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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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".
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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.
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