Spirits That Peep and Mutter

A wizard in Israel's day was one who was a pretender to supernatural knowledge and power, or a "knowing one," as the original Hebrew word signifies. The law required that such a one be stoned and put to death - with no mercy or questions asked! America is slipping into total oblivion through the nuances of the "new age" movement, outright worship of Satan, and the onslaught of the occult in our society. This is nothing new. The serpent first spread his wicked web of deceit in the Garden of Eden and has not stopped seeking to destroy man through his wiles. Isaiah warned the nation of Israel that when men would seek to sway others to "seek after them that have familiar spirits," and "wizards who peep and mutter," that those listening should flee such and seek after GOD! As I write this message we are a few days away from a day Americans recognize as "Halloween." It is one of the most damnable and wicked days on our calendar. The church of the Living God needs to WAKE up and SEEK after GOD instead of entertaining our children with the same enticements the world dues!!! Just because we change the name of our "get togethers," on this demonic night to "harvest festivals," and the such, does not mean we are not involved with the same demon spirits behind the day itself. God is not wanting us to offer an "alternative" to this day - He wants us to stand against it and rebuke it through intercession, prayer and totally ignoring it! If what is being done through a local church is not according "to the law and to testimony," of the Word of God - we don't need to be participating in it -  PERIOD. Should not a people seek after their God? YES! But the American church in its backslidden state seeks the dead to understand the living. That is deception!

 

By Chris McDonald

 

TEXT: Isaiah 8:19-22  - And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? [20] To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. [21] And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. [22] And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

        I don't think I've ever written a message on the subject of this journal but a few days ago I felt constrained by the Holy Spirit to address the coming "celebration," of Halloween on Monday, Oct. 31. More importantly I felt Him lead me to this passage in Isaiah about familiar spirits in general and sound an alarm to those who would "dabble" in the occult and commune with demon spirits through divination, necromancy and sorcery. Let me just go ahead and say this to get this out of the way and set the tone for this message. I could care less what term one uses in the sense of "white" magic or "black" magic - BOTH WILL SEND YOU TO A RED HOT HELL!  Embracing the occult and such will send you to a RED HOT HELL! There is no middle ground here. I'm not trying to categorize sin with this matter no more than I would if I were addressing homosexuality. Sin is SIN. Let's get that straight. In scripture however, there is a greater emphasis it seems the Lord puts on forbidding men to seek after the spirit realm, familiar spirits, sorcerers, witches, diviners and necromancers and the like. Judah, in Isaiah's day, was doing just that! We have come full circle in modern times to a day where all the sorcerers, witches and Satan worshippers celebrate a "day." That day is Halloween. This journal is not just about Halloween but I do want to address this matter here to begin.

 

        I put the term "celebration," in parentheses because it's not a celebration at all in a good way. Halloween is one of the most wicked, demonic, evil, damnable days on our calendar. This is a warning to those who name the name of Jesus to wake up!! The Holy Spirit said through Paul in Romans that the "night" was far spent and the days of darkness were at hand. We are to "CAST OFF" the works of darkness and not have fellowship with SUCH! When we get into bed with the world and recognize this day we are literally inviting the devil to our tables and neighbor that will NEVER be a good thing when Satan is given latitude to work, especially in the lives of our children!!!!!!


Romans 13:11-14 -  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. [12] The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. [13] Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. [14] But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

Ephes. 5:11 -  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. [12] For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. [13] But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. [14] Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. [15] See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, [16] Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. [17] Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

        The Holy Spirit screams at us here - "CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS!" "AWAKE YOU WHO SLEEP!" "Arise from the dead and CHRIST will give you light!" He's telling us that Christians, though born-again and yes even spirit-filled, can find themselves fellowshiping with the works of darkness. The word "fellowship," there has the same connotation as "communion." When we fellowship with darkness we are literally having communion with Satan. We can't have fellowship with Christ and fellowship with demons at the same time.

 

1 Cor. 6:15-20 -  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. [16] What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. [17] But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. [18] Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. [19] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? [20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1 Cor 10:20-22 - No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
 

 

        When we allow our children to "celebrate" Halloween, neighbor we are drinking of the cup of demons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yet, MILLIONS of Christians justify this calling it "innocent fun," and "harmless play," allowing our children to dress up in costumes and go trick or treating. And now most churches have embraced the day to the point they are offering alternatives to what the world does through their "harvest" festivals and the like. To me that is no different than what contemporary Christian music does to music that belongs to Satan. It offers an "alternative," instead of casting off the works of darkness TOTALLY and walking in the LIGHT OF CHRIST and HIM CRUCIFIED! I don't care what you call it - when we do something on that day - we are recognizing the "holiday!" Ignore it! Don't offer anything except to invite parents out to pray for their children and families through intercession. Man oh, man, what an original thought - have a PRAYER meeting on Halloween. You think we could fill a front row in most churches if we did that??? Probably not! But what should be a normal response to a damnable holiday has become the exception for all time. And as America sinks further and further into demonic bondage and the oblivion of darkness she finds herself in - the same warnings Isaiah gave Judah 2,500 years ago are warnings American should heed as well - including those in the so-called 'church."

 

        Halloween has demonic origins that date back to the times of the Celts. Celtic tradition has to do with observing the end of summer sacrifices to gods in Druidic tradition. In what is now Britain and France, it was the beginning of the Celtic year, and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks. Believe it or not, most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to these old pagan rites and superstitions.

        In the fourth century, Christians attempted to co-opt the holiday by celebrating the lives of faithful Christian saints the day before Halloween. This was a conscious attempt to provide an alternative and re-focus the day away from ghouls, goblins, ghosts, witches and other “haunted” experiences. Since that time many Christians have decided to allow their children to dress in more “innocent” costumes of pumpkins, princesses, Superman or as a cowboy.

 

        One Christian writer said recently in "Christianity Today," that  "Halloween in western culture is impossible to avoid." Are you kidding me?????? I bet if I'm walking down a dirt road and saw a diamondback rattlesnake I think I could avoid it. The church's mentality to that same scenario based upon it's feelings on Halloween would be to think "there are so many rattlesnakes so I can't avoid them. I''ll just walk right up to this one and pet it." Then when the snake bites us we realize the cost of not avoiding "it." God help us. What is so hard to recognize about the evil of this day? One word - DECEPTION! And Satan is a master planner of that without a dobut. He has blinded the eyes of pastors, church leaders, youth leaders and parents in general to the schemes of his devices. The Holy Spirit said through Paul though "WE ARE NOT IGNORANT" of His devices!

 


2 Cor 2:11- ...lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

        When we are ignorant, Satan takes advantage! Wicca, the official religion of witchcraft, looks to Halloween as a real, sacred day for those who follow Wicca. In fact, it is one of two high and holy days for them. The Celtic belief of spirits being released is current, along with the worship of Samhain (the lord of death) – both are promoted as something to embrace on that day. There is no question in my mind that to those who believe and follow the practices of witchcraft, Halloween represents an opportunity to embrace the evil, devilish, dark side of the spiritual world. As Christians you and I are placed in this world to be a light in a world of darkness. Some argue that there is no lasting benefit to ignore a holiday that exists around us, but it also does harm to celebrate Halloween as it has originated and grown over the centuries. When I say ignore I'm not talking about sticking our head in the sand and acting like it don't exist - it does. But when we celebrate it in an "alternative" way we are giving credence to it just as if we were celebrating it as the world does. That is the writer's opinion. Some may disagree. It's like some Christians who major in finding Satan under every church bench and event that happens to them. Our focus needs to be on CHRIST! Our focus needs to be on CHRIST and Him Crucified! Our focus needs to be on what CHRIST has done for us through His shed blood that destroyed the powers of darkness and gives the Christian a hope that the world will never have unless it comes to HIM!

        We as Christians should be teaching their children (age appropriately) that:

        It is amazing to me to see Christian leaders scurrying to find alternatives to this demonic day. WILL WE WAKE UP?????? WILL WE stop committing spiritual adultery with the world system? Can we not see that ALL that is in the world is NOT OF GOD but of the WORLD! I can just see Paul, Peter, James and the first council in Jerusalem meeting on how to handle this. Halloween wasn't an issue back then but I can assure you of this - if it had been - there would not have been a "HARVEST" festival in Jerusalem on Oct. 31! There would not have been a get together where the Jewish children dressed up in "religious" costumes instead of pagan ones. In the eyes of Paul and the others I'm sure they would have agreed with this writer that doing that would have been just as pagan as dressing the kids up in a witch's costume. But we in the modern church have to "adjust" as one pastor said recently to the society we live in. FOOLISHNESS! That is nothing but a pile of something we Southern Georgians call "crap." God does not adjust to society and change the truth of His word based upon society's wishes and whims. And neither should His church! NEITHER should the ones He's called out of darkness into light through the precious shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ!


When They Say......

 

Isaiah 8:19-22  - And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter:

        Isaiah is speaking here of those in Judah who were attempting to contact departed loved ones and claiming communication with the dead. He opens this warning with the statement, "when they shall say unto you." As I was preparing for this message, the thought came to me, "who is they?" The "they" were false prophets, apostles and teachers in Judah's day that were leading the nation away from God into occultic practices. The "they" today are the same false prophets, apostles and teachers who are leading the church into the same. Now, put your seat belt on here because I'm about to say a few things that for surety will not go over too well. I say this in love but it needs to be said. This message was burned into my heart a few days ago by the Holy Spirit who BURNS with jealousy over God's people! He's angry and hurt at our seeking after "familiar" spirits instead of being led by the ONLY SOURCE of all Godliness and power on earth - the HOLY SPIRIT.

 

        Who are "they?" This underscores the noose around the modern church's neck in that we are listening to MEN instead of listening and obeying GOD. I want to say it again. We are listening to MEN who "SAY" unto us, "seek" after other things than Christ and Him Crucified! We listen to "men" who may not openly tell you to go seek after a familiar spirit or a wizard who peeps and mutters, but hide behind religious dogma to conceal a demonic union with New Age theology that is hand in hand with Wiccan and every other occultic movement in the world today. If you listen to Rick Warren and the Joel Osteens of the body today they tell you that being a Buddhist and worshiping wicked idols is ok as long as you find your purpose in this life. They tell you that the Muslim and those in Hinduism and every other false religion that worships a false god and in many case is involved in rank idol worship are all part of God's big happy family and don't have to give those idols up to be saved. That is blasphemy. Eugene Peterson's "message" bible has its pages laced with so much New Age terminology that if you put some of the words he uses to translate scripture into a google search engine you'll pull up hundreds of sites dedicated to Satanists, witches, warlocks, new agers and every else involved in the occult! AND WE CAN'T SEE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG IN THAT??? I have a dear loved one who loves this bible and says that just because a few terms are shared by the New Age there is nothing wrong with it. I strongly disagree. WHEN "THEY" say to you, seek after familiar spirits, we need to ignore "THEY" and listen to God! We need to allow the HOLY SPIRIT of truth to come into our hearts in a new way and help us discern the evil that is behind this work of Satan.

 

        The church world sits back as this takes place and acts like nothing is wrong as "THEY" tell us to seek after another god, preaching another gospel, driven by another spirit (a familiar spirit), pointing us to another CHRIST. Neighbor, not to be blunt, but blunt I want to be - THIS WILL SEND YOU TO HELL.

 

        And then you have the charismatic world clamoring after every evil spirit as well in the name of God. The word of faith camp has it's formulas, the government of 12 has its "government," and all the like. NONE OF IT IS OF GOD. Barking like dogs and rolling on the ground in some distorted way as what has taken place in certain places around the globe in the name of revival is not of God! God can do anything He wants but friend if the experience we have is not in the Bible we'd better very very careful what "they" are telling us. "THEY" want your money! "THEY" want to prophesy great glorious things over you so you will sit back down in awe of their "anointing," and pull that check book out and write them a check. "THEY" want to deceive so as to make gains in their checking account. "THEY" will tell you if you sow a seed into "their" ministry then you will be out of debt in a year. Well, if that is true, why can't I sow the seed where I want to sow it??????? I mean if I sow that same seed into another ministry will I be out of debt? If you ask "THEY" I can guarantee you they will say "oh, no, no, no, you need to sow that here!" God help us. I'm being rather blunt and to the point here but I'm trying to scream some sense into some of you reading this article to get your eyes off the world and your ears off of what "THEY" are saying. You need to hear from the LORD through the Holy Spirit! He will guide and lead you into ALL truth. The great quesiton in any experience is "is it Biblical?"

 

Familiar Spirits and Wizards That Peep and Mutter

 

Isaiah 8:19a - And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter:


        At this very time of Isaiah and King Ahaz, both houses of Israel were in the habit of seeking guidance from familiar spirits like the heathen instead of putting trust in God and seeking His will (2 Kings 16:2-4; 2 Kings 17:3-23; 2 Kings 21:1-9; 2 Chron. 28:1-4; 2 Chron. 33:1-10). This was the last sin of Saul (1 Samuel 28:7-25; 1 Chron. 10:13-14). For centuries many nations and kings sought guidance from the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, Greece, and the priestesses there. The Vulgate renders this by Pythons and diviners. A Python among the Greeks and Romans denoted one that had the spirit of prophesying; it was particularly applied to the priestess at Delphi .

 

Acts 16:16 - -And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

         The Septuagint renders this passage to mean "ventriloquists, and those speaking from the earth ... from the belly"; Moffatt: "mediums and ghosts that cheep and gibber in low murmurs"; Peshitta: "familiar spirits and of wise men who chirp and mutter"; Berkeley: "necromancers and fortune tellers"; Fenton: "raisers of spirits ... whisperers and the entranced"; Rotherham: "necromancers ... wizards"; Young: "familiar spirits ... wizards that chatter and mutter."

        The word "peep," comes from the Hebrew: tsaphaph (HSN-6850), which means to coo or chirp as a bird; whisper. Translated peep (Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 10:14); whisper (Isaiah 29:4); and chatter (Isaiah 29:4).

Isaiah 29:4
And thou shall be brought down, and shall speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

Isaiah 10:14
And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

        It refers to the gentle whisperings which the ancients ascribed to the dead. It was believed that departed spirits did not speak clearly, but with an indistinct, suppressed voice. The medium's physical motions implied calling the dead from under the earth. It literally means "as above, so below" a phrase used in the Message Bible in the Lord's prayer. The Holy Spirit through Isaiah asks the question, "Should not the people seek God for revelation instead of the dead?" This makes it clear that so-called communications with the dead are not of God and should not be sought.

        The sorcerers or necromancers, who professed to call up the dead to answer questions, were said to have a "familiar spirit" (Deut. 18:11; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chr. 33:6; Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Isa. 8:19; 29:4). Such a person was called by the Hebrews an 'ob', which properly means a leathern bottle; for sorcerers were regarded as vessels containing the inspiring demon. This Hebrew word was equivalent to the "pytho" of the Greeks, and was used to denote both the person and the spirit which possessed him (Lev. 20:27; 1 Sam. 28:8; comp. Acts 16:16). The word "familiar" is from the Latin familiaris, meaning a "household servant," and was intended to express the idea that sorcerers had spirits as their servants ready to obey their commands.

        The question is "what part of this do we not get?" Paul warned us through the writings to Timothy that in the latter days men would give heed to seducing spirits and DOCTRINES of devils. This would cause some to depart from the faith. These demon spirits would speak LIES in hypocrisy having their conscience seared by a hot iron. The false teachers and preachers of today have no conscience they are leading sheep to hell! When "they say" seek after something other than God those following and clamoring after these false preachers are headed for the same damnation! I feel this all over me right now. I'm angry to be frank at the horrible arrogance in the ministry today. Men of God, so-called, leading men and women to a false god that cannot save, deliver or heal, will stand accountable to God one day for the error of their ways and for the blood on their hands for refusing to preach the gospel under the anointing of the Holy Ghost.

1 Tim. 4:1-7 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; [2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; [3] Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. [4] For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: [5] For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. [6] If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. [7] But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

        Isaiah said that those who don't live in the light of God's Word will live and walk in spiritual darkness. They shall wander here and there through it (Immanuel's land, Palestine—the subject of this prophecy, Isaiah 8:8) hungry and oppressed by the judgments of God through other nations, fretting in spite of their trust in demons who promise them help; and they will curse the king and God for their miseries (Isaiah 8:21). They shall look up to heaven and down to the earth for help and shall find none. They shall have trouble and spiritual darkness and anguish to the point of despair (Isaiah 8:22).

        More on that in a moment. The problem today with the church is we're basing our doctrinal stances on what "they" say, not what God says. I am just going to make points 1,2,3,14,17,30, and 40 right here. THE "THEY" are of the DEVIL! And it is the opinion of this writer that ultimately the SHEPHERDS over these flocks are the ones responsible for allowing the false apostles and prophets abuse the sheep! The pastors must discern what is of truth and what is of error. If it is false and they allow those doctrines to affect the sheep then the shepherd is a HIRELING! Most have become hirelings for the almighty dollar the expense of the souls of the sheep. It's a crying shame that so many pastors have opted out for numbers and money instead of preaching the truth of the Word of God.


I Jn 4:6- We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

        Israel's failures came on the heels of the failure of her ministers. The CHURCH of Israel lost its way and when the CHURCH lost its way, Israel followed quickly behind it. It's been the failure of the American pulpit which has stopped preaching the word of God in lieu of shaking hands with Satan and the powers of darkness that has brought America as a nation on the brink of hell itself. We cannot say we don't know better - WE DO! Much of what goes on today goes on in spite of numerous warnings and prophetic utterances warning the church to come back to God. We want an experience with a God who wants more than just a "God-moment" with us. He wants SUBMISSION to His will and obedience to His Word. He wants His church to let go of its adulterous relationship with the world system and COME OUT from among them, says the LORD! THE THEM IN THAT WORD IS THE SAME "THEY" in Isaiah's prophecy. Sadly, the "THEM" and the "THEY" have creeped into our churches unawares and reeked havoc in the Body of Christ. Why??? Because the hirelings of the American pulpits have let them. Wake up man of God. Wake up preacher. Wake up pastor. Wake up church leadership. My God help us. We put on such a show on Sunday it would make Las Vegas entertainers blush. But if it's not under the direction of the HOLY GHOST that brings conviction and points men to a bloody cross where sins powers were broken it is a sham, a false gospel, a mockery of the truth of God's word and an open sliding door to hell for MILLIONS who follow and clamor after such things. If America goes down, don't blame the politicians. If America goes down, don't blame the President. If America goes down, we cannot even blame the liberal news media and such (even though they are rotten to the core and need Jesus). We must lay the blame for the spiritual state of this nation at the door of the spiritual GATE KEEPER of this nation - the CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST that has shook hands with the world system and gotten into bed with the devil who is more than willing to allow us to do that. When we're in bed with him, he knows we're not out preaching the gospel, winning the lost and setting the captives free.

    We cannot be "experience" oriented, even though there are many experiences I believe are right and if the Spirit of God is in it valid. Many don't believe in speaking in tongues and fight tooth and toenail to dispel the truth of God's word concerning this subject. I have seen people falling under the power of the Spirit in a true way, while also witnessing much of the same experience which is false and demonic. If it glorifies Christ you can be sure it is of God. If it glorifies man, you can be sure it is of SATAN! The true move of the Spirit comes to our fellowships and churches when the truth of the Word of God is preached. The WORD OF GOD IS the message of Christ Crucified.

        The Spirit of God is called the Spirit of Truth. There is also the WORD of Truth, that sets men free from bondage, not put them in deeper! The Spirit LEADS us to ALL truth. Jesus didn't say you shall know an experience and that experience will set you free. He said you shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall set you free. TRUE gospel preaching is rooted in the LIGHT OF CHRIST which dispel ALL darkness. The light of the gospel will always bring freedom to those in darkness around us. Those involved in the occult and embracing false religion are in darkness and during this dark time of the year we need to be discerning without becoming cynical and fault-finding.

        Paul said that the word of truth is the gospel of your salvation! And when "they say," seek after something else - FLEE IT! RUN FROM IT. REJECT IT. I don't care if an angel comes preaching it - RUN FROM IT. Let that angel be accursed! I don't care if the biggest name in 'ministry' today comes into your church and has a million-man following and preaches false doctrine - REJECT IT. He's a heretic. He's a false prophet and teacher and needs to repent before God. If the preacher preaching is not preaching the Cross - TURN HIM OFF, and better yet, TURN HIM OUT! I can promise you this one thing. Should the Lord bring us to a place of pastoral leadership once more there will be a few things cemented in stone at the church pastored by Chris McDonald. There will be no ministry outside the CROSS OF CHRIST and the HOLY GHOST! There will not be "life coaches" and "self-esteem building" ministers behind the pulpit. There will only be Holy Ghost filled, sin-chasing, heaven loving, Devil killing, red hot, true blue, on fire preachers of righteousness and grace that will have such anointings on them that if you're lost and you come to the meeting you will either run TO the altar, or you'll feel such conviction you'll RUN OUT. God bring those days back to our churches. God rain down Holy Ghost FIRE from heaven today in the name of Jesus so as to show us once more the power of YOUR word preached under the anointing once again. GRACE Lord, GRACE! We need grace today. We need the Holy Spirit to rise up in jealousy over our souls once again and let us see how HE LUSTS TO ENVY to possess us!

James 4:5-6- Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? [6] But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.

Spirits That Peep And Mutter.....

Isaiah 8:19-22 - Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

        The influence of the occult and the New Age is increasing at a breathtaking rapid pace in America AND IN THE CHURCH in these last days. There has never been a time when darkness has descended upon the earth as it has in the last few years. It's a sign the coming of CHRIST is near! It's a SIGN that the rapture of the church is right around the corner. The terms "familiar spirits," and "wizards that peep, and that mutter," address the spirit of demons that had come into Judah during Isaiah's day. They show us the same spirit that has descended upon America and the American church as well! The term, "familiar spirits," comes from the  Hebrew: "owb" (HSN-178), and means "a mumble," as from a water-skin because of its hollow sound; "a bottle; a necromancer or ventriloquist."

        This term is translated "bottles" (Job 32:19); and "familiar spirits" (Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; 1 Samuel 28:3-9; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Kings 23:24; 1 Chron. 10:13; 2 Chron. 33:6; Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 19:3; Isaiah 29:4). These are demon spirits possessing mediums who give up their wills to them, to imitate dead people, make predictions, promote doctrines, etc. (1 Tim. 4:1-7).

        In 1 Samuel 28 it seems that Samuel actually appeared to Saul, but in 1 Chron. 10:13 it is clear that it was a familiar spirit imitating Samuel which appeared. The girl of Acts 16:16 had "a spirit of python." It is said that persons under the operation of this demon would become swollen and give answers in a frenzied state of mind. Counterfeit demonstrations were made by ventriloquists, as suggested here, using a bottle or large water-skin. The term "wizards," comes from the Hebrew: yidde,oniy (HSN-3049), meaning "knowing ones, a conjurer." The wizards were males who practiced witchcraft (Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; 1 Samuel 28:3,9; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Kings 23:24; 2 Chron. 33:6; Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 19:3), which was strictly forbidden by God THEN and it is strictly FORBIDDEN NOW!

        Occult practices, such as fortune-telling and witchcraft, which were common among the pagan nations of the ancient world. But such attempts to control evil spirits were expressly forbidden to the Hebrew people. The passage listed above in Deuteronomy 18:10-11 mentions the following specific occult practices which were forbidden by the law of Moses.

        And you may read those things and say "well those things are really bad but they don't go on in churches." Neighbor you'd be very sadly surprised how much these things are going on in churches from coast to coast in America! The church world chases after spirits instead of embracing THE SPIRIT - the Holy Spirit. We seek after a "SIGN" as the adulterous generation Jesus addressed in Matthew 12. We want to see the spectacular while God wants us to see ourselves in the light of the CROSS of His Son! The whole world is rapidly descending into darkness while the church world embraces the Trojan horse of the new age movement.
 

Matthew 12:38-42 - Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. [39] But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: [40] For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. [41] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. [42] The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. [43] When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
 

        Jesus said NO SIGN would be given to that generation and NO SIGN will be given to this one either - save ONE - THE SIGN of the prophet Jonah! Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, a type of CHRIST who went to the cross and spent three days in the heart of the earth in Paradise preaching deliverance to the captives there and leading captivity captive, giving GIFTS unto men! That's the sign of the CROSS - the place of the death, burial and resurrection of the SON OF GOD. That is the SIGN the Lord will give. Actually He has already given it! If we refuse to believe in that sign and seek after another, then we have become like Judah. Sadly, most of the church world has done just that - sought after a sign without seeking the one greater than Solomon, and greater than JONAH!

The  Church Growth Movement - A Peeping Spirit and a Muttering Wizard!

 

2 Thes. 2:1-3
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, [2] That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. [3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

        We know by these words that before Jesus returns, great deception will come to the church. Right now, we are totally unprepared for it. One of the crying alarms at this very moment is the almost total lack of discernment in the church. We have come to a place where we are so conditioned to the slow infiltration of all things sensual and worldly, that we judge the rightness of a thing based on how we feel, how something looks, how big and how popular something is. Humans by nature are trend junkies. The church, through compromise, have become trend junkies. There is always the “latest” thing to make your church a success, make your program work, etc. There is something to be said for the steady faithfulness of a tiny church. In Revelation I never read Jesus commending a church for their astonishing growth. He does commend them for faithfulness under fire. The thing about “phenomenal church growth” that concerns me is, who is populating the “growth?” Why are they really there? How many are truly committed to following Jesus for a lifetime? To be frank, in all the growth, there are scarce few watchmen. In fact, because of the “bigness”, which to most means God has to be behind it, any watchmen who raise a concern are seen as divisive troublemakers, and are marginalized, scoffed at and dismissed as irrelevant in the face of this “big” thing “God” is doing.

        I need to make it plain that I do not agree with or want to be seen as like so many self-appointed “watchmen” who viciously attack anything related to Christian counseling or the gifts of the Spirit or anything that is not cut and dry traditional. There is a difference between mean-spirited heresy-hunters and true watchmen, and believe me I write this with the heart of a shepherd, not that of a fault-finding boogey man. But the problem is certainly NOT that we have a bunch of “heresy hunters” making life miserable, or even that there are many true watchmen raising concerns. In fact there are precious few, and their voices are extinguished or silenced very quickly, and rarely get any real hearing in the Christian media. When it comes to mega-church movements, dissenters are as welcome as a Democrat at a Republican fund raiser and vice versa.

        And THIS is how the peeping spirits and muttering wizards of deception are getting in: No one will be watching the gates, because everyone's so awestruck at the size and the majesty of this movement. One author likened it to the Trojan Horse of Troy so long ago. While Troy's inhabitants stood in awe of the horse's beauty, they never realized death was inside lurking for them to sleep!!!!!!!!! LET THAT SINK IN.

   

        Anyone who opposes this movement is ridiculed as a “chicken little” doomsday preacher. It bears necessity here to give a little history lesson, which is necessary because most believers are either unaware of, or have forgotten, the alarm of the 1980's concerning the “New Age Movement.” Lawyer-turned-advocate Constance Cumbey wrote an astonishing and accurate book called, “The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow.” She exposed the powerful and committed agenda of the New Age, which was - and is - the heart and core of the coming one world religion that the antichrist will lead. The book exposed the New Age's gradual infiltration of the media, politics, education, and especially the church.

        Unfortunately, the church's concern and alarm about all of this was just a “trend junkie” fix and the New Agers retaliated and wiped Cumbey out, and we quickly forgot and moved on to the next “thing”. Now when you mention it, most Christians say, “New Age What?” The problem is, though the church has forgotten that the New Age has an agenda, the agenda remains. And that agenda, as clearly stated long ago by the New Age teachers, is the “blending” of Christianity as just one of many religions. Those who did not go along would be marginalized, isolated and eventually eliminated if necessary, or as one said, “Evolved to the next life.”

        There were and are several key elements - solid pillars of the church - that had to be and still trying to be weakened,. "New Ideas" are being substituted  in their place. This is how it has evolved: Number one and probably most disturbing is the dumbing down of the Word of God. The serious study and application of the Word of God has always been a cornerstone of the true church. Less than 30 years ago, believers in the former Soviet Union were murdered for even possessing a Bible. In some countries, they still are.

        Today, if you want a Bible, going to a Christian bookstore is like a huge smorgasbord. There are dozens of translations, cool covers, devotional Bibles for everyone from golfers to pet lovers. Most are designed for Snippet readers - a little bite, not too much, with a warm-fuzzy story to go with it. “Devotional reading” has replaced real study. Have you noticed how the big “megachurch” movements push certain translations? “So we'll all be on the same page.” Problem is, many of these new translations can't even be called scripture (like “The Message”) so greatly have they been altered from true scripture.

        I'm not a “King James only” person, but I'm getting close, especially as I learn more about many “new” versions and how they have eliminated key verses and words about the Lordship of Jesus and His shed blood. You would do well to do an online search on “King James Debate” and make your own conclusions. It rattled me enough to pare down my Bible collection to a few proven, sturdy ones rather than the plethora of spurious “new” ones. Every generation has become less studious and more “devotional” to where now, you need only “follow the bouncing ball” on Powerpoint once a week at church and that suffices as “scripture study.” I'm grateful for some of the young people I know who are comparing these new “translations” with the old and saying, “Hey, that's NOT what it says!” The dumbing down of the scriptures has led to compromise in every area - sexuality, “lifestyle” and relationships. The result is, discernment is utterly gone. Counterfeits are supposed to be good; only if you know the REAL, inside and out, does that precious gift of discernment rise up to contest the lies. And that REAL is only found through committed study of the Word of God.


No. 2 - Christian Media: Diluting and merchandising.
 

        One of the biggest joys of my early Christian walk was to visit Christian bookstores. They were full of substance, Spirit-filled music and great books and tools for evangelism. Now, they are like a homey mini-mart. And it's all about trends, popularity and money. They cater to “trend junkies.” They are overrun with Christian romance books. The non-fiction bestsellers are vapid and weak and empty, books that are making a fortune on “principles” so basic that most Christians should have had them down in the first month of their walk, and instead are being touted as “great revelation.” You have to special order anything of real value - Amy Camichael, AW Tozer, Spurgeon. The music section is filled with trendy bands that sound like the world but have no redeeming power. There are exceptions, but they are rare, and they are not in the “top ten” rack.

        Why are we shocked? Almost all of the major Christian book and music companies are owned by powerful secular corporations. As a result, MONEY is what dictates what fills the store - what sells - and secular corporations care only for what will sell, and not for the truth. Thus most Christians do not even have the opportunity to taste of the richness of true Christian literature. This part of the “Trojan Horse” is crucial - those who control the flow of information into the hearts and minds of believers, will control what they read and what they think and what they follow. The wholesale control over Christian media by secular corporations has nearly guaranteed that books that are controversial, challenging or don't “follow the flow” are never going to see the light of day.

No. 3 - The “Inward” Life

        The church is never stronger than when they are bringing people to Christ. Former revivals brought thousands to Jesus and closed down bars. (Now Christian performers want to “cross over” and PLAY in bars.) Evangelism is powerful. Therefore it is necessary for Satan and those who carry out the “new age” agenda to neutralize it. The “new evangelism” is gutting us. It starts by making believers introspective. “FIND your purpose. Look inside! Use breath prayers and contemplative thought. Read the `desert masters'!” The desert masters, unfortunately, that are gaining a new audience in the church, lived in isolation and took much of their teaching from Buddhist and Hindu religion. I believe in meditation, yes, but not the “new way” it's being taught. Yes, Elijah had to wait for a still, small voice. But just as often, God spoke powerfully through visions, prophetic utterance and knocking someone off of their horse! True meditation is ACTIVELY engaging your mind and heart in scripture, not EMPTYING your mind and waiting for an “impression” or “feeling.”

        Beware of the new “contemplative Christian prayer” trend. It is repackaged New Age teaching. It is virtually indistinguishable from New Age thought, and includes new age tools such as “prayer labyrinths”, and will do nothing but keep believers from their evangelical purpose as they turn more and more inward looking for the next “Holy Spirit” hit.  What a damnable lie. This part of the Trojan Horse is extremely crucial to the New Age agenda, which wants to make the church “inclusive”, “diverse” and harmless. They will ostracize anyone who still wants to “shove religion down people's throats.” Be ready to hear more and more talk about how we need to see how much we have in COMMON with other religions, rather than what makes us DIFFERENT. One World Religion won't initially try to take away your faith; they will just neutralize it, TAME it, and get it to SHUT UP.
 
NO. 4 - Syncretism and “NewSpeak”

        Syncretism is essentially molding the Gospel to fit the culture. I understand we don't need to take an “Americanized” Gospel to third world cultures, but this current trend toward syncretism is different, and it is going way too far. We have gone so far in dressing up the Gospel in worldly clothes to fit the culture that we have forgotten we are called to be a SEPARATE people. We do not take our cues from the world; we take everything from the scriptures, whether it is socially acceptable or not. We are not called to make the Gospel fit people's lives; the Gospel makes people fit the Kingdom Life, which is UTTERLY SEPARATE from this world system. I believe the church has an identity crisis. Because our weak programs and powerless efforts have failed to get the world's attention, we decided to become “the good guys.” The mega church movements have suddenly become a huge self-help and relief agency. Believe me - the church should ALWAYS feed the poor, care for the destitute, the widow, the orphan. But it is not the center of the Gospel, and I am concerned that we are doing much of this because we want so much to be relevant, to be LIKED. The mega church movement is becoming absorbed in good social works, but the Gospel message is becoming more and more diluted and muted, so as “not to offend.” Instead of “silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee, in the Name of Jesus Christ RISE UP AND WALK”, it's “Here's some silver and a voucher. God bless!”, leaving the soul unsaved, unhealed.

        Again, the New Age masters cannot complete their vision without doing something about the Christians. And the Trojan Horse here is to slowly transform it from evangelical and separate to inclusive, helpful and nonoffensive. Perhaps if you understood the basis of Luciferian philosophy and goals, which underpins the New Age, you would see the danger. Their vision is a world as one religion, one nation, without God, because YOU are “God.” Sharing wealth, healing the world. Megachurch programs promoting a “peace plan” which seeks to cure disease, stop wars, erase poverty etc., but in a weak, safe religious context, are MORE than acceptable in Luciferian/New Age context. It is in fact the best way to absorb the church, dilute the message and eliminate the divisive hard-line “religious fanatics.” Can I spell out the message? “Come join us in healing the world. We like Jesus too. Just don't push your religion on us and we will accept AND applaud your efforts!” And so they are. Megachurch world-healers keep dangerous company and seem to have no problem cozying up to new age thinkers and spokesmen, as long as it “gets the job done”, choosing to see what they have in COMMON rather than what makes them DIFFERENT.

        Why am I bothered that the world is beginning to applaud the efforts of the church world-healers? Because frankly, the number of horrible things said about me personally over the internet tells me I'm doing my job. I do not want the world's accolades. “They hated me”, Jesus said, “They will hate you also.” And, “Beware when all men speak well of you.” The Gospel is an OFFENSE to those who do not believe. Shouldn't we be concerned if we suddenly are becoming the world's harmless darling? We should, indeed. If you've read George Orwell's 1984, you might recall the concept of “newspeak.” It is the interjection of a new vocabulary to brainwash people. Repeat it enough, it will alter people's thoughts and behavior. The New Age has their own NewSpeak. This part of the Trojan Horse is beginning to change the church's vocabulary. Words, and some of these words I will list, aren't necessarily bad, but they are charged with new age meaning. This is just a partial list:
 

Global; Inclusive; diversity; radical shift; emerging church; paradigm shift; syncretism; Oneness; inner work; contemplative; possibility thinking; fulfilling your dream; finding your destiny; positive message.


        You get the idea. Not one of these words or concepts are in scripture. But slowly, NewSpeak is prevailing, and God help those who cry caution; they will be labeled divisive and haters and dissenters. How, dear Jesus, did we get so far from the pure, unvarnished powerful message of the Gospel?

Should Not A People Seek After Their God?
 

Isaiah 8:19- And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

        In order to succeed, a cloud of absolute confusion has to come concerning the last days. It was so simple when I first believed; Jesus was coming back. We believed, we waited, we spoke it to one another: “Maranatha!” We cut our teeth on Hal Lindsay's Late Great Planet Earth. It may not have been 100%, but it was a good scriptural guide on what to watch for. No, He has not yet come, but we watch, we wait, expect, love His appearing. Today, a vast number of churches and believers do not talk about His return, do not preach it and many new believers don't even know to expect His return. When was the last time you heard a message on His coming? Emphasis on the return of Jesus has nearly gone from our midst, which suits the New Age agenda well; they don't want this silly talk of Jesus returning. Why not just repair THIS world instead of pining for the “pie in the sky by and by”?


        But in the midst of a growing ignorance about the last days, there is a renewal of the “preterist” movement, largely revived by Hank Hannegraff's “Anti-Left-Behind” fiction book “The Last Disciple” whose message is, “Revelation happened already. Nero was the Antichrist, get over it.” How nicely this fits the New Age agenda! “Don't expect doomsday, it happened. Christ HAS come again - IN YOU! So get with the program, stop all this negative last-days talk and get busy repairing the world!” The church, either having either a fictional and flawed version of the last days, or a belief that Revelation is irrelevant, will stop expecting His return or believing that “the end of all things is at hand.” And now, the last underpinning of Biblical prophecy is slowly being discredited: The Timepiece of God, Israel. She is woven into every aspect and detail of true Biblical last-day prophecy from Scripture. It is no surprise that a great surge is developing in the church that is teaching that the CHURCH is the new Israel, that God abandoned Israel for crucifying Jesus, and that the church should abandon their support for Israel in exchange for the “Roadmap for Peace.” All these things the scriptures told us beforehand: The great falling away; doctrines of demons; lovers of this world more than God; one world, one religion; All the world turning on Israel, and then the man with a “peace plan”. It's all there. And for the first time, it's very possible to realize this first hand and see how many Christians will miss it and believe the lie.

        It's easy to see why. These things are not taught, believers are not warned, the lies are not contested. But the primary reason: The Book is not READ. Today's church is as Bible ignorant as anytime since the Dark Ages when they COULDN'T read it. Deluged by variety and Vanity Bibles, we are nearly Scripture Snippet Christians, who embrace the positive and eliminate - or IGNORE - the negative.

 

        I will pick this message up in part two, but I want to add something as I close. Isaiah asked Judah the question I ask you today friend. In the midst of this onslaught of darkness that is swaying the church to seek after New Age formulas and spirits - SHOULD NOT A PEOPLE SEEK AFTER THEIR GOD?????????????????????????????? I ask that question to you again - SHOULD NOT A PEOPLE SEEK AFTER THEIR GOD???? The answer to that question is of course YES! But if the church world don't know the TRUE GOD and continues to embrace the many gods of other religions that will never happen. Judah found out the hard way as we shall see in part two what happens when people seek after spirits that peep and mutter. The modern church world is in the same state today.

 

        As I write this my heart is very heavy. This damnable day of Halloween is a few days away. I urge you and admonish you in a pastoral, caring way - AVOID IT. Don't send your children out trick or treating, dressing them up in damnable costumes embracing this demonic practice. You say, "well they have done it every year they'll be disappointed." Better to be disappointed this side of eternity than to wind up in hell! No, I'm not saying if you go trick or treating you will wind up in hell. What I AM saying is that the powers of darkness behind this day are out to destroy your children neighbor. Satan does not and never has played fair. He is out to STEAL, KILL and to DESTROY. We need to anchor our faith in CHRIST and allow THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH to speak to our hearts in this fateful hour prior to the rapture and return of Christ. It's getting late and it's harvest time. Should not a people seek after their God? The answer is YES and one we must find our way to soon or face eternal damnation and regrettable consequences.

 

        This message is not one that sought to pull any punches. It was written in love from a pastoral heart to a church world gone astray from God. The church needs to be converted! We have erred from the TRUTH and have fallen into error. I pray the Lord helps us ALL find our way back to Him, and come back from the darkness of death the church sits in tonight - so the multitude of our sins can be hidden and cleansed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

 

        God bless.

 

James 5:19-20 - Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; [20] Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

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