Chapter 49

Youth are more easily radicalized than mature adults; that is, if adults do, in fact, mature. 

It is largely, but not totally, accurate, that the JPM was youth-oriented. The hippies on the streets and the kids in high schools and colleges were most often under age thirty, and the slogan was not to trust anyone over that age. In the Bay Area, the rebellious baby boomers, those born around the ending of WWII and further, broke loose and followed their hearts, or another organ, and did everything their parents warned them against. Does this also explain the Jesus People Movement?

In the Bay Area it didn’t take a sociologist or demographer to see that large numbers of young people were out on the streets agitating for and against one thing or another. It was in the midst of all this that the JPM began. A detractor might easily conclude that there was no real spiritual component to the JPM, that is was merely the drugs, sex, and rock ’n roll culture gone wild in a different direction. And I will concede that the JPM was likewise tarnished, which should not be unexpected.

The first three national American awakenings, according to my reading of them, cut across the board age-wise. Whole families were impacted in these revival events, not merely the young. In the third awakening of 1857 to 1859, the main venue was the businessmen’s noon prayer meeting, so there were probably not many disaffected youth in the bunch. Young people were obviously involved in the first three awakenings, but they were not the primary participants.

My experience in the San Francisco Bay Area was that adults, parents mostly, including many mature adults, were also involved in the JPM. During the early days when the Bible studies in the schools were going on, I also conducted studies in the homes of actual church going folks of all ages. It did not take long before a variety of people, even some grey-headed types like I am now, were a big part of the awakening. And I can say from what I saw across the country in the late 1960s, that the same thing was occurring elsewhere. It may be that the young made more headlines than others or were more visible, but my observation and experience is that the JPM was not strictly for the young. 

Because the JPM was a “movement” and received a growing amount of media coverage, there were some involved who were not genuinely born again of the Spirit of God; after all, anyone can walk through the front door. False conversion was and always is a big issue; as my ministerial work has evolved, I have become more and more aware of this phenomenon. This interest led to the writing of my first book in the second stage of my “literary career” titled, Are You Really Born Again? published by Evangelical Press in 1995. My working title had been, The Mystery of Conversion, and it was a discussion of the nature of both true and false conversion.1 

1 Earthen Vessel Publishing published a third edition of the book under the title, A Matter of Life and Death: Understanding True and False Conversion. As in any awakening, the Holy Spirit works powerfully to save, but the enemy of God is active as well. 

Hearing Now from other JPMers 

Fast forward now to the present day. There are starting to be conferences and gatherings of Jesus freaks converted during the JPM. Locally, Scott McCarrel has taken the lead to organize such gatherings. Scott organized one small event already and others are planned.2 

2 Scott’s email address is: Scott McCarrel (MCCARRELS6@aol.com)

Let me summarize what I have been seeing and hearing from grey-headed ex-JPMers: Some of the Jesus freaks held on faithfully over the long haul; some made “ship wreck” of their faith for a period of time and have come back strong; others went their way and, in my view, gave evidence to the fact that their “conversion” was not genuine. I would like to be more generous than this, but those are my observations. 

Troublesome Times: Newspaper headlines:

Same-sex marriage winning approval and acceptance

Homosexuality now on a par with heterosexuality

These are troubling times. How then are we, as Bible based followers of Jesus, to respond? Here is one Christian’s point of view.

Sex has long been a center fold of confusion and disagreement. There are so many ways in which we human beings have mis-used sex; the list goes on and on. Sex outside of marriage is wrong according to both the Old and New Testaments, and which has also been upheld by a number of the world’s religions. And this is so because sinful behavior effectively damages human enjoyment of sex and heavily impacts family relationships. Those who most enjoy sex are those who have miraculously followed the Scriptural sexual mandates such as no pre-marital sex, no post marital adultery, no homosexuality, no sex with animals, and so on. Then consider the fantastic draw of pornography; more males are into it than are not, and the result is these folks’ sex lives are often significantly damaged. I think of the phrase, “I can’t get no satisfaction.”

Wait a minute here, doesn’t this sound like hate speech? Some in our culture now would say, “Yes, it is.”

Indeed, some will hear it as such, but others will say just the opposite. And why so? Because of what is presented in the Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, that “sin, when it is finished, brings forth death” and sex outside of marriage, whether homosexual or heterosexual in orientation, is wrong in the eyes of the Creator God. And the consequences thereof are experienced both now and into eternity. Actually, it is loving speech that points out the dangers and consequences of non-biblical sexuality.

So then human sexuality is under attack, perhaps as never before. Historians, however, have shown that pre-Christian era sexuality was simply just as awful as it is now, and in some cultures, even worse. Indeed, as the Gospel spread and human sexuality became more biblically oriented, the human sexual experience radically improved for those who turned from sexual sin.

Sex can be wonderful, something that can keep us going and desiring to live another day. Mary and Joseph likely had the best sex ever. Once sinful behavior enters the picture however, over a course of time, sex becomes less satisfying and so harmful expressions of sex are engaged in thereby hoping to revive the thrill of sexual activity.

Christ-centered married folks may have great sex, something that strengthens the love bond. But this is not true for those engaged in homosexuality, for example. And just how do I know?

In 1971 three homosexual men, they are all dead now, made appointments with me as I was operating the Marin Christian Counselling Center in San Rafael at our Christian General Store on the Miracle Mile. Each man told me he was homosexual and was also a Christian, and all three wanted help in turning from their gay life. Also, they did not know each other. We began what came to be known as Love in Action, and I oversaw this ministry for ten years. Over those years, many hundreds of gay people were part of this ministry, and I learned how their homosexuality led them to riskier and riskier sexual behavior. (We did lose some to AIDS.)

Most all of my work with Love in Action focused on counseling those who said, at least at first, that they were born gay. As time went on, and my counselling process is what has been called “non-directive,” both men and women would speak of their coming to terms with their sexuality, confess their inner grief, or guilty conscience, and seek forgiveness and wholeness. I would say that the majority of these precious people, who came to this understanding of and by themselves, however slowly, were greatly relieved. It took lengthy periods of time before these people could even describe or relate their sexual experiences. Indeed, self-forgiveness, which is a huge and healthy step, often took many years, and sometimes some could not reach this place of peace. But when peace came it would be directly linking to the reality that all their sinful ways had been laid upon Jesus when He died upon that cross. Their sinful ways they remembered, but the pain of guilt began to lessen.

The long and short of it is they wanted out of the gay life. During that time, I wrote two books on the issue, one The Third Sex? and the other, The Gay Theology, in which there are testimonies of ten people, five men and five women, all of whom had turned away from homosexuality. These two books were published by Logos International in the mid-1970s, which brought a flood of gay people, men and women, to San Rafael to be part of Love in Action. As time went on, I performed many a marriage for these people and saw first-hand the growth of a healthy and biblical oriented sexuality.

Now in this present period of history, with homosexuality becoming normalized and accepted, and in addition, the sexual confusion known as transgenderism winning approval, sexuality for these will not be what it could be or should be. Sinful behavior, sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman, damages human sexuality; this sex does not deliver sexual satisfaction. Of course, those who so engage will bristle with anger at my words, but down deep, at some point, they may recognize and admit the truth of the reality they are living.

Let me be clear, I have no interest in politicizing my stance. We do not live in a world dominated by Christian principles. Statistics are showing now in the beginning of 2023, that the percentage of Christians in America, for example, is radically declining. And of these who yet identify with Christianity, not all of these hold to the time-honored biblical position on sexuality. In fact, there is a growing number of those who count themselves as Christians today who embrace homosexuality as acceptable. And the reasons for this are complex, yet I see some of it coming out of a desire to be accepted and not being dismissed as hopeless fundamentalists.

We are at a point now where we see some who identify as biblically oriented Christians going political on sexual issues, especially homosexuality. This, if successful politically, would result in law enforced morality. And the push back, which I see in the media already, is a rejection of those who are biblically based in regard to homosexuality and a dismissing of Christianity as a thing of the past that needs now to be ignored.

Let me come to the point: it must not be a Christian mission to force others to adopt what we consider to be a biblically based view of human sexuality, which of course is improbable anyway. Instead, we must present the Scriptural view of human sexuality, but not seek to enforce it politically.

Everyone has a right to their own opinion and position, but not all respect the rights of others. It troubles me when those who are of a different frame of mind, who are for homosexual marriage, blame Christians for having another view, and the reverse is also true for me. And yes, some who identify as Christians often act less than Christian to those who hold other views. We do, however, as Christians, need to hold up the truth of Scripture in regard to sexuality and do it in a way that does not demonize or criminalize those who hold opposing views.

People who are part of our Miller Avenue Baptist Church do not know who I vote for. Politics is essentially boring for me, besides being horribly divisive. Oh, I read the newspapers and watch the news programs on television, to keep aware, but this input does not excite me one way or the other. My concern is that others come to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and begin to turn away from sinful behavior. Being a rep, a dem, an indie, or whatever – my sense of it is that God is not paying much attention. And know for certain, that in an unknown period of time, there will be a judgment and the penalty for unforgiven sin is unimaginably horrid.

Here now is what might be called “the bottom line.” There is an accounting to come at the end of human history and the rap up of the entire universe.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11

[9] Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, [10] nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. [11] And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (ESV)

Paul is writing to a culture, Corinth, a major city in Greece, that embraced all forms of sexuality, and as we read in the passage, homosexuality is included. And the main thing is that those who embrace these forms of wrongdoing will not inherit the kingdom of God. Of course, it is easy to dismiss these words of the Apostle Paul, but they are backed up by words of Jesus.

Matthew 15:17–20

[17] Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? [18] But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. [19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. [20] These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (ESV)

Mark 7:14–23      What Defiles a Person

[14] And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: [15] There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” [17] And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. [18] And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, [19] since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) [20] And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. [21] For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, [22] coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. [23] All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (ESV)

Looking back now to Genesis we find the Creator’s original intent.

Genesis 1:27–28

[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. [28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.” (ESV)

Then, in the very next chapter, Genesis 2:24–25 we find the following:

Genesis 2:24–25

[24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. [25] And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. (ESV)

Clearly, we see what the Creator God’s intention is, a man and a woman He created, and even though naked, there was no shame at all. Human sexuality was a grand gift of love. As one reads on in Genesis it is found that this radically changed once Satan, in the guise of a serpent, tricked Eve and Adam and the result is what we refer to as “The Fall.” Human sexuality would never be the same again.

Now looking ahead through Genesis, we come to the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. And the seventh of these commands is: “You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14) The term “adultery” means any sexual activity other than between a man and a woman having sex together, and being married is of course implied.

These are troubling days for those of us who hold to the time-honored biblical view of human sexuality, and these of all manner of political persuasion. We believers in Jesus are in a minority, and likely will continue to be unless there is another great awakening of the Holy Spirit. Our work now is not political, rather our work is to hold up our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through whom we have the forgiveness of every kind of sin.

from Kent’s book, Pathways to Darkness

In speaking of pathways to darkness, otherwise called avenues to demonization in this book, we are describing ways in which a person becomes vulnerable to invasion by demons. The material for this chapter has come primarily from basic biblical principles but has also grown out of research and personal experiences in deliverance, which may mean that there are gaps in our knowledge. This is also a chapter in The Deliverance Handbook. There is some overlapping of these four avenues, but these basic categories do provide useful tools in determining whether deliverance is needed in an individual’s life.

The Occult

The occult is unquestionably the main avenue through which people become demonized. The following passages from the Bible clearly reveal that the occult is an abomination to God, a stench in his nostrils: Deuteronomy 18:10–12; 4:19; Leviticus 19:26, 31; 20:6, 27, 2 Kings 23:5; Galatians 5:20, and Revelation 21:8.

It is important to again repeat one of the most important passages showing that God hates the occult. It is Deuteronomy 18:9–12:

[9] “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. [10] 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 [11] or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, [12] 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. [13] You shall be blameless before the LORD your God, [14] for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do this.

Witchcraft, fortune telling (divination), spiritism (calling back the dead), and all omens and occult practices are detestable to God. That is a very strong word: detestable. God detests, despises, and hates such practices according to His Word in the Hebrew Bible, also called the Old Testament. Galatians 5:20 and Revelation 21:8 communicate the same under the New Covenant. The passage in Revelation is particularly graphic: 

[8] 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. 

It is obvious that God detests the occult. One of the main reasons this is true is because God knows that demons can easily take advantage of those who practice such things. That is because those who engage in occult practices have purposely set aside trust, honor, and obedience to the God of Creation. Their allegiance has been placed elsewhere. Practicing or engaging in any form of the occult is without question the main way in which people become demonized. 

A partial listing of occult practices includes three major categories: 

(1) Fortune telling; (2) Magic; (3) Spiritism. 

(1) Fortune telling 

Astrology 

Palm reading 

Tarot 

I Ching 

Ouija board 

Fortune Teller 

Tea Leaf Readings 

(2) Magic 

Witchcraft 

Satan worship 

Curses and spells 

Love magic and hate magic 

Use of crystals for healing and other purposes 

(3) Spiritism 

Seances 

Mediumship269 

Clairvoyance 

Hypnotherapy 

Mental Telepathy 

Clairaudience 

Automatic Writing 

Trance States 

Reiki 

Astral Projection — out of body experiences. 

Shamanistic Practices 

The Soul Journey 

Use of the Enneagram 

The worship in the Native American Churches 

Attempting to channel Jesus as practiced by those who follow Sarah Young and her Jesus Calling books. 

It is important to realize that all of the above fall into the category of the occult according to the Bible. One is just as bad as another. It is every bit as harmful to consult the Ouija board as it is to worship Satan or practice black magic. It is just as demonic to read tea leaves or have one’s palm read as it is to call the ‘souls’ of the dead back in a séance. All are occultic. All pave the way to the one practicing them to become demonized. All are detestable in the sight of Almighty God, and this for our own good. We say that one part of the occult is just as bad as another for a good reason. Many people think that palm reading, I Ching, or a Ouija board are just harmless fun and that reading tea leaves is child’s play. They do not realize that they are playing with fire and that often the fire burns deeply, leaving psychological and spiritual scars that last for years. 

The Passive State of Mind — Altered State of Consciousness, Shamanistic State of Mind, Trance State, Deep Meditation 

The second avenue in which a person may become demonized is through entering into a passive state of mind. There are two main ways that the passive state of mind occurs: (1) through trances when the mind is neutral, open, and vulnerable. (2) through induced states or voluntary letting go, usually through drugs such as magic mushrooms and psilocybin, chanting, drumming, the rattle, ganga, spiritualized forms of yoga, Transcendental Meditation, and much more. 

The mind, as stated before, has a protective wall about it, provided by the will. This is our ability to say “no” to what is wrong and “yes” to what is right. Entering into a passive state of mind opens the door allowing the demonic to invade a person’s psyche; the person may become partially or even completely controlled by the demonic. The passive state of mind that comes through certain types of meditation is very dangerous in this respect, especially now when deep meditative practices are popular. The protective guard of the will comes down and the demonic may enter. 

Deep forms of meditation are probably the most dangerous occult practices in America today, because it appears so harmless. It just seems like the practitioner is relaxing. But the type of relaxation practiced brings the protective barrier down and actually invites the demonic in! Scores of people have become demonized in this manner. 

LSD, psilocybin, and other hallucinogens remove the protective barrier of the will, as do peyote and mescaline. (Peyote is commonly used in the Native American Churches.) There are also questions about the use of marijuana. These drugs remove the wall of the will and allow the demonic to enter. Many who have taken LSD or other mind-expanding substances have been demonized in this way. 

It is appropriate to mention the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, at this point. What goes under the rubric of relaxation and mind expansion is really nothing more than an opening to the spirit world. Very dangerous. 

The passive state of mind can come through trances induced in over-the-top Christian worship as well. Some hyper–Pentecostal groups work their worshippers up to a frenzy foreign to what we find in the New Testament. Those in the services may enter a passive state of mind and become demonized. Some people even think that they have been filled with the Holy Spirit, when it was actually a demon that entered them. Many today ask why some hyper–pentecostal groups react so violently to sound teaching on demonization, especially concerning the fact that church members may become demonized. A passive state of mind is extremely dangerous, whether it be in a church sanctuary, at a drumming group, a cleansing in a sweat lodge, or focusing for an hour on breathing techniques. 

Hypnotism has come into vogue again, too, and here is a direct and willful attempt to move into a passive state of mind. 

Excessive Sin 

Another avenue through which the demonic may enter a person is through excessive sin. The protective wall of the will is removed, and people become vulnerable to Satan when, through rebellion and rejection of God and His Word, they commit themselves to sin or to a sinful lifestyle. 

All Christians sin. That much is quite clear in the Bible. We are told, in the first chapter of 1 John, that if we say we have not sinned we make Him a liar and the truth is not in us. Clearly, Christians sin. First John, chapter 2, tells us that we have an advocate, Jesus Christ. We are told to confess our sins as they come into our lives, in order to remain in good fellowship with the Father. 

However, when someone, Christian or not, deliberately rejects the prompting of the Holy Spirit and deliberately rebels against the Word of God, the Ten Commandments, and the Sermon on the Mount, that person opens himself or herself to the possibility of becoming demonized, particularly when the sin is excessive, as when the people “give themselves up” to the sin. Sadly, some commit themselves to sexual sins, to alcohol, to drugs, to the occult, and to many other areas of sin. They literally give over the center of their lives to wrongful and dangerous behavior. Such persons will certainly open themselves up to invasion by the demonic, because Satan loves when people reject God’s will, thus making them susceptible to his. The following verse describes what has been called the opening of oneself to a reprobate mind. 

Romans 1:21–28 

[21] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. [24] Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, [25] because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. [26] For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; [27] and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. [28] And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 

Whatever else this dreadful passage may mean, this much is certain: giving oneself up to sin paves the way for the demonic to enter in. 

Haven’t you known people who ruined their minds to such an extent that they just could not make a real commitment to Christ? They have literally ruined their minds through sin. Despite all this, they may be freed from sin and experience deliverance. We do not give up on those caught in extreme rebellion. These people may be pleasantly surprised. Sometimes, the very worst of people come around and become excellent Christians.

Traumatic Experiences 

Traumatic experiences may also pave the way for the demonic to come into a person’s life. By “traumatic” is meant a potent emotional experience that so changes a person’s psyche that the mental barrier comes down and the demonic comes in. 

Fear is very often the emotion that produces this removal of the mental protective barrier. An extremely traumatic fear experience, particularly in childhood, can produce not only neurotic or psychotic experiences, but even demonic susceptibility in later years. 

This type of demonization is rarer than the first three. But it is common enough that we felt it should be listed. 

A famous example of the demonic entering through trauma is in the motion picture, Three Faces of Eve. This movie is based on the true story of a woman who became demonized as a child when her mother held her over a coffin and forced her to kiss the face of her dead grandmother. The child became demonized through the trauma of that moment, which caused the barriers of her mind to come down and the demonic to come in. 

The sudden death of a loved one may produce so much hatred toward God on the part of a child that the child is vulnerable to the demonic. A child abandoned by his parents may become so thoroughly traumatized that the demonic comes in. Strong hatred of parents can produce demonization. A sexually abused child may be so scarred that it triggers a demonic event. 

Now someone may feel that “this is not fair.” Point taken; indeed, it does not seem fair that a child should suffer for the sins of parents or other adults. But we cannot blame God either. The Creator God allows humans to have free will and to do as they please. When dramatic, tragic events happen wherein children are heavily emotionally impacted, it may well produce long term emotional and spiritual disturbances. 

Summing Up 

In counseling with someone who may be demonized, which is part of the work necessary prior to actual sessions of casting demons out, it is essential to engage in discussions regarding past history. That is why it is necessary to have at least one preliminary session in which you can learn something of a person’s background. It is vital to discover if the person has opened any of the aforementioned doors through which demonization can enter. Check whether they have engaged in any occult practices; whether they have ever entered a passive state of mind or have been involved in excessive sin. If none of these are in the background, yet you suspect that the person may be demonized, probe back into his or her past to see if there has been a heavily traumatic experience that could have opened the way for demonization. 

Dr. Billy Graham best summed up the way people become demonized through Transcendental Meditation when he said: “People practicing TM wipe the slates of their minds clean, in effect, in an effort to establish a state of serenity and well–being. But in doing so, many are liable to create a vacuum in their minds. What goes into that empty space is the hidden danger of TM. It can be an invasion of satanic influences [demons] which will have an adverse effect on their lives.” 

(Note here: TM is no longer widely practiced and has virtually fallen out of public view. However, Dr. Graham’s council or warning is yet relevant, due to the common practices that bring people into passive states of mind.) Anything that “wipes the slate of the mind clean” and “creates a vacuum” in the mind by pulling down the barriers of the will can open a person to demonization.

 Chapter 48 

Joyful Noise began singing a song entitled, “One name under heaven whereby we must be saved,” in 1968 or 1969.¹ 

1 Not sure, but I may have written this one, or perhaps it was David Hoyt. I have seen the song listed as written by others, but that was typical of the JPM. The authorship of songs, some written by David Hoyt and myself, became common property and finally, when included in music books, would be claimed by someone or other rather than as “unknown.” The index finger pointing upward meant “one way” and is based on John 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I believed that then, and I believe it now. 

For the Jesus People, Acts 4:12 said it all: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

Campus Crusade for Christ’s The Four Spiritual Laws booklet was widely used in street evangelism. Simple and clear, it was perhaps a bit “dumbed-down” from the perspective of a much older Christian. My favorite way to present Christ is called “The Roman Road,” which I still use. It starts with Romans 3:10: “None is righteous, no, not one.” The next stop is Romans 3:23-24: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” It is a short distance from there to 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Now a U-turn is required back to 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Often the last stop was Romans 10:9-10: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Currently, I go back to 8:30: “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” At the end of this road, there is no dead end. 

The Essential Doctrine 

Our emphasis was not self-improvement; it was not a self-help movement. We were not trying to find ourselves, fix the planet, or foment a revolution. We were not intent on changing the world in a political sense. The bare essential had to do with salvation, which was impressed upon us to be the only thing that mattered, when all was said and done. 

I will never forget the title of one of Bob Hymers’ sermons, “Eternity, eternity, eternity, where will you spend eternity?” Wish I had a recording of it. 

This utterly exclusive doctrine was our banner, even in the midst of a generation that was becoming highly syncretistic, tolerant, and inclusive. The Jesus People were upfront; it was Jesus and Jesus alone who could rescue from an eternity in hell. 

Sociologists have adequately described the 1960s. The size of the counter-culture that was wildly embracing eastern religions and occult practices and concepts was mushrooming. It was cool to be a Buddhist, even cool to stand on a street corner as a Hare Krishna, chanting and begging for money. Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan in San Francisco, was celebrated. Some in the Haight Ashbury looked down on me, because I had not expanded my mind by dropping acid or equivalents. 

I was reluctant to identify myself with a Christian church, since it was not hip to be a Baptist, especially a Southern Baptist, so I referred to myself as a “follower of Jesus.” As the song said, “Jesus is just all right with me.” For others, He was only all right as long as He was simply another in the pantheon of spiritual gurus. But when some of us proclaimed Jesus as being absolutely the only way to the Father, the response could just as likely be a punch in the mouth as anything else. 

I believe I have adequately framed it: Hippie Jesus was tolerated but the Jesus of the Bible was not. Still, the conversions came by the thousands and more than thousands. How could this be explained? It was the power of the Holy Spirit, who convicted the unholy hippies intent on nothing more than sex, drugs, and rock ’n roll of their sin and then powerfully revealed to these blinded and hardened sinners Jesus as Lord and Savior. Now that is a miracle of the first order, while other miracles like healing, words of knowledge, even multiplication of food, simply cannot compare. 

Not all conversions were genuine conversions, of course, but the large majority were, and this is stated on the basis of my personal experience. Having spent my life pretty much in one place for most of the Jesus People Movement and beyond, I have been contacted (mostly through Facebook) by a host of those who were brought to Christ in the JPM, and one of the first statements, whether by phone, email, or Facebook is, “I am still trusting in Jesus.” 

Some described themselves as having made “shipwreck of the faith,”² 

2 1 Timothy 1:19 is the reference here and some interpret it to mean a loss of salvation. My experience, and other biblical evidence, causes me to think otherwise.even for fairly long periods of time, but God would not leave them as castaways. It is one thing to trip or fall, but it is the mark of true conversion to get back up again and continue along the narrow way. 

Jesus remains, now and forever, the only name under heaven whereby we must be saved. 

Here is 3 and 1/4 pages of theological terms that appear in Paul’s letter to the Roman Church. Very important to grasp what these words mean.

Baptism (Grk. baptizein, “to dip in water”) Initiation into the Christian faith through a worship ceremony in which water is applied by sprinkling (aspersion), pouring (affusion), or immersion while the Trinitarian formula is spoken. Regarded as a sacrament (an outward sign instituted by God to convey an inward or spiritual grace) by most liturgical churches, especially Roman Catholicism. “Believer’s Baptism” is baptism administered only to those who make a conscious profession of Christian faith and who have reached an age of accountability (adulthood). The practice is found in Baptist and other traditions and is considered an “ordinance” (a memorial or act of obedience). 

Romans 6:3, 4 

Blessing: A particular goodness received or given. Liturgically, it is an expression of God’s graciousness and love. 

Romans 4:6, 9; 15:29 

Comforter: (KJV) or Helper (ESV) (Grk. = paraclete, “called to the side of,” “advocate”). Reference to the Holy Spirit, especially in portions of John’s gospel (chaps. 14–16) 

Not found in Romans 

Condemnation: See also Guilt and Judgment. In general, Condemnation means Divine judgment against sin. It does not mean “damnation,” as was often the translation in the King James Version of the Bible. 

Romans 3:8; 5:16, 18; 8:1 

Divine Forbearance: (Grk. anoche, “a holding back”) Patience and self-restraint as a quality of God that should mark the lives of Christians as well (see also Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13). 

Romans 2:4; 3:25 

Eternal Life: Present participation in God’s reign and in the benefits of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:16). After death, it is consummated by life in heaven in God’s presence, which lasts forever. (Also “everlasting life.”) 

Romans 2:7; 5:21; 6:22, 23 

Faith (Grk. pistis, Lat. fides, “trust,” “belief”) In Christianity, belief, trust, and obedience to God as revealed in Jesus Christ. It is the means of salvation (Eph. 2:8–9) or eternal life (John 6:40). Faith affets all dimensions of one’s existence: intellect, emotions, and will. 

Romans 1:5, 8, 12, 17; 3:22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31; 4:5, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 22; 5:1, 2; 9:30, 32; 10:6, 8, 17; 11:20; 12:3, 6: 14:1, 22, 23; 16:26 

Fear of God (the LORD): “Servile fear” of God is based on the treat of divine punishment. “Filial fear” recognizes God’s person as one who is righteous and thus the awe and 2 

reverence which evokes the desire not to offend God. Biblically, “fear” (Heb. yir’ah) means “awe” (Prov. 9:10). 

Romans 3:18; 11:20; 13:3 

Glory: (Lat. gloria) Exalted praise and honor. Glory is an attribute of God. Where God is present is His glory. 

Grace: (Grk. charis, Lat. gratia, “favor,” “kindness”): Unmerited favor. God’s grace is extended to sinful humanity in providing salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ that is not deserved and withholding the judgment that is deserved (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; Titus 2:11). 

Guilt: The condition in which one is estranged from God because of sin, which ruptures the divine-human relationship. The experience of guilt that results from breaking a divine law can be accompanied by a sense of shame. 

Heirs: Under the patriarchs the property of a father was divided among the sons of his legitimate wives ( Genesis 21:10; 24:36; 25:5), the eldest son getting a larger portion than the rest. The Mosaic law made specific regulations regarding the transmission of real property, which are given in detail in Deut. 21:17; Num. 27:8; 36:6; 27:9-11. Succession to property was a matter of right and not of favor. Christ is the “heir of all things” ( Heb. 1:2; Col. 1:15). Believers are heirs of the “promise,” “of righteousness,” “of the kingdom,” “of the world,” “of God,” “joint heirs” with Christ (Gal. 3:29; Heb. 6:17; 11:7 ; James 2:5). Ones who receive an inheritance. Used in the Old Testament to designate Israel’s reception of the promised land (Num. 34:2; Deut. 26:1; Ps. 105:11), and in the New Testament for reception of the kingdom of God given to those who are Christian believers (Matt. 25:34; Gal. 5:21; Heb. 1:14). 

Romans 4:13, 14; 8:17 

Holy Spirit (or Spirit of God): (Heb. ruach; Grk. pneuma, “spirit”) The third member of the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit constitute the eternal Godhead. The Spirit inspired biblical writers, makes known the saving work of Jesus Christ, and is God as present in and with the Church. The Spirit acts to incorporate all things into the life of the triune God. 

Romans 5:5; 8:9; 14, 9:1; 14:17; 15:13, 16, 19 

Hope, Christian: The Christian anticipation of the future as the fulfillment of God’s purposes based on God’s covenant faithfulness and the resurrection of Jesus Christ as known by the work of the Holy Spirit in the church. (See also Matt. 12:21; Acts 2:26; 23:6; 24:15; 26:6, 7; 28:20; 1 Pet. 1:3; 

Romans 4:18, 5:2–5; 8:20–25; 12:12; 15:4, 12, 13, 24 

Judgment: The evaluation of one’s guilt or innocence. It is associated in Scriptures with God’s assessments of nations and people. (See also “Condemnation”) 

Romans 2:1–5; 5:16; 12:3; 13:2; 14:3, 4, 10, 13, 22 3 

The Law: Refers to the moral law given by God to Moses to regulate the conduct of the covenant people, as found throughout the Pentateuch. 

Romans 2:12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 23, 25, 26; 3:19, 20, 21, 27, 28, 31; 4:13–16; 5:13, 20; 6:14, 15; 7:1–9, 12, 14, 16, 21, 22, 23, 25; 8:2–4, 7, 9:4, 31; 10:4, 5; 13:8, 10 

Immortality: The condition of not being mortal and, thus, of being deathless, undying, or everlasting. Only God is inherently immortal. In Christian theology, those who receive eternal life, and thus immortality, receive it as a gift of God. 

Romans 1:23, 2:7 

Peace: (Heb. shalom, Grk. eirene) Fullness, well-being. Translation os shalom, Hebrew term used for both greeting and farewell with great richness of meaning. It is much more than lack of war and points to full societal and personal well-being, coupled with righteousness and possible only as a gift of God. 

Romans 1:7; 2:10; 3:17; 5:1; 8:6; 14:17, 19; 15:13, 33; 16:20 

Propitiation: A theological term for making atonement for sin by making an acceptable sacrifice. Some English translations use the term (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10) to describe the death of Christ. Some theories of the atonement relate this to God’s wrath. 

Romans 3:25 

Reconciliation/Reconciled: (Grk. katallage, “a bringing together again”) Bringing together parties who are estranged. It is a key image of the salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ in death and resurrection (2 Cor. 5:16–21). Christians are to be reconciled with God and with others (Matt. 5:23–24). 

Romans 5:10, 11; 11:15 

Resurrection: God’s raising of Jesus Christ from the dead (Acts 2:32; 4:10; Gal. 1:1). Also, the future rising of all persons prior to the final judgment (John 5:25–29; 1 Cor. 15; Rev. 20:4–15). 

Romans 1:4; 6:5 

Righteousness: (Heb. sedaqah, Grk. dikaiosyne). Biblically the term embraces a number of dimensions relating to God’s actions in establishing and maintaining right relationships. Ethically it is a state of moral purity or doing that which is right (Pss. 96:13; 97:6; 106:3) 

Salvation: (Grk. soterian) God’s activities in bringing humans into a right relationship with God and with one another through Jesus Christ. They are saved from the consequences of their sin and given eternal life. 

Romans 1:16; 11:11; 13:11 

Sin: Various Hebrew and Greek words are translated “sin” with many shades of meaning. Theologically, sin is the human condition of separation from God that arises from opposition to God’s purposes. It may be breaking God’s law, failing to do what God will, or rebellion It needs forgiveness by God. 4 

Romans 3:9, 20; 4:8; 5:12, 13, 16, 20, 21; 6:1-2, 6–23; 7:7–9, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 25; 8:2, 3, 10; 14:23 

Transgression: (from Grk. parabainein) A biblical image for sin as overstepping the boundaries set by God, and thus as the breaking of God’s law (Ex. 34L7; Ps. 32:1; Gal 6:1). 

Romans 4:15; 5:14 

Wrath of God: An expression of the righteousness of God in relation to human sin and its just punishment (Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6). Also called “anger” in the Scriptures (Ex. 4:14; Deut. 29:23). 

Romans 1:18; 2:5; 2:8; 3:5; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4; 13:5 

Here is a link to an incredible essay that appeared in the current issue of Evangelical Times

Hello everyone, here is a link to an article that appreared in the new issue of Evangleical Times, a great newspaper in England. Over the years it has published around 150 of my essays. It is one of the most important publications in Europe. I have a photo of David Clark, the long time head of it, and Michael Graham, and myself in my office, taken when David visited us here about 20 years ago.

You will enjoy this very important piece. Kent

https://www.evangelical-times.org/celebrating-700-years-since-john-wycliffe/

https://www.evangelical-times.org/celebrating-700-years-since-john-wycliffe/

# 1: Is it all about power?

No, it is not all about power. For many who use psychic, mediumistic, and channeling techniques to counsel people it is about helping and encouraging them. Many, if not most, of those who so engage are not aware that they are involved with demonic forces and thereby exposing themselves and their clients to being invaded by these demons. But the number one draw is power—acquiring and accessing power. 

Are most of those involved in psychic therapies women?

The answer is mostly yes. When searching for psychic therapists, one encounters mostly women. And why is this? While this has not been a focus of our research, we surmise that women have a sincere desire to help others, which is built into their nature. It may also be that these women will experience being in a power position in a culture that tends to disempower women. 

Is it all about making money?

Money is certainly involved, and for some who present their psychic services to others, the price tag can be large. Some charge by the minute, others by the hour, and the contact may be in person or over the internet, and payment can be made online. Some psychics earn into the six-figure range.

# 2: The Tipping Point?

Perhaps the most crucial issue is, at what point does demonization occur?

How much exposure to psychic/occult practices does it take before a person is invaded by demonic spirits?

Our own experience with casting out of demons does not help much with this answer. Sometimes merely engaging with friends playing with an Ouija Board for a few sessions is enough.

Other times it seemed to have happened while simply engaging in mild or medium meditation practices. 

Then again, attending and participation in a séance was enough. It could be merely sitting down with a medium who was channeling or gazing into a crystal ball. 

It could be working with a tarot card reader and internalizing the read. 

How little is too much? This is a large question without a definitive answer. 

In the witch’s circle, when spirits of various sorts are asked to attend, or defend, or manifest their presence, then believing in the process and hoping for real contact with the spirit world is more than enough. 

Satan does not play fair. It gives to get, and what it gives is power, knowledge, visions, and the experience and presence of spiritual entities. It is all very real; and few can resist. 

How much exposure does it take to acquire demonic spirits? Tragically, our experience indicates that it only takes a little. 

#3: Where Two or Three? 

The title of the first part of this essay comes from Matthew 18:20. The complete verse reads: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). 

One of the questions that troubles many of us has to do with how is it that demons invade people. We know the why of it—that Satan’s whole purpose is to attack and destroy those made in the image of God. But the exact method of it is a mystery. 

Here is an attempt at providing an answer, although it is not possible to be absolutely certain. 

Could it be that Satan imitates what is written in Matthew 18:20? Two or more believers in Jesus gather for worship, prayer, and praise–and thus the promise of Jesus is that He will be with them, unseen, unheard, unfelt, but nevertheless, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He is there. 

You can see where this is going. Here are some examples, by no means all, of how Satan and his evil spirits are present with people. 

Visiting a medium, a channeler, a psychic 

Visiting a life coach who uses psychic arts like those in this list 

Participating in a séance 

Doing or having a crystal ball reading 

Doing or having tarot card reading 

Playing with an Ouija board

In a meditative process like those used by Reiki practitioners 

With groups of people practicing yoga 

Expecting visions in a sweat lodge 

Trying to listen to Jesus as Sarah Young promotes in her Jesus Calling series 

Looking for answers and visions under the administration of someone working with Akashic Records 

In a wiccan coven, in the circle, where various spirits are expected to attend 

In a drumming group leading to a trance like state 

At a worship experience in a Satanic church 

Reading tea leaves with a group 

Practicing I Ching with a group 

During group or individual hypnotherapy 

In gatherings where people attempt to connect with dead ancestors 

And there are many other events where two or three gather to explore the unseen world, make a connection with the dead, and connect with various spirits. 

Our experience reveals that Satan is a copycat. And a person does not have to believe that there is such a thing as a devil or demons. Satan takes unfair advantage. 

Indeed, where two or more are gathered . . . 

What about those who meditate alone? 

The demonic realm is spiritual and not bound or deterred by barriers or distance. 

When a person learns and adopts serious forms of meditation and is seeking to find that ‘nothingness,’ or peace, or contact with a spiritual realm, then demon invasion is possible. In fact, based on our studies and personal experiences, this may be the dominant way in which people are being invaded by demonic spirits in our contemporary era. 

Jesus taught us how to pray, one way being The Lord’s Prayer, and while we know that Christian prayer is mindful, with concrete content, whether said aloud or to oneself, it is nevertheless talking with God. It is not blanking out the mind, and it does not focus only on breath or a supposed chakra or ridding oneself of an energy blocker in the body, etc. These practices may be refreshing, comforting, and spiritual, but they open a peron to being invaded. 

#4: Meditation at P.S. Alice Austen School, Staten Island, NY 

In the June 27, 2022, issue of The New Yorker, in the “Curriculum Dept” Best Self, is a piece about third graders assembling for daily lessons on feelings at P.S. Alice Austen School in Staten Island. 

“Two years ago, P.S. began to integrate Social–Emotional Learning (SEI), which teaches kids techniques to identify and regulate their emotions, into its academic programs” (p. 14). 

After the pandemic began, the school placed an emphasis on S.E.L., which is now a part of the curriculum in Staten Island and in a thousand other schools. 

Now the mayor, Eric Adams, “leads his staff through breathing exercises and has said that he wants police officers to meditate before and after every shift (“You cannot hate . . . if you meditate!”), has underscored the importance of mindfulness in the classroom. All pubic-school students, he has said, should start their day with twenty minutes of meditation.” 

What’s wrong with this? you may ask. 

It is abundantly clear that meditation practices, with the breathing, so-called mindfulness (mindlessness?), and the repeating or chanting of mantras that most often spring from Hinduism and/or Buddhism, can move anyone into emotional and spiritual danger. And the school kids will have no way out. Likely, parents who did not want their children engaging in this would run into trouble as well. 

Is meditation something that promotes health and peacefulness? Of course, it is said to do so, but we cannot neglect the experience of so many who testify that even rather shallow meditation practices will in time lead to something far deeper, troubling, and even demonic. 

Meditation, simply put, is a religious, spiritual practice. (Yes, many attempt to distinguish between what is religious and what is spiritual, but they are one and the same.) Do you think those who support Social–Emotional Learning would permit the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer, a piece from the Qur’an, or the 23rd Psalm? Imagine, gathering the kids up in order to teach them how to practice Eastern-oriented spiritual rituals, and meditation is a ritual practiced by many religions. 

The third graders have little or no protective devices, and out of fear of being seen as a weirdo, most will fall in line and start trying to meditate. And down the road, that kid’s life will be heavily impacted both spiritually and emotionally. 

#5: Satan is the “god” of this World 

Paul, in his second letter to the church at Corinth, states the following:  

[1] Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. [2] But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. [3] And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. [4] In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. [5] For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. [6] For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (ESV) 2 Corinthians 4:1–6 

Especially note verse four, bolded above. The actual Greek word for “god” is theos, as transliterated from the Greek into English. Six other times in these six verses this word theos is used by Paul, and in each of these instances the term refers to the maker of heaven and earth, the true and the living God. Satan is indeed a god, but of this age only. 

Then in verse four, the word for “world” is from the Greek word for “age.” Yes, our beloved English Standard Version of the Bible should have used “age” rather than “world.” 

Satan is a kind of a god, the exact opposite of the God who created the heavens and the earth and who alone will judge the world on the basis of faith and trust in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Yes, Satan is a kind of god, but the worst of the worst. His power and craft are unmatched by anything on the planet. This god can persuade and fool the best of us. The occult arts and psychic therapies are truly miraculous and highly spiritual, yet they are not from the God who created this universe. 

We have not been surprised nor judgmental of those who are lured into the devilish realm. Who has not fallen prey at one time or another? 

What if someone reads this book and suddenly realizes that he or she has been duped, that he or she has become involved in one or another of the psychic therapies and/or occult practices and regrets it? First, discard anything that is associated with the practice or so-called therapy. Then pray—yes, speak to God, eyes open or closed, confess the error, then ask that you be forgiven, ask that you be cleansed of all sin by means of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, shedding His blood to cover your sin, and then express thanksgiving for being forgiven. 

After that is something else we strongly advise. Find a church that preaches and teaches the Bible and that preaches the wonderful Gospel message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Get on the internet, type into a Google or some other search engine, A church that centers on Jesus Christ and His Gospel within 20 miles. Some should pop up. 

Check them out. There are whacky churches out there, and cults, too, but settle on a church that stands firm on The Apostles’ Creed, is trinitarian, and believes there is a heaven and a hell. 

The god of this world will not have the last word. 

#6: Yoga and Zen 

The holy people and gurus of Hinduism value and depend upon trance states. Yoga means “union,” and the union desired is with deity, however they choose to define that deity. Unsurprisingly, that union takes place by means of the trance state. 

Buddhism flows out of Hinduism, so there is considerable overlapping between the two. Our primary focus here will be on Buddhism, but in many ways the two may be considered as one in actual practice. 

In early Buddhist Scriptures, the Buddha explained the Noble Eightfold Way.1 

1 Mircea Eliade, From Primitives to Zen, Harper & Row, New York, 1967, pp. 574- 575. These are right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.2 

2 Concentration is synonymous with meditation in Buddhism.It is this last one, right concentration, where the subject of the trance state surfaces. 

In Buddhism, there are four levels of trance that help a person achieve right concentration. Starting out, when a monk is free from passions and evil thoughts, he then attains to and abides in the first trance state of joy and pleasure. When a monk ceases reasoning and investigation, in a state of internal serenity, with the mind fixed on one point, he attains to and abides in the second trance state, that of joy and pleasure arising from concentration. Abiding in and attaining the third trance state means the monk, with equanimity and indifference towards joy, abides mindful and self-possessed, and with his body experiences pleasure that the noble ones call “dwelling with equanimity, mindful and happy.” Finally, dispelling pleasure and pain, and even before the disappearance of elation and depression, he attains and abides in the fourth trance state, where the monk is without pleasure or pain and is in right concentration. 

It is obvious, therefore, that Buddhist practices rely upon the trance state. It is astonishing to note the process: free from passions – really? No evil thoughts – is this possible? No reasoning or investigation – blind and defenseless is better? Can the mind be truly fixed on one point? Can a person – and is it healthy and right – be indifferent to joy? Is the goal of existence to be without pleasure? To dismiss emotions and reasoning, both key functions of the brain, one would have to literally be outside of his or her mind, and this is, indeed, the trance state. 

Few practitioners of Yoga and Zen would deny that an altered state of consciousness is what they routinely seek; only those who perceive of Yoga as no more than a form of physical or relaxing exercise might miss seeing the deeper goals. Serious devotees of both Yoga and Zen are well schooled in the techniques for detaching or removing themselves from the normal or usual state of mind in order to be at a place or state of mind other than that which is normative. While many Western proponents of yoga say it is not a spiritual practice, there is no way to eliminate those aspects. The founder of Ashtanga Yoga said, “It will take you automatically into the meditative state, and that’s how it will draw you into the spiritual path.” 

#7: Do Yoga and Zen Practitioners Encounter Spirits? 

While both Yoga and Zen utilize meditation, concentration, and focusing, and while both may use mantras, koans,3 

3 A koan is a riddle without a solution, and, in concentrating on the koan, one’s mind may be altered to the point that a passive state of mind is achieved. and various forms of music, it is not common for practitioners of Yoga and Zen to encounter spiritual entities while in states of trance. It would actually be more common in Yoga than Zen, but much more so in shamanism, Santería, and neo-pagan disciplines like Wicca. 

Despite the fact that no mention is made by Yoga and Zen practitioners of meeting various spirit guides, spirit animals, fairies, elves, and gods and goddesses in their trances, danger lurks, nevertheless. While in trance states, Hindus and Buddhists come upon more than nothingness during deep meditation.4 

4 Americanized forms of Yoga and Zen, while not relying upon their traditional forms, may nevertheless move toward entering or attempting to enter into trance states despite the sanitizing of the religious forms. The movement from physical exercise to Their Western counterparts have similar experiences when learning how to enter advanced states of meditation or concentration. 

The “more” mentioned above refers to spiritual entities of some kind. Over the years, we have talked with persons who have encountered them while deep in meditation. On some occasions the persons are exhilarated, other times frightened. To discover the actual existence of “otherness” can be captivating, as we have expressed a number of times, even if the spiritual encounter was thought to be taking place only in one’s mind.5 

Efforts to achieve an ASC depends largely on the goals of the teacher. Regardless of whether a separate reality exists in these situations, when actual spiritual beings are encountered and even conversed with, then biblically speaking, such encounters fall into the demonic realm. 

#8: The work of the Holy Spirit and the Christian worldview 

The Christian worldview, clearly delineated in the Christian Scriptures, is that there is one Holy Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit always points to the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit testifies to the fact that Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel, is both God and man, and that as the sinless sacrificial Lamb of God, He died to make atonement for sin.6 

5 There is a debate among those acquainted with trance states as to whether what is experienced is taking place within the mind or if there is “astral travel” to actual places outside the head or mind. We have no fixed opinion on the matter; both are the result of a demonic deception. We do, however, suspect it is all within the mind. The Holy Spirit’s testimony continues, that on the third day He was raised from the dead, is now seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead. The Holy Spirit brings honor and glory to Jesus, who is Lord of lords and King of kings. And it is the Holy Spirit that indwells all those who are born again—, that is, are converted. 

The gods, goddesses, guides, angels, familiars, and other spirit beings encountered in the trance states are not representatives of the Triune God, but rather they are emissaries of Satan, the devil, who, in his envy of the Creator God, desires to receive worship meant for the Father Almighty alone and attempts to divert it to himself. Behind shamanistic religions like Santería, Wicca, and all spiritual and religious disciplines that depend on the altered state of consciousness, is a dreadful evil presence who seeks to be honored, worshipped, and adored in place of the true and living God. 

6 Sin is a word, derived from Latin but with traces of meaning from other languages, that essentially has to do with guilt, that inner sense of having done something morally wrong.

#9: “Don’t Worry About Me” 

Words like the above, or words similar to these, are often heard by people when a loved one dies. All of a sudden, almost as if a person is in a dream state, the departed one is speaking words that are comforting to hear. Indeed, reassuring words these are, but who or what is behind that voice, that feeling, that thought? 

Are the words actually from the deceased loved one? Most of us would like to know that the departed family member or friend is no longer in pain or discomfort and certainly not in hell. These words are easily embraced, and when they are, other comforting words might follow, with more frequent “communication,” to the point that a relationship starts to develop. And this is not uncommon. 

Much to the disappointment of many, when people die, they do not communicate with the living. We see this in the story of The Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19–31. There is no contacting the living by the dead. That voice, that contact, might be real, but it is the presence of a demonic spirit that impersonates the dead person. 

The goal of the demon is to build a relationship with the person who has lost someone dear to their heart. Months may go by, numbers of contacts of various kinds may be experienced, and the goal of the satanic spirit is to rattle, confuse, deceive, and of course, invade or possess. 

This is so very common, and many who have pastored churches for long years are able to tell of such events that were revealed to them by parishioners who have come to them for help. 

Our point is: if you are contacted by something impersonating a lost loved one, reject that voice in the name of Jesus Christ. 

#10: Kent’s own findings 

In the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, during the days when, due to the Beatles’ influence, Transcendental Meditation was all the rage, I met many people who became adept at this meditation form. When their normal boundaries and critical defenses of mind and spirit cracked under deep meditation, however, demonic spirits invaded them. Yes, these people opened themselves up to demonic possession. This was often confirmed to me years afterward when people thus affected would arrive at the church I pastored and request deliverance from such unclean spirits. 

Two illustrative instances come to mind. 

On one occasion, a young hippie I met on the street in the Haight stopped me and asked if I could help get voices out of his head that continually yelled at him. We retreated to a little park on Haight Street just east of the main section, and I asked him when the voices started. Having been trained in psychology, I wanted to know if the voices had been around a long time or was it something new – chronic or acute. He told me the voices started, little by little, at his initiation into TM. He said the spirit of the founder of the movement came to him and began advising him on various things, and as time went on, the advice turned into demands and threats. He would try to meditate to block out the voices, but this only served to make matters worse. At that point, sadly, I did not know enough about casting out of demons then to help him. I did pray for him, gave him a New Testament, and urged him to trust in Jesus. 

Years later, in the normal course of doing deliverance ministry, which is the casting out of demons, I encountered something similar. A man who had been initiated into TM described the same experience as the young hippie: the voices, the demands, and the confusion. To the best of my understanding the person was in his right mind. This time we were able to cast demons out of him, and one had the name of the founder of TM. When I later contacted this man, he reported that he no longer felt compelled to meditate and that the voices had ceased entirely. That this occurs may come as a surprise to many; it certainly did to me. Were it not for the possibility of attracting demonic spirits while in a trance state, even if it is thought to be a form of contemplative prayer, I would never have challenged the idea that meditation can lead to an altered state of consciousness. But the fact is, when the walls come down in a deep meditative state, an unwelcome and unwanted invasion is possible, even probable. 

#11: Three Problems Lurking within Christendom 

The following are three ways the Christian community prevents true healing from the demonic: 

(1) By imitating occult practices in the name of God’s Holy Spirit. 

(2) By claiming that Christians cannot have demons, thereby blocking access to deliverance. 

(3) By depending on formulaic, magical methods devoid of the Holy Spirit’s actual involvement. 

(1) Many in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) claim amazing experiences supposedly by the power of the Holy Spirit. They include traveling into heaven to visit God’s throne room and sit on His lap like a child; or hearing the voice of Jesus on demand as on a phone call; or divining the will of God through esoteric methods such as the enneagram; or running through a tunnel of spirit fire; or being overcome by a spiritual presence, supposing it to be the Holy Spirit, that leaves one almost comatose for hours. What is the difference, then, between these activities and those of psychics, the yogis, the tarot card readers, etc.? This is confusing immature or name-only Christians, causing a blurring of the demonic and the heavenly realms. 

(2) Some time ago, a popular leader of a new Christian group of churches claimed that once one is born again, if there are any demons present from the previous life, they must automatically vacate the body and life of this new Christian, since there is no compatibility nor room for both demons and the Holy Spirit. We have done deliverance ministry for decades with mostly Christians who have become aware of the presence of demonic spirits in their life and being, left over from the old lifestyle. They now want them gone, unlike non-Christians, who prefer to bet on power and knowledge outweighing the torment of their demons. What recourse, then, does a Christian have who is convinced that demons cannot be present regardless of the evidence to the contrary? Must he or she leave an otherwise comfortable church community? Or must he or she live in denial? 

(3) Pay a fee and have the “deliverance minister” (also called the exorcist) brandish a cross and recite formulaic phrases over you, perhaps also sprinkling “holy water” on you. Here the difference between magician and priest gets blurred. So do the results. 

# 12: Drumming Used to Enter a Trance State 

Behind right-center field at the baseball diamond at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County, California (San Francisco Bay Area), there is an area where American Indian inmates have a sweat lodge, and from there, during ball games, would issue the sounds of drumming. Once in a while, a player would hit a home run ball into that space, and one of the guys out there in the far outfield would throw the ball back in. 

Kent reports: 

For eighteen years, I coached the baseball team at the prison. We were the Pirates, but then the San Francisco Giants gave us uniforms, and we became the San Quentin Giants. (My book on the 2010 baseball season at SQ written in 2021 is titled, Strike Three, You’re Out! Baseball at San Quentin: The 2010 Season.) And on Saturday games we could see naked Indian inmates roaming about the sweat lodge area and could hear the drums beating. At the time, I thought nothing of it, but my thinking changed as I prepared these essays. 

Plus, for one year, one Thursday afternoon a month, I interviewed Narrie Caldwell via Zoom at the MarinTV studio in San Rafael. She is one of the leading shamans in America, and despite knowing what I thought of shamanism, we were able to respect one another’s views and carry on a lively debate. (Still to this day we keep in touch.) 

An earlier chapter in this book examines shamanism, and drumming and shamanism often go together. Following is a quote from Michael Harner, who is deeply involved in shamanism and all things psychic: 

After having personally practiced shamanism, shamanic healing, and shamanic journeying for more than half a century, I can say that there is nothing I have encountered in reports of the spiritual experiences of saints, prophets, psychedelic drug experimenters, near death survivors, avatars and other mystics that is not commonly experienced when following classic journey methods using a drum.7 

Harner is generally considered the inventor of “Core Shamanism,” in which he strips shamanism of its connections to specific cultures or people groups to allow it to include “an eclectic range of beliefs and practices that involve attempts to attain altered states and communicate with a spirit world through drumming, rattling, dancing, chanting, music,” among others.8 

7 Michael Harner, quoted on the website of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, https://www.shamanism.org, accessed 7/27/2023 Harner is noted for The Way of the Shaman: a Guide to Power and Healing (San Francisco, Harper, 1990). 

Also from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies: 

Core shamanism consists of the universal, near-universal, and common features of shamanism, together with journeys to other worlds, a distinguishing feature of shamanism. As originated, researched, and developed by Michael Harner, the principles of Core Shamanism are not bound to any specific cultural group or perspective. Since the West overwhelmingly lost its shamanic knowledge centuries ago due to religious oppression, the Foundation’s programs in Core Shamanism are particularly intended for Westerners to reacquire access to their rightful spiritual heritage through quality workshops and training courses. 

Shamanic drumming is sometimes described as “a tool that can be used by individuals to attain psychological, physiological and spiritual well-being. . . .” The drum has “the ability to release anger, create joy, alter brain rhythms, induce trance, and create empowerment . . . and a vast range of experiences, from its ability to create euphoria to its deep and sacred power to heal.”9 

8 Wikipedia on “Neoshamanism”, accessed 7/27/2023. 

Shamanistic drumming is considered an ancient healing tradition. It involves connection with and guidance from spirits including ancestors, elders, gods, goddesses, spirit guides, power animals and angels. 

9 from the release notes of The Healing Power of the Drum: A Psychotherapist Explores the Healing Power of Rhythm, by Robert Lawrence Friedman, White Cliffs Media Co., 2000265 

Another book on shamanic drumming is very clear as to the desired result of the practice: 

This empowering book is a call to build relationships with helping spirits. Spirit helpers are the caretakers in the unseen world who want to support the earth and her inhabitants at this time. They are here to teach us how to gather wisdom from the spiritual realms, the natural world, the past, the present and the future in order to give birth to new ways of being. The shamanic relationship between humans and helping spirits supports our spirit’s quest for self-realization. The spirits are here to assist us in doing the principal, unique thing we have come here to do in a way that benefits all living things.10 

The drumming is intended to create or induce a state of trance, otherwise known as an altered state of consciousness. That is unapologetically the goal. The drumming is intended to make one feel either energized or relaxed. Vibrations may be felt in various parts on the body. And here it is said that this connects a person with a higher consciousness where a person experiences their “true self.” Indeed, it is said that shamanistic drumming actually awakens the capability to commune with ones inner-self and experience incredible personal growth. As the quotes from the release notes of just a few books indicate, shamanic drumming is also intended to summon spirits, ostensibly helpful ones. 

At least this is what the proponents say. It is the same story as with most of the spiritual paths and practices covered in this book. The practice induces a trance state, during which demonic entities take advantage of the deliberate summoning of such entities or the person’s lack of supervision of his/her own mind. 

Other quotes we found, which lacked the author’s names are, one, “Continuous fast drumming is traditionally the most common method of eliciting a trance state which allows the participant to experience non-ordinary reality.” And two, “Remember that drumming opens portals to the spirit world, draws spirit in, and opens you up to receive it.” 

The point here is that, and harking back to the previous essay, drumming, combined or not with other things, heat or mind-altering concoctions, are actually a mechanism to become invaded by evil spirits. What appears to be an ancient, and sacred, tradition, which lies at the heart of Indian shamanism, is a pathway to demon possession. 

10 Michael Drake, Shamanic Drumming: Calling the Spirits, Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014266 

From Wikipedia, July 27, 2023 

Drums – The drum is used by shamans of several peoples in Siberia. The beating of the drum allows the shaman to achieve an altered state of consciousness or to travel on a journey between the physical and spiritual worlds. Much fascination surrounds the role that the acoustics of the drum play to the shaman.