As a young excitable ten year old, school holiday breaks were something to look forward to. We got to play dunhu and hang out with friends and also one of the highlights was listening to my favourite Radio station, Radio 3 in sunny Zim. I used to sit glued to my seat at 10:30 every Wednesday morning so that I could listen to a woman called Jill Darke; who used to to tell me what my star predicted for the week ahead. Then for added measure I would also check several magazines to see what else the future had in store for me. Now maybe you didn't listen to that same program but maybe you also read your star in a magazine, newspaper or from some website. Or maybe you still do...
Which brings me to the question.... what's the deal with star gazers, horoscopes, fortune tellers, sorcery, spirit mediums/clairvoyants, palm readers, n'anga and other such people who claim to be able to tell your future and be able to give you sound advice.... is there any thing wrong with using any of these to make yourself better informed as it were... well all I can do is to point to what the bible says and then you can make up your mind about it....
I've had conversations with several Christians about this particular topic, and have been quite surprised by the varying range of responses I get from people on the matter...anyway I'm gonna have a say and you are welcome to have yours too in the comments if you feel the need to...
I firmly believe that if we are concerned about the future or if we need advice and guidance on a matter as children of God we need to always look to God for His counsel. The Holy Spirit can guide us through revelation of the word of God. After this we can also seek confirmation from trusted Christians such as pastors, spiritual parents and so on. Looking to any other source for guidance reflects a lack of trust in God so to speak and many in the bible perished because of getting into such occult practices...
"...So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance." 1 Chron 10:13
"Also Manasseh made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger." 2 Kings 21:6
Some people say oh there's no harm its just for fun but I think the main problem is once you read and engage in stars and fortune cookies and the like...you may end up believing what they say about you and if you become dependent on those practices and the things they tell you, it can begin to control your life and it has the potential to lead your astray. This is what Deut 18:9-12 says
9 “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you."
According to a 2005 Gallup Poll, about 75 percent of Americans hold some form of belief in paranormal activity, defined as one of the following: extrasensory perception, haunted houses, ghosts, mental telepathy, clairvoyance, astrology, communicating with the dead, witches, reincarnation and channeling. Hmmm.
If I get into the habit of watching witches, sorcerers and the like regurlarly whats to say that in my time of greatest need I wont feel the need to give it a try. Don't smirk, sometimes when you get into a vulnerable situation all common sense usually flies out of the window...
My pastor always says he laughs at educated people who visit spritit mediums (who often live in a shack) to find out how to make more money and yet the spirit medium they are visiting lives in abject poverty himself. If he knew how to make money...he, himself would be rich...and yet people spend lots of money paying him...utter foolishness if you ask me...
The Bible is actually against astrologers, stating that they cannot save people as God can. In Isaiah, God proclaims that Doom will come to Babylon and there is nothing the astrologists can do to save the people from it. Isaiah 47:13-14 says:
"Stand now with your enchantments and the multitude of your sorceries,
In which you have labored from your youth—
Perhaps you will be able to profit, perhaps you will prevail.
You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels;
Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators
Stand up and save you from what shall come upon you.
14 Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them;
They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame;
It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, nor a fire to sit before!"
Someone asked me, what's the difference between a pastor prophesying the future and a palm reader or card reader telling you whats gonna happen? She told me that she knows of some clairvoyants who have been accurate in telling the future. Well, in a nutshell all I can say is yes there are people who are not Christians who might be able to tell certain aspects of the future but the MAIN difference is that a person of God does it by the power of the Holy Spirit (please check that any prophecy is biblical and gives you peace and confirms with your spirit) On the other hand all other types...mediums, clairvoyants, fortune tellers and the like do it using power from other sources.... what sources you ask me...? Well go figure....!
The Lord has good plans for our lives (Jer 29:11), let us trust in Him with all of our heart....
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. Prov 3:5-6 (NKJV)
All bible verses are from NKJV.
