May 6th
24Moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 25Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. 2 Kings 23:24-25 NKJV
Occult sin is a broad category of sin that includes sexual sin, idolatry, witchcraft, paganism and devil worship. Occult sin had permeated the tribe of Judah’s culture and had provoked God to punish the country. King Josiah realized the gravity of the country’s sin and took decisive and thorough action to cleanse the country and culture from occult practices. 2 Kings 23:1-25 explains what Josiah did:
· Pledged to follow the Lord and keep his commands with all his heart and soul (3)
· Removed all the idol worship objects (4)
· Removed the pagan priests
· Tore down the quarters for the male prostitutes (7)
· Burned the Asherah pole and scattered its dust
· Desecrated the pagan high places of worship
· Removed objects dedicated to the sun
· Slaughtered all the pagan priests and burned them on the pagan altars (20)
· Removed the mediums, spiritists, household gods and idols
Even after Josiah did all these actions, the Lord did not relent from punishing the country for the sin. This underscores how detestable occult sin is to the Lord, who is a jealous God. Since God does not change (Malachi 3:6), He still regards occult sin as detestable. Through Jesus Christ, occult sin, and any curses associated with it, can be washed from us.
Modern occult sin comes in a variety of forms, that include reading a horoscope, playing with Ouija boards, attending a séance, having the palm read, practicing witchcraft, looking at porn, committing sexual sin, and many other activities. The reasons these and other such activities are so serious is because that they involve seeking knowledge and/or power from sources other than God. In sexual sin, for example, people are seeking “carnal knowledge” apart from God’s provision for their sexuality. Occult activities are basically forms of idolatry, and often demonic powers are directly involved. Experts in deliverance ministry such as Dr. Francis MacNutt have noted that evil spirits associated with the occult are among the most difficult to rout cast out.
Confessing and renouncing the specific occult activities will help close any doors that have opened us up to demonic oppression. Often people participated in these things as children, not realizing the sin that it was. Even ignorant participation in occult practices should be confessed and renounced. Our confession and repentance will also invite God’s blessings and healing in to our lives. For more information on how to do this, visit our pages on the Occult and Occult Inventory.
Questions for further thought:
Is there real power and/or knowledge available in occult activities? If so, where does it come from?
How was Satan’s temptation of Eve an example of an occult temptation? (Genesis 3)
How was Josiah’s total turning to the Lord illustrated in his actions of repentance?
Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, You are the God of the heavens and earth. You are the only true God. There is no other God. I praise and worship you. Please forgive me for entertaining any occult sin in my life. Please shine the light of truth in my heart and reveal any occult sin that I have not confessed. Father, please cleanse me of any footholds I may have given the devil through occult sin. Please forgive me for my ignorance. Like King Josiah, I desire to totally turn to you, Father and close the door on any idols in my life. Please strengthen me to do so and not look back. Thank you, Father! I praise you now and forever! In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”