Scriptures: 1 Samuel 28 v 3 and 7: "Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor."Ezekiel 13 v 3 - 8: "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.
6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
King Saul was in a dilemma as the prophet Samuel was dead, who had always given him the word of the Lord concerning war and battles; he had also got rid of those who used familiar spirits, witches, wizards and fortune-tellers. So when the Philistines began to gather for battle against Israel he was very afraid.
When Saul prayed to the Lord for guidance but received no answer his servants found the Witch of Endor in a forest so Saul disguised himself to visit her. She saw through his disguise and was terrified he would kill her. He reassured her and requested she channel the spirit of Samuel.
Normally a familiar spirit of the one asked for would be channelled. The true spirit is not able to comply. (All who practice spiritualism listen up - your dead mother or child or uncle cannot be channelled. Satan sends a spirit called a "familiar" who knows everything about the dead person to fool and deceive you.) In this case the real Samuel was sent by God to confront Saul. The Witch was terrified of him. He rebuked Saul and told him that he and his sons would be dead by the following day. They died in the very battle they feared.
There are two kingdoms ruled by two different spirits. The Kingdom of God which is built on truth and the kingdom of Satan which is built on lies and deceit. God sends His prophets to bring a true and accurate word from Him to those who need it. Satan uses all forms of divination, astrology, omens, familiar spirits to deceive the foolish. If you are submitted to Jesus you would be committing sin if you went to a witch, psychic or a fortune teller.
Concerning a Christian friend I first met at a prayer meeting 30 years ago where I suddenly got a terrible headache. I asked if anyone present had a bad headache and she said she needed prayer for it. I laid hands on her and she was healed. She shouted "its gone, it's gone" over and over. She testified to the group that twenty years before she had consulted a fortune teller and when she left her she had this vicious headache. It had never left her for 20 years!! Jesus healed her completely. We visit such counsellors at our peril!
Most fortune tellers or diviners talk about impending doom and death. If you put your faith in their words they will happen. Then the diviners get the credit for predicting correctly.
I knew a man who had prayed for 5 years for a lady in his church to be saved. He excitedly told me one night that she had got gloriously saved that evening. The next morning he was very depressed as she had died overnight. I discerned a false prophecy and a spirit of death. I enquired of this man and he said that a "prophet" had come to his church from America a few months back and had prophesied over this woman that within 3 months one of her family members would be dead. It was she herself who died believing this "prophet" spoke the truth.
Prophecies that come from God are sent to confirm what God has already told you. They should not be a new direction you know nothing about. I boarded a plane and God clearly spoke and said there is a woman on this plane who has received a false prophecy about marriage.
Moments later I was sitting next to a Russian woman who was doing a missionary course in South Africa. One of her instructors had prophesied over her that she was meant to stay in SA and marry him! She was very confused as she had a calling to Cambodia. I told her what God had shown me and we prayed together to release her from his words and the confusion they had brought her.
So do not be in a hurry to run after so-called prophets and perhaps get hurt by false words. If God wants you to know something He will find a way of confirming it. Don't act on any word until He does confirm it.
Another Christian called me for help. Before she said anything I received from the Lord that she had suffered huge financial loss through divination. She said that it was through a man who was a water diviner who said their was an underground stream on her property. After 8 wells had been dug and a great deal of money wasted not a drop of water was found.
If God is not talking to you find out why before you go looking in the wrong kingdom for wrong directions and guidance. Develop your relationship with Jesus to keep you on the right track.
Isaiah 29 v 4 - 6: "And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
6 Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire."
Sin always has consequences, and its not worth the trouble to raise the Lord's anger. So let us put away foolish things and build up our relationship with Jesus so that we hear His voice and never doubt what He says.
Prayer: Heavenly Father our enemy prowls around seeking those he can devour with lies. We put all our trust in Your true Word to keep him away. For those who have strayed repent and blot out every evil word anyone with a familiar spirit has spoken over you with the Blood of Jesus. Be cleansed and free in Jesus' name. Amen.