The Circle Maker Fable: Introducing Witchcraft to the Church

By:  DeAnne Loper

“Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men that turn from the truth.” 

Titus 1:14

 

“…that thou might charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables…For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine…And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 

1 Timothy 1:3 4, 2 Timothy 4:3-4 

 

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the

power and  coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."  

2 Peter 1:16 

 

The Circle Maker, by Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington D. C. is a book based on the legend of Honi the Circle Maker.  The story – or fable – comes from the Talmud.  The Talmud is an extensive collection of Jewish legends, fables, and man-made laws.  It is commonly referred to as the Oral Tradition and is considered by many in Judaism to be as divinely inspired as the Old Testament.  A passage in Erubin 21b of the Talmud says, “My son, be more careful in the observance of the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Torah (Old Testament).” 1   In the book of Aboth 1:1 of the Talmud it states that this Oral Law was handed down by God to Moses who handed it “down to Joshua, Joshua to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, the Prophets to the men of the Great Synod and the Men of the Great Synod to the Rabbis…” ­2  Truly this brings a greater understanding of Jesus’ words to the Pharisees when He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition…making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do (Mark 7:9, 13).” 

 

I first discovered Batterson’s book while searching the internet for a quote from The Book of Legends.  When The Circle Maker came up next to The Book of Legends I was immediately alarmed by its blatant target toward Christians to incorporate the use of the circle – an ancient pagan practice – into their prayers.  The Book of Legends is a compilation of stories from the Talmud and Midrash and on page 21 of The Circle Maker Batterson tells readers that it is one of his favorite books.  What Batterson and so many other pastors of late who are referencing these extra biblical sources with more and more frequency (including the Zohar or Kabbalah) are not telling Christians about is the occult origin and antichrist writings contained in these "sacred" Jewish texts.  For example, the Talmud states that Jesus suffered four methods of execution and is now in hell boiling in hot excrement (Sanhedrin 90a, Gitim 56b).  It also says of Mary, the mother of our Lord, “She who was the descendant of princes and governors, played the harlot with carpenters (Sanhedrin 106b).” 

 

In addition, the Babylonian Talmud is the legal basis for the Noahide Laws, a universal moral code of ethics for “righteous” Gentiles. “While Jews are commanded to observe hundreds of laws, non-Jews are expected to follow seven that are presumed to date from the time of Noah. Judaism regards any non-Jew who keeps these laws a righteous person who is guaranteed a place in the world to come.” 3

Included in these seven laws is the prohibition of idolatry (worship of Jesus Christ) and the penalty for breaking any one of the Noahide Laws is death by decapitation.  Sanhedrin 57a of the Talmud states, “One additional element of greater severity is that violation of any one of the seven laws subjects the Noahide to capital punishment by decapitation.”  In 1991 the U.S. Congress, under the presidency of George H.W. Bush, established the Seven Noahide Laws as Public Law 102-14. 4

 

 

THE USE OF THE CIRCLE IN WITCHCRAFT      

 

      

 

There is nowhere in the Bible that teaches the ritual use of a circle – or any other symbol – to gain power, protection or possessions from God; even so, Batterson tells his readers on page 13 that the circle Honi "drew in the sand became a sacred symbol."  Contrast this with the fact that it is widely known in the occult and New Age movement that the circle has been used for centuries in magic and witchcraft to cast spells and to control and ward off evil spirits:

 

The Circle – “The circle has many different meanings.  One relates to eternity.  More often the circle is used for protection from evil without and to contain power within.”

Circle within a Circle – “used for protection from unruly forces.”

Magic Circle – “The Medieval Grimoires (demons) showed how to draw a magic circle, a necessary step in evoking demons, summoning up the dead, and other magical practices...used primarily in black magic ceremonies.”(Exposing & Confronting Satan & Assoc., Wendell Amstutz, Lifespan Publ., 1992)

 

“In modern Paganism, one of the facets common to many traditions is the use of a circle as a sacred space.  While other religions rely on the use of a building such as a church or temple to hold worship, Wiccans and Pagans can cast a circle pretty much any place they choose…A ceremonial circle is a place in which positive energy and power are kept in, and negative energy kept out. The size of your circle will depend on how many people need to be inside it, and what the circle’s purpose is.”  

(http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/wiccanandpaganrituals/ht/Cast_Circle.htm)

 

"A magic circle is a circle or sphere of space marked out by practitioners of many branches of ritual magic, either to contain energy and form a sacred space, or as a form of magical protection, or both. It may be marked physically, drawn in salt or chalk, for example, or merely visualized.  Its spiritual significance is similar to that of mandala and yantra in some Eastern religions."  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_circle)

 

Considering the seriousness of Jesus’ rebuke to the Pharisees in Mark chapter 7 why would a Christian pastor who claims to know and love the Talmud introduce such fables to their congregations?  Regardless of how many happy anecdotes or feel-good stories there are in The Circle Maker, there is enough spiritual error and occultism in Batterson's book for discerning Christians to avoid it at all costs.  In addition to being a Christian bestseller, The Circle Maker also holds the prestigious title of “New York Times Bestseller” and, despite the warnings in Scripture, is gaining a foothold in many churches with its new method to answered prayer; an evident fulfillment of Paul’s warning in 1 Timothy 4:1 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3 of a great end-time falling away and departure from the faith.  More than ever the Church, by the “fervent and effectual” prayer of faith in Jesus’ name, must seek God for discernment according to the unchanging Word of God in these times of great apostasy. 

 

FOOTNOTES

1) http://www.revisionisthistory.org/talmudtruth.html

2) Israel, Our Duty…Our Dilemma; Ted Pike, Big Sky Press, 1984, p. 17; Ref. The  Jewish Encyclopedia, p. 337.

3) www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/The_Seven_Noahide_Laws.html

4) http://watch.pair.com/church-on-trial-intro.html

 

The Branch Life: A Vital Message of Rest and Faith Found in the Teachings of Andrew Murray

The first Andrew Murray book I ever read was Reaching Your World for Christ. I stumbled across the book one day in a very unlikely place, while browsing through a downtown clothing boutique in Boone, North Carolina. The book was sitting in a small spindle rack with many other books that were all marked down to one dollar. Out of all the books on the rack, the title of this one caught my attention because of its theme on evangelism. I have always had a strong desire to reach others with the message of Salvation: God's love, grace and forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ. I believe this passion to spread the "good news" was born from my past experience in the occult world and my brief glimpse into the true nature of Satan and the demonic realm. These deceiving spirits are evil beyond the comprehension of the natural man and for many years I was blinded to their deceptive tactics and the lengths to which the enemy will go to in order to keep an individutal from seeing his or her need for salvation.

After purchasing Reaching Your World for Christ I laid it aside for a time with all my other books because I expected it to be like any other book on evangelism, focusing on the need of the individual to be saved while giving touching antidotes, formulas and programs for getting Christians "pumped up" and organized to hit the streets. When I finally got around to reading Murray's book, I found that it was different than any other book I'd read on reaching the lost. The book (like every other book by Andrew Murray) had a continuous theme running through it that put the focus on the supernatural ability and willingness of God to "will and to do" all that His Word promises for the believer - and the Church - who will take God at His Word, lose his own life, and pray in faith according to the promises that are given. Murray calls it "the life that can pray*." It is the life of one who is totally given over to the will of God and the mind of Christ, just as the branch exists for no other reason than to bring forth the fruit of the vine through the care and work of the vinedresser, who does it all.

With a passion and faith that is tangible, Murray brings to light the truth that "it is God who works in you both to will and to do according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13)." Sadly, the power of these words remains hidden from most believers, as they strive in the natural, by their own strength, to bring about the vision God has placed in their hearts. Our God is a supernatural God. John 4:24 says, "God is a Spirit." As believers we live in two worlds, the natural and the supernatural, or spiritual. All that we do in the kingdom of God must be by the Spirit, as demonstrated by Jesus. As soon as we are born again by the Spirit, we enter into a battle that is spiritual, according to Ephesians 6:12. It is a battle which can never be won in the natural through new methods or modern techniques.

Today we are told we must "engage" the culture where they are and "re-think" what the Gospel of the Kingdom really means. Unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to a compromise in our walk, not to mention a compromise of the Word of God. It is true that times change, that outward trends change with each generation. It is also true that technology and science are changing the way we think about the world we live in. But two things that will never change are the Word of God and the fallen condition of every soul born into this world of sin. Malachi 3:6 says, "I am the Lord, I change not." The Gospel is still the Gospel and it must be presented in the power and demonstration of the Spirit of the living God, "not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6, John 6:63)."

It was in reading the anointed writings of Andrew Murray that I received from the Spirit of the Lord the truth and understanding that the same God who worked the miraculous in Moses and the prophets, in Christ Jesus and in the apostles, is the same God who is willing and able to do the miraculous through His children today. Moses was a man who saw his own weaknesses and inability to deliver his people from the slavery of a wicked ruler. He knew the call and vision God had put in his heart, but tried to accomplish it in his own strength. He was only able to do what the Lord had created him to do after he received this liberating revelation: that it was God - not man - who would deliver the Children of Israel from Pharaoh's clenching grip. Only then could he say, "And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness (awesomeness), and with signs, and with wonders (Deuteronomy 26:8).

The lack of spiritual power in the Church today does not fall on God's unwillingness to give us what is needed. Nor does it fall on the shoulders of those who are lost in an everchanging world system, blinded by an unseen force that all the technology in the universe will never detect: the god of this age, Lucifer, the fallen angel of light. The responsibility falls directly on believers, who themselves fail to see the truth that it is God, the Almighty, the same yesterday, today and forever, Who does it all, if we will only align our hearts and minds with His will; and even this is a gift of grace that must be sought after through intimate worship and the prayer of faith. In Psalm 40:7 it is written of Jesus Christ, "Behold, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do your will, O my God." This was the purpose of our Lord and it is also our purpose. This was the secret to Jesus' authority and it is the secret to ours.

"Open my eyes..." Psalm119:18

"Teach me..." Psalm 119:26

"Make me understand..." Psalm 119:27

"Strengthen me..." Psalm 119:28

"Enlarge my heart..." Psalm 119:32

"Give me understanding..." Psalm 119:34

"Make me walk in the path..." Psalm 119:35

"Incline my heart..." Psalm 119:36

"Revive me in Your way..." Psalm 119:37

"Establish Your word to Your servant..." Psalm 119:38

"Revive me in Your righteousness..." Psalm 119:40

Truly, as Andrew Murray said, "it is the life that can pray*." To the one who is completely dependent on the promised power of the Holy Spirit, God will hold nothing back (Luke 11:9-13). Jesus said in John 16:8 of the promised Helper, "and when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." This is the true meaning of the words in Zechariah 4:6, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." This is the promise to the man or woman of faith who will put their trust in God, knowing that their only purpose in this life is to know Him and to do His will. As the branch is to the vine, receiving the life-giving sap that brings forth the fruit, so are we to be towards Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father in this life.

It is said that we are now living in a post-modern generation and that what worked for the Church in the past will no longer work today. If we are depending on programs, formulas, and man's agenda for church growth to reach the lost, then this statement is true. But if we are depending on nothing but the supernatural delivering power of the Holy Spirit, the only One Who can destroy every yoke of bondage, then the above statement is the most subtle of lies from the enemy of our souls and an attempt to lead us from our true source of life and power, Jesus Christ. In timeless words of the Spirit, the Lord Jesus still says to us, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you (Luke 11:9)." As our example and as our Lord, He assures us that when we enter into our closet and shut the door, praying to the Father in secret, then the Father Who sees in secret will surely reward us openly (Matthew 6:6). May our prayer be one of total surrender, complete consecration and faith that says:

Heavenly Father, Your Word is Truth. Just as You were the Deliverer in days of old, so are You still the Deliverer today and always. It is You who will break the chains of darkness off the lost. It is You Who will convict and convince the lost of their need for salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ. It is You Who will pour out and give the power of Your Holy Spirit to Your people to be a witness of Jesus Christ, whose Life is the Light of all who come into the world, and Who died as a sacrifice for all humanity. Thank you, that it is not by might, nor by power, but by Your Spirit that we shall claim all the promises of Your Word, because it is You Who works in us, both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. For Your glory we pray, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

*Andrew Murray, Prayer and the Coming Revival (Ambassador Publications, First published as The Ministry of Intercession, This edition 1999), p. 47

To read more about the inspiring life of Andrew Murray and the call of God on his life go to www.healingandrevival.com/BioAMurray.htm.

RICK WARREN'S NEW AGE TIES: A LOOK AT NEW AGE AND OCCULT TEACHERS PROMOTED IN THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

MARILYN FERGUSON is the author of the bestselling book, The Aquarian Conspiracy. Published in 1980, The Aquarian Conspiracy is considered by many in the New Spirituality and the occult to be a blueprint for the coming spiritual transformation of our society. USA Today called it “the handbook of the New Age.” The book openly admits that there is in fact a conspiracy for the emergence of a One World Religious System, but presents it in a positive light. In the book, Ferguson quotes Aldous Huxley, William James, Carl Jung, Willis Harman, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and Thomas Merton, just to name a few. To those who are in the New Age movement, these are household names. However, it is doubtful that the majority of Christians who read and signed the 40-day “Covenant” in The Purpose Driven Life were aware of the occult nature of the teachings of those who are referenced by Rick Warren for spiritual inspiration.

In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren quotes some of these same New Age leaders. While leaving out their occult roots and teachings, Rick Warren also presents these leaders and their writings in a positive light. Though Rick Warren seems to make several good points in regards to purpose and knowing God, there is clearly a lot of double-talk. On page 20 he says, “To discover your purpose in life you must turn to God’s Word, not the world’s wisdom. You must build your life on eternal truths, not pop psychology…” Yet, in his book, he gives reference to no less than 13 of the world’s mystics, philosophers, psychologists and New Age leaders to support his message of “Purpose.” On page 90 he correctly tells readers they cannot know God without knowing His Word and makes a distinction between true Biblical meditation and Eastern meditation. However, on the previous page he gives reference to Benedictine Monks who practice ritualistic Eastern meditation, while chanting mantras on an hourly basis. Then on page 30 Warren says, “Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty and pointless…We were made to have meaning. This is why people try dubious methods like astrology or psychics, to discover it.” But on the very next page he quotes Dr. Bernie Siegel who openly claims to have a spirit guide named George and recommends yoga to his patients to connect with the Kundalini life force, the energy that is believed by those in the occult to bind everything together as One.

Why is Rick Warren introducing Christian readers to occult philosophies and New Age teachers? While it is not for us to judge anyone or their motives, it is our responsibility to “judge all things” in light of scripture and to question leaders who teach or give reference to sources that are blatantly contrary to the Word of God. Hosea 4/6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” As Believers it is imperative that we fully understand the beliefs and teachings of those who are considered leaders and shepherds in the Body of Christ. Below are just a few of the people Rick Warren references in The Purpose Driven Life, along with several of their own quotes. Sources are taken from their own books or via the internet.

BERNIE SIEGEL – P. 31
On page 31 of The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren quotes Dr. Bernie Siegel in reference to “hope” and “purpose.” Bernie Siegel is a physician, author and prominent New Age leader who communicates with a spirit guide named George, and who also teaches guided imagery and meditation techniques to his patients. In his book, Love, Medicine & Miracles, Siegel describes his encounter with this spirit guide during a workshop he attended that taught guided visualization. In relating the story, Siegel says, “George was spontaneous, aware of my feelings, and an excellent advisor. He gave me honest answers…All I know is that he has been my invaluable companion ever since his first appearance (p. 19, 20).” Writing on guided visualization in the same book, Siegel explains, “The goal is to reach a light trance state, sometimes called the Alpha State which is the first step in yogic meditation, and most related forms of mind exploration. With guidance and practice, meditation can lead to breath-taking experiences of cosmic at-oneness and enlightenment (p. 147-149).” Siegel also has close ties with New Age leader, Neale Donald Walsch, author of the “Conversations With God” books, a series of teachings channeled from a demonic spirit claiming to be God, and which are completely antichrist in their content (Source, http://www.berniesiegelmd.com/)

ALDOUS HUXLEY – P. 248
But Warren does not stop with Siegel. On page 248 he quotes Aldous Huxley in the context of “experiences” and sharing those experiences with others. Having researched the New Age Movement and its agenda for over twenty years, I consider this to be one of the most serious implications of an emergent church leader bringing eastern mysticism into the Body of Christ. Aldous Huxley was an author, a philosopher and an occultist. In literary circles he is widely known for his book, Brave New World. But to occultists and those in the New Age movement Huxley is best known for his book, The Doors of Perception, an account of his mystical experience on the psychedelic drug, Mescaline. Huxley already had a bent for the spiritual philosophies of the east, but it was during his drug experience, under an altered state of consciousness, that a transformation or paradigm shift occurred in his mind and he became enlightened to the unity of all things and to the energy that binds everything together as One with “the All” (Doors of Perception p. 14). Huxley referred to this “unifying energy” as the “Perennial Philosophy” from the title of his book by the same name. He states, it is “…the psychology that finds in the soul something similar to, or even identical with divine Reality.”

Aldous Huxley believed in human evolution and the need for “social transformation” (a transformation in the way people think as a whole) and propagated the use of mind-altering drugs as a doorway to spiritual enlightenment, along with other eastern practices like yoga and shamanism. He also believed that “religious revival in the United States would begin with drugs, not evangelists,” as quoted by Marilyn Ferguson in The Aquarian Conspiracy, p. 375. Many in the New Age Movement believe the influx of LSD into America in the 1960s was a fulfillment of Huxley’s vision. Aldous Huxley is also quoted extensively in the New Age book, As Above, So Below, and by many adherents of the New Spirituality. And so one has to ask, why is Rick Warren, an “Evangelical” pastor and teacher of the gospel, referring readers to Aldous Huxley?

HENRI NOUWEN – P. 108
On page 108 of The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren quotes Catholic priest and mystic, Henri Nouwen in the context of “periods of seeming separation” from God. Nouwen promoted eastern spiritual disciplines like repetition of mantras and contemplative prayer to connect with “the active presence of God,” what Rick Warren calls “breath prayers” on page 89 of The Purpose Driven Life. There, Warren instructs readers to “…choose a brief sentence or a simple phrase that can be repeated to Jesus in one breath…Pray it as often as possible so it is rooted deep in your heart.” This spiritual discipline of breath prayer and the emphasis of one breath is not taught anywhere in the scriptures, but can be traced back to the age-old practice of shamanic breath control, a technique used for thousands of years by shamans of indigenous cultures to connect with their spirit guides, as shown in the following definitions.

Shaman – Medicine-man or priest-doctor of preliterate societies in northern Asia and…the Americas; a specialist in archaic techniques of ecstasy…naturally catalyzed by entheogenic plants (hallucinogenic plants), later…induced by secondary techniques like drumming, chanting, fasting, breath control, etc. (Modern definition of the word shaman by Jonathan Ott, The Age of Entheogens & the Angel’s Dictionary, quoted in Astrotheology and Shamanism: Christianity’s Pagan Roots).

Shamanism – A worldview within which mediation between physical and spirit dimensions becomes possible through *ecstatic states of consciousness (Entheogen: Awakening the Divine Within, a film by Critical Mass Productions, Google Videos, http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=825942553983229569#docid=-820206505264515422). *Ecstatic/Ekstasis (Greek) – to step outside one’s self.

And yet Jesus states in Matthew 6/7 & 8, “And when you pray do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them.” At the end of his life and ministry, Henri Nouwen openly taught that there were many ways to God. Here are several quotes from his writings.

“The quiet repetition of a single word can help us to descend with the mind into the heart ... This way of simple prayer ... opens us to God’s active presence” (The Way of the Heart, p. 81).

“The God who dwells in our inner sanctuary is the same as the one who dwells in the inner sanctuary of each human being” (Here and Now, p. 22).

“Prayer is ‘soul work’ because our souls are those sacred centers WHERE ALL IS ONE ... It is in the heart of God that we can come to the full realization of THE UNITY OF ALL THAT IS” (Bread for the Journey, 1997, Jan. 15 and Nov. 16).

“Today I personally believe that while Jesus came to open the door to God’s house, all human beings can walk through that door, whether they know about Jesus or not. Today I see it as my call to help every person claim his or her own way to God” (Sabbatical Journey, New York: Crossroad, 1998, p. 51).

WILLIAM JAMES – P. 285
William James is known as the “father of American psychology” and was one of the founders of the American Society for Psychical Research in 1885. Still in operation, the website for this organization says, “The American Society for Psychical Research is the oldest psychical research organization in the United States. For more than a century, its mission has been to explore extraordinary or as yet unexplained phenomena that have been called psychic or paranormal…” Then asks the question, “In what unexplained ways do we interconnect with the universe and each other?" (Source: http://www.aspr.com/who.htm)

Is this the purpose and meaning of life, to connect with the “Universal Mind” through mysterious psychic and paranormal channels? And yet Rick Warren says we are not to depend on pop psychology or “dubious” psychic practices, as he quotes psychic, William James on page 285 of The Purpose Driven Life.


In Conclusion

Most Christians would not recognize or question the above names cited in The Purpose Driven Life because they are trusting of Rick Warren and his teachings, and this is exactly what the real enemy is counting on. Regardless of the context in which these men are quoted, neither they nor their teachings should ever be promoted or endorsed by a true minister and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul did not promote the teachings of Simon the Sorcerer in his letters to the Churches. Nor did Moses recommend the mystical practices of Pharaoh and his magicians.

Advocates of the New Spirituality agree that the “New Paradigm” or "New Gospel" for the 21st Century is Interconnectedness and Oneness and this concept is built upon the ancient occult teachings of alchemy and sorcery; the merging of spirit and matter. And while it may appear to be the latest and greatest movement in spiritual renewal, the rapid rise of shamanism in the earth, and the turning of the Church back towards the primal practices of the mystics is nothing less than the beginning of the fulfillment of Mystery Babylon and the formation of the Harlot Church as foretold in Revelation 17/5, leading to the deception of all nations through the satanic power of sorcery (Revelation 9/21, 18/23).

YOGA: SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING

"Surely Lord, You have rejected and forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east and with soothsayers who foretell like the Philistines." Isaiah 2/6

In the past several decades yoga has become increasingly popular in the West, both as a form of physical fitness and as a meditation and relaxation technique. Over the years many people have asked me about yoga. Is yoga physical exercise or is it something more? Should a Christian practice yoga? What are the spiritual aspects of yoga and how does it affect the individual? What exactly is yoga? As one who came out of New Age occultism, including a belief in reincarnation and eastern meditation, I believe it is important to have a clear understanding of these practices and how they relate to us spiritually.

The word yoga comes from the ancient Indian Sanskrit word and means to yoke or unite and has always been a part of the spiritual practices of Hinduism and Buddhism. These eastern philosophies teach that we all have a divine (God) nature within and are One with God and the universe, only we don’t know it. Many people practice yoga as a form of exercise, but the goal of all yoga is to come to an awareness or realization that the higher self or spirit within us is God. How is this done?

In order to grasp the spiritual concepts of yoga, it is important first to understand the basic design of man. When God created Adam, he created him in His own image as a three-part being: spirit, soul and body. Genesis 2:7 says, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground (the physical body), and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (the spirit body), and man became a living soul (the mind or will)." 1 Corinthians 15:44 says, "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." At the fall, when Adam sinned, spiritual death occurred. That is, his spirit man died and became dormant or encased in the prison of his mind (soul) and flesh. That is why Jesus said, "You must be born again," because there must be a rebirth or regeneration of the spirit of man by the Spirit of God. This is also what is meant by Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 15:50, "Now this I say brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God," because only spirit can touch the spirit world and only a spirit reborn by God's Holy Spirit can inherit the Kingdom of God, which is not of this world (John 18:36).

Through the different breathing exercises and by willfully emptying the mind through concentrated meditation, a shift in consciousness occurs within the mind and nervous system, very similar to that of the drug-induced state of the shaman or sorcerer. A doorway to the spirit realm is then opened; the pineal gland or "third eye" of Hinduism is activated and a demonic spiritual connection is made with the spirit of the person who is then "liberated" to have all kinds of spiritual experiences, especially the sensation that they are eternal spirit and one with God. This is what is meant by the yogic terms self-realization and unfoldment; the discovery or awakening that the self is God. In New Age occultism this movement through the spirit world is called astral travel or astral projection. In reality it is sorcery because any entrance into the spirit realm through any means other than Jesus Christ is the same as witchcraft (John 10:9, Galatians 5:20, sorcery/pharmakeia/drugs).

Ecclesiastes 10:8 says, "Whoever breaks through a wall, a serpent will bite him." In Hindu mysticism the Kundalini force or "serpent power" is represented by the Cobra and is believed to be the god-force or connecting energy within all living beings. These experiences are genuinely real, however, they are not from the Holy Spirit but from a deceiving spirit. From the earliest times the enemy has attempted to deceive people using spiritual experiences that are not from God. "Surely Lord, You have rejected and forsaken your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east and with soothsayers who foretell like the Philistines (Isaiah 2:6)." The practice of yoga goes all the way back to the eastern religions and cannot be separated from its spiritual roots, which teach that man is God; a doctrine of demons that discounts man's sin and the need for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. This belief that man is God is also tied in deeply with the eastern teaching of reincarnation, which says there is no death. This is the same lie the serpent spoke to Eve in the Garden of Eden and the same lie that will deceive so many before the return of Christ (1 Tim. 4:1, 2 Thess. 2:11).

Some Christians believe they can participate in yoga for exercise only, while meditating on the Holy Spirit. But in every way yoga is linked with an ancient religious system that exalts man and opposes the true sovereignty of God. The various "asanas" or poses in yoga are positions of worship to the Sun god, Baal. The eastern form of meditation with repetitive phrases or mantras is a way of blanking out and emptying the mind, similar to the chanting of shamans, and is a gateway to the spirit. This is why Jesus told us not to use "vain repetitions" when we pray. Even the breathing exercises are designed to lower the level of oxygen in the bloodstream while increasing the level of carbon dioxide, another "trigger" in the nervous system which opens a doorway through the mind to the spirit realm. Many occultists have written about this method of entrance and travel through the astral realm, including Aldous Huxley in his book, The Doors of Perception.

Jesus said in John 10:9, "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." Because man is a spiritual creature, he searches for spiritual experiences, sometimes through "doorways" other than Jesus. God loves us and truly desires to give us spiritual gifts and experiences so we may know Him better (Ephesians 1:15-23), but it must always be Him who initiates these experiences through His Holy Spirit. It is through the Word and a relationship of faith and obedience that the Lord reveals Himself to us, both practically and supernaturally.

The wide embrace of yoga, especially by Christians, represents a "bridge" of occult teachings from the east to the west and has been a major doorway for the enemy to gain entrance into the Church. While the spiritual elements are subtle, they are extremely dangerous. 1 Timothy 4:1 says that in the last days many will depart from the faith and that seducing spirits and demonic doctrines will be the chief reason for this departure from truth. Just as in the days of the prophets, when God called His people to come away from the customs of the east, the Lord is still calling the Church to be a people separated to Himself. If you have had any past involvement in yoga or in any of the occult teachings of the east, ask God's forgiveness. Renounce yoga and the demonic spirits associated with sorcery, asking the Lord to close every doorway to the spirit realm that is not through faith in Jesus Christ, because "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24)."