Theological column by Adrienne Greene
Q:
Dear Pastor,
I have the ability to talk to the dead, so people at my church ask me to do this a lot. Now I’ve been asked to conduct an exorcism. Will you explain it so I can do it?
A:
My friend, I am sorry to tell you this, but your spiritual activities are forbidden in the Bible. Perhaps you were unaware that your skills and talents with the dead fall under the category of Spiritism (operating as a Medium.) This and many undertakings related to it are unsafe areas of the supernatural. Please allow me to introduce you to the Bible’s specific guidance on these things. And no, I cannot encourage or instruct you to conduct exorcisms of demons. In your present, spiritual condition, it would put you and others in grave danger both physically and spiritually.
You have shared with me that you attend a church, correct? And in this congregation people are asking you to summon the dead? You haven’t said what kind of church you attend, but I will assume that Jesus Christ may be somewhere in the mix since you are writing to me. If this is the case, and you and your congregation are Christians, then it is safe to say that the Christian Bible is meaningful to your group. We will turn there to understand God’s perspective regarding your actions and your request.
Here is an example of a direct quote from God to Moses: “When you enter the land that God, your God, is giving you, don’t take on the abominable ways of life of the nations there. Don’t you dare sacrifice your son or daughter in the fire. Don’t practice divination, sorcery, fortunetelling, witchery, casting spells, holding séances, or channeling with the dead. People who do these things are an abomination to God. It’s because of just such abominable practices that God, your God, is driving these nations out before you. Be completely loyal to God, your God. These nations that you’re about to run out of the country consort with sorcerers and witches. But not you. God, your God, forbids it” (Deuteronomy 18:9-14, MSG.)
The Lord repeats his own name many times in that swath of scripture, which may seem odd to us. Yet it is crystal clear that God wanted one thing to stand out as he expressed his opinions on what were later called the dark arts: “I’m the One talking!” God declared over and over again. He then presented a very specific list of practices his people (Christians and Jews) are never to participate in, sanction or conduct: 1) the intentional murder of your children (child sacrifice; abortion); divination (pentagrams; Satanism; occult); sorcery (wizards and witches); fortunetelling (tarot cards, crystal balls, tea leaves, palm reading); witchery (white magic or black magic); casting spells (curses, potions, crystals, talismans, charms); holding séances (talking to the dead) and channeling (spirit-guides; spirit possession.) Why would the Lord forbid these things? Because they are on-ramps to highways within satanic realms.
Consider the supernatural darkness of our world like a house with rooms. Doors connect these rooms to each other, yet the rooms are sealed when the doors stay shut. That list of God’s forbidden practices are doorways into something evil. We don’t know what’s inside those rooms or behind those doors. Our job as a Christian is to keep distance from the doors; seal them with our Savior’s blood and flee from the temptation to open them. When we open the door to demonic realms, we suffer the experience of Satan’s kingdom as we leave the safety of God’s kingdom to explore that darkness. I implore you to cease your actions with the dead, repent of your error and return to God’s path.
The world tempts us to look outside the Bible into other places of perceived power. They are certainly powerful, but they are also rooted in eternal hell. Find your excitement in discovering the depths of the Bible; its history, characters and amazing stories which rival the scintillating scenes of science fiction and mystery. And it contains a secret: you cannot read the Bible without meeting, face to face, the One who wrote it.
Do you have a question or comment for Pastor Adrienne? Send your inquiries to: info@adriennewgreene.com or write to P.O. Box 214, Harrison, OH 45030. For more information and resources, please visit www.askpastoradrienne.com or the “Ask Pastor Adrienne” YouTube channel for sermons and insights.