What About Psychics?

What does God think about psychics and other forms of contacting the spirit realm? To answer that properly, we need to understand why we are attracted to this "mysterious" world. Humans are naturally drawn to the spiritual realm because we are a spirit being ourselves. We live in an earthly body, but we are spirits, so it makes sense that we would be attracted to the spiritual world and wish to understand it, or even interact with it.1

The Bible tells us that God has foreknown us from the foundations of the world. Every human being is foreknown by God before he or she is even born. Not only that, God has chosen and predestined each one of us to be conformed to the image of His Son--Jesus Christ. That is the will of God for everyone.2 Even though we're all called into the image of God's Son, we are each unique in personality and in gifting.3 Everyone can be used in a prophetic gifting to a certain extent.4 Some to a greater degree than others, depending on their gifts.

Those who don't know Jesus as Lord, yet seek to operate in a prophetic type gift are those we usually call "psychics." When this person starts to tap into the realm of the spirit, they open themselves up to all kinds of spirits. There are two forces in the spiritual realm--good and evil, or the Holy Spirit and demonic spirits. Without the Holy Spirit inside, a person does not have the discernment to know what is from the Spirit of God and what is not. The devil is not going to tell on himself and let a person know that what he says to them is from him. He is deceptive by nature, sounding harmless and true when he is definitely not.5 

A psychic, basically, doesn't recognize (or chooses not to acknowledge) that the gift he or she has is from God, having no relationship with Him. Once again, this person will not be able (or willing) to differentiate between what is divine and what is demonic. The guidance or "words" this person gives will most likely be demonically (or at the very least, humanly) influenced. A person may be sincere in their desire to help someone through this gift, but because of the lack of purity in their spirit, (see next paragraph), what they tap into from the spiritual realm will not be holy. This could lead you into trouble, but worse yet, it would lead you away from God, away from the Word of God, and keep you from seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

A pure spirit only comes from receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Just because someone is a "good" person doesn't mean they won't be influenced by evil, even if evil is not their intention. Because of the sinful nature of man acquired as a result of the sin of the original parents--Adam and Eve--everyone born on earth sins. Each person needs to be born again, born of the Spirit, and receive the cleansing work of Jesus Christ which He completed by shedding His blood, dying on the cross and rising from the dead, in order to be pure in spirit. When our hearts are made new, free from the sinful nature, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will be able to discern the good from the evil, and grow in that discernment as we grow spiritually.6 

God says not to seek guidance from psychics. The danger of seeking guidance from a psychic is, not only because He says not to do it, but because the spiritual source of a psychic is tainted. The influence they are tapping into will not be from the pure and true Spirit of God. We are to seek only to be led by the Spirit of God. A truly prophetic person, who is born of God and seeking to hear from the Lord, is one who seeks the Lord with a pure heart, only accepting that which is from the Spirit of God. This realm of the spirit is hidden for those who are in Christ.7

Often a psychic will give accurate factual information so you accept that "word" as being from the spiritual realm. But just because it's from the spiritual realm doesn't make it truth. It might be factual, but not from the Spirit of Truth. There is a difference. Once again, this demonic influence may all be done without the "psychic's" knowledge. They may very well be a sincere person--just unknowingly being used by a wrong spirit. Even a person who is born-again can yield to a demonic spirit if not careful. (see the article on What is the Influencing Spirit?)

The question is whether we want truth, or whether we just want some kind of accurate, "how did you know that" information from the spirit realm. A person can get so taken with the accuracy of a word from the spiritual realm that they don't really care what spirit it's from. For example, let's say a deaf person suddenly receives his hearing and becomes excited to hear words. Someone could talk to him and tell him that the color yellow is called purple and so on and get him all mixed up. He's so excited to be able to hear, that he just accepts it all. In the same way, just because someone can hear from the spiritual realm and bring information back doesn't mean that information is the truth. We need to develop a sincere desire for truth and not become taken in by the "coolness" of hearing from the spiritual realm.

The Bible tells us that there is a consequence for not loving the truth--deception.8 The problem with deception is that you don't know you are deceived. We must be a people who love the truth, and seek the Holy Spirit of God, whom Jesus called the Spirit of Truth.9 There is no other place to find the truth but through Jesus Christ, who gives us access to the Holy Spirit. He is the only way, and trying to feel around into the spiritual realm in the dark, without His light, will get us lost in darkness that could be devastating. 

God keeps His mysteries hidden for those who love Him. He loved us to the point of death and wants a relationship with each one of us. He longs for a people who will love Him more than they love anything else--including the good and awesome things found in the realm of the spirit. There really is nothing more satisfying, more beautiful, more indescribably "cool" than an intimate relationship with God Himself. This is the relationship He wants to have with you.

1 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8,
2 1 Peter 1:1-2, Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:3-6,
3 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12:6-8,
4 1 Corinthians 14:31,
5 John 8:44, Revelation 12:9, 2 Corinthians 11:14,
6 Romans 5, John 3, 1 Corinthians 2, Hebrews 5:14, Acts 4:12,
7 1 Samuel 28, Romans 8:14, Colossians 1:25-27, 1 Corinthians 2:6-13,
8 2 Thessalonians 2: 8-12,
9 John 14: 16-17, John 16:13