Michael’s Story

Spiritualism on the Journey

As Chantal, my beloved wife, and I were doing our daily reading, we came upon a very curious verse in Ezekiel 13:18 – “Woe to the women who sew magic pads for all arm joints and put veils over people of all sizes, in order to hunt human lives! Will you hunt down the lives of my people while you keep your own lives safe?”  This propelled us to investigate an understanding.  Little did we think it had any relevance for us today.  Boy, were we wrong.

First, let’s understand what this verse means.  The women referred to in this passage are spiritualists, mediums and fortune-tellers.  They are ones who read your palms, who read tarot-cards and tea leaves, in order to provide others with insights into future events in their lives.  The magic pads for all arm joints may be understood as amulets, the kind which are used to ward-off evil spirits, disease and harm, while veils over people of all sizes refers to the protective headbands we often see with ‘sacred words’, usually in an oriental language, which are for protection.  Then we come to the nub of this verse – in order to hunt human lives.  The Hebrew word used for ‘lives’ in this verse is nephashot, meaning ‘souls’.  Then, God asks the question, Will you hunt down the souls of my people while you keep your own souls safe?  Do you believe this verse has relevance to us today?

Before I came to faith, I firmly believed in the power of my mind to bring forth my destiny; I was the author of my own fate.  I hired spiritualists to help me chart my future and always received direction that confirmed my own desires.  Wow!  How naïve, ignorant and arrogant I was.  Little did I know how great was the cost of my wrong-headedness.

Eventually, I found myself deeply lost in a pit of my own making, a pit so filled with despair I knew there was only one sure solution to the inner pain I was feeling.  No one saw what I was feeling; I was good at hiding, good at masking my emotions, fears and soul-destroying despair.  It was during this time of fear and desolation, I met Adonai Yeshua, the Lord Jesus.

Needless-to-say, once I declared my intention to follow God’s desire for my life and not my own, there was a peace so comforting which descended upon me.  I had not felt such tranquility both in spirit nor in mind for many years.  My entire collection of self-help, pseudo-psychology drivel immediately went into the recycling bin; I wanted no one else to be infected with the weapons the adversary uses to capture the souls of God’s People.

I praise our Faithful, Loving God every day for the New Life He has given me, freely, without cost.  And all He wishes for from me is my love and obedience.  Could any loving father ask for less?