All verses are quoted from the NASB anything in [square brackets] is added by me for clarity. Strong's Numbers are preceeded by a hash #.

Let us assume someone had some form of psychic power. Powers like telekinesis, esp, mind-reading, etc.

Is it ok for that person to use their powers?

"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so." Deuteronomy 18:10-14

We can see from these verses that it not ok to use their powers. God has not allowed you to do so. Just because someone has the ability to do something does not mean they should do it. For example, I have the ability to murder someone, but this does not mean I should murder that person, in fact I should not!

The next verse tells us what a person should do instead of going to these sources of spiritual power.

"The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him [Jesus]." Deuteronomy 18:15

The prophet like Moses is Jesus. A person should turn to Jesus for guidance not to the devil, medium, dead people, spirits etc.

"As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I [God] will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people." Leviticus 20:6

It is so serious that God will be against that person. Notice how this verse describes it as "playing the harlot". This is common imagery in the bible. The bible symbolicly describes people as being married to God. So when a person worships an idols or goes after "strange gods" or uses satanic powers, they are committing spiritual adultery.

"You shall not allow a sorceress to live." Exodus 22:18

Some people believe this verse is a mistranslation and that it is not speaking against a sorceress, witch, wizard etc, but against a chemist. They say this because, they say that the Greek word is mistranslated in this verse. The problem with this view is, this verse was originally written in Hebrew, so even if the Greek version gives this alternative meaning, the Hebrew does not! So this verse shows us that using these powers is as wicked as murdering someone (the punishment for murder is also death).

`Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.' " Leviticus 20:27

Even if the other verse was a mistranslation the bible repeats itself and here we can see that it is very clear. It is so wicked that the person is to be put to death, by the legal system.

When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? " Isaiah 8:19

Again we see the alternative is to seek God, not seek the dead. An example of someone who did the wrong thing and sought out a medium was King Saul -

"When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, `Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.' And his servants said to him, `Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.' Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, `Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you.' But the woman said to him, `Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?' Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, `As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.' Then the woman said, `Whom shall I bring up for you?' And he said, `Bring up Samuel for me.' When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, `Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.' The king said to her, `Do not be afraid; but what do you see?' And the woman said to Saul, `I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.' He said to her, `What is his form?' And she said, `An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe.' And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage. Then Samuel said to Saul, `Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?' And Saul answered, `I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.' Samuel said, `Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary? The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day. Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!' " 1 Samuel 28:6-19

What happened to Saul because He did this?

"So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it," 1 Chronicles 10:13

So we see that even though God was not answering King Saul in prayer etc, it was still wrong for him to seek out the witch at Endor. God killed Saul because of his sin.

Now someone may object that all the above verses are in the old testament, but things may be different in the new testament.

"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21

So we see that in this list of sins is sorcery.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts. " Revelation 9:20 & 21

Again it is mentioned here.

Here we see that these people go to hell.

"Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying." Revelation 22:15

And here as well. So what should a person do with their wicked items when they repent of this abominable sin?

"And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. " Acts 19:19

Magic items should be burned.

Now someone may understand that just because someone is able to do something doesn't mean they should. But they may not understand why they shouldn't do it. The Scriptures state -

`Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled [#2930] by them. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19:31

The word here for defile is the same as the word for unclean in the following verse -

"The priest shall look at the mark on the skin of the body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is an infection of leprosy; when the priest has looked at him, he shall pronounce him unclean [#2930]." Leviticus 13:3

So just as a physical disease defiles a person's body, so using psychic powers defiles a person's spirit.

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