Elijah's day.
Christian parents - a word of warning. Rock music opens doors to
demon powers. It is designed to do so. Many of the beats are
based on tribal chants and religious rites. Many of the words
are openly satanic, and other terrible spells are recorded
secretly on the tapes. If you want to keep your child out of
danger, challenge his or her use of rock music. The very act of
filling the mind with this music causes oppression, and some
youngsters have killed themselves or others because of it.
RELIGIOUS/PSEUDO SCIENTIFIC:
New Age Music
Yoga and Transcendental Meditation
Psychic mediumship and trances
Self-hypnosis
Scientific religion (EG Scientology)
Visualisation and Guided Imagery
Mysticism - passive prayer techniques etc
Chanting of mantras
Bio-feedback/Alpha Dynamics etc
Any 'Christian' ministry which involves emptying or bypassing
the mind
The above illustrations by no means exhaust the list of
mind-emptying rituals offered to people today. Examples abound.
But they illustrate the type of activity which satan is
promoting in order to raise a whole generation of thoughtless,
passive 'fodder' for his evil work.
YOGA
is not just physical exercise. The word means 'yoke' or 'union'
- the exercises, and particularly the breathing, are designed to
eliminate the brain's conscious activity and to allow 'union
with the Infinite'.
MEDITATION
is often accompanied by chanting of mantras and 'centering',
which is focusing on a light or object until vision is dimmed.
The continuous chanting of a 'mantra' (the name of a deity, in
fact) brings the power of that god into the mind. In the Eastern
religions, the name OM is highly prized as a powerful mantra.
But in the West, some so-called Christian practitioners suggest
the use of I AM. The object in both cases is to "still the
mind to hear the inner voice of higher intelligences whose aim
is to influence and co- operate with man."(36)
BIOFEEDBACK
and other such methods of 'scientific meditation' achieve the
same results. The brain- waves are recorded and brought into
harmony, supposedly leading to inner peace, but actually
promoting a passive state of mind.
STRESS-MANAGEMENT
is big business today, but many techniques used (even in primary
schools!) are designed to relax conscious control of the brain
and let the mind float free to experience other realms. Often,
guided imagery is taught through relaxation exercises.
SELF-HYPNOSIS/NEW AGE MUSIC
another area of deception that is growing in popularity. The New
Age tapes of soothing, soporific music are used for meditation
but often have subliminal tracks of suggestions recorded on
them. Some of these tapes, with unheard but powerful messages,
are openly advertised as useful for behaviour modification - to
stop smoking, for example. But other tapes, seemingly just of
music, are secretly full of satanic messages which slip into the
unguarded mind.
CHRISTIAN COUNTERFEITS
are in use in the Church, and they also lead to passivity and
demonic rule. Shocking? But true! Christian methods are
fundamentally the same as pagan methods, but dressed up to seem
acceptable. Few large charismatic meetings today begin without
hours of deafening rock music accompanied by dancing, clapping,
shouting, jumping up and down, arm-waving and all the other
crowd techniques that tend to soften up the mind and make it
ready for implanted teachings. What is true for a secular
rock-concert is equally true in a church!
It may be difficult to spot the counterfeit, but when worship
slips out of the will of God and becomes a soulish 'trip' to
'blissfulness', it has crossed the border into the realm of the
occult. Oral Roberts claims that his power and success stems
from his use of tongues - he says he prays 30-40 times a day in
tongues. (37)
Other ministers are increasingly urging Christians to pray in
tongues for lengthy periods. But Paul warned that when using
tongues the mind is unfruitful. (1 Cor 14:14) Prolonged use of
tongues CAN leave the mind available to demonic suggestion (even
though the spirit is in prayer to God!) Just as dangerous is the
use of chant in worship (though the words may be scriptural!).
It is not the intent that is wrong, but the practice.
With every good intention of worshipping and praising God, some
Christians let their minds go blank and get 'spaced-out' on
choruses. Worship should always be totally controlled and
intelligent. The repeated chanting of words or phrases also has
its dangers - remember that Jesus commanded us not to 'use vain
repetitions as the heathens do'. (Matt 6:7) Robert Schuller, the
dynamic minister of the Crystal Cathedral, who is so prominent
in the Positive Thinking Movement in America, has said that
meditation is not antichristian. He commends its use to
"overcome the distractions of the conscious mind" and
says by meditation we "are harnessing by human means God's
divine laws."(38)
Schuller suggests using the phrase I AM over and over. Others
suggest the use of the Name of Jesus. This surely is a blasphemy
of the highest order. When supposed men of God teach thousands
of gullible Christians to take the Name(s) of the Holy God in
vain, just to serve their own natural needs, - or, worse, to
open their minds to demons - then we have truly come to the
dividing line between Christianity and apostasy.
AUTOMATIC WRITING.
One last area of concern is the production of books, teachings
and so-called prophecies by remote control. There are those who
believe themselves to be controlled by the Spirit of God, when
really they have let their minds come under the control of
demons.
God NEVER speaks or guides while the mind is blank. He ALWAYS
requires a person's full control and exercise of his own mind
and will. So, those who hear inner messages, or who write under
the control of certain powers, are just allowing themselves to
be used for purposes of deception. Also, those who teach
Christians to empty their minds in order to 'hear God' are
leading the Church astray
Some years ago, a book called Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
became very popular, and some Christians received it as from
God. But the teaching in it was basically Hinduistic, and IT WAS
DICTATED BY THE AUTHOR'S SPIRIT-GUIDE. Another best-selling
series of books produced by 'inner messages of the mind', is God
Calling. This purports to be the daily messages from God
received by two women. But these two 'listeners' wrote the book
by letting their minds go blank and then recording whatever came
into them. However pleasant these messages may be, if they were
received in blankness, they are NOT of God.
A book dictated to an atheist psychologist, Helen Shucman, by a
spirit claiming to be Jesus is now being used as teaching
material in churches round the world. It is called A Course In
Miracles. It claims to correct the many errors of the Bible,
teaching that we are all gods in the making and that evil does
not exist. The Course views the world as a 'collective illusion'
and tells us that the answer to our problems is to change our
perceptions about ourselves and the world. This, of course, is
simply New Age propaganda, yet Christians are willing to receive
the lies of a spirit-being if he calls himself Jesus and speaks
through a person's mind!
Spirit guidance of this sort is not only dictated and written.
It is also spoken through false prophets, some of whom operate
in Church circles. Some prophesies given out at meetings and
then circulated round the Church by newsletters are the product
of an empty mind open to demons. We must never fall into the
trap of accepting prophesies as valid before using the
discernment God provides. This sort of false prophecy leads to
no end of confusion in the Church, and only serves the cause of
satan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A SPIRITUAL MIND
The mind which is available to God, and free from attack, is
sharp, clear, active, pure and able to interpret spiritual
truths easily.
A Spiritual Mind is: RENEWED - it is full of the Word of God,
set on spiritual things, and not pre-occupied with earthly
matters.
A Spiritual Mind is: CO-OPERATIVE - it works alongside the
spirit, as its partner, checking out, translating and expressing
spiritual truths which are received from God. When the teaching
comes from outside the spirit - by hearing, seeing etc - the
mind co- operates with the spirit in examining and
cross-checking the teaching, applying its own education to the
teaching, and also subjecting it to the scrutiny of the spirit.
A Spiritual Mind is: SUBMISSIVE - it keeps humble, avoiding
proud thoughts; it never usurps the position of the spirit. The
mind has an artificial light, as of a light-bulb, but the spirit
is lit by the glorious sunlight of God. Spiritual revelation
comes through the spirit, not the mind. Often the simple, humble
Christian who depends on God for illumination knows far more
than an intellectual Christian.
A Spiritual Mind is: OPEN - A closed mind is prejudiced and
bigoted, opposed to God's truth, but an open mind is pliable and
easily entreated. It does not reject out of hand all ideas that
seem alien to its own light.
A Spiritual Mind is: CONTROLLED - each input is carefully
examined before it is accepted, and the mind is not allowed to
drift idly in a sea of information. The spiritual Christian
knows that thoughts are the seeds of action, and he guards
himself against any thought contrary to God's way.
A Spiritual Mind is: PEACEFUL - it rests on God, not on
circumstances, and rejects tormenting thoughts, doubts, worries,
fears and imaginings as from the devil. It flies to the Lord in
trouble, not to feelings or thoughts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONCLUSION
God never changes. His Word and His Person are the objective
truth. Avoid subjective reality and set your mind on the God who
exists outside of our feelings, thoughts and imagination.
Remember that the mind is not the spirit of man. God never
speaks by flashing thoughts or visual experiences presented to
the mind. God speaks and controls by a spiritual prompt which is
translated into human knowledge by the mind. The mind and its
powers are soulish, earthly and fallen, and must be submitted to
God.
God wants us to use and control our own minds. He commands us to
renew our fallen minds by filling them with the Word of God, and
also to submit our intellectual powers to Him - that is, to walk
in the Spirit, not by the reason and judgement of the natural
man.
The mind and the spirit must work in co-operation in prayer,
worship and guidance. The Christian mind needs the spirit to
inspire and control; the Christian spirit needs the mind to
regulate and interpret the things of God.
Cast down imaginations! Never let thoughts or pictures in the
mind rule your thinking about God. The imagination of man,
though useful, is unreliable.
Defend the door of your mind, as a soldier defends a fort. Never
let stray thoughts enter without a challenge, and never be
careless over the information you (and especially your children)
take into your minds. Monitor as much as possible what your
children are taught, and be on the lookout for relaxation
exercises, guided imagery, journalling, dream-recording, and the
discussion of eastern religions in school. Also, monitor
carefully the cartoons and comics children see.
Refuse your natural desires for power, experiences, thrills, and
input from dominant miracle-ministries. Especially, do not allow
anyone to lay hands on you or prophesy over you unless you are
completely sure that the ministry is from God - go to God before
you go to ANY minister!
Worship and prayer must be directed to Father in Heaven, through
and by Jesus Christ, in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
This is the only scriptural way. Prayer must not be directed AT
another person, nor offered to a localised 'presence' in the
room.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOW DO WE BEGIN?
Practise daily the "dying to SELF" that God commands
in His Word - this means to lay aside your own feelings, needs,
emotions, drives and affections, not because they are
necessarily WRONG or EVIL, but because they crowd out the true
workings of your Lord, manifesting Himself by the Holy Spirit.
We cannot hear the voice of God because so much else in our
lives drowns out His voice. If you daily die to self, and take
up the Cross (which is a means of death) you will soon begin to
hear the voice of God and to move under His divine impulse,
under His prompts and not those of your own mind.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTES
Laurie & M Tucker, "Centering: A Guide To Inner
Growth" 1978
Irene Lindsay, "The Rainbow Angel Ministry"
Pauline MacPherson "Can The Elect Be Deceived?" 1986
George Trevelyan "A Vision Of The Aquarian Age" 1984
Wolff "Psychic Self-Improvement for the Millions" 1969
John Gliedman "Science Digest" July 1982
Carl Rogers, "A Way of Becoming" 1980 p. 352
Laurie Warner MA. "New Age Source" Sept. 1982
Dane Rudhyar, "Occult Preparations for the New Age"
1975 pp8-11
Psychosynthesis Inst. "The Realisation of the Self" pp
119-120
Yonggi Cho, "The Fourth Dimension"
Richard Foster, "Celebration of Discipline" 1978, p27
David Conway "Magic, An Occult Primer"
Agnes Sanford "The Healing light" 1947
Mack R. Douglas "Success Can Be Yours" p.37
Bunny Marks "What You See Is What You'll Be" Audio
Tape
Shakti Gawain, "Creative Visualisation" 1978 pp13,20
Lovett "Longing To Be Loved" 1982 p.85
Kenneth Hagin, "Prevailing Prayer to Peace" study
outline
David Stone, "Spiritual Growth in Youth Ministry" 1985
Lovett, op cit.
Foster, op cit.
Don Turner, "Is Inner Healing A Valid Ministry?" 1986
pp 17-23
Calvin Miller "The Table of Inwardness" 1984 p93
Hurtag "The Keys of Enoch"
William Fezier "Hypnosis & Behaviour Modification"
Annie Besant & C.W. Leadbeater, "Thought Forms"
1925
Vera Stanley Alder, "Finding The Third Eye"
Charles Capps "The Tongue, A Creative Force" 1976,
p129
Op cit., p.130
Yonggi Cho, "The Fourth Dimension"
Hurtag op cit.
Lovatt, "The Medicine of Your Mind" (article in
Personal Christianity, August 1979)
Agnes Sanford op cit. p.32
Jessie Penn-Lewis "War On The Saints" p.70
Trevelyan "Aquarian Age"
Oral Roberts in "Chaisma" magazine, quoted in
Antichrist Associates, John Barela 1986
Robert Schuller, "Peace of Mind Through Possibility
Thinking"
NOTE: In a letter to the writer, Mike Fearon states that he does
not consider the gifts to be purely psychic, but "a human
reaction to the Holy Spirit...the gifts can have many different
causes, can be triggered by spirits that are not of God, or can
be purely natural".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used by permision. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright (c) 1996 T. Tillin, Banner
Ministries.
This text may not be copied or distributed, either in paper form
or electronicallywithout permission from the author.
|
If
you are going to work with ritual abuse survivors, you
must also get educated if you want to be effective. And
you must learn to be humble. Trauma survivors do not need
to be around ignorant, modern-day Pharisees. Survivors in
pain need people who will connect with them on an
emotional level, get right down in there where they are,
and listen. --Kathleen Sullivan |
|
