Many in modern-day ministry unknowingly use Occult language and practices to get their audience to react and respond to their message. The enemy will always attempt to circumvent a sovereign work of God by crafting a cunning counterfeit to confuse Christians. What God intends for good, the enemy's intent is for evil to prevail. Jesus is the God of the miraculous. He is the same today as He was thousands of years ago and will never change. (See Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). His anointing and power can dramatically come upon the Believer with supernatural Signs and Wonders to bring healing and reconciliation.
No matter how many religious leaders want to deny that God moves supernaturally today, He still does despite their prevalent disbelief. It is because of that fact the enemy will do whatever he can to counter-act a holy and righteous move of God to give the scoffers the armament and ammunition to lead a full frontal assault against those who are actively moving in the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.
Listed below are some of the most common types of deception used today. Please note that I am not saying in any way, shape, or form that all Signs and Wonders seen or experienced in the church today have their origins in the demonic. I firmly believe that it is quite to the contrary! However, there is much to be discerned.
Perilous Persuasion
Cults, human potential training organizations, businesses, and many militaries of the world use persuasion and manipulation techniques. The military uses them to break people down to rebuild them as actual soldiers, responsive to every command without rational thought or consideration.
The use of these techniques could be one of the reasons why there is only a ten percent retention rate of those who "accept" Jesus at revival "events." I have seen both subtle and outrageous manipulation techniques in every size of church and various denominations. I do not believe (or maybe I just don't want to believe!) that those using these techniques were taught directly how to use them. I truly hope it has been more through ignorance of their Occult roots or simply naive learning through observation because of the so-called "successful" results of others. Some examples of Occultic techniques used in ministry are listed below.
Music Ministry Manipulation
Worship and praise music is vital in preparing the heart to receive from God. The Bible recommends that Believers "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name..." and to "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Psalm 100:4: Ephesians 5:19-20 NIV).
However, music can also be used for evil. One of the classic methods of music ministry manipulation is used to introduce hypnotic programming that can generate an "alpha" state of relaxed and suggestible consciousness in a very high percentage of people in the audience by playing a repetitive beat that is close to the rhythm of the human heart, which is 45 to 72 beats per minute. Music builds excitement and creates mental involvement.
Pre-Christian cultures considered the drum one of the most sacred and oldest ritual instruments. Drums were used as powerful trance-inducing instruments. The beating of drums is believed to express primal cosmic truth because the first sound a human hears is the rhythmic pulse of their mother's blood.
Alter Call Conditioning
The altar call (aka invitation) is a man-made practice started in the 19th Century. There is no example of it in the Bible, nor is there an example of anyone saying a prayer to receive Christ. However, the Bible calls people to follow Jesus, repent, and trust in Him to forgive sins (Matthew 4:19, 7:24, 9:9, 10:22,32, 16:13-17; Acts 2:38; 1 John 4:1-3).
The altar call is an appeal made after a sermon to come forward and make an immediate public response as an act of commitment to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. It is given great spiritual importance and relies on emotional/psychological manipulation, rhetorical persuasion, and social pressure to induce people to make an immediate profession by telling sad, tear-jerking stories and playing mood-creating music in the background. It can involve hand raising, walking down the aisle to the front of a church auditorium for counseling, or signing a 'commitment' card.
The significant issue concerning the altar call is whether a decision is sincerely motivated by honest repentance and trusting-faith in Jesus or whether it is a response to the pressure of making a 'profession' of faith that is not genuine. That can cause a false hope of salvation and a counterfeit conversion because a person reacts and does something by going forward in church to be saved.
As a result, believing in Christ is identified with going to the front of the church auditorium in response to the message given. Just saying/repeating the 'sinners prayer' is not evidence of salvation (Matthew 7:22). Expressing belief alone is not proof of salvation. Even the demons of hell believe (James 2:19). For a person to be 'saved,' they must come to Christ through trusting-faith.
When a person raises a hand or moves to the front of a church or evangelistic event after an altar call, it is based on works. It instills within the continuous need for a religious sensory experience rather than trusting in what is written in the Bible, which provides everything needed for all matters of faith and practice. There is nothing God wants a person to know or to do that is not found in His written Word. It is sufficient for all spiritual needs (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
In Occultic practice, a message is often given that increases mental tension – usually through fear - in a patterned and paced style similar to the beats of a metronome at the rate of 45 to 60 beats per minute. Persuasion techniques are used in the message to attempt access to the right side of the Brain, which deals with images and emotions, rather than the left side of the Brain because it is analytical and rational.
Sadly, these same techniques are also used in the church. Gaining subliminal access is done by using a series of body movements (also known as embedded commands) and words so the Brain will shift from left to right. Statements that will cause the listener to shout "amen" or unknowingly nod their head in agreement reduce the chance that the audience will think about the comments made or when circular logic arguments are used to introduce them to questionable theological or doctrinal beliefs or statements.
A classic revival meeting and deliverance meeting process is used to induce guilt and acute apprehension by increasing the tension in the audience. For example, special music is often played in the background. At the same time, an 'alter call' is given, preceded by a verbal barrage of every sin that could possibly be committed to induce a guilt response and reach an abnormal level of anger, fear, excitement, or even expectation.
As a result, the listener begins to break down and submit emotionally by preconditioned acceptance of an idea or belief. Negative input causes the Brain to go into a state of consciousness (or brain phase) to impair judgment and increase suggestibility so that the mind accepts new programming and substitutes new 'ideas' for previous ones.
Because of the painful confrontation of a person's weaknesses and failures, the Brain wants to accept new ideas to help alleviate them. The "alter call," or deliverance ministry, often does just that because it offers the 'reward' for pain elimination. Some churches even use special lighting and sound effects in meetings that modify brain functions and induce an altered state of consciousness.
At the end of a message, people are often asked to come forward after "accepting" the "word" and to receive an "impartation" or "anointing" or to "repent" of their sins so they can receive a "holy ghost" touch or "healing" from the speaker.
In some churches, the speaker (or trained workers) lay their hands on the person, usually on the top of the head, pressing downwards at an angle, but it could be on the abdomen or upper chest. Sometimes, the person's arms are moved backward. In either case, a person can lose their balance and fall over, rather than from a legitimate touch from God, often referred to as being slain in the spirit.
If someone is desperate enough, this manipulated movement will cause a cathartic purging of emotions, which puts the person in a mental state so that the Brain will accept new suggestions to bring about a so-called "supernatural" healing, deliverance, ecstatic utterance, etc. Some people begin to tremble, go into spasms, laugh or cry uncontrollably, or even fall. If catharsis is reached, the person "ministered" to stands a chance of experiencing whatever "change" they were looking for. Sadly, the physical and emotional effects of the "anointing" usually last less than a week but can cause adverse spiritual effects for a lifetime.
Slain in the Unholy Spirit
In the Occult, the cosmic and invisible energy vital to life is called Kundalini. In Kundalini Yoga, a thousand-year-old Occult practice with roots in India, and Qi Gong, a Chinese Occultic tradition, the "slain in the spirit" phenomenon also occurs. It is known as "Samadhi," which is meant to lead a person to a deeper spiritual experience and follows the laying on of hands called "Shakti Pat" or "Divine Touch."
The proof that "Kundalini" has been awakened is some mental and physical activities begin to occur called "Kriyas." They include falling to the ground, trembling, shaking, waves of bliss, altered consciousness, flashes of heat, singing, chanting unintelligible words, animal sounds, ecstatically blissful visions, and the feeling of elation.
It has been said that these Occult practices are demonic counterfeits of the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit. I would agree. However, it is essential to remember that not everything that glitters is gold, and every spirit should be tested. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1)
As I stated at the beginning of this chapter, I am convinced that most preachers/evangelists have no idea they are using these Occultic techniques when they minister. However, it does not negate the reality of their demonic and non-biblical origins.
It is vital to remember that Jesus NEVER used them. The Holy Spirit does not need "techniques" or emotionally manipulated processes to bring healing and salvation. The reality is this - God is sovereign, and He can do whatever He wants, however He wants, and whenever He wants. It is important to note that the true fruit of a legitimate encounter with God is not the experience itself - it is what happens after the experience in the life of the person involved.
Divine Hype
I firmly believe that God still heals the sick and touches people supernaturally. The Bible speaks clearly that God's will for every Christian is to walk in divine health. I have personally experienced - and have actively participated in - God's divine healing and anointing power. I believe this is a crucial part of evangelism and discipleship and should be offered legitimately to everyone, along with the preaching and teaching of the Bible.
However, some profess to possess a "gift" of divine healing when what they really possess is the gift of "divine hype" to take advantage of a person's emotions and "lay hands" on their checkbook. Sadly, these people use man-made and demonically inspired techniques to stir up the natural protection and healing processes that God has built into the immune system of the human body.
When a person is embraced or touched, such as during prayer and the "laying on of hands," a series of hormones are released that can mask, even in some instances, actually remove the symptoms of illness and pain. When done in a manipulated setting, a person can feel as if they are being healed or directly under God's anointing.
One of the hormones is Oxytocin, which is vital to the healthy bonding between a mother and her newborn baby. Studies have shown that it also plays a role in helping build intimate relationships. It also can cause the emotional guarding and protection of a person or a belief. That is a good thing, except when what is guarded is bad behavior or a misguided belief.
Additional hormones are released when a person is touched that act as natural opiates and pain suppressors, which are called Endorphins. They can help lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and block - and even remove - pain. However, the effects can wear off within a few hours, and most often after some days, which is why some people who go to "healing" meetings and get "healed" often see their symptoms reappear. More often than not, the response is to blame the enemy or continue to "claim" the healing and ignore the symptoms for fear that they appear faithless.
The truth is that God alone is the healer, and when He touches a person, the absolute knowledge, proof, and assurance will come that He has done so. Every healing miracle in the New Testament was virtually immediate and never disappeared. No Christian in the Bible ever had to "claim" their healing or continue to rebuke the symptoms after being healed - they just received it when God gave it in His time and place.
A church must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to draw people to Jesus through the Gospel message whenever and wherever it is proclaimed. True salvation comes only from repentant heartfelt belief, which will then result in a verbal confession of that faith (Romans 10:9). Biblical salvation is not of works. It is not by doing anything at all. It is "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV). Saving faith is God's gift and operation, not a person's accomplishment or contribution (Colossians 2:12; Philillians 1:29).
The only absolute assurance of salvation is through actively trusting in the promises of Scripture. The proof that a person is Born-Again is the consistent outward evidence of a transformed life. True salvation results in a life of continual sanctification as the Holy Spirit within the person produces more and more of His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). A 'Good Tree' can only produce good fruit (Luke 6:43-45).
It is my heartfelt desire and prayer that God would be at work before, during, and after the worship service in every church to convict people of sin, to open eyes to the truth, to turn hearts towards Him, and to cause people to embrace the life-giving message of salvation that is only possible through Jesus Christ.
