New Age Movement
If you were involved in spiritually dangerous practices, would you be aware of it? There is a trend happening in our culture today, an overwhelming obsession with and acceptance of the “Self Help” movement and the false religion known as the occult or “New Age.” These practices have people skipping from reiki to muscle testing, energy healing to meditation, yoga, mindfulness, positive affirmations, manifestation, and more… constantly on the search for healing and satisfaction. They are left much like the woman in Mark 5 who spent all her money under many physicians and, not only did she not heal, but she also grew worse. “And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.” Mark 5:25-26.
The New Age movement is a demonic, twisted worldview that appeals to a person’s senses and feelings, promoting the idea that we are all our own gods on a quest for spiritual enlightenment. It is all founded on self-discovery, which is the journey to finding self and becoming more spiritual and less attached to the world. It is monism, which redefines God to be the general core substance of everything on earth; this means that I am one with the universe, I am god, and I can control my own destiny and future. It introduces us to the concept of Universalism: all paths lead back to God/Heaven/Spirit world. (While everybody will find themselves face to face with God one day, all paths besides one actually lead to Hell. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” There is only one Way.) In the New Age movement you will find practices such as (but not limited to): energy healing, chakra work, reiki, yoga, psychics, crystals, astrology, omens, auras, muscle testing, chanting, hypnosis, music with subliminal messaging, meditation, and seeking meaning through dreams, signs and wonders, and created things. Here is what God’s word has to say about this:
“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:31
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.” Deuteronomy 18:9-12
“And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.” 2 Chronicles 33:6
“In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” Psalm 10:4
“And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.” Acts 19:17-20
“So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” John 4:48
The Self Help movement is a “gentler,” more subtle, and more mainstream worldview that calls us to love ourselves before we love others. It is hyper focused on improving ourselves, controlling our destinies, and letting go of what does not “serve” us. This movement has entirely permeated our culture, and no wonder! We love to love ourselves. We are very good at that! “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it.” Ephesians 5:29. In this movement, we are introduced to the idea of Moralism: If I am generally good, God will welcome me into heaven. (God defines what is good. “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;” Romans 3:10. We are all separated from God physically and spiritually due to sin, and we need a mediator in order to be made new and dwell in the presence of God. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5 ) In the Self Help movement you will find most of the New Age practices along with practices such as (but not limited to): Personality tests such as the enneagram, affirmations and “I Am” statements, manifestation, fortune telling, law of attraction, “Mother Earth”/”Universe” (worshipping the creation over the Creator), and following one’s heart. Here is what God’s word has to say about this:
“Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children”: These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. You felt secure in your wickedness, you said, “No one sees me”; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing.” Isaiah 47:8-11
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15
“Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” 1 Corinthians 10:24
“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,” 2 Timothy 3:2
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5
“One who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But one who walks wisely will flee to safety.” Proverbs 28:26
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
The entire New Age/Self Help movement stems from man’s quest for meaning outside of the Bible. It is a call to follow or seek ourselves, while the Bible calls us to deny ourselves and follow Jesus. The teachings in these practices, besides being demonic, are like wells without water, promising peace, joy, and happiness that cannot and will not last. “These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” 2 Peter 2:17-19
The problem with trying to follow ourselves is that 1.) Our hearts are naturally wicked, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9 and 2.) True spiritual change can only happen when we are born from above. “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. Rather than trying to manifest or meditate our way into spiritual enlightenment, it is actually through letting go of our own desires and clinging to Christ that our hearts are changed. When a person is born of the Holy Spirit, God gives them new desires and longings. They come to hate the sinful lusts they once loved and love the ways of God they once hated. This is a supernatural occurrence and can only come from the One true I AM. “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
Please, be wary, be diligent, and “seek first the Kingdom of God.” I understand firsthand how deceptive and intriguing this world is, but I can promise you that it is all a demonic mirage set up by the enemy of your soul. You will run and run, and you might find temporary satisfaction, have warm comforting feelings, and meet earthly goals, but if you are running after self and not Christ, your race WILL end up in the pit of Hell. We know this because it is all spelled out very clearly in the Bible. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8 This is why God gave us His word, that we may know Him and follow His ways rather than trusting in our own feelings or desires. As Martin Luther once said, “Feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving. My warrant is the Word of God, naught else is worth believing. Though all my heart should feel condemned for want of some sweet token, there is One greater than my heart Whose Word cannot be broken. I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word till soul and body sever, for, though all things shall pass away, His Word shall stand forever!” “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” Matthew 24:35
The more we focus on ourselves and trying to meet our own needs, the more we come to see how hopeless it is. If this is you, I want to encourage you to let it all go and follow the Lord for true lasting peace and happiness. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30. The only way to discover yourself, truly, is to die to yourself--to learn that you are nothing without Christ, and you need His blood to make you new. The New Age and Self Help movement will tell you, “it’s a journey, not a destination!” but Jesus says, “It is finished.” He has already done the work for you, so lay down your burdens and your works. Repent, turn from yourself, and turn to Christ, trusting completely in His finished work for the forgiveness of your sins and for reconciliation to the Father.
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