Spirituality Versus Spiritism

1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Spirituality is the human journey to knowing God. It is the healthy balance of our whole spirit, soul and body. As we live and walk with God faithfully every day, we will be preserved blameless until Jesus comes again.

Spiritism is the human fascination and exploration of the unseen spirits, devils and demons. The spiritists are very religious and occultic. They engage in mystical and mysterious activities, having supernatural beliefs and unbiblical practices. Very often, their hidden or secret knowledge and powers involve black magic and witchcraft.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The evidence of true spirituality is whether we are loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. It is not acting religious or becoming overly supernatural! It is very natural and very good! It is basically our overall well-being and spiritual growth which happens within.

On the other hand, spiritists are not interested with what is really essential and important to them. They often focus on personal and supernatural experiences, trying to communicate with the dark realms beyond. They are unhappy with the common core values and beliefs of the Christian faith. As such, they are often not loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. They are very proud and arrogant, often speaking against others and fighting relentlessly!

Acts 17:28
for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

As God grants us breath each day, we are thankful and grateful to be able to live, move and exist. Because we are the children of God, we are totally dependent on our Father and God for our existence and everything else. We live and move by the divine power of God as He breathes in us His Holy Spirit. And we will grow in our spirit, soul and body.

But the spiritists seek unnatural powers by communicating with the spirits through séances and mediums. Many of them have their own personal spirit guides, from whom they receive all kinds of information and direction for their lives. Thus, for the spiritists, the Bible is not their primary source of truth and knowledge. They have other occultic books and writings. And they operate by other powers and spirits!

The Bible clearly warns us against spiritism.

Leviticus 19:31
‘Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 20:6
‘And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

But many people still disobey God, and engage in spiritism.

1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from being king.”

1 Chronicles 10:14
But he did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

Saul, the first king of Israel, initially expelled the mediums and the spiritists out of Israel. But in his moments of despair and helplessness, he went to seek and consult a medium. He did not seek God faithfully!

1 Samuel 28:3-11
Saul Consults a Medium
3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.
4 Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa.
5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.”
And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”
8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”
9 Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”
10 And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”
And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

Like King Saul, many Christians seek contact or counsel with other spirits. They have gotten their daily bread not from the Word of God, but from their false prophets and apostles.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Some Christians have become spiritists, believing in other spirits but not the Holy Spirit! They are often fighting warfare in dark places and realms, and engaging with the spirits here and there. And they think that they are doing the right things!

But for those who are truly seeking spirituality as God desires, let us continue to walk with Jesus faithfully in His light and love.

And God Himself, the God of peace, will keep us pure so that we belong only to Him. Our whole well-being—spirit, soul, and body—will be kept safe and faultless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

 

Written on 24 March 2025