By Marcia Montenegro, former licensed professional astrologer. CANA/Christian Answers for the New Age: http://www.christiananswersforthenewage.org/
On the other side of a religious view of miracles from God, we can examine the claim of supernatural powers in the New Age and the occult, such as the supposed ability to communicate with the dead, have psychic knowledge, spellcasting, and alleged knowledge of the future. Although the word “miracles” is not normally used in the New Age or the occult because it has a religiosity attached to it rather than a spirituality, some would see these abilities as miraculous since they are not normally possessed by most people.
Many in the New Age and the occult would claim these paranormal abilities are “natural” or innate to those who develop them, rather than supernatural. Nevertheless, they are methods based on knowledge and ability beyond the natural.
A psychic believes he or she is receiving information outside the five senses. This information, if perceived as accurate, can be explained in several ways:
- The psychic knows human nautre
- Coincidence
- The desire of the client to believe the psychic (astrologer, medium)
- General information is applied specifically by the client (Example: “You will have an unexpected change at work in the next 3 months” is bound to happen to almost anyone but the client will see the psychic as having foreseen it)
- Demonic source
The latter point must be explained. As a former licensed professional astrologer, prior to trusting in Christ, and as someone who took psychic development classes and developed what was thought of as psychic abilities, I can attest to the fact that psychics, astrologers, card readers, mediums, and others have spirit guides. These guides are openly acknowledged among New Agers and those practicing the occult arts. The guides are viewed as benevolent, and are thought to be enlightened humans on another plane, good angels, dead people in the spirit world (for mediums), a spiritual being like a god, or some other discarnate entity. Getting information this way is not a miracle; it may be a natural act of fallen angels who have certain abilities intrinsic to the nature of angels.
Does casting spells work? Again, if a result occurs, that could be coincidence, something naturally foreseen, or demonic manipulation or influence. The person casting spells has no powers but instead is being used by demonic powers.
Every time pagans try to exert powers in the Bible, God’s power is shown to be greater. Pharaoh’s magicians turned their staffs into serpents; this could have been a trick. Snake charming was not unknown in Old Testament times, as can be seen in explicit references to it in Eccl 10:11, Ps. 58:4, 5, and Jer. 8:17. Old Testament scholar John D. Currid states that although serpent-charming is a possible explanation, it is not a certain one, as the text gives no clear indication of this. Whatever may be the case, Aaron’s staff turned into a serpent and ate the others.
In Exodus 7, the sorcerers turn the Nile into blood “by their secret arts,” and in Exodus 8, the magicians duplicate the plague of the frogs. However, the magicians are unable to raise gnats from the sand: “The magicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God.’”
Whatever powers there are with Satan, God’s powers are greater, and whatever powers Satan and fallen angels may have, they only have because they were given these abilities by God.
Marcia
