“I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
Uphold my steps in your paths,
that my footsteps may not slip.”
Psalm 17:4-5
What are “the paths of the destroyer?”
There are principles in the spiritual world just as there are principles in the physical world, for it is the same God who established both. In the physical world, men have studied the laws of atoms, and of heat and and of gravity, etc. and with their growing knowledge they have succeeded in decoding DNA on the micro level, all the way to putting men on the moon in the macro level.
There are laws, or principles, in the spiritual world as well. One is the law of sowing and reaping.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;
for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption,
but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
Galatians 6:7-8
This principle is what King David, the author of this psalm, had in mind when he says he has kept away from “the paths of the destroyer.” When a man sins, there will be a consequence. This is a law as sure as the law of gravity.
There is one sin that brings very terrible and very obvious results, and that is the sin of spiritual adultery, commonly known as involvement in the world of the New Age and the occult. The consequences of delving into the supernatural world of the occult are particularly severe, usually resulting in mental illness or premature death. And that’s not all. The Scriptures tell us that judgment on this particular type of sin goes down to the third and fourth generation of those committing this type of sin.
Why is this so?
There are two sources of supernatural power, the power of God and the powers of Satan. When a person is in great need of guidance or consolation, he may seek out a medium or fortune teller hoping to receive a word from a loved one who has departed. Or -a person who is discouraged in life might begin seeking in astrology or “New Age” teachings to find ways to make his life better.
All this is spiritual adultery. It’s trying to connect with supernatural power that is forbidden in the Scriptures. God wants all of our focus on him, and when one ventures into the occult they are making contact with the enemy of God, the kingdom of darkness.
God has made it more than clear throughout his Word that we are to come to him ALONE, for guidance, for help, for anything at all that requires supernatural assistance. He says he is “a jealous God.” Why? Because he is the Most High, he is Almighty God, he is your creator, it is he who brought you into the world, and he demands that you revere him ALONE. Any attempt to receive from the supernatural world outside of him alone is the sin of spiritual adultery. Adultery says “you’re not enough for me.” Adultery tempts with intrigue, and aren’t all men intrigued by the supernatural world? But if this intrigue leads you to someone other than the Lord himself, that is spiritual adultery.
Deuteronomy chapter 18 starting with verse 10, lists several occult practices so that no one will be unclear on this subject. Among those severely warned against are mediums, spiritists, and necromancy (which is trying to make contact with the dead.) Read it, there are many listed there. The passage goes on to say that any PERSON who delves into any of these things, that person is “an abomination to the Lord.” That means that if you have delved into any of these practices, no matter how trivial they may seem to you, YOU have become “an abomination to the Lord.”
The passage goes on to say that this is so serious in God’s eyes, that the judgment on these sins will fall onto the children of the perpetrator. The most common judgment on this type of sin is mental illness, premature death, or both.
“And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits,
to prostitute himself with them,
I WILL SET MY FACE AGAINST THAT PERSON…”
Leviticus 20:6
If you are a victim of such afflictions, if you see a pattern in your family of premature death or mental illness, then you will need to deal with this before the Lord, confessing these sins and the sins of your parents or grandparents known and unknown. The only way to be set free from this spiritual law is confession and repentance. And it will be a terrible battle. Better not to get involved in these things in the first place. Better to keep your feet AWAY from “the paths of the destroyer.”
