What is Divination or the Spirit of Divination? It is a spiritual influence or force that leads individuals to seek knowledge or guidance from sources outside of God. This often involves fortune-telling, witchcraft, or other occult practices, which the Bible strongly warns against. Divination is condemned because it substitutes God’s wisdom with the deceit of evil spirits. Let’s explore what the Bible says about the spirit of divination and how it can be identified and resisted.
What is the Spirit of Divination?
Divination refers to the attempt to gain insight into the future or the unknown through supernatural means, but without seeking God. This can include practices like astrology, fortune-telling, palm-reading, and using mediums or spirits to gain hidden knowledge. The Bible makes it clear that such practices are detestable to God because they are not from Him.
Biblical Examples of Divination
- The Python Spirit (Acts 16:16-18)
One of the clearest biblical examples of the spirit of divination is found in Acts 16. Paul and his companions encountered a slave girl who had a “spirit of divination” (also known as a python spirit). She earned money for her owners by fortune-telling:“Once, when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.” (Acts 16:16, NIV).This girl followed Paul and the others, proclaiming them as servants of God, but the spirit that controlled her was not from God. Paul cast out the spirit in the name of Jesus Christ:“Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her.” (Acts 16:18, NIV).This incident demonstrates that while divination can appear to reveal truth, its source is demonic and deceitful. True prophecy and insight must come from God alone. - King Saul and the Medium at Endor (1 Samuel 28:7-8)
King Saul, desperate for guidance, sought out a medium in Endor to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel after God had stopped speaking to him through traditional means (dreams, prophets, etc.). This was a clear violation of God’s law, as Saul had earlier banned all mediums and spiritists from the land. However, in his fear and desperation, he consulted a medium:“Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’” (1 Samuel 28:7, NKJV).This led to further downfall for Saul, as God condemned this action, showing how dangerous it is to seek guidance from spirits instead of from Him (1 Chronicles 10:13-14).
God’s Command Against Divination
The Bible strongly condemns all forms of divination, sorcery, and witchcraft as they lead people away from the truth and into spiritual bondage. In the Old Testament, God explicitly warned His people not to engage in these practices:
- Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (NIV):
“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD.”This passage shows that divination and related practices are not neutral; they are detestable to God because they rely on demonic powers rather than trusting in Him. - Leviticus 19:31 (NIV):
“Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.”God commands His people to seek Him alone for guidance, not to turn to mediums or spiritists, because doing so defiles a person spiritually.
The Danger of Divination
Divination is dangerous because it gives Satan and demonic forces an entry point into the lives of those who practice it or consult it. It leads people away from God and into deception. Although those who engage in divination may seem to possess hidden knowledge or special insight, they are ultimately under the influence of demonic spirits. The New Testament further warns about the deceptive power of Satan:
- 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (NIV):
“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”This reminds us that Satan’s tactics often involve appearing good or helpful, but his end goal is destruction and spiritual ruin.
How to Combat the Spirit of Divination
The Bible teaches us to stay far from practices that involve divination or the occult, and instead, trust in God’s wisdom and guidance. Believers are called to test the spirits and be discerning about the influences they allow into their lives:
- 1 John 4:1 (NIV):
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”Furthermore, the power of Jesus Christ is greater than any demonic influence. Just as Paul cast out the spirit of divination from the slave girl in Acts 16, believers today have authority in Jesus’ name to resist and rebuke any such spirit. - James 4:7 (NIV):
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
The spirit of divination is a deceptive force that seeks to pull people away from the truth of God’s Word and lead them into spiritual bondage. While it may offer insight into the future or the unknown, it does so at the cost of spiritual purity and obedience to God. The Bible is clear in its condemnation of divination and other occult practices, urging believers to seek wisdom, knowledge, and guidance from God alone. Trust in God’s sovereignty, and resist the devil’s schemes through faith and the power of Jesus Christ.
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