November 9th
17And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of [the wishful thinking of] their own minds and hearts; prophesy against them,
18And say, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew pillows to all armholes and fasten magic, protective charms to all wrists, and deceptive veils upon the heads of those of every stature to hunt and capture human lives! Will you snare the lives of My people to keep your own selves alive?
19You have profaned Me among My people [in payment] for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, slaying persons who should not die and giving [a guaranty of] life to those who should not live, by your lying to My people, who give heed to lies.
20Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your pillows and charms and veils with which you snare human lives like birds, and I will tear them from your arms and will let the lives you hunt go free, the lives you are snaring like birds.
21Your [deceptive] veils also will I tear and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted and snared. Then you shall know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord.
22Because with lies you have made the righteous sad and disheartened, whom I have not made sad or disheartened, and because you have encouraged and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way and be saved [in that you falsely promised him life],
23Therefore you will no more see false visions or practice divinations, and I will deliver My people out of your hand. Then you will know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 13:17-23 AMP
The realm of the occult is often shrouded in secrecy and mystique. These days the occult is being glorified and promoted by Hollywood through blockbusters like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter movies, among many others. People are attracted to the occult because it has real power. The problem is that the power source is evil, but is often portrayed as harmless or even good. This should not surprise us since the mastermind behind the occult is the devil himself, who is the “father of lies” (John 8:44).
Verses 19 and 22 in the above passage describe how the occult practitioners used lies to manipulate people. It wasn’t that the lies had power initially, but rather that the people’s belief gave the lies power in their lives, which caused:
- People to die who should have lived
- People to live who should have died
- Human souls to be held captive like snared birds
- Righteous people to be sad and disheartened
- Wicked people to be strengthened and encouraged, such that they would not repent
This passage deals specifically with magic, sorcery and divination, but can apply to any other occult activity. Some people don’t realize that pornography and other sexual sin is part of the occult because it is a way of seeking carnal knowledge and/or influence over others (see Occult page). Pornography is built on lies about sex. When sex addicts feed their mind and eyes with pornography, they start to believe the lies they are seeing. This can lead to them to act on sinful impulses, which can open doors to all sorts of other evil influences in their lives.
God’s word is the source of the truth that dispels the lies. When we cling to God’s word through study, recitation and meditation, we will be best protected from deception and prepared for the freedom that God has for us in Christ. Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32 NKJV).
Questions for further thought:
How had Simon the Sorcerer’s occult activity affected his soul? (Acts 8:22-24)
What are some typical lies that are promoted through pornography?
What are some possible consequences of believing porn’s lies and acting on its temptations? (consequences)
Prayer:
“Lord God in heaven, thank you for your word which reveals the truth about all things. I confess and repent from any occult activities that I may have dabbled in or practiced, specifically: ___________(specify – see our Occult Inventory page for examples). Lord, I acknowledge that you are the only true God and I reaffirm my allegiance to you. Please convict me of any things I am involved with unknowingly that are of the occult and strengthen me to take corrective action. Please free me from any bondage or oppression that I may have entered into as a result of occult activity. I plead the blood of Jesus over myself and my family. Thank you, Lord for your forgiveness, healing and protection over my life. I praise you now and forever, Amen.”